Minty, Sage XP 590 for trade!

[MJMFlyfisher]

I can't even believe I'm considering this. LOL
And up front, the parameters of this listing are going to be pretty specific.
😂
This is seriously one of the "Holy Grail" trout rods IMO
It's a 590 , 2 piece Sage XP that I bought new.
(If you don't do any real travelling the 2 piece is the one you want)
It's in MINT condition. Other than the light soiling on the cork there isn't a mark, scratch, kiss mark, blemish of any kind that I can find. I looked over the entire blank 1/2 dozen times.
(I'm pretty picky with gear and if I got this rod 2nd hand listed as "mint" I would be tickled to death with the condition)
Why am I considering trading it?? Good question!

I'm a Sage SP guy. I have 4 of them with
two of the SP's being a 590-3 and a 690-3
The XP falls right in between and I just don't reach for it because I've always had my workhorse rods on either side.

I also "need" a nice 3wt.
What I would like to trade the XP 590 for is a comparable in value 3wt.
REALLY hoping for a 7.5-8ft classic Winston IM6 or LT uplocking reel seat model....
or POSSIBLY a classic Sage LL, maybe another SP, SLT, TXL or the like in the same length.

I would consider selling the rod outright for $450 firm with pick up local to Schuylkill Co. I can travel a little to meet someone.
I do NOT want to ship it.

Outside of that I will be happy to die with it and the wife can decide which of my fishing buddies it falls to. 😁
It's really that nice......xJust haven't fished it much because I'm a moron. LOL

So if anyone has the 3wt they're not using much and wants to turn it into the 5wt that they will....let me know!

 

[Tigereye]

I have a Sage 390 XP that lays around. Lightly used. Im looking to turn it into a down payment on a trap gun. Not so much looking for trade but if your interested in purchase, PM me. Make an offer. Pics on request

 

[MJMFlyfisher]

I have a Sage 390 XP that lays around. Lightly used. Im looking to turn it into a down payment on a trap gun. Not so much looking for trade but if your interested in purchase, PM me. Make an offer. Pics on request

That's a great rod.....actually tempting, but looking for something a little shorter/ softer
7-8ft ish for small stream brookies that would do a little better in a tight setting.
I had an 8ft Winston IM6 that I purchased on their guide program almost 30 years ago and I sold it many moons ago because I need some cash...... Still hurts. ☹️
Good luck with your XP as well. Somebody should snatch that up! There's a definite XP following out there.

 

[Tigereye]

Thanks you too. Someone should snatch that 590 up. Good luck

 

[MJMFlyfisher]

Well we can call off the dogs on finding a 3wt in trade.....got a sweet one today!
I gifted a nice vintage Fye (pre Richardson) chest box to one of my best buddies a while back.
He knew I've been on the lookout for a 3wt and returned the favor today with one of his pet rods.
A great little T&T XL 8' , 3wt!
Just a terrific little rod I've watched land a ton of fish over the years.
Very cool!
ANYWAY.......
About my Sage XP.
I'll still sell it, a bit cheaper, and I'm still not shipping that sucker. LOL
$425 and I'll meet someone at Cabela's in Hamburg or something in that general 30 mile radius from Pottsville.
I know it's gonna take just the right buyer but that's ok, not in a hurry to sell it.

 

[CRB]

I own the same rod it is a true classic.
Someone should snatch that up.
It is the rod action Sage tries to emulate with new materials but can't.

 

[Silent Ocelot]

Tempting, tempting, but I have way too d*** many 9ft 5wts. I don't really even use that configuration that often. This is a sweet rod and I wish you the best in rehoming it. I do frequent the Cabela's in Hamburg to trade gear with a friend who lives out there. Maybe we can meet up just to grab a beer and a cigar at Cigars International. I'll be up there Thursday.

 

[MJMFlyfisher]

Thanks for the invite!....but I'm that guy. Don't drink and don't smoke. LOL 😂 And I'll be 30 miles the other direction on Thursday.
Still contemplating taking that rod down. I must be nuts selling it because it's the cleanest one you'll find, and it really would be somewhere in the discussion for "best rod of all time".
Unless you are travelling or packing the 2 piece version is the one to have too.
I really should just line it up and fish the crap out of it!

 

[MJMFlyfisher]

Somebody better hurry up and come get this thing....I was just out in the yard casting it.
😐
I'm about to pull it down! LOL

(By the way it really likes the Mastery Trout WF I was tossing...... If someone buys this thing I don't think I'd overline it at all. It's pretty effortless)

 

[mt_flyfisher]

You guys are missing out on a chance to own a really great rod at a very fair price, and if I didn’t already have the same rod (the 4pc model) I’d have bought it myself.

And, I agree with @MJMFlyfisher that this 2pc rod is better than a 4pc rod in most cases. (You might have trouble fitting this 2pc rod in the trunk of your Ferrari, however, and would need to put it in the passenger seat.)

I’m not sure I’d sell my mint condition XP 590-4 for $1,000, but in case anyone wants to make me an offer of that amount (or more) I might sell it to you, and then buy @MJMFlyfisher 2pc rod. 😊

 

[riverwhy]

There seems to be some collusion going on here! It's working. I am looking for something like this for Penn's. Would it fish a #6 weighted stonefly? Or is it more of a dry fly rod? I need something that is multi-purpose.

 

[MJMFlyfisher]

There seems to be some collusion going on here! It's working. I am looking for something like this for Penn's. Would it fish a #6 weighted stonefly? Or is it more of a dry fly rod? I need something that is multi-purpose.

Quite honestly, I'm not sure there's many more historically all purpose rod lines than the XP....at least in the Sage line up of their best rods.

It's pretty fast but with a fairly soft tip. Loads quick but can bang out 70-80 ft of line with a couple hauls and enough room. It has a lot of muscle down low but it can be delicate too.
If you do some googling on "Sage XP" you'll hear a lot of the same sort of praise. No shortage of forum talk over the years on them.
Many call it Sage's best line of rods ever for good reason.
I'm only considering selling it for 2 reasons.

My first "true love" fly rod was a Sage SP 9' 5wt I bought for myself while guiding in and around Yellowstone many moons ago ..... Followed by another SP 9' 6wt. In the SP line there is a pretty good gap in power between those 2. I use the 5wt SP on Penns sized water or mostly dry fly fishing on medium to bigger rivers..... and then jump to the 6wt SP for Delaware sized waters or a lot of nymphing.
The 9' 5wt XP fills both those roles....it's an impressive rod, I just lean toward the SPs like old friends. I bought it, fished with it a few times on Big Pine and just never really found a reason to replace my 2 favorite pet rods with one, even though truthfully it's arguably the better rod.
I missed falling in love with the XP's by a few years.

....That, and as much as the 2 piece in that line up IS truly the better feeling/performing rod, I'm starting to travel to Montana again to fish each year. The 3 and 4 piece rods are just easier to deal with on a plane. So as perfect as it WOULD be on the Bighorn River, once again it sits in the closet! LOL
If you are mostly or always going to fish local medium to bigger waters like Penns, Pine Creek, or West Branch of the Delaware type stuff and don't travel on planes.....I don't think you could find a better rod if you want one to truly do anything. Dries, nymphing, even medium duty streamer fishing.
You are welcome to stop at the house and cast it in the yard if you are local enough. Just give me a heads up so I clean the yard and keep you from dropping a 70ft cast into a dog turd 😂💩

 

[Tigereye]

This rod is getting alot of chatter here. If i didnt have one i would snap it up in a heartbeat. THIS IS A GREAT ROD.
If anyone is on the fence, dont hesitate.

 

[Silent Ocelot]

From what I gather, it sounds like the OP should just keep it. One thing I've learned in this sport is that you never part with gear you like, even if you're not using it at the moment. You may have a craving for it later. If you do trade/sell gear that you really like, trade/sell it to someone you know so you at least have the chance of getting it back. I have a friend that I constantly trade rods back and forth with.

Things I've gotten rid of that I shouldn't have kept: G. Loomis Asquith 4wt 9ft (very stupidly traded that for an H3 AND STILL paid money on the trade even though the Asquith retails for more), Hardy Ultralight UL LL 4wt 9'2", Bauer M3, a SAGE 503l (Hardy-made, 1 of 250 units made) (I know where mine sits), and my biggest heart-break, a Tibor Backcountry (OG version in black) (traded it for a lowly $250 in store credit) (colored versions of these reels are going for over $700, that's Tibor Signature money) (I'm still hanging onto my OG Backcountry in electric blue and have zero intentions of parting with it), a Taylor T-1 in Thunderstorm, and a J. Ryall (big heartbreak). Most of those items I could get back but the Ryall will probably never be seen again... and I want one now.

@MJMFlyfisher, I'll give it a cast but can't say whether or not I will acquire it. Probably not going to buy it as I have the rods I like. It is a 2 piece, and I am sure it is a stellar casting rod and perhaps better than its 4 piece counterpart (is there really a noticeably different feel in rods of the same length and wt but one has more pieces than the other?). I don't know. My 4 piece rods do just fine for me. Two piece rods are cumbersome IMO, but if there is a performance advantage for using a 2 piece rod I could believe it. I've heard of saltwater rods being one piece. These are used on boats where transportation isn't much of a concern. There must be an advantage to a rod with less pieces or else one piece rods would no longer be produced.

 

[MJMFlyfisher]

The rod is SOLD pending the exchange this weekend.
Enjoyed all the banter back and forth about it!
Pretty sure it's going to a good home. 👍

 

[Silent Ocelot]

Glad to hear it @MJMFlyfisher. You may regret selling that one haha... I had my suspicions that someone was gonna grab it.

 

[MJMFlyfisher]

Glad to hear it @MJMFlyfisher. You may regret selling that one haha... I had my suspicions that someone was gonna grab it.

Definitely possible!....but I sure do like the idea of someone actually catching some fish with it too!
I've been through a lot of rods in my lifetime and really only regret selling my mid 90s guide program Winston IM6 rods. Man I had a stable of nice ones.
Needed cash many moons ago and was forced to thin the herd of some rods I really couldn't replace now.
I really hope to see some pictures of fish laying across the XP and sliming it up a bit! 👍

 

[Silent Ocelot]

Don't fret too hard. My car's acting up now. It's only a matter of time before I too will have to liquidate some of my collection. At this point I think I'd rather be out of a car than lose some of my preferred rods. Unfortunately the rarer more expensive ones are the ones I'd like to hang onto, even if I don't fish them.

 

[riverwhy]

Definitely more than one interested!

 

[mt_flyfisher]

I just saw on Facebook that a guy in CA has this identical 2pc rod for sale at $500.00, in case anybody is interested and missed out on this rod here.