opinions on Sage Xi2 & winston boron llx

[Tajue17]

looking for opinions from anyone who has casted these two rods,,, right now I'm using a Beulah which is nice but I'm having a tough time feeling the rod load for me.. i'm fishing saltwater using 9# intermediate lines,,, and I'm looking for the fastest possible rod that has the best load up when casting.

any other rods I should check out please mention them.

thanks T in Mass

 

[jimw]

I have never cast either rod but if you want fast try a TFO TICR X. If you can not feel the rod you have you may want to try a heavier line like a Rio Outbound, or just upline one size.

 

[Tajue17]

sorry for not mentioning the line but the line i just bought is the Airflo saltwater "ridged" intermediate 9#---> maybe the ridged means it lighter I don't know?

 

[MoscaPescador]

looking for opinions from anyone who has casted these two rods,,, right now I'm using a Beulah which is nice but I'm having a tough time feeling the rod load for me.. i'm fishing saltwater using 9# intermediate lines,,, and I'm looking for the fastest possible rod that has the best load up when casting.

any other rods I should check out please mention them.

thanks T in Mass

Hi Tajue,
Not feeling the rod load is a sign that the rod is too fast. To feel the rod load properly, upline to a 10 weight line. It may salvage your investment in the Beulah.

If you wish to fish a Sage Xi2, you are not going to like it since you won't feel load. It is stiffer than the Beulah Bluewater rods.

You may like the Winston B2X better because it is a "soft" fast action rod. You will be able to feel it load.

I highly suggest going to a fly shop to cast your rod and the two other rods. Make a few casts with the recommended line weights and then uplined. If you are happy with your rod uplined, stick with it. If you one of the others, it appears you'll be buying a new rod.

MP

sorry for not mentioning the line but the line i just bought is the Airflo saltwater "ridged" intermediate 9#---> maybe the ridged means it lighter I don't know?

Ridge Technology is the texturing on Airflo lines to limit the amount of surface area that touches the guides. This allows the the flyline to shoot more efficiently.

 

[BlueDun]

If you can find a fly shop with one or both, the best thing to do is try them for yourself as it is difficult to compare rods given that we all have different casting styles/strengths, etc.. Just as an example, I do not have any problems at all feeling the Xi2 load and I like it much better than the Biix. For me, the tip on the Biix is too soft - like a noodle. I am not saying that MoscaPescador is wrong, just that we must have different casting styles and preferences - that is why you should try them if you have a fly shop nearby that carries them.

Besides, trying new rods is part of the fun of fly fishing! :icon_smil

 

[crittergetter]

I tried out an EBAY purchase of the IIX...

What a great rod. It was the lightest rod I have ever cast. My however was...... I nymph fish about 100% of the time. This rod just didn't have the action for nymphing I wanted.

Now if you are top water fisher... You will love it. I believe you could float a fly down like a cotton ball dropped from a table. And, do it under a 3' overhang.. It felt like an extension of my arm 40' feet out.

 

[crittergetter]

PS... Watch eBay... I bought the IIX and sold it back for $10 more than I purchased it for... So you can try a rod or two with little chance of loosing money if you watch it well. Now I can tell you I missed the boat on an older Scott and sold it back for a $50 loss. However, I never would have purchased this rod in the first place and was able to try it out for two outings before I decided I didn't like it.

If I would have parking lot cast or lawn cast the IIX at a fly shop I would have fell in love with it. But on stream it didn't work what so ever. New rods are like new cars... Drive them out of the shop and you loose 50% value. The only rods that seem to hold value are the "Switch" and the "Helios" rods. The rest on eBay can be purchased used from 40 to 75% of new value. And so far I have been getting really good rods.

Also, if you might not want the rod.. Save the blank warrenty card. On eBay those rods do sell for more.

 

[randyflycaster]

When it comes to saltwater fishing I want a fast rod so I can cast into the wind and help me set the hook. I, therefore, don't expect the rod to load like a trout rod.

I too found the Winston Baron too soft. I went with the Loomis Crosscurrent, which is stiffer than the Xi2.

I can't imagine that the Xi2 is too stiff of a rod.

Perhaps a St. Croix Avid has more feel.

Yes, I agree: try the rod if you can.

Randy

 

[MoscaPescador]

If you want a Winston, you should cast the B2MX instead of the B2X.

MP

 

[Frank Whiton]

Hi Tajue17,

Apparently the Beulah is a fast or extra-fast action rod and that is giving you problems. MoscaPescador recommendation of over lining with a 10wt line is very good. That is if you casting stroke and timing is good. You don't say how much experience you have so some of the problem could be your casting stroke. You might solve your problem with a lesson or two if you can find a good teacher.

You may be faced with the situation that a fast or very-fast rod is not felt like you do with some slow or medium action fresh water rods. Maybe you are expecting to much feel from your rod. From what you have stated you may like the Winston B11X better, with its softer tip, if feel is important to you. I really think that with some help you can learn to cast your Beulah. I say that having never cast a Beulah Blue Water rod. It could be really stiff but saltwater rods usually feel stiff to new saltwater fly fishers. I do know the Xi2 is a very good saltwater rod.

Frank

 

[Jackster]

I have never cast either rod but if you want fast try a TFO TICR X.

I pretty sure his question was specific. Both rods he asked about are in an entire different league than the TFO's.

 

[Frank Whiton]

Hi Tajue17,

The B11X is going to be a soft tip rod for sure, if that is what you are after. The B11MX or the Xi2 is a better choice for saltwater but you may think both are stiff. If there is any fishing that needs a fast action it is saltwater. You are always faced with wind and long cast. A fast tip action rod is always going to feel stiff to someone that is accustomed to a medium or medium-fast rod.



Frank

 

[FrankB2]

Tajue17 did ask if there were other rods he should look at in his first post .

I would suggest wiggling/casting a Sage Z-Axis. Z-Axis rods throw a line
fast, but aren't as stiff as the Xi2. I never cast the Xi2 because I didn't like
it's color, and it felt too stiff right off the rack. Best to cast them all, and
if you don't have a shop nearby, buy them from one with a return policy.

 

[racine]

A year ago I test drove the Sage Xi2, Scott S2s and the Winston BIIX in 8 wts. I was looking into fishing for saltwater redfish and speckled trout. My mission was to compare these to the TFO TiCrX which I had cast in about 15 knot winds and struggled with due to it's weight and my inexperience double hauling. At the demo I was able to 'parking lot' cast the Sage and Scott 90 ft in 10 knot winds. I then turned to the Winston out of curiosity and found I could cast the entire line! I bought the Winston and loved it, that is until I got out to the marshes and had to cast a wind resistant fly in 20 knot winds. It was altogether a different animal. In retrospect I should have purchased the Sage which was a little stiffer and almost as light. My consideration initially was an old rotator cuff injury and finding the lightest rod was my priority). I've been fishing the Boron IIX for about a year now both in Louisiana and FLorida and have overcome my learning curve. If you have a normal shoulder, normal strength, I would recommend the Xi2 instead. I don't entirely regret buying the Winston but I've learned to work around it's few shortcomings. Realize that you don't have to cast 90+ ft to get into fish and if the winds are less than howling your will be fine though I would still recommend the Sage considering the flies your gonna be throwing. Have fun with your test drive.
Racine

 

[Jackster]

A year ago I test drove the Sage Xi2, Scott S2s and the Winston BIIX in 8 wts. I was looking into fishing for saltwater redfish and speckled trout. My mission was to compare these to the TFO TiCrX which I had cast in about 15 knot winds and struggled with due to it's weight and my inexperience double hauling. At the demo I was able to 'parking lot' cast the Sage and Scott 90 ft in 10 knot winds. I then turned to the Winston out of curiosity and found I could cast the entire line! I bought the Winston and loved it, that is until I got out to the marshes and had to cast a wind resistant fly in 20 knot winds. It was altogether a different animal. In retrospect I should have purchased the Sage which was a little stiffer and almost as light. My consideration initially was an old rotator cuff injury and finding the lightest rod was my priority). I've been fishing the Boron IIX for about a year now both in Louisiana and FLorida and have overcome my learning curve. If you have a normal shoulder, normal strength, I would recommend the Xi2 instead. I don't entirely regret buying the Winston but I've learned to work around it's few shortcomings. Realize that you don't have to cast 90+ ft to get into fish and if the winds are less than howling your will be fine though I would still recommend the Sage considering the flies your gonna be throwing. Have fun with your test drive.
Racine

The BIIMx would have been the better choice over the standard BIIx.

 

[bonefish41]

I also have shoulder issues and my stroke is shorter than most flats folks but I do aggressively haul when I need 60-70 feet of line and lots of thumb, if I remember to do so, at the end of the forward stroke to tighten the loop that said either xi2 or MXII would work. I use a TCR 9wt with Ridge Tropic and just last week tried it with Cortland Crystal Tropic which was outstanding in 15-20 ktplus in Key West. However, my go to now is my TCX 10wt blank which I use 10 wt Ridge Tropic, RIO Tropical Outbound 9wt and 10 wt depending on wind. I also have a 10 wt TCR but for me it handles regular 10 wt perfectly but does not handle the increased head weight of the Outbounds like the TCX does... I would suggest a TCX try for your 9 wt if you are going to the high end rods or get a blank and roll your own as I do. However, my POV is flats sight fishing lower keys and bahamas so I do not do a large number of casting cycles.

 

[Tajue17]

thank you very much everyone. my experience is about a casual 10yrs freshwater (rec-fisher) and this season I have been pretty hardcore fishing saltwater only and getting the hang of the double hall cast with medium size salt water flys (3-5" on 2 & 3's) I'm seeing that I get a way better cast on the smaller flys and the bigger flys kinda die out before all the line is out,,,,,, so should I think the line should be heavier or my double hall is not hard enough???

anyway I have the option of the parking lot cast at the shop I get my gear at (the Bears Den in Taunton, Ma.) but with all the recommendations from local guys who fish the exact same conditions (and flys) I do I'm leaning towards that but I'm not sure if its the Xi2 or theTCX and maybe I'll try the Zaxis and winston just to be sure.

thing I'm wondering now is should I go to a 10# set-up especially where the majority of my fishing is for big stripers on the south side of the cape,, theres always wind in your face and I may need to throw a huge fly!

so I'm thinking take m current reel a Abel super 7/8 and set that up as a 8# and then get a whole new set-up in 10# (or 11) so i can have both light and heavy tackle for the ocean---> I know I'm jumping around here but my mind is racing :icon_smil

 

[bonefish41]

thank you very much everyone. my experience is about a casual 10yrs freshwater (rec-fisher) and this season I have been pretty hardcore fishing saltwater only and getting the hang of the double hall cast with medium size salt water flys (3-5" on 2 & 3's) I'm seeing that I get a way better cast on the smaller flys and the bigger flys kinda die out before all the line is out,,,,,, so should I think the line should be heavier or my double hall is not hard enough???
For an excellent demonstration of the double haul check out Lefty Kreh's tape, particularly where he keeps the stroke constant but varies the haul. As a general rule heavier flies require heavier line. and leader and tippet for turnover; however, if your timing is right, just before the end of the cast grab the line

anyway I have the option of the parking lot cast at the shop I get my gear at (the Bears Den in Taunton, Ma.) but with all the recommendations from local guys who fish the exact same conditions (and flys) I do I'm leaning towards that but I'm not sure if its the Xi2 or theTCX and maybe I'll try the Zaxis and winston just to be sure.
Here's why I use the RIO outbounds in wind(the head weights, 30-37 foot heads, are the same tropical or plain salt and are generally 175% to 200% head heavier than regularly speced line weight) so I can get the rod loaded with less line in the air to be troubled by the wind and my casting foibles

thing I'm wondering now is should I go to a 10# set-up especially where the majority of my fishing is for big stripers on the south side of the cape,, theres always wind in your face and I may need to throw a huge fly!
For me in my salt venues with my casting abilities and limitations I've never casted a bad 10 wt Sage and if you've got wind on the water fish won't know the difference between the plop of a 7 or 8 wt vs. 10 wt; however, my fishing does not require allot of casting cycles if you are blind casting intermediate or sinking lines in the surf or off boat with lots of casting then the 10 wt will give you a tennis forearm, definition in the bicep and a V grove in the tricep all without roids:icon_smil

so I'm thinking take m current reel a Abel super 7/8 and set that up as a 8# and then get a whole new set-up in 10# (or 11) so i can have both light and heavy tackle for the ocean---> I know I'm jumping around here but my mind is racing :icon_smil

8 and 10 and 12; then as your addiction really takes hold fill in with 7 and 9 and 11but 11's are like a 16 gauge. With a spool diameter of 3.9" for the super 8 and 3.750 for the super 7 with spectra backing, either's drag can handle strippers but the smaller diameter has less take up per turn of the spool. On a 10 wt I'd use Abel's spool diameter of 4.125 which is Super 9 or 11

 

[bonefish41]

Sorry guys about bold bad keyboarding thought it was italics

 

[BlueDun]

with all the recommendations from local guys who fish the exact same conditions (and flys) I do I'm leaning towards that but I'm not sure if its the Xi2 or theTCX and maybe I'll try the Zaxis and winston just to be sure.

I was hesitant in my earlier post to mention the TCX since your question specifically asked about the Xi2 and Biix, but now that you brought it up, I'll comment on the TCX. For my casting style and fishing needs, I have found that the Winston rods are perfect when I need a lower wt rod (e.g., 3 wt or 4 wt). Once I need something heavier than a 4 wt, the tip on the Winstons tends to be too soft (again, this is for my needs and casting style). Even the BIIMx is too soft in the tip (for me). For higher wts, I prefer the stiffer Sage rods. When I was looking for a 6 wt streamer rod, I was hesitant to try the TCX thinking that it would be way too stiff. It actually turned out to be easiest rod to cast with heavy flies of all the rods I tried. I also found that the TCX is still sensitive enough to feel strikes from really small fish. I kept emphasizing that these are the rods that work for me b/c your casting style may be different than mine. So, if you are still interested in the Z-Axis or Winstons, you should still try them if they are available.