July 24, 2012
By Florida Sportsman Newswire
There's something to be said for one-piece flyrods. I, for one, rarely break down my multi-piece rods, preferring instead to keep them rigged and ready for action, hanging in overhead racks. One-piece rods are usually somewhat lighter, and of course will never slide apart while fishing. Some anglers suggest they deliver a more crisp feel in hand, but with the G. Loomis NRX lineup, that might be hard to determine, given the exacting level of action standards the company is famous for. I'm looking forward to experiencing these new rods on the water some time soon. Until then, I'm pleased to relay the company's news item below, sent to my desk in conjunction with the ICAST event in mid-July. --Jeff Weakley, Editor
From Press Release
Further expanding its award-winning NRX rod design recipe into the saltwater fly-fishing scene, G.Loomis introduces its new NRX PRO-1 one-piece fly rods. Available in 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 weight models, each fly rod is offered in both the original NRX ‘stealthy' matte black/blue wrap blank, and the more traditional Evergreen color.
Saltwater fly anglers, especially tarpon and bonefish guides up and down the Florida Keys, “jumped all over our CrossCurrent Pro-1 rod due to their extremely lightweight from no ferrules, and they also like the performance advantages of Recoil guides,” said Justin Poe, global brand manager for G.Loomis. “We know offer even lighter blanks with more durability with our NRX graphite, along with a new guide system using the new ‘smoke' REC Recoil titanium guides.”
According to G.Loomis' chief rod designer Steve Rajeff, the guide train “really enhances the structural strength and extreme sensitivity we have in our NRX recipe, as anglers will notice less line noise through the guides and smooth, friction-free line movement when casting and fighting a fish.”
The new fly rod series – all 8'10” lengths - feature a custom reel seats – proprietary to G.Loomis – making it easy to lock the reel in. The grips feature a G.Loomis design, where the cork transitions to provide more sensitivity where needed, and then more durability in areas where needed.
The series starts with the 8-weight NRX 1068-1 PRO-1 where the crossover from fresh to saltwater begins. It's a ‘tweener' choice for just about any saltwater flats species, “plus we just know a few steelhead and big bass anglers will be checking this one out,” said Rajeff.
Permit, striped bass, cobia and false albacore are among the species anglers can target with the 9-weight NRX 1069-1 PRO-1. When more backbone is needed to bigger stripers, sailfish, small tuna and tarpon – or in tough, windy conditions, the 10-weight NRX 10610-1 PRO-1 is the choice. For bigger challenges – tarpon, striped marlin, tuna, and sharks – the series also includes the 11-weight NRX 10611-1 PRO-1 and 12-weight NRX 10612-1 PRO-1.
As with all its NRX fly rods, “we're able to rely on the talents of folks like Rajeff and his worldwide design team, plus a very experienced workforce in our Woodland manufacturing facility to build the best we possibly can,” said Poe. “Winning product design awards is always a positive – and we truly appreciate the past honors at the EFFTEX and ICAST shows - but really with NRX, we also want to show our commitment to fly anglers everywhere, and design and build a more diverse selection of rods for all types of fly-fishing situations. And for those special challenges in saltwater and for those anglers who demand the best to be successful, we've taken that next step with the NRX PRO-1 rods.”
As with all G.Loomis rods, the NRX models are manufactured in the USA. For more information on the new NRX PRO-1 fly rods, visit gloomis.com, call 800/GLoomis, or stop by your nearest G.Loomis tackle dealer.
MSRP – from $725 to $815