Greg Darling on the New Sage 8000 Pro Fly Reel

The newest threat to big game saltwater species everywhere! To appreciate this new series of reels from Sage we need to first take a look at where it began with the proven 6000 series reels. The 6000 series has built its reputation over the years with a drag system that can compete with the best out there. It starts with a compact multi-plate cassette sealed assembly and given a one revolution numbered drag control knob to get exact adjustment every time. But maybe more importantly is the smooth startup inertia and consistent drag pressure that ranks these reels in the top of their class. I have personally seen these tested for startup and consistency with precise equipment among many other top contenders on the market and without a doubt, they deserve their place in the world of saltwater.

For the 8000 Pro Series, Sage took the proven 6000 and gave it a massive shot of Steroids. Sage in fact, made the 8000 Pro Series bigger, badder and better than ever! The obvious improvements are larger diameter and wider spools for more backing capacity and faster retrieval rates. But the real innovation comes in the two stage drag adjustment system. Now with a smaller secondary adjustment you can dial in your working drag range and use the larger drag knob to make the finer adjustments. Let me point out that this secondary is not just another adjustment knob. Its addition has enabled Sage to provide an upper range of drag resistance not seen before with these reels. In my first handling of this new reel, I did what one does with a Goliath handling tool. I cranked that drag as high it could go and gave a crank against the pressure. WOW! Not sure how many pounds of force this is but looking forward to finding a scale large enough to give her a measure. At the time I was in the company of George Cook (Northwest Sage Representative) and his words were “I bet you if we tied you to that reel you wouldn’t make it across the street” and I was hesitant to take him up on that bet after what I just felt. More impressive though, is that I still felt the smooth startup inertia and the consistent flow of pressure while locked down in this Tuna fighting mode.

I’ve watched the evolution of Sage reels over the years and have firsthand seen the improvements, or let say refinements, along the way. They’ve taken a series of great reels and evolved them into what I use to compare all other reels today.

There are three seperate sizes available in Stealth and Storm colors:
Sage 8080 Pro  (7-8 Lines)
Sage 8010 Pro  (9-10 Lines)
Sage 8012 Pro  (11-12 Lines)

Now to book my next Tarpon adventure I helplessly cannot avoid!

Greg Darling – Gorge Fly Shop Team