# Sage Maverick opinions?



## BrownDog (Jun 22, 2019)

Feltonard said:


> I’m looking for a good back up rod that will occasionally be my go to rod, any one have an opinion on it. I’m trying to not spend another thousand on a fly rod so the Mav seems like a decent choice. Just curious how people felt about it!


I have an 8 weight that both Myself and clients seem to like. They make a good redfish rod in my opinion, as they load fast but do carry some power in the butt for when you need to punch it.


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## crboggs (Mar 30, 2015)

Very happy with mine. Its a nice finesse / backwater rod.

I loaded my Maverick with a bonefish taper and use it for smaller flies since I already have an NRX with a redfish taper set up for heavier, weighted flies.

Like you, I bought the Maverick as a back up rod to my NRX. But I find myself grabbing it ahead of the NRX at times.


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## tntarpon (Jan 4, 2020)

IMO, after casting several at that price point, it is the best on the market in that price range. It is a lot of rod for the money.


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## Feltonard (Nov 6, 2019)

Thanks for all the responses, I think I’m sold!


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## ShannonD (Aug 25, 2013)

Love my 8wt. Darn thing is extremely accurate for my casting style. Great distance as well.


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## Loogie (Jul 24, 2019)

You will not find a better performing rod for the dollars ratio. My 7wt Maverick is superb, an absolutely fabulous rod in that weight, nothing even comes close! In an 8wt its even in performance with my NRX. Obviously this is just my opinion of using the rods and my style of casting.


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## bknot (Sep 18, 2020)

I have the 9 wt, smooth and fast without being a broomstick. It does like a nice linear casting stroke, but which rod doesn’t?


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## crboggs (Mar 30, 2015)

Loogie said:


> In an 8wt its even in performance with my NRX. Obviously this is just my opinion of using the rods and my style of casting.


I carry an 8wt NRX and Maverick each time I am on the skiff and felt like I need to speak up here a bit.

The Maverick will NOT pick up line (water haul) nearly as well as the NRX...IMHO.

That's a big deal on an open flat where you may be making long reach casts or re-casts.

BUT...I actually like the Maverick better for close shots or working backwater edges / points as I feel its got more finesse when paired with the right leader / fly.


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## Loogie (Jul 24, 2019)

crboggs said:


> I carry an 8wt NRX and Maverick each time I am on the skiff and felt like I need to speak up here a bit.
> 
> The Maverick will NOT pick up line (water haul) nearly as well as the NRX...IMHO.
> 
> ...


I would definitely agree with your assessment of the NRX and Maverick. The long haul is better with the NRX, no doubt.


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## jay.bush1434 (Dec 27, 2014)

Some good reviews on this forum about the Maverick from last year. I love my 8wt Mav, got it when they were first released. Its a joy to cast all day.


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## saltyhackle (Jun 28, 2020)

@bknot and @crboggs are spot on. Great finesse rod, when paired with the right line AND fly. I own both the 6 and 8, both with sa bonefish and I absolutely love it for appropriately sized and weighted flies. The 8wt is definitely is not as nice with #1 and up, in my experience, but that is mostly due to the line I feel. I will be getting a heavier taper line soon since summer is rolling around and I want to throw bigger patterns for our river tarpon. I casted every rod in the mid-range price (except the recon 2) and I think its the best performing.


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## Pierson (Mar 16, 2016)

I picked up the 11wt Maverick for a recent trip to the Everglades having never cast one. It may be because I was throwing a super long leader but I found the rod to really wake up once you got the line taper out of the rod tip. Once you had about 20 feet of line in the air you could bomb it out to 80 no problem. But it did not have great response in close. Again I was throwing a 13' leader so that probably had something to do with it. Ended up hooking a couple and landing one. Fighting power was great. 

It had me wondering about the lower weights as I am interested in a new saltwater 6wt with a little more punch than the One but after what you all are saying, it doesn't seem to have the bombing capabilities I found in the 11. 

Anyway, I would highly recommend in the higher weights. Ill probably pick up a 10wt down the road and retire my Xi3.


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## fotofinish (Aug 31, 2020)

I have an 8wt Mav, love the rod. It is not a long range bomber. It is accurate and whoever said on here it helped to have the right amount of line outside the rod was dead on. It is quite capable at short range however with an up down stroke. It is not as powerful in the butt as some real long range rods. It is, with my limited skills, a more powerful rod than the Axiom 2x with the same reel and line on both, Orvis allround saltwater.


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## ShannonD (Aug 25, 2013)

Absolutely +++1 for Maverick and I too have the 8. But, for some reason, it does work as a "long range bomber" in my hands. I think our unique personal casts change over time (as our physical condition changes), and that has lead me to offload many super-fast rods in the last two years - in favor of rods like the Maverick. I never need to, and never care about, casting an entire fly line. However, for the first time in my fly life I can do that with this rod (RIO Elite Flats Pro). And I don't even need my Mexican Volfenac GEL after practice!


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## SHaller (Aug 2, 2021)

I own the 8 and the 10. Fantastic all around rods. I found that they share the same properties and characteristics. I have the most time on my 8wt. What blew me away about the 8wt when I first casted it was just how “castable” it was. Everything within a normal range was automatic. The swing weight felt pretty light and it was clearly something meant to Be cast all day.

It’s relatively fast but not nrx fast. Cant quite bomb it like an nrx and it doesn’t quite have the feel of a meridian but it’s not too far off.


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## ShannonD (Aug 25, 2013)

Yeah, it is insanely accurate! I had to start paying attention when it was hitting fish on the top of the head!


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## Pierson (Mar 16, 2016)

Selling my used 11wt Maverick in the Fly Fishing Classifieds if anyone is interested...


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## strat48 (Dec 7, 2021)

Feltonard said:


> I’m looking for a good back up rod that will occasionally be my go to rod, any one have an opinion on it. I’m trying to not spend another thousand on a fly rod so the Mav seems like a decent choice. Just curious how people felt about it!


you cant go wrong with a maverick.I like it better than my nrx.Does it all in spades imo.


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