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Summary of the Sage 8134-4 Z-Axis
 We all remember the day we heard that our beloved Sage 8136-4 Traditional Spey was going to that big fly rod riffle in the sky. Our hearts and shoulders sank as we thought of the many hours of effortless long casts on our favorite steelhead runs on the Deschutes, Sandy, Bogachial, and Bulkley Rivers. What could possibly fill the void for those of us who found this rod to be the go-to weapon in nearly every steelhead fishing scenario? If a steelhead angler cries tears of despair in the rainforest, does anyone really notice his broken heart?
Well it's time to dry your eyes and wet your lines. The new Sage 8134-4 Z-Axis is here to bring back those memories and is sure to please all those fans of the Sage 8136-4, as well as create new ones at the same time. The Generation 5 Technology graphite is the major contributor to the performance and feel of this rod as well as the engineering of Sage rod design guru Jerry Seim. The Sage 8134-4 Z-Axis is everything that the 8136-4 was and much more.
 The first thing you'll notice is the light touch and feel the rod has, this is the hallmark of all the Z-Axis rods. The lightness of the rod obviously makes it more effortless to cast for hours on end, but it also transmits great feel to the angler and the fly as it is being fished. This becomes very important when air temperatures drop in fall and more significantly in winter fishing conditions that begin to chill our hands as well as with light touches from curious, less aggressive fish. The lightness and sensitivity of the Generation 5 graphite makes the 8134-4 Z-Axis a superior fishing tool in every aspect imaginable.
The 8134-4 has more backbone and lifting power than its late predecessor but is still very smooth and forgiving to the angler regardless of their abilities. The flex and action of the 8134-4 is unique in that it is both crisp and smooth as it loads and unloads during the casting stroke. This is a rare quality in but a few modern fly rods. The fighting power and flex of the rod still makes every fish hooked and played, regardless of size and attitude, both challenging and exciting. After all, fun is what this is all about isn't it?
 I had the opportunity to cast the 8134-4 with a variety of lines. I think the RIO 8/9 AFS and 550 Skagit were the top performers and should meet the needs of the most dedicated steelhead anglers. I also liked the RIO Power Spey but with the 7/8 instead of the 8/9. I found that with the added surface tension of the longer head, the rod seemed to generate enough load without the additional grain weight of the 8/9. This was a very nice set-up for floating line, long leader fishing with both wet and dry flies. Some may prefer the 8/9 Power Spey depending on stroke speed and abilities but I felt this overloaded the rod slightly.
Should I mention the look and craftsmanship of the cork handles, reel seat, guides, wraps, and finish? Well, it's a Sage and that says it all...
Charles St. Pierre
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