Sage SLT vs. Sage ZXL

[Sage & Abel]

I've been looking at a number of different Sage rods. As I continue to kill time this winter while I can't fish for trout, I've been researching fly rods and making the occasional purchase :thmbup::thmbup: I've been looking hard at SLT rods and am interested in the comparison between the SLT and the ZXL. I understand the ZXL to be the rod that replaced the SLT - can anyone comment who has fished both rods on their similarities/differences?

Your comments are appreciated!

Cheers,
Mike.

 

[dean_mt]

Hi Mike, I can't make the comparison because I have never fished a ZXL but I have been fishing the SLT for many years. I love it. I can only assume that the ZXL is a bit faster, since that is the way rods are "improved" it seems.

What do you fish with now? What is your casting style? What size rod are you looking at? Sorry for all the questions...one more, how is the Chicago winter this year? I grew up straight across the lake, I pity you having to winter in Chicago.

 

[MoscaPescador]

Hey Mike,
Here's a comment that I put in one of your threads.

What I like about the ZXL over the SLT in the 9 foot 4 weight configuration is that the ZXL has a lighter and crisper feel which matched my tempo better. I feel everything with that rod in every step of the cast. When I made my first cast, everything just felt right from the feel of the grip to the load in the rod.

Dennis

 

[Sage & Abel]

Hey Mike,
Here's a comment that I put in one of your threads.



Dennis

Yea I love that ZXL feel, Dennis. It's a rod that sings to me when I cast it.

---------- Post added at 06:55 AM ---------- Previous post was at 06:42 AM ----------

Hi Mike, I can't make the comparison because I have never fished a ZXL but I have been fishing the SLT for many years. I love it. I can only assume that the ZXL is a bit faster, since that is the way rods are "improved" it seems.

What do you fish with now? What is your casting style? What size rod are you looking at? Sorry for all the questions...one more, how is the Chicago winter this year? I grew up straight across the lake, I pity you having to winter in Chicago.

I fish the following as my primary trout rods in WI for trout:
388-4 Loop Opti Creek - dry flies, small nymph high sticking, small indie fishing. A blast to fish and a great rod to boot.
486-4 Sage ZXL - My primary fly rod for nymphing size 12 and under and dry fly fishing.
490-4 Sage Z-Axis - use it when I'm on water that I want to throw more line, small streamer fishing, indie nymphing and dry fly fishing
590-5 Sage Z-Axis - When "the fan" is on all day. Streamers, larger multi nymph rigs.... but it can really do it all. I don't use this rod for a lot of WI fishing because it's a lot of rod for the size fish I'm catching. Primary western rod for larger rivers in CO and the Sierras.

Steel and Salmon rods are another story...

I was looking at a SLT to slide in to the 3 wt. 4 wt. category. I bought a Sage 389 LL and would pounce on a good deal for a ZXL 3 wt. in a second. But a SLT in a 3 might be a nice stick. I started looking for some older Sage rods from a collector perspective but most importantly, as a fisher perspective. If there's a place in the quiver for one, I think they're a beautiful stick. But if they're "that close" to the ZXL, I'm not going to add one, and I'm going to add a 3 wt. ZXL and a 5 wt. ZXL because I love the one I fish so much.

The Chicago winter has been quite mild so far this year - as Chicago winter's go. No snow yet and I've only put on the hat and gloves a couple of times so far. Only in the teens once so far... I'll be fishing this weekend in WI for Steel... they're not frozen yet. They were iced solid this time last year. Hope it stays this way

With respect casting style, I like medium fast rods/fast rods... but I want to vary my stroke, fish rods that are a little slower, bend deeper in the blank... which is one of the reasons I'm looking at rods outside of my "confort zone." To me, it's about learning and experiencing different things on the water... the rod choice is another part of the equation to say... do I want to soften it up a bit today... who knows. Maybe I'm just OCD and bored so I'm buying fishing gear.

Cheers,
Mike.

 

[dean_mt]

Yea I love that ZXL feel, Dennis. It's a rod that sings to me when I cast it.

---------- Post added at 06:55 AM ---------- Previous post was at 06:42 AM ----------



I fish the following as my primary trout rods in WI for trout:
388-4 Loop Opti Creek - dry flies, small nymph high sticking, small indie fishing. A blast to fish and a great rod to boot.
486-4 Sage ZXL - My primary fly rod for nymphing size 12 and under and dry fly fishing.
490-4 Sage Z-Axis - use it when I'm on water that I want to throw more line, small streamer fishing, indie nymphing and dry fly fishing
590-5 Sage Z-Axis - When "the fan" is on all day. Streamers, larger multi nymph rigs.... but it can really do it all. I don't use this rod for a lot of WI fishing because it's a lot of rod for the size fish I'm catching. Primary western rod for larger rivers in CO and the Sierras.

Steel and Salmon rods are another story...

I was looking at a SLT to slide in to the 3 wt. 4 wt. category. I bought a Sage 389 LL and would pounce on a good deal for a ZXL 3 wt. in a second. But a SLT in a 3 might be a nice stick. I started looking for some older Sage rods from a collector perspective but most importantly, as a fisher perspective. If there's a place in the quiver for one, I think they're a beautiful stick. But if they're "that close" to the ZXL, I'm not going to add one, and I'm going to add a 3 wt. ZXL and a 5 wt. ZXL because I love the one I fish so much.

The Chicago winter has been quite mild so far this year - as Chicago winter's go. No snow yet and I've only put on the hat and gloves a couple of times so far. Only in the teens once so far... I'll be fishing this weekend in WI for Steel... they're not frozen yet. They were iced solid this time last year. Hope it stays this way

With respect casting style, I like medium fast rods/fast rods... but I want to vary my stroke, fish rods that are a little slower, bend deeper in the blank... which is one of the reasons I'm looking at rods outside of my "confort zone." To me, it's about learning and experiencing different things on the water... the rod choice is another part of the equation to say... do I want to soften it up a bit today... who knows. Maybe I'm just OCD and bored so I'm buying fishing gear.

Cheers,
Mike.

Well it looks like you have a nice collection of rods! And you just got a 3 WT LL, I imagine that SLT would fall between the LL and ZXL. Another one to look for, since you are so bored, is the SP, which I believe, is the rod after the LL and preceding the SLT. I have a SPL 2wt 8'2". Like casting nothing! It is so fun to fish dries on small streams...might be perfect for some of those Driftless spring creeks.

 

[Sage & Abel]

Another one to look for, since you are so bored, is the SP, which I believe, is the rod after the LL and preceding the SLT. I have a SPL 2wt 8'2". Like casting nothing! It is so fun to fish dries on small streams...might be perfect for some of those Driftless spring creeks.

I've had way too much boredom the past couple of weeks. Have a 589-5 SP on the way. Christmas gift from my lovely wife Not necessarily a Driftless stream rod (I don't think)... but she wanted to know what I wanted for Christmas!!!!

 

[racine]

I got my SLT 2 years ago in a 3wt 7'6" for small streams and trout. Everytime I fish with it I am amazed how sensitive, accurate and responsive that rod is. It is a medium action that I seem to appreciate these days for drys and spooky fish. My next rod would be a 4 or 5 wt BIIX, ZXL or Z Axis.

 

[chicagojohn]

I got my SLT 2 years ago in a 3wt 7'6" for small streams and trout. Everytime I fish with it I am amazed how sensitive, accurate and responsive that rod is. It is a medium action that I seem to appreciate these days for drys and spooky fish. My next rod would be a 4 or 5 wt BIIX, ZXL or Z Axis.

I have an 8 foot, 4 weight BIIX. I can cast everything from tiny olives to chernobyl ants. You can also get them for a great price relative to a new BIIIX. If you want the ultimate presentation tool, order a Winston WT in a 4 weight.

I liked the ZXL best out of all the Sage Rods I have cast. I have never had the opportunity to cast a SLT but would like to.

The Echo Carbon 8 foot, 4 weight is also a very nice casting rod for only $169.99. The carbon series has quite a few options for 3 and 4 weights that come with a relatively low price and a full warranty.

 

[billyspey]

I have been told the 8.5 ,4wt.in zxl is the best in that line tried it didn't like . I like 9'4 wt. in slt much better. I am 4 wt freak for trout I own 6

 

[fishiowa]

"But if they're "that close" to the ZXL, I'm not going to add one, and I'm going to add a 3 wt. ZXL and a 5 wt. ZXL because I love the one I fish so much."

I have the 386 ZXL and love it so much I bought the 486 ZXL. They are almost interchangeable, almost too much overlap imo. That being said they are great rods so I don't mind having two that are so similar.

I fish the driftless area also and when I only take two rods it is the 386 ZXL and a 490 Z-Axis.
Rich

 

[comeonavs]

So I have the same question here. I have an opportunity to get one of these rods as well. Let me lay the scenario out

For sale so I can get either or both (dont tell the wife)
383-4SLT
376-4ZXL

I fish small streams in the rockis 99% of the time
Fish range from 8-15"
Majority of my fishing is Aug-Oct for dry fly fishing
40' is a long cast where I go, majority of the time I have maybe 10-20 of floating line out

Current quiver

Elkhorn 7' 1WT
Elkhorn 7'6" 3wt
Sage TXL 3710-3
Sage TXL 4710-3
Sage Z-Axis 490-4
St Croix LU 490-4
Orvis Hydros 690-4


Would you even consider getting either the SLT or ZXL or stick with what I have. Being so used to fishing "fast" rods and fishing where there is always wind, would I benefit from having a slower rod ?

 

[Sage & Abel]

So I have the same question here. I have an opportunity to get one of these rods as well. Let me lay the scenario out

For sale so I can get either or both (dont tell the wife)
383-4SLT
376-4ZXL

I fish small streams in the rockis 99% of the time
Fish range from 8-15"
Majority of my fishing is Aug-Oct for dry fly fishing
40' is a long cast where I go, majority of the time I have maybe 10-20 of floating line out

Current quiver

Elkhorn 7' 1WT
Elkhorn 7'6" 3wt
Sage TXL 3710-3
Sage TXL 4710-3
Sage Z-Axis 490-4
St Croix LU 490-4
Orvis Hydros 690-4


Would you even consider getting either the SLT or ZXL or stick with what I have. Being so used to fishing "fast" rods and fishing where there is always wind, would I benefit from having a slower rod ?

Neither of these rods is slow. The ZXL is quicker than the SLT. With the 3 wt's you have in your quiver now, I see an overlap by adding another one but I know nothing about the Elkhorn to say how either would compare to it. That said, I have 4 3 wt's and two are the exact same rod except one is a GII and the other is a GIII graphite so don't trust me on counting rods

 

[comeonavs]

Neither of these rods is slow. The ZXL is quicker than the SLT. With the 3 wt's you have in your quiver now, I see an overlap by adding another one but I know nothing about the Elkhorn to say how either would compare to it. That said, I have 4 3 wt's and two are the exact same rod except one is a GII and the other is a GIII graphite so don't trust me on counting rods

I was concerned about the overlap as well. Especially considering I just sold off a Sage Launch and St Croix Avid both in 3WT. The Elkhorn is fairly fast, it feels heaver than the spec sheet says but I think they shave some weight in the reel seets they use. The Elkhorn to me was a shorter version of the Launch is why I kept it and sold the Sage Launch.

I did cast a 386-4 ZXL a while back and it is a absolute dream.....it could quite relegate the TXL to a backup/guest rod :yikes: (unless of course I get a new TXL-F also)

 

[fishiowa]

I did cast a 386-4 ZXL a while back and it is a absolute dream.....it could quite relegate the TXL to a backup/guest rod :yikes: (unless of course I get a new TXL-F also)

Comeonavs, I have and love the 386 ZXL you should go for it! I also have the 490 Z-Axis like you. That combo covers a lot of water on small/med streams.

Since you already have a shorter 3 wt I would definitely go with the 386 vs. the 376.
Rich

 

[comeonavs]

Comeonavs, I have and love the 386 ZXL you should go for it! I also have the 490 Z-Axis like you. That combo covers a lot of water on small/med streams.

Since you already have a shorter 3 wt I would definitely go with the 386 vs. the 376.
Rich

See you are trouble now I want both the 7'6" and 8'6" version. The deal I could land is on the 7'6" version...to go 8'6" I would have the pay retail and if I go that far I might just look at a 9" Sage ONE in 3wt.....

Sage Kool Aid tastes so good but is an expensive taste

 

[redthrilseeker]

ON SALe:frogdance

CLEARANCE & SPECIALS - Product Catalog

 

[jastrout]

I think the transitioning from LL-SP-SLT-ZXL have made some changes in both weight and crispness in feel. I only owned two SLT 9' 4 & 8'6" 5 and two ZXL a 8'4 and 8'6" 4 and would not part with any. In fact I have tried in vain to find a deal on discounted unused 8'6" 5 ZXL. In my hands as I am an "ok" caster these rods feel just right and I can go back and forth between them with no real difference . Having said that it opportunity presented itself I jump on a LL 8:6" 3 or multi piece SP. One final note the replacement for the ZXL the Circa is an entirely different feeling rod. In my humble opinion significant different from the SLT/ZXL feel. And different is not bad at all . I believe that some may simply feel a change in casting sensation. Like it yes a lot but I am a glass addict but price point is there and a discounted ZXL at $399 would be my buy first.

 

[Mrtrout]

I've been looking at a number of different Sage rods. As I continue to kill time this winter while I can't fish for trout, I've been researching fly rods and making the occasional purchase :thmbup::thmbup: I've been looking hard at SLT rods and am interested in the comparison between the SLT and the ZXL. I understand the ZXL to be the rod that replaced the SLT - can anyone comment who has fished both rods on their similarities/differences?

Your comments are appreciated!

Cheers,
Mike.

Hi Mike, both great rods I think, I find my SLT just a touch crisper than the ZXL.
I sold the ZXL a while back as I just wasn't using yet, and the SLT became my go to every time.
Here in the UK the SLT is a much respected rod, more so than the ZXL which can be picked quite often in the used market for less money usually.
It seems to have gained a bit of a cult status here, and I for one wouldn't part with mine.
S.