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I haven't given a commentary on anything I don't own. Not once, anywhere in this thread. I'm asking people who own the rod what their rationale is for buying such an expensive rod. I very well may buy one, but before I consider one at these prices, I want something more substantial than "it's a Loomis." I'm sorry I committed a cardinal sin by asking whether a Loomis was really worth the premium cost.

I went to Wally World not too long ago and picked up a pack of beetle-spin type lures that were about 10 to a card. They were like $1.29 each. I took them to the cashier and she rang up the whole card for $1.29. When I told her that I thought that price was a per-lure price, she told me if they didn't sell them THEY WERE GOING TO THROW THEM AWAY so she just charged $1.29 for the whole pack. I bought every card they had. I have enough beetle-spins to last me a life-time.

yeah ive pretty much made up my mind on that rod. my dad said he'd take me up to bass pro to buy it so i dont have to pay shipping My local BPS (Hampton, VA) only has 1 or 2 on the racks right now. In July they had almost a full row of All Stars. Right now, almost gone. Might want to call them first to see if they have any in stock. Since fall is coming up, they are gearing up for hunting and not putting out a lot of new fishing stuff.

I still can't figure out what happened. What is "blowing the spool" mean? What exactly happened to this reel?

Thank you for putting your opinion out there - plainly. My local tackle shops sells G Loomis and I'm considering a purchase. I'm thinking about offering double the price because I want a Loomis that's twice as good. (In case you didn't know, that was a joke.)

Last time I had BPS spool a reel for me, it was a spinning reel. They spun the line so badly that I had to pull it all off and re-spool it myself. I always spool my own reels.

No one has done that in this thread. However, there is quite a bit of Loomis elitism bandied about on this board. I personally don't care if you fish with a Loomis or just tie your line to your willy - and I don't care if you think that about me. I am curious whether or not Loomis is really good enough IN MY OPIONION to justify the huge cost - and this is the forum where I gather the information to make my own decision. For me, my opinion in the most important.

Is a GLX 3 times better than an HMG? Would a really good fisherman do 3 times better with a GLX than with an HMG? I didn't say, nor would I imply, that the HMG was as good as the GLX. But is whatever advantage the GLX gives you worth an extra $220 or $240? I suspect that you have to be a really good fisherman to notice any difference between the two. I doubt the GLX would offer any substantial advantage to the average fisherman. I don't own a GLX or an HMG. But that doesn't dimish what I'm asking. Like I said earlier, owning a G. Loomis has a value all it's own. Pride of ownership runs high as you can plainly see. In part because it's a great rod. But also in part because it's so expensive that ownership is rather exclusive. If it was as good as it is, but more reasonably priced, everyone would own one and that clique wouldn't exist. There's no question in my mind that you are paying for that prestige. If I want a G. Loomis, or any other rod, I'll buy it. It's not beyond my means. But I'm a more practical consumer and appreciate quality-and-value over quality-and-prestige. Some people my go for the latter, and that's OK, too.

I don't think you'll be sorry with the All Star.

What's silly about it, RW? These are comparable rods in form and function. They have the same intended purpose. Why not compare them? Tackletour thought enough to compare them - and found that with respect to RoD they are virtually identical. I think it's a fair comparison. The question is whether or not the GLX is worth $220 more than the HMG. Lemme ask you this, RW - On typical day out fishing, do you feel you would do significantly better with a GLX than with an HMG? Would you do 3 times better? Because that's the issue. 3 times the price for possibly a TAD more sensitivity. I suspect you would do virtually the same with an HMG as you would with a GLX (I bet you wouldn't do 3 times better with a GLX over an Ugly Stik). That might justify spending $340 versus $120 to you for MAYBE (<== note the BIG maybe) a little better success. I suspect that the difference is non-existent to the average fisherman, and only a little noticable to one such as yourself.

Why is it not a proper comparison? Same class rods, same intended purposes. More like comparing a less expensive apple to a very expensive apple.

It matters not which came first. The issue is where we are now. I'm certain Loomis rods are high quality. That high quality was as a result of good research and developement. However, Loomis doesn't operate in a vacuum. There are other companies out there with equally good products resulting from equally good research and development. Yet they can offer their products for significantly less. Loomis operates on an economy of scale, as previously stated. They take advantage of technology, production techniques, and sheer volume that ought to lower the costs of their rods - yet their products are among the most expensive mass produced rods available. And I don't see anything particularly extraordinary about them. They use common components, and I never heard a compelling account that they perform any better than other premium rods that sell for much less. In fact, some sources suggest their more expensive offerings have characterisitics similar to much less expensive rods: http://www.tackletour.com/reviewfenwickhmg.html What's a Fenwick HMG costs? $120? And a Loomis GLX? $200 more than that? I'm not saying Loomis builds bad rods. I'm sure their rods are fantastic. But I'm also sure (opinion) there is some element of "illusionary quality" associated with Loomis that is driven by a name and high price. Some people subscribe to the notion that "price buys quality" when in reality there are numerous examples of "price belying quality." If you want to spend $320 on a Loomis rod, I don't begrudge it to you one iota. I know there is a high degree of pride of ownership with respect to Loomis rods (and that has value, too).

G Loomis has been operating on an economy of scale for years. But their rods have always been, and continue to be, extremely expensive. It seems they should be passing along some sort of savings to their customers. I'm not saying Loomis rods aren't quality products, but there is little doubt that name pushes that premium price. I'm not sure the best G Loomis rod is really worth hundreds more than some lower priced, high quality competitors.

Man, I can't say it enough. Team All Star IM10s are sleeper rods. They are very light, very sensitive, and extremely tough. I've got Revos on all of mine. I use braid on some, mono on others. They've got Fuji seats and Fuji aluminum oxide guides. Reels fit perfectly. Decent warranties.

I have several TAS rods, but the one I think is most versatile is the TAS806C. It's a 6'8" medium-heavy/fast rod. It's billed as a spinnerbait road, but I don't hesitate to use if for a variety of other applications. If I had only one, this would be it.

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For those of you with small boats (like me) who don't have an on-board charger and must rely on a portable charger, I gotta say this charger is the bomb. http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_-1_10001_66509_200003004_200000000_200003000_200-3-4 I had been using a Minn Kota portable charger up until about 3 months ago to keep the my 27 series batteries charged. It seemed that whatever battery I connected to my Minn Kota Powerdrive motor lost a 1/4 of its charge within minutes of use. The charger was saying the battery was full, but the charge-meter on the motor rarely showed more than 3/4 charged. I bought the Vector charger about 3 months ago and have been using it ever since. It is FAR superior to the Minn Kota. The Vector actually puts a full charge on the battery - according to both the charger and the motor's meter. After a half day of fishing (and continuous motor use), I've still got most of my charge, unlike before where I was below half. It also charged very fast, charged various types of batteries, has a reconditioning mode, and a trickle-charge feature. I just wanted to share my story. I recommend this charger - highly.

I forgot about the SC. BTW, the sale is still on. To see the discount, you have to add it to your cart, then view your cart. The -$50 credit will then show.

Abu Garcia Revo SX and a Team All Star IM10. $150 and $100 respectively. Both rod and reel are fantastic.

From what I understand Coachwhips are the pissiest snakes God ever made. I've never caught one, we don't have them in Virginia. But I've seen captive snakes and they are gorgeous. Indigos are Federally protected throughout their range. Best not to mess with them lest you want to pay a hefty fine. Indigos are the largest snake native to North America (though I personally think Bulls Snake may get larger). They don't constrict their prey, rather they simply grasp it and chew it to death or swwallow it alive. There is a video on the net of an Indigo killing and eating a Pygmy Rattler: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6676217127042665164&q=indigo+snake&total=19&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=2

Get a Gloomis GL2 like Raul said. What does the GL2 offer over the TAS IM10, except price? I like TAS rods and use them a lot. They are extremely sensitive and tough. Dsaavedra needs to decide whether he wants an extremely good, strong, sensitive rod, or he wants to pay a premium for a brand name.

I recommend Team All Star IM10 rods. I have several of these and like them very much. These rods are extremely sensitive and very strong. You can spend several hundred more on a G Loomis or some other brand, but you won't get several hunderd more worth of sensitivity. http://www.allstarrods.com/as_teamfw.html

I recently bought a 7:1 and found that it is a pain to use on spinnerbaits. I have to be very conscious of slowing down the cranking speed to keep the spinnerbait upright. I like it for buzzbaits though.

I've found a very nice advantage to the 7:1's I did not even realize before and it directly relates to that comment. I am seriously considering a switch to them for my jig rods now. Since I've switched to low profile reels, all my reels are high speed - for all applications. I can't see any disadvantages, only advantages.

A simple pair of leather hiking boots will protect you from most venomous snakes. The vast majority of bites to the lower extremities occur to the feet below the ankle, or at ankle. Only if you are wading, or being careless are bites above the ankles really a serious concern. The notable exception is big rattlers. But you'll probably detect those before you step on one. If bites to the legs are a concern, I recommend snake-proof gaiters you can wear with your hiking boots. You can buy them at Bass Pro Shops. They are made of several layers of cordura nylon and wrap around your calf using velcro. They are snake-proof against the biggest North American pit viper, Eastern Diamondbacks, so they will easily protect you against copperheads and cottonmouths. The best part of these gaiters is that you can take them off when you don't need them - a real plus on a hot day. I have a pair and prefer them to my snake-boots for that very reason. One thing I would like to ask is that you don't kill snakes. I'm not preaching, but they really are neat animals. Our snakes, venomous snakes in particular, are starting to decline in numbers. They are part of our natural heritage and help make up the character of the part of the country you call home. Can you imagine a southern swamp without cottonmouths? Or an Alabama savannah without Diamondbacks? I can't. I think something very special would be lost if these very American animals were killed off out of irrational fear.