The famous nocturnal Hex hatch of the Midwest (and a few other lucky locations) stirs to the surface mythically large brown trout that only touch streamers for the rest of the year.
Really fun to think this is the rod that started it all (for sage) and was made the year I was born!
my father in law gave me a couple sage rods years ago, an 8wt DS2, which ive fished and i like, but am not at all in love with. ill keep this rod forever although i dont fish it much. The other i have never cast till yesterday. it is an original sage 789RP (demo). 8'9" 7wt. I threw on an intermediate sink tip line that i had available and made some casts in the yard, it felt great. Im going to the lake today to throw some streamers for lake trout. Really fun to think this is the rod that started it all (for sage) and was made the year i was born!
edit: this is a copy and paste from another forum, thought it is helpful:
"Est Year Model Description
1982 RP Resaerve Power for long Casts
1982 GFL? Graphite II
1985 RPL or Graphite III RPL High Performance
1985 LL Traditional Action 2-5 Weight (LL=Light line?)
1986 RPLX Saltwater 8-12 Weight
1986 DS Discovery Series - Moderate Action
1986 TH? Double Handed ?
1997 SPL "Best of show" new rods
1997 RPLxi Revised and improved saltwater
1999 XP Lighter narrower tapered Fast Action
2003 SLT Medium Fast Action
2003 TCR Ultra fast action for experianced Casters
2004 Xi2 New Saltwater rod was first with new generation 5 (G5) Technology
2005 TXL Near weightless for light lines
2005 Fli Entry Level Fast Action taper with maximum power transfer
2005 Launch Entry Level smoth progressive power curve and very high strength to weight ratio
2006 VT2 Mid price point upgrade to long running VPS
2007 Z-Axis Ultimate Fast Action Rod coupled with trmendous feel (2 piece, 4 piece, Spey and Switch
2008 BASS Finally released after years of development and even showed up on magazine covers with Snook, Baby Tarpon and Pike
2008 ZXL Medum action Cousin to the Z-Axis in weights 3-6
2009 TCX Replacement for TCR but fitting a wider range of castins styles (kryptonite green)
Current ONE Flagship "all-around" rod Fast Action
Current VXP Ultra high speed line and slender shaft begginer to experianced
Current Flight Great features and a great price
Current Vantage Medium Fast value rod
Current TXL-F Light Line Ultra lightweight
Current ZXL Easy and Relaxed like the classic action rods
Current Xi3 Salt Water Replacement for Xi2
Current 99 Nymph angler 9'9" with unique taper to make open loops
Current BASS II Upgrraded for faster line speeds for big flies still good for Bass, Snook, or Tarpon, Pike and Musky
Current ESN Designed for european lirect line nymphing with multimple flies"