Action wise, the Sage ZXL would be classified fast action by Winston.
The two single biggest knocks on the BiiX series was that the tip and mid/butt sections are mismatched (tip too soft, mid/butt sections too stiff) and there is inconsistency in performance between line weights and even rod lengths within a given line weight (some rods are great, others not so great). There was a rumor circulating on the Winston site a long time ago that the reason for the inconsistency between line weights and lengths was because Winston screwed up and used the wrong mandrels on some of the rods.
The result of the mismatch between tip and mid/butt section is the rod doesn’t transfer power effectively making distance casting (50 feet or more) not as easy as it should. And while the soft tip is great for accurate tip casting at close ranges, the softness causes accuracy problems at greater distances. Simply put, the rod can’t perform at distances like the Z-Axis.
This design flaw/mismatch is why Winston immediately introduced the BiiMX series, which is probably a bit faster than the Z-Axis. But it still left a hole in the Winston lineup because Winston did not have a rod that competed directly with the Z-Axis and now the new Loomis NXR. So Winston came out with the BiiiX series, which is what the original BiiX series was supposed to be.
Although everyone has a preference for rod design/feel, based on the streams you fish and the fact that you like to fish dries at close ranges, I personally feel you would be well suited with a WT or BiiT. Don’t be afraid to go 5wt in either series. I use the 9’, 5wt WT (medium) and it performs well at close ranges, can handle wind, has great feel, can throw heavy streamers when needed and can easily reach out to 50 feet with little effort. Will it cast much further? Not really unless you horse it but it’s not designed to be a cannon. The other rods I would suggest trying are the 8.5’, 5wt (medium-fast) and 4wt (medium) in the WT series and the 9’, 5wt and 8.5’, 4wt in the BiiT series (both medium).