Sage Rods Freshwater Rods R8 Core 890-4

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Sage Rods Freshwater Rods R8 Core 890-4

R8 Core

R8 Core

Multi-Application

Our most versatile and popular all-water rod model. The 890-4 is able to effectively present flies and handle the fight with Alaska trout and salmon, striped bass, largemouth bass or other similarly-sized species. When venturing into saltwater, the 890-4 R8 CORE is a very effective flats rod, capable to of cutting stiff wind alongside soft, pinpoint presentations. From freshwater to saltwater, simply put, this rod can be taken anywhere and fished with extreme confidence, for the angler needing an 8wt capable of handling a multitude of applications.
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In stock
$1,100.00
$1,100.00
Revolutionary new material technology meets a 3wt–9wt, 8'6"–10'0" range in R8 CORE, a versatile freshwater family built to cover the core needs of every angler.

Specs
R8 Core 890-4

SKU: 2054-890-4

Basics
  • The fly line weight designation (e.g., 5wt). Match the line size to the rod's recommended line weight for the best casting. 8wt
  • The length of the fully assembled rod. Longer rods add reach and line control; shorter rods are easier to handle in tight spaces. 9'0"
  • How much and where the rod flexes when casting. Fast actions bend mostly near the tip for power and distance; slower actions bend deeper for feel.
  • The blank design and material technology used to build the rod, which affects its strength, weight and casting feel. R8 Technology
  • The main type of fishing the product is designed for, such as dry fly, nymph, streamer, saltwater or all-around use. Multi-Application, Streamers, All Around, and Topwater
  • The fish species the product is best suited for, such as trout, bass, steelhead or saltwater species. Trout, Salmon, Carp, Steelhead, Bass, and Striped Bass
  • The type of water the product is designed for, such as streams, rivers, lakes, stillwater or saltwater. Freshwater, Warmwater, Flats, Stillwater, Lakes, River, Beach, Surf, and Saltwater
Blank
  • The material used to build the rod blank, such as graphite. It shapes how light and responsive the rod feels. Aerospace Composite
  • The number of sections the rod breaks down into. More pieces pack smaller for travel and storage. 4
  • Color Silver Pine
Components
  • The rod's grip, typically cork. Its shape and size affect comfort and casting control. Fighting Butt Handle
  • The hardware at the base of the rod handle where the reel attaches and locks in place. Anodized Aluminum Up-Locking Reel Seat
  • The color of the thread wraps that hold the guides in place, plus any accent trim on the rod. Slate Primary Thread Wraps with Graduated White and Grey Trim
  • An area designed to hold a fly securely by the hook when the rigged rod is not in use. Hidden
  • The guides along the rod that hold the fly line close to the blank and help it travel smoothly during the cast. Fuji Ceramic Stripping Guides with Hard Chromed Snake Guides and Tip-Top
  • The cloth sleeve that holds the rod sections and keeps them from rubbing together inside the tube. Black Rod Bag with Quick-Tie Cord Lock
  • The hard protective tube that stores the rod, in its bag, for travel and storage. Aluminum Rod Tube with Sage Medallion

Technology

R8

R8 Technology pairs a new lightweight core material for greater hoop strength with a stiffer, stronger intermediate-modulus Power Fiber for lighter, more responsive rods with a highly connected feel from hand to fly.

  • Light, Responsive In Hand

    Reduced mass equals better tracking and control, enabling tighter loops and consistent accuracy across a full range of fishing applications.

  • Stronger Under Pressure

    Enhanced hoop strength increases durability and power, keeping the blank from deforming whether making short, technical casts or longer presentations.

  • Smooth, Accessible Power

    New graphite Power Fiber helps reinforce the mid-section of the rod, allowing you to transition seamlessly from finesse to distance.

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Why R8 Core

Maximum Versatility

The leading-edge material behind R8 enables us to shape a rod with a stiffer, stronger backbone but a more sensitive tip and more connected feel.

  • Dry Fly

    The fast action drives high line speed and tight loop that assists in laser accuracy in technical dry fly situations, with enough capability to handle dry fly lines with long heads, place precise casts to rising fish, and turn over long leaders at range.

  • Nymphing

    A sensitive tip section protects light tippets, while a versatile balance between lifting power and delicacy provides perfect synergy for nymph fishing. Whether wading or from a boat, R8 CORE enables better cast timing, easier line lifts and sharp, precise mends.

  • Streamers

    R8 CORE's powerful butt section puts a wide range of streamers to work and accommodates a full lineup of sinking tip lines, while also quickly pulling aggressive fish out of structure for increased landing success.

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  • Fuji Ceramic Stripper Guides with Hard Chromed Snake Guides and Tip-Top

  • Slate Primary Thread Wraps with Graduated White and Grey Trim

  • Silver Pine Blank Color

  • Premium Flor Grade Cork Handle

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Build Your Setup

We curated these products to go with your R8 Core 890-4.

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Compare Rods

R8 Core
R8 Core 890-4
The fly line weight designation (e.g., 5wt). Match the line size to the rod's recommended line weight for the best casting. 8wt
Price $1,100
Best Suited For Anglers who want maximum versatility from a single rod.
The main type of fishing the product is designed for, such as dry fly, nymph, streamer, saltwater or all-around use. Multi-Application, Streamers, All Around, and Topwater
The blank design and material technology used to build the rod, which affects its strength, weight and casting feel. R8 Technology
The material used to build the rod blank, such as graphite. It shapes how light and responsive the rod feels. Aerospace Composite
How much and where the rod flexes when casting. Fast actions bend mostly near the tip for power and distance; slower actions bend deeper for feel.
Current Product
Power R8 label detail
Power R8 890-4
The fly line weight designation (e.g., 5wt). Match the line size to the rod's recommended line weight for the best casting. 8wt
Price $1,100
Best Suited For Anglers prioritizing line speed, distance, and reserve power.
The main type of fishing the product is designed for, such as dry fly, nymph, streamer, saltwater or all-around use. Streamers and Sinking Lines
The blank design and material technology used to build the rod, which affects its strength, weight and casting feel. R8 Technology
The material used to build the rod blank, such as graphite. It shapes how light and responsive the rod feels. Aerospace Composite
How much and where the rod flexes when casting. Fast actions bend mostly near the tip for power and distance; slower actions bend deeper for feel.
View product details
Arrow label detail
Arrow 890-4
The fly line weight designation (e.g., 5wt). Match the line size to the rod's recommended line weight for the best casting. 8wt
Price $725
Best Suited For Anglers who need one rod to answer the day's what-ifs.
The main type of fishing the product is designed for, such as dry fly, nymph, streamer, saltwater or all-around use. Multi-Application and Streamers
The blank design and material technology used to build the rod, which affects its strength, weight and casting feel. KonneticHD
The material used to build the rod blank, such as graphite. It shapes how light and responsive the rod feels. Fiber Composite
How much and where the rod flexes when casting. Fast actions bend mostly near the tip for power and distance; slower actions bend deeper for feel.
View product details
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Overall rating: 4.946541 / 5 from 318 reviews.

AI Generated Review Summary

The R8 Core is praised for its exceptional performance, smooth casting, and ability to handle various types of lines and flies. Customers appreciate its fast and accurate shipping, fantastic rod action, and impressive power without sacrificing feel.

Summary topics

  • Rod Performance (7%): It was highlighted by customers that Sage's R8 rods are one of the best rods available on the market.
  • Shipping Speed (4%): It was reported by customers that the shipping for this product is consistently fast and accurate. (Common opinion)
  • Line Handling (4%): Customers raved about the R8, praising its outstanding performance and ability to handle various types of lines.
  • Streamer Performance (4%): It was reported by customers that the R8 #6FB rod performs well throwing streamers.

Review topics: ["feel","power","weight","rod","shipping","quality","control","action","looks","protection","model","casts","color","performance","craftsmanship","rods","conditions","flies","line","streamers","sage","fish","core","accuracy","presentation","rig","rivers","components","nymph","water"].

Review highlights

  • "Comfortable, lightweight rod that handles big flies well." — Alex L.
  • "Stiff enough butt for distance with soft enough tip for dry flies." — Gray W.
  • "Great rod throws light flies with good distance and accuracy and has great response when playing even larger fish." — Steve C.

Reviews

Kenai River Sockeye

"Spent considerable time in Alaska on an expedition with this and several other rods. Primarily used this rod to fight the feisty Sockeye that were running the Kenai. Outstanding durability and performance in the heat of battle."

— Shawn W. (5/5)

R8 Core 590 is really nice!

"There's a lot of feel with this fast action rod. It's smooth with control and works well with small dry flies on up. It's a good one!"

— Nate D. (5/5)

9 ft. 5 wt. Sage R8 Core

"I love this 5 wt as it does most all things expected of a 5 wt. fly rod very, very well. Another rod that the angler can slow down on their cast, concentrate on form and the rod will perform brilliantly on short, medium and reasonably long presentations… Additionally, the rod takes to a variety of line types from Rio Elite TT all the way thru a Rio OBS, with ease, depending on your required application."

— Jamie M. (5/5)

Love it

"Love it"

— Matt M. (5/5)

Great Rod So Far!

"What I've done so far with this rod in two outings: Mono-rig with weighted streamers. Crisp. Accurate. Good power. Landed smallmouth bass to 2 lbs. Great power for fighting aggressive smallmouth. Mono-rig with dry-dropper. Accurate and snappy. Great for picking apart pocket water. Landed numerous wild browns to 17". Tricos with a long 6x Harvey Leader and fly line. Soft enough to cushion the light tippet. Accurate and long caster. Turns over long leader easily. Landed a number of smaller trout with this setup. Dry dropper with fly line. Excellent. Landed a 17" wild brown trout with this setup. Have not yet tried, but will: heavy night fly rig, mono-rig with nymphs and with indicator. I anticipate this rod will handle these rigs with ease. Bought this as a do-it-all trout rod for mono-rig setups on medium sized rivers and as a bigger river dry fly rod. I'm very pleased with the rod so far for these tasks. It is light and responsive. It's fast action, but with some feeling in the tip. I think we are going to be great friends. Rod Reviewed: R8 Core 596-4FB"

— Bill F. (5/5)

I have always been a

"I have always been a Sage guy and i absolutely love the Sage R* Core 796-4."

— Bryant E. (5/5)

R8 Core 596-4FB

"I've used this rod in the following ways so far: Mono-rig dry dropper fishing. Mono-rig streamer fishing. Fly line dry dropper presentations. Fly line trico fishing with a 14' Harvey leader ending in 6x tippet. I purchased this as a mono-rig streamer/nymph rod for medium sized rivers where my 10' rod is a bit unwieldy AND for fishing dry flies at distance with fly line on larger rivers. So far, I am extremely pleased with this purchase. The rod is fast but has a nice progressive action which throws a mono rig with a dry dropper setup quite well. It's ideal for working pocket water with the dry dropper technique. With streamers, it tosses weighted streamers with ease and accuracy using a mono-rig. The slightly shorter length and overall very light weight and low swing weight of the rod make it a pleasure to fish. There is plenty of backbone to the rod as well and the tip does not collapse with a heavier weighted streamer. With fly line and a long leader, the rod throws beautiful tight loops with a Rio Gold line and it mends line well. The extra 6" improves my ability to reach cast. The light weight makes it pleasurable to cast even at longer fishing distances without fatigue. It can turn over a heavy dry dropper rig or long leader and a size 24 single dry fly. The tip was soft enough to provide cushion with 6x tippet during a trico hatch. As a fish fighting tool, there was plenty of power in the butt section and I've landed brown trout to 17" and a 2. 5ish pound smallmouth bass that I had to fight in heavy current with logs and obstructions. The rod was capable of applying "max pressure" on 1x flurocarbon tippet to keep this bass out of a log jam. I'm rating it as 4 stars because I've only fished with it a few times and because I have not yet tried it out nymphing with indicators or on a tight line. However, I suspect it will excel at these tactics too. I also have not yet had reason to utilize the warranty, so I cannot comment on this. Cosmetically the rod looks great. The cork is exceptional and I really like the reel seat design it is very solid. I'd prefer a reverse half wells grip, but the full wells is comfortable and I can work with it. Overall, I am very pleased with this purchase and the rod is doing exactly what I purchased it to do. i look forward to using this rod a whole lot more in the future."

— William F. (4/5)

Best Sage rod yet!

"Im a Sage rod guy and this Rod is amazing. I have been a Sage sonic guy for the last couple years and the r8 makes that feel like a much lesser rod. The casting is butter smooth and the accuracy is by far best I've ever seen. I fish every day so it gets put thru the ringer. LIGHT! cant stress that enough! Awesome Rod!"

— Mike P. (5/5)

10’ 6wt. Worth every penny

"One of the best streamer rods I have ever casted. Roll casts like a beast, and handles heavy streamer rigs like it’s nothing. I wanted something on the softer side with the power to slice through the wind, and I got something that could do more. Swing weight is light in handle and the overall rod is well balanced."

— Troy G. (5/5)

New Fly Rod

"5wt R8 ~~~~~~ Hard water now in AK…cast great in the dome. Can’t wait until I hit the water. Why waste time with cheap imitations … life’s too short…always eat pie first 😎 🐥😎🐥😎🐥😎🐥😎🐥😎"

— Steve P. (5/5)

Q&A