Looks like a lot of new rods hitting the market next month!!

[Silver Creek]

Ah!! The RPL.

My favorite rod for over 10 years.

[John_N]

I know it happens to every rod series at some point, but replace the BIIX? One of the best sticks available in my opinion.

[pspaint]

"Think of our ZXL is a refined LL series. The tapers are close but they
use our G5 graphite which has more feel and is much lighter.

ColdPass, I have the 486 ZXL and it's a very nice rod but I wouldn't put it up there with your LL's. I had heard it was also similar the SLT, but IMHO, it isn't. The SLT was softer and smoother. Hold on to those LL's! They were great rods.

[michaelnel]

... and not a single one of all those new rods will improve your casting or help you catch any more fish than the rods you could buy last month.

[TyroneFly]

... and not a single one of all those new rods will improve your casting or help you catch any more fish than the rods you could buy last month.

Years ago I started out with a Sage DS series. Nice rod and I still fish with it to this day. After a couple of years I reached my limit with it a bought an SLT. My casting improved significantly and as such so did my catch rate. Please don't be so quick to make a snap judgement.

[FishnDave]

I can see both sides to the debate. If a person casts with 2 rods exactly the same, technological advancements in one SHOULD produce an improved cast.

I'm STILL shy about purchasing a rod that cost more than $200. I know there are some great rods in the $600+ range that I will just DREAM of owning and using!

I will say this...the first fly rod I bought was an entry-level Cabela's rod. I could throw line into the backing with it, because I thought that is what you were SUPPOSED to do. So, I suppose it was a good enough rod. I didn't really enjoy it that much, though. So I put it aside for years and continued fishing with spinning gear. And then early in 2007 I decided to try fly-fishing again, since it seemed flies were the answer to effectively fishing some local warmwater ponds.
I saw a great deal on a new St. Croix Premier fly rod. 8'6" 5wt. I put a Pflueger Medalist reel on that rod with some Cabela's Prestige Plus line, and headed to one of the ponds. As soon as I started casting, a smile crept onto my face. It stayed plastered there the entire time I fished. It was absolute JOY to fish with! I've been logging over 100 fly-fishing outings/year ever since then. I've expanded my arsenal of rods, and each is a bit different, but all have been good rods. Well, there was one that didn't suit me, and it has found a new home.

So, my point is that a new or different fly rod certainly can increase your enjoyment of fly-fishing, whether it truly improves your casting or not.

[afishinado]

Sage is re-releasing the popular xp as the vxp - a mid-priced fast action rod with the xp taper.