Sage MAVERICK Fly Rod Review - The NEW Sage Maverick for Saltwater Fly Fishing
SAGE MAVERICK (Click Here to View)
The new Sage Maverick is fantastic. It is one of the few true saltwater-specific fly rods designed perfectly for that application. In the past, most rods used in saltwater were really just freshwater rods with some blue paint or thread wraps, but not the Maverick. The Sage Maverick is purpose-built for saltwater and each size/weight corresponds to the most likely target species, i.e. the 8wt is for Bonefish / Redfish and similar fish species, the 9-10wt are perfect for Permit (and Striper up north), and the 11-12wt can easily handle a Tarpon or Giant Trevally. They even made a 14wt for offshore fly fishermen to chase the big ones. Best sailfish and striped marlin rod for the money, by far.
The Maverick is definitely the best-selling rod we have ever had. There’s almost nothing else close in price point for saltwater.
*Update: The new Scott Wave fly rods are out now at $675, basically the only real competitor to this Sage Maverick. My top three (not in order) are this rod, the Wave, and the T&T Zone rods. That's it for high-quality, made-in-USA "mid-priced" fly rod options (Technically also the Sage Sonic but it's mainly freshwater and maxes out at an 8wt, but it is absolutely equal to the Maverick and all other Sage rods in build quality and you could most definitely use the 7wt or 8wt in both fresh and salt).
*When you get to $400 and below there are a couple of "ok" options but the Maverick is a waaaay better choice if budget allows. Above it is really only the thousand dollar price point where there are a few nice rods to choose from (The newest Sage Salt R8 is fantastic and the Scott Sector has always been great since it came out). The Maverick is hand built in America whereas nothing less expensive is. Fit and finish are equal to the thousand dollar rods which are made by the same skilled craftsmen at Sage's facility in Washington state.
Which Maverick should you get? In general we recommend the 8wt rod or combo if you're not sure of which fish you will be pursuing in saltwater, it is a great rod for Bonefish but also works well for most medium-sized Redfish, Snook, and many other common coastal saltwater species (especially in Florida where we are based). The 9-10wt range is great for slightly bigger species such as larger Redfish, Striper, and Permit, or even baby Tarpon on the 10wt. Most of the time Tarpon are caught using 11-12wt rods but we prefer an 11wt over the 12wt for most purposes.
You will also want the right reel and line for each of these species. Fortunately, RIO makes it very easy with their species-specific fly lines for Bonefish, Permit, Redfish, Tarpon and more, as well as the all-around line called "Flats Pro" which is excellent but heavier than the species-specific lines. We are always happy to talk to you about what gear will work best for the type of fishing you'd like to do and where you'll be going so feel free to call or email us with any questions.
We are very excited to have this rod in our shop because we are the number one specialty dealer for saltwater-specific fly fishing equipment and this rod i undoubtedly our most-recommended and best-selling fly rod for everyone from beginners to pros looking for a new favorite rod.
We have put together some great combos / rod & reel outfits that include free fly line, backing, and leaders. Check them out here:
--> Click Here for Maverick Rod & Reel Outfits
If you want a custom combo, call or email us any time for assistance: 941-483-6847 or info@saltflypro.com
For more on the new Sage Maverick including hands-on photos and video review, stay tuned! We will be posting more about it very soon!
