Hey You Sage Heads...

Just fell in love with an XP 490 again after a few years of separation. XP's and SLT's were made from graphite IIIe, and I have enjoyed many of those rods. I never could understand what the deal was with the G IIIe was, coming after the Durascrimm Graphite IV? The natural transition should have been from IV to V (graphite 5). How did Sage and Jerry Siem get to this alternate material yet be so very successful with it; only to develop the 5 just shortly thereafter with the TXL and Xi2's? So what really is the deal with the IIIe? All I have been able to find out was the graphite was about 57million modulus. Sage does well to keep their secrets.

Appalachian Angler,

Glad you 'rediscovered' your XP. I have several XP's, a 9 ft,3wt, 2 pc, and an 11 ft, 6 wt, 4 pc and I really like them both, they are a great fast rod. I don't get into the materials that make up the rods, if they cast like I want them to and handle the fish like I want them to, then I like them. I have an older SP 6wt, 9 ft, 5 pc that I take with me as a back up rod in the event of an accident and it can handle anything, from chucking and ducking streamers to nymphing to dry flying. I like Sage's two medium action rods they made, the old VPS Light and the ZXL, both are great rods for dry flying. That said, I also love the way my Circa slow action rod casts dries, fantastic. Yup, guess you could call me a Sage Head. :) Larry ---sagefisher---

The XP has been one of my favorite line from Sage 490, 691, 791. I have been a Sage fan from their beginning having owned In the past rp, rpl ,sp, LL ,still own 490 SLT still my favorite dry fly rod . For nymphs 490 XP ,496 Z axis tried a 590 one a friend liked it better than I did so he owns it now.but I also like other brands also, Glx classics, Echo, new favorite Hardy zenith one piece 4and5 wt. so different .I maybe a gear whore.

Marketing. It's all about marketing.

After my 390 SP I wondered how they could ever get better, like with all the SPLS's that have etc. I'm still not sure they did. I bought 'em anyway. Still have them, even though I mainly fish bamboo for trout now, for the last decade.

There was post in the "Wanteds" not long ago for a Sage SP390. Since I rarely fish mine anymore I considered it, seriously but couldn't part with it in the final. Same with my SPL's. Nice rods indeed, all of them.

Marketing!