The Sage POWER R8: A Saltwater Weapon, From a Fly Shop That actually fishes the flats.

Let me start by saying: I had the chance to fish this rod for five days in the Bahamas before it ever hit the shelves—and saying I was grateful to have it with me is an understatement.

This trip was booked months in advance, the kind of plan you commit to rain or shine. And, like most trips, the forecast didn’t exactly do us any favors. We dealt with sustained ENE winds the entire week—20 to 45 mph (and that’s not an exaggeration). In conditions like that, you don’t want a powerful rod—you need one.

Standing on the bow, it was a huge relief knowing I had a rod that could actually handle the wind and still deliver. It let me relax and focus on the fishing instead of fighting my gear. At that point, it’s simple: the rod does its job, and it’s on you to make the cast—with the best tool possible in your hands.

Honestly, I wouldn’t have wanted anything else on that trip. Big wind, wide-open flats with very little protection, and it was rough enough that we couldn’t just run around and tuck into calm water. There was no hiding from it. When it’s that windy, even if you try to shelter, the wind swirls from every direction, and the low-cut mangroves don’t help much.

The only option was to step up, send shots downrange, and make them count—and man, did it pay off.

If you’ve been around our shop for any amount of time, you already know the deal: we’re not casual about saltwater fly fishing. We live for the days we can get on the water – no matter the condition.

We’ve cast a lot of saltwater rods over the years. Some throw tight loops but get pushed around when conditions get real. Some have power for days but feel like swinging a pool cue when you need finesse. A few come close. POWER R8 is one of the rare sticks that feels purpose-built for what we actually do out there: fast shots, long shots, wind shots, and chaos shots—all with fish that don’t politely wait for you to get organized.

What Saltwater Demands
Saltwater fly fishing is a funny kind of unfair. The fish are strong, the wind is normally constant, and the windows are small. You’re not standing waist-deep in a gentle river with time to false cast and “find your rhythm.” You’re on a skiff deck, or wading a flat, or posted up on a beach with waves and gusts and fish that appear, disappear, and reappear somewhere you weren’t looking.

The rod has to help you do a few things extremely well
-Pick up line fast and re-present without a bunch of drama
-Generate high line speed for long shots and wind-cutters
-Carry heavier flies, tips, and heads without collapsing
-Stay accurate when you’re casting off-angle (like side arm), under pressure, and moving

POWER R8 checks those boxes in a way that feels intentional.

The “power” Name I guess wasn’t a Marketing thing -It’s what it is.

Sage didn’t call this rod POWER R8 because it sounds cool (okay, it kinda does). They called it that because this stick is unapologetically built for line speed and authority. The first thing you notice is how quickly it loads and recovers—there’s a crispness to it that translates into tight loops without you having to force it.

That matters in the salt because tight loops are your best friend. They hold shape, they cut wind, and they stay on track when you’re trying to hit a moving target at distance.

But here’s the part we really care about: it’s not just stiff. It’s not just a broomstick. POWER R8 has that “snap” you want for speed, but it doesn’t punish you for needing touch. You can dial down and drop something in quietly at 50 feet, then immediately step on the gas when the same fish slides to 80 with a wake behind it.

There’s a specific kind of cast that separates “good casting conditions” from “saltwater reality.”

It’s the one where you’ve got a fish lit up, tracking, and you need to send it—not 60 feet, not 75—more like that annoying distance where you suddenly question why you do this. You need the rod to hold the line in the air, stay stable, and deliver without tailing loops or collapsing under weight.

POWER R8 is built for that. It’s got that reserve power that lets you carry line and then accelerate it. And when you do, the rod stays composed. It doesn’t wobble. It doesn’t feel like it’s trying to catch up to the cast. It just… goes.

Wind, Big Flies, and Heavier Lines: Where It Shines

Most of us aren’t fishing dainty little size 8 shrimp in calm conditions every day. We’re throwing:

bigger baitfish patterns

bulkier crab flies

heavier hooks

lines designed to turn over in the wind

and, depending on the fishery, heavier heads or aggressive tapers

POWER R8 handles that load without feeling like it’s being overworked. It’s got the backbone to turn over the junky stuff, keep loops tight, and stay accurate—especially on those quick, one-or-two false cast shots where you don’t have time to build momentum.

Accuracy Under Pressure Is the Whole Point

You can cast far on a lawn with a lot of rods. The difference is whether you can put the fly where it needs to be when your guide is saying:

“Two o’clock… coming… coming… okay—cast now!” and you feel completely rushed.

POWER R8 feels like it was designed for exactly that moment. The rod’s tracking is clean, and it gives you a feeling of control at speed. That means fewer blown presentations, fewer “almost” casts, and more of those satisfying deliveries that make the fish do the thing.

Who We Think This Rod Is For

We’ll keep it real—this is not the rod we hand to someone who’s brand new and wants a softer, slower tempo rod to learn timing. POWER R8 is for anglers who want a rod that responds immediately and rewards good mechanics.

This rod is for:
– flats anglers chasing bonefish, permit, and tarpon
-striped bass and false albacore folks who need distance and speed
-anglers who fish windy beaches, jetties, and boats where the cast has to happen now
-anyone who throws bigger flies and wants a rod that won’t fold under weight
-people who want one rod that can fish finesse and hit the gas when it matters

If you like a rod that feels crisp, fast, and capable—this one belongs on your short list.

Our Take: A Modern Saltwater Rod That Actually Feels Saltwater-Ready

Some rods get called “saltwater” because they’re built tough and painted cool colors. POWER R8 feels saltwater-ready because it’s designed around saltwater decisions: wind, speed, quick shots, heavy flies, and fish that don’t give you time.

It’s fast. It’s powerful. And it still gives you enough feel to fish it—rather than just cast it.

If you want a rod that’s comfortable living at high line speeds, that doesn’t get weird when conditions get ugly, and that gives you confidence when

I cast my three favorite lines on this rod: the Scientific Anglers Magnitude Grand Slam, Bonefish Plus, and Bonefish.

My favorite all-around line was the Bonefish Plus.

The Grand Slam was also great, but I’d recommend that line if you’re not only flats fishing and might do a little more blind casting or prospecting.

The Bonefish Plus gave me much more control at distance and a better presentation, and the rod simply felt better for bonefishing in my situation with that line.

The reel I had it paired with was, in my opinion, the best to ever do it: the Tibor Everglades. It’s built like a tank, with a drag that’s as smooth as a water slide coated in oil—and the stopping power of a freight train’s braking system packed into a compact reel.