The Yankee Fist

I just broke two Loomis rods yesterday, a GLX and an IMX. The breaks are so clean you would swear someone cut them. You bet I'm not exactly happy about it either. That's alot of hard earned freaking cash right there plus the 65.00 expeditor fee. I have never broken a rod in my life before so I consider myself careful in that regard but I've done worse by accident to my 15 year old Micro Lite that cost me 39.99 back then and it's still fishing. Then again, so am I and that's why I haven't and didn't blow my top at Loomis today. I do think they are way overpriced too BTW. They fish like nothing I've ever owned and that's worth it in my book. I did try other rods too and brought them back. Shimano's, Cabela's, Bass Pro, Falcon, St Croix and other Loomis models come to mind.

I'm not bashing them at all. I've shaken quite a few at the stores but I like a traditional look and feel. Need my cork Ya gotta admit, they look ridiculous....just a little...maybe? :) Don't mind me, I'm old. ;D

Selling Loomis? Probably at a point where the business grew too far beyond the art. My guess is he will just be a " designing consultant" and enjoy it immensely.

;D ;D ;D No line shall touch ANYTHING until this weekend.

Crazy day for sure. I just can't get over it. What makes it really funny is after all this hoopla of getting these rods I was back to catching fish on the old one like always. Ironic in a twisted way ;D I do believe the hype of the premium rods, they are worth the dough after the experience I've had with them. Well worth it.

;D

Falcon is US made at that price too.. :)

I'm sorry but I have to be a "conservative look" snob here...I could NOT go fishing with one of those things. I could wave a plane in but that's about it.

You could absolutely run what ya brung...meaning the 12lb stuff. What's it's equivalent mono diameter? If it's low then it would be good to go. No sense wasting it if it can be used. I'm not sure what the shelf life is on that stuff. What's the capacity on your reel? I may have a spoolfull left on a 275 yd roll of hybrid soft 8 I could give you for the St Croix's rating. At least that way you can try the stuff in the 8 variety for free to see if you like it. I think these MART fish store boxes should let you sample line like those little food samples given out. I do find that if you let your local reel filler have at it they will put too much on there. I like to keep the YZ stuff roughly an 1/8" away from the spool lip...seems to reduce seething fits of anger caused by these newer, harder high tech lines when you first open the bail to cast and the line is jumping out at you like a horror show jack in the box. ;D All I know is Cabela's told me the P Line Co-Polymer...I think?... was the greatest thing ever. I HATED it, I HATE HATE HATED IT. I tried flourocarbon stuff and super stuff and just was miserable but I figured technology had to take us somewhere from TriStrenline. I liked Ande's better to be honest and then, I started the internet search, joined here and have been really happy. YMMV, IMHO, AATOFSASWUD. :)

Funny part is...I wouldn't trade yesterday's trip for anything. Nothing like the whole day fishing with a good friend.

Also, we notice here in the NE that the smallies living in Hydroelectric plant wash waters, due to the warmer nature, grow about a year to 2 years faster. Meaning a 14" regular river fish is around 16-18 in the plant waters. That being said, big spawning smallies here run around 4-5 lbs. The biggest I have ever caught in CT (river fishing from shore)was 4lbs 4oz but in Canada, above the Great Lakes, 6lbs+ is a once a day fish if you hit them right.

I wish I could RW, NOBODY around here stocks ANYTHING. Even Cabela's no longer carries GLX and they never did in their CT stores. Your 854 is a GLX right? That's another option I haven't thought of for my own uses. Dude, you cost me too much money ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D Thanks for you most excellent advice!

This is great advice too! I have relied on "many rigs" over the years to fish for a multitude of freshwater species locally...panfish, SMB, LMB, Pike and Trout. Time is very constrained for me now so I decided I would get 3 main rigs to rule them all. This way, being shore bound, everything I need within reason can be toted easily. First is a 6'6" UL...panfish, trout, SMB. 4LB TRILENE XL, though I will go to YZ 2# if they make it. Second is a GLX Loomis Bronzeback, basically 6-12lb, medium 6'10ish rod that will handle almost anything you want to do under the big stuff. SMB, LMB, Trout, panfish and on...enough water around? Pike. 6-10 mono, or my fav YZH 6 Third would be the "I'm not screwing around here" rod. 7ft med-heavy to heavy casting rod. This will get YZH 12 or 15 and that line will bend a 30lb rated hook right out of a snag....easily. This is the next rig I will buy. FWIW, I have found no major stretch factors with the YZH lines...nothing like reg mono. Flourocarbon is just terrible for my uses, the stuff is just like uncooked spaghetti. I hated braid too although my die hard peers insist I must have it. Try some different stuff for yourself. A minimal investment in lines will make you realize you are ready for a change or you may find you stick with what you already know and like. I went gaga for the YZ HS because I feel it bridges the gap between mono and the uncooked spaghetti very well. YMMV...GOOD LUCK!

I know I'm gonna get it here BUT....I'd go with the 4 power over the 3 and it would be IMX/GLX only, NO "BLENDS"....7ft I think would be my choice. Im actually looking at the Kistler LTA 7 footer as a Loomis option but will probably end up with a 4 power GLX. This one caught my eye due to the description only, plus, I love POWER ;D http://products.gloomis.com/gl/products/alltackle/detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524441768916&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302032711&ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=1408474395181201&bmUID=1247596553853

Listen to RW, it's the most FANTASTIC line you will EVER fish. :)

To be honest, I'm glad it's dead, I hate those phones. ;D 99.00 and Ill get another...I saved my old cell and popped the SIM in and it works fine.

You CANNOT make this stuff up ;D Sunday afternoon the phone rings, it's a bud, "I'm off Monday, pick you up at 5:00 am". Okay, I'm GAME! This year I decided after saving the scratch, I would buy premium rods and reels since most of my stuff was roughly at least 15 years old. I have always loved Loomis stuff and decided to get Loomis rods. As many of you may remember the first Loomis I bought is the Bronzeback model GLX. Wonderful rod for just about anything. Friday i picked up my 2nd Loomis....SR781-1 IMX UL. Lovely rod, hate the handle but the action is to die for if you enjoy UL fishing. Moving forward to Monday: Got into a nice largemouth spot at a secluded pond and was having fun on soft jerkbaits with the GLX. I hauled in 3 smaller fish...2lbs and under when I hooked a good 18" ,maybe 3lbs or so. This guy had some stamina but no sweat for the GLX at all...I get him to near the shore and the fish dives hard left and snaps the tip of my GLX right off about 2" below the tip itself...got the fish, took the pic, slipped and lost my IPhone in the water...so no pics. BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE! ;D Slightly bent out of shape now that my beloved GLX is poop for the remainder of the trip, we press on with me using the 781-1 and my old trusty Micro Lite from when dirt was young ;D The end of the trip finds us out at the Housatonic river and I hook into a good sized smallie on the UL rod. I rear back a little on the rod to just keep the fish away from the rocks and the falls and I hear a "tink". I look up and the guide thread is unwinding at the 2nd guide and the tip is fast headed down the line into the river chasing the now broken off fish. Well, that's where it ended, thankfully. ;D ;D ;D Called Loomis today, the UL will be free and I opted to expedite the GLX. I think I would have felt better if I just smashed them in the door. S0.... Iphone 3g $300.00 GLX $395.00 imx $225.00 tackle $100.00 one quarter for each swear word: $56,000,000,000.25 Value of this experience: priceless ;D ;D ;D Get this, these were the first two rods I have EVER broken. Thank God for warranty.

Hi and thanks! Good to be back! I have been wearing the brace and it does help enough to fish a whole day fairly comfortably. I mainly fish the Housatonic River which becomes so fast the tubes or any bait seems to fly by before you snap the bail over. ;D Small spinners and if you can find pools...I did yesterday, the tubes still kill. I can't wait until things normalize a bit. Being a shore guy really limits access especially when the water is so high.

NICE! What a hawg! Good bassin' down in that end of the state! Congrats!

I picked up a new GLoomis 781-1 IMX and a Sahara 500. Featherweight and so nice to fish. GREAT rod IMHO.

I hope you have all been well! Besides the unusually high rivers killing the smallie fishing I have also managed to get "tennis elbow". Let me tell you, this is not a joke, hurts like all heck. Thank God I bought new light rods and reels this year I hope you all have been nailin' 'em! :)

Hello there! I just went through the same scenario myself this spring. I opted for the GLX Bronzeback rod. Basically I wanted a go to spinning rod that would handle my Smallie addiction in the rivers, do other species duty and do it all from shore....mainly rivers. The GLX is in it's own class IMHO and the IMX is a darned FINE rod. You really can't go wrong with either but the GLX is magnificent in sensitivity, power and action. I'm now ready to order a "universal soldier" casting combo and I think it will be a an MBR GLX and Calcutta TE. I also .have an UL 781-1 imx and to me, there is no better trout/panfish UL rod outta the box. I was also fortunate enough to fish, shoot and play guitar all the way into "tennis elbow" and consequently, less hobbies as a result ensued so I am happy I went as light as I could for the rods and reels.

Interesting...okay, how much "more power Captain" do i get with a 4 over a 3 and since i have the 2 power in spinning will 3 be "enough"? Thanks for your patience and help guys. I really appreciate it.

;DI just can't believe the choices today. Im glad you guys are here to help. Funny thing is, when I used to go out on my bud's boat I would have, a 5'6" MH Cast, 6' Crank, 6.5ft ML spin and the 7' Hank Parker rod and I would be set. This area has always been a "finesse" area...light tackle most times gets bigger fish until you want to go after the lunkers in the stump/weed/bush lands.

Okay, the 6'10" is as much as I think my conditions will permit. Maybe I'll go 6'6"...I do have a...brace yourselves...an old Hank Parker Berkeley Carolina rig Rod 7' and that's a pain in the cover...seems every tree is just in that range... ;D