I just received a Cabela’s catolog and in it they have partnered with Sage for a limited production run of the famed XP. I have an XP in a 5 wt. It’s my favorite rod in my trout fishing arsenal. I hope it does well for Cabela’s.
Got mine yesterday and noted the same thing you did. Sweet looking rod.
A brilliant move on Cabela’s & Sage’s part and something I’m sure that will be well received.
Just ordered mine. A 490-4XP I hope I’m not afraid to fish with it, when it comes. 
It sounds like it will hurt fly shops to me. Discontine a rod so fly shops have to sell those rods at closeout prices ,and then a few years later give an exclusive on that same rod to a big box store.
Don’t get me wrong here I like Sage rods and I have on occasion bought stuff from Cabelas.
I’m glad to see the return of the XP – they are my favorite fly rod; however, OKFlyfisher has a good point.
The entire fly fishing industry seems to have a lock on everything they manufacture and market. Doesn’t matter where you buy it, the price is essentially the same. Hopefully, the service at the local shop is as good or better than the big box or catalog outfit so the local shop gets supported.
Seems like “Stuff” like rods, reel, waders, doesn’t go on sale until it is being discontinued and then the little guy running the fly shop is kind of screwed. I am assuming he is probably buying his merchandise for more than the big box does( ie. smaller volume). Seems that all these manufacturers kind of yank everyone around in pricing. However, I guess the shop owner knows what they are getting into when they go into the business.
It’s more of ‘will we ever see rons81 on the bb again now that he has his new XP and spends every waking minute fishing with it?’ 
I am tempted to buy another XP. The 4 wt and 8 wt would be sweet, but my wife would kill me. Still a 4 or an 8 wt would be nice.
Looks like Angler’s Pro Shop in PA also has them - I saw a litsting on E-bay that says:
2009 SAGE XP FLY ROD SALE
Sage’s best selling fly rod EVER WAS Discontinued and Closed Out in 2007. The world sold out in only 6 months. During that time we personally sold close to 600 Sage XP’s
After 2 years of careful negotiation, Sage has agreed to a special, one time, production run of XP Series Fly Rods, possibly the worlds finest and favorite casting and fishing rod ever.
We have had to share the spotlight with one of the “Big Box” stores on a couple of the standard models, but 7 of the tapers are only available from Anglers Pro Shop, and we are thrilled to be able to offer these on a “first come” basis.
All rods are new in the tube, with full factory warranties
I imagine this will upset a lot of fly shops even more than if only Cabela’s was able to carry them.
Billy, the owner of that shop bought TONS of XP rods from various sources when the XP was first discontinued. His inventory probably includes rods Cabela’s isn’t offering since his inventory is older. That’s his usual MO, buying up discontinued stock and re-selling it. He had a ton of older round hole Abel reels at a great price a few years back right after Abel went with the oblong porting holes in the Super Series.
Nothing wrong with the practice IMHO. You just have to have the capitol to take the chance. The smaller dealers either figured it wasn’t worth it or they figured it wasn’t necessary.
I guess that’s why some make it and other fail.
Bamboozle - I do remember when they did that. I was thinking of a 6 wt at the time and called then, but they were out. But I don’t think buying up stranded inventory is the case this time.
Their post specifically states that they’ve teamed up with Sage for a limited production run and have to ‘share’ some tapers with a ‘big box’, but that 7 are available only at Angler’s Pro.
Now I don’t think there is necessarily anything ‘wrong’ with doing that. If Angler’s Pro and Cabela’s were pushing Sage for it and are the only ones big enough to have the volume to make it worthwhile, then fine.
But I can also understand how some of the small shops may be upset that Sage (a line many of them have carried for years) is potentially undercutting Z-Axis sales by offering XP’s in a limited market and not letting them attempt to compete in it.
hutjensmpg:
You are probably right about the situation right now with Angler’s Pro Shop but Angler’s Pro Shop is a VERY small one location shop about an hour from Cabela’s in Hamburg, PA and the same distance from a multi location Sage dealer in Bryn Mawr, PA.
However Billy pulled it off I somehow think it’s more about having the ball bearings to get creative and take a chance in a weak economy; something that could be done by many other small shop owners if they wanted to. He may have also earned a certain advantage by his past Sage sales but he PUSHES Sage at his shop and it may be the only line he carries IIRC.
The bottom line is I have a feeling he just may be bit smarter than his fellow small competitors.
A very brief history and then a question.
My first fly rod cost came from a hardware store in Wellsburg, WV. It was bamboo, came with an extra tip and cost about $20 - big bucks for an 8 or 9 year old kid in 1960. I’ve fished with an assortment of bamboo, fiberglass and graphite rods since then. In the mid 1970s I started building rods and so far the most expensive blank I’ve assembled was a St. Croix (SC-III, 8’ 5 wt) that my wife got me a couple of years ago. It probably didn’t cost $100. I’ve been accused of being a coffee snob, a beer snob, and a fishing snob. The truth is, I’m not a snob, I just know good coffee, good beer, and occasionally good fishing…but frankly, I don’t have a clue what could possibly make any graphite rod worth $600.
Greybeard
ps For warm water species and trout would a pair of 3 wt and a 5 wt Sage XPs suffice or should I get an 8 wt too for bass fishing?<g>
Seriously now, what am I missing?
It’s just a matter of preference. Some folks are perfectly happy tooling down to the grocery store in their Chevy Cobalt. Others look for the long way home in their Ferraris. Both will get you there and back. If you appreciate the Ferrari - great. If not, you won’t miss a thing by driving the Cobalt. I’d rather drive the Cobalt than walk, but given the choice…
I like the the XP series for several reasons - most important (to me) of which is that no matter what I ask of the rod, it just bears down and does it well - better than any other rod (for me), including the Z-Axis.
I certainly enjoy my XPs. I started with their 590-4, lobbied hard for an 890-4 for Christmas several years ago, added a 696-4 for big river fishing out west, then a couple more just as they were being discontinued (of course, I’d just purchased one when the announcement came out). For me, they’re a fine, no-brainer casting tool that fit my style.
And, while I won’t be getting rid of these anytime soon, I do prefer the Z-Axis to the XP and will probably add a few of them to my quiver.
I can see how Sage’s business move could anger local fly shops, but I’m guessing that in these economic times, they “got an offer they couldn’t refuse.” I know it can be hard on the local shops, and some are folding, but I bet the big FF manufacturers aren’t immune to the economic downturn, especially since credit is drying up all over.
Heritage Angler,
I understand the analogy between the Chevy and the Ferrari but there’s more involved there than just preference. Both cars will get you between points A and B reliably (within reason) but like a lot of things in life, there’s a huge difference in the quality of the build, the handling, and durability. Tools are a great example of where cheap tools usually suffer from poor design and low quality manufacturing processes. Compare a Harbor Freight socket wrench to a Snap on socket wrench and even a child can feel the difference. However with a rod that I’ve built, I know the quality of the build is very good. I was wondering if there’s something special about the blank that would make it feel or work differently than another good blank that’s been properly constructed?
Perhaps my question doesn’t lend itself to answers based on words. I’m just trying to get a sense of if there is an appreciable difference and if so, how great is it? I suppose I should be careful about the questions I ask - the answers could get expensive if I find out I’m really missing out on something.
Finally, I’m new here and I hope this doesn’t come across as argumentative or arrogant because it sure isn’t intended that way. I’m just really curious what the difference is and my circle of fly fisherman friends is small and I generally have better equipment so I’ve never cast a Sage XP or anything close to one.
Greybeard
Graybeard,
Not argumentative at this end. I just think you’re seeing different strokes for different folks.
Many / most of us don’t build rods. Therefore we’re left buying rods. Is there a measurable quantifiable difference between a $200rod and a $600 rod? I honestly don’t know. I think there is a “pride in ownership” difference for sure.
One of my far too many hobies is building flintlock rifles. Can I build a better rifle than you can buy? Maybe. I don’t think my rifles will be any more accurate than an off the shelf rifle. Most rifles are far more accurate than the capabilities of the guy doing the shooting. Now, can you buy an off the shelf rifle that is hand made or that is a very close reproduction of a historic piece? Most likely not.
Since I dont build rods, I have no idea about the types of components available to the rod builder. I would imagine there are blanks out there that are “just as good” as the Sage / Winston / Scott rods. I would guess there are grips, guides, and spacers that are even better than what the factories offer.
I think in the end, it just all comes down to what a fellow (or lady) wants. there’s nothing right or wrong with it.
Jeff
Maybe this will explain my affection for the XP series - I’ll narrow things down to the 9’ 5wt.
I sometimes fish where there is a very long walk involved, and often I don’t know for sure what insect activity I’ll find on the way. Will it involve casting size 20 BWO dries to spooky trout 20 feet away, or throwing heavy streamers to a bank 70 or 80 feet away? I’d surely pick a different rod for those applications, but since I’m so far from my vehicle, I’ll have to make do with just one.
Here’s where the XP shines. It’ll throw that BWO delicately, and very accurately by just shortening up the stroke and casting with the rod tip. I’ve even fished tricos with it.
A few years ago, I was fishing on the Big Pine, casting size 16 caddis dries when I noticed huge stoneflies starting to skim across the water in their egg laying dance. The fish noticed too, and I saw an enormous trout rising out of the water a very long double haul away. I was already in up to my waist, and couldn’t get closer. I didn’t even have a stonefly that big in my fly box, but I found a large hopper with a golden body that I modified by cutting off the legs. It was a big bug - like 2" long - not something you’d want to cast 80’ away if you didn’t have to. My XP just powered that big bug out there about 10’ in front of the fish - exactly where I aimed. I remember glancing at the reel and only seeing a couple of turns of line left on the spool.
There’s probably several 9’ 5wts that could cover that range of extremes, but none that are as enjoyable (to me) to fish with. It’s like having a 6wt for the butt section, and a 4wt tip. The Z-Axis I owned (and sold) had that kind of tip, but the butt section felt “mushy” when I pushed things.
This is the best I can describe it to you, and it IS a very personal thing as far as preference goes. Could I cast the Z as far as the XP? Sure. It just didn’t feel as crisp to me. Lots of folks prefer the Z-Axis to the XP - I’m just not one of them. YMMV.
And unlike Heritage Angler, I had an XP (3wt) that I never could come to terms with. I replaced it with an SLT and later added a 5wt Z-Axis. Both the SLT and Z-Axis I’m able to get to a point where I can pretty consistently place the fly where I want it. The XP I never felt like I could get control of.
I guess for me the reason you spend money on a higher end fly rod comes down to feel. When I was looking at finding 3wt rods, I cast every 3wt I could find locally. I tried $100 rods, $200, $350, up to $700 rods. The one that ended up feeling best was the Sage SLT at $650 (I paid a bit more than half that when it was discontinued). But second place was a $200 St. Croix. If I can find a cheaper rod that feels right to me, I’ll fish it.
Heritage Angler wrote: “It’s like having a 6wt for the butt section, and a 4wt tip.”
Wow, what a great description! My 590 XP is my go-to rod for fishing all medium to larger streams. I can cast well short off the tip and reach out long down to the butt, and everything in between. I works well in calm or windy conditions, with small or large flies, with weight or no weight. When I first cast an XP, it felt like a magic wand to me! It still does today. Good stuff Heritage.