Rod Question?

Maybe this is the wrong place to ask this!!
I have been using a Orvis 7'9" Far & Fine 5wt. for the last year and love it, it has become my go to rod. My question is I have the opportunity to get a new Sage XP 590-2pc for a fair price, am I going to like its action compaired to my Far & Fine. I'm just looking for something to get me out there just a little farther on those windy days, or am I just wasting my time. You guys seem to know the rods out there. Just asking for some feed back on the XP, is it that fast that I just won't like it? I don't need another rod really I have enough, but I need help on this...Thanks for the help.

If you can, go cast that bad boy somewhere with the same length casts you'll normally make while fishing. I've never cast a Far and Fine, but I used to have that same XP rod, and I loved it at first. I fish quite a bit of small water around home and eventually wanted a bit softer rod for the shorter casts. Many times I'm fishing arond the 25 - 30 ft range or in and at that distance the rod didn't load very well. It was still accurate, but lacked 'feel'. I'd get used to that dead stick feeling, then if I got in a spot with more room and the rod suddenly started loading the 'zip' would completely get me by surprise as the line zoomed out there. I replaced mine with a 4 wt BIIX for around home and an 8' 6" 5 wt Z-Axis for more all around use. But if I lived in MT, I'd probably be tempted to go back to an XP.

That xp is going to feel like you have a rocket. That may not be a good thing the fair and fine is just what it says it is very soft laying the line down. I think you will like the castability of the xp better but you may have a few problems "slapping" the line on the water at first. Over all I like the xp better because I think it has more uses.

OK now my two cents but I know a lot will disagree. I have Sages in RPL, XP and SLT, plus slower rods. The XP is one powerful cannon, but a handful to use in the wind - in wind I prefer a slower action with some power in the butt. Here I love the mid and tip flex Orvises or similar, even the SLT is good.

If you want to buy a powerful fast rod then the XP is a good choice, if you can use it. If you want to cast into wind, I wouldn't go there with my XP.

Catman; there's some very good advice, given by the folks above.
However, I have to admit, (and I guess "ask")................ what kind of sacrilegious statement is....... "I don't really NEED another rod, I have ENOUGH"????
You been to a good doctor, lately sir?

catman,

FWIW ... I'd be very careful. Cast first, including short and middle distance. The XP is a lot faster/stiffer than your F & F. Many, including me, think it casts better with a #6 line unless you're booming a lot of line. You might not feel it load with a #5 until you've got 50+ feet of line out. It's really a 6 wt.

Also, for a Superfine guy as you are the tip is pretty stiff. The XP won't feel at all the same with a fish on either. You might find it to be more of a casting rod than a fishing rod.

For you, there might be better choices for a faster/longer 5 wt. for bigger water. Good Luck with your quest.

The F&F is a lot slower and is shorter than the XP. Those will be obvious right away. The casting stroke on that XP is going to be very different. You are going to be able to throw a ton of line with the XP if you can easily adapt to the faster rod/stroke. Accuracy will also be an issue in the beginning. I'm not knocking the XP, in fact, I think it is a fine rod. Just that the difference between the rods will take a little getting used to.

Hope that doesnt sound too confusing.

Brian

Catman-

I would agree with the earlier post -- go and string up the rod and cast it.

I am an XP guy -- have 2 of them -- one is the 5wt 9ft. rod and i love it.

It is a faster rod and might take a little getting use to. I also have the Winston XII mentioned above and it is slower and completely different. I prefer the XP for certain applications.

As for casting in the wind, I would prefer a faster action and faster loading rod over a slower rod -- I believe that the wind has more effect on a slower casting rod --- and in really heavy wind, you probably aren't going to fish the 5wt anyway because it just doesn't have the backbone.

For me, the only negative that I see regarding your deal is that it is a 2 pc. rod -- and not a 4 pc.
This really doesn't matter as far as fishability is concerned -- mainly is personal choice and ease of transporting. My son and I are leaving for a trip tomorrow to So. America and he is leaving his 2 pc. 6wt Sage because it is too much trouble to take on the plane and he doesn't want to put it in checked baggage. By the way, he is taking his 4pc XP 5wt.

So, this is my 2 cents -- worth probably 1 cents but I would look very seriously at the Sage XP. There is the same exact rod in our local shop but they want around $400. The rod went out of production almost 2 years ago so I think it is too expensive -- plus I bought a 4wt XP about 1-1/2 years ago for $290 brand new from another shop when sage announced they would stop XP production.

F&F v XP is apples and kiwi... both great rods but the XP will feel like a tomato stake if you have a good groove with the F&F. Not that this is a bad thing, variety is the spice of life, but to directly answer your question I'll say you may not like it. Wear a heavy cap when you go cast it as I've seen some of the worlds wildest tailing loops ever made come from folks with their first go around with an XP! When they were 'the thing', everyone came in the shop wanting one... I'll guess that we at least attempted to sell 1/3 of the folks who test cast in on the pond in another direction due to it not being a good fit for their casting style or level of skill. It is a fairly technical rod IMO.

I disagree with those who say a 5wt XP 'is really a 6'... true they load better and have greater feel with a heavier than spec 5wt line, like a Rio Grand 5 which is like a 5.5, but keep in mind that those lines were originally designed to help beginner and intermediate casters develop their skills by enhancing the feel of the load (and then marketed as fast action lines after a V8 moment)... in the hands of a good technical caster, a true to spec 5wt WF casts quite well and will present quieter on a fast rod like an XP, S3, etc. The only Sage rods I have used or owned, and I owned 3, that were really truly IMO best lined up one full weight were the RPL+'s, the lower third of that taper was a telephone pole and wouldn't collapse no matter what you threw at it.

YMMV :D

TL's~

I suggest casting and, if you can, fishing an XP, as it's at the other end of the spectrum from a Far and Fine. You might like something more in the middle in terms of stiffness, like a St. Croix Avid.

Having said that, I have an Orvis Superfine - older, slower model - and an XP and I like them both.

Randy