Sage Salt R8 690-4

Reviews

1. Rated 5 out of 5

   The 690/4 R8 Salt is an excellent light duty saltwater rod. It is very light in hand and casts as smooth as any 6wt out there. The rod has plenty of power but is still a remarkable caster. Similar to other models in the R8 Salt family, the 690/4 can handle a wide range of casting strokes. A slow methodical casting stroke will help the caster identify the clear trigger point in the tip section where the rod wants to shoot. If you quicken up your stroke just a bit you will notice tighter and more level loops. This rod is much more intuitive than some other Sage saltwater rods of the past. It would make for a very well-rounded bonefish rod for calmer days fishing small shrimp patterns but would also not be overkill for 6wt freshwater applications like streamer fishing. I cast the Rio Elite Bonefish WF6F on the 690/4 R8 Salt and it was a perfect pairing. With this line the rod holds a wonderfully tight loop at distance and lands nice and soft on the water.

   Parker Thompson (Telluride Angler)

2. Rated 5 out of 5

   A wonderful light saltwater rod, the Salt R8 690-4 casts with higher line speed than any previous edition from Sage. I’ve heard people ask, “what is a saltwater 6-weight, anyway?” It’s a fair question. To me, the answer is obvious: the lightest fly rod that we can use regularly on the flats. This is the rod that sets the boundary. On the first cast, I knew it was up to the task, yet anything lighter would not. I sense some meaningful design innovation in this model. The stability and line speed are so impressive, yet it loads and shoots with lightness and touch that feel futuristic. Like many others in the series, this model has the classic Sage “tip action,” with a defined flex point high on the blank. Unlike so many predecessors, however, it is not a tricky rod to cast. The timing is natural, not forced. Feel is intuitive, not learned. I loved it immediately with a Rio Elite Bonefish 6-weight but can tell that it will handle almost any line pairing, including specialized streamer lines. This is the first Sage saltwater 6-weight that offers the combination of power, stability and feel that make it widely suitable for flats fishing and a head above in design polish.

   John Duncan (Telluride Angler)

3. Rated 5 out of 5

   The lightest rod in the R8 Salt lineup, the 690 is a precise and purpose-built 6 weight for bonefish. Most rods in this class follow the design ethos, “make a 6 weight that is capable of fishing like an 8 weight.” The R8 Salt 690 feels so light in the hand it is hard to believe it is a saltwater class rod, true dry fly stick lightness and light through the tip. The blank holds itself up proudly and the grip is slightly smaller and thinner, making it feel even more like a true saltwater 6 weight, rather than a downsized member of the rod lineup. Loops are crisp, tight, and immediate. The sensation of the rod loading is progressive from your flats boots to about 75 feet with a Rio Elite Bonefish WF6F. You can certainly unload the whole line, but the sensation at distance makes me feel like more attention was paid to how the rod performs at realistic ranges. The bonefish line puts the bend slightly higher on the blank and really threw a nice V-loop. The Rio Elite Flats Pro engages the blank a bit lower than the bonefish line, giving the sense I could drive a slightly bigger fly. I would opt for the Flats Pro WF6F on this rod for speckled trout, flounder, small snook and just a general ultra-light, ultra-fun inshore rod. The R8 Salt 690 left my casting hand reluctantly and had me daydreaming about silvery clear tails dancing nervously as they interrupt the mirror sheen surface of the light’s last stand against nightfall.

   Richard Post (Telluride Angler)