G.Loomis NRX Preview - Interview with Justin Poe

Interview

Justin Poe, Global Brand Manager at G.Loomis, gives us the scoop on NRX (continued)

Zander: Are there are particular applications where the added benefits of NRX over GLX, and competing premium rods, really shines?

Justin: Sure but that is all perception! Sensitivity Power and true feel can be important to anyone fishing any application! I cannot see where these things would not benefit any angler. But universally it’s the slow moving applications that truly for most guys see the biggest benefit. Not sure why but I feel it takes them into a different mindset. Guys just don’t feel for bites anymore they feel for reference. They don’t just want to know where the rock pile is they want to know where the sweet spot from sand to gravel happens and stay on the gravel edge as long as possible.

The new NRX rods mark the first time G.Loomis has introduced a rod with a split grip handle design

I took the first prototype to a local lake. Lake Mission Viejo. Known for picky bass and 100 foot visibility plus in summer months which means tough and slow!! Fishing a jig in 55 feet we were able to feel the ridges on the galvanized pipe for the aeration system as well as the gravel that holds it there. Pretty amazing when we finally confirmed this with our Aqua View camera. The fish on the camera flipped us the fin. No biters in that spot that day!!

The rods make use of blue threading which give the rod a custom look and makes all the NRX rods quickly identifiable

Zander: Obviously the NRX rods are positioned at the premium end of the market. Who is the perfect angler for these products?

Justin: They are definitely on the premium end on the rod spectrum! But we knew that it would be. We really weren’t afraid of that. Of course there is that tinge of passing doubt like will they feel what I do?? But overall we are happy to say that there are thousands of people around the world fishing these rods and letting us know daily that they can no longer hold back and it has become what they have to have.

The NRX rods feature a hybrid guide design with both Fuji titanium framed SIC and REC Recoil black ion coated nickel titanium guides from the stripper to the tip. This design is intended to deliver more sensitivity, better balance, and lower overall weight

The perfect person for these rods is really hard to say. If you want the best I am confident enough to say that it is the best I have ever felt and I am sure you will like it. Our customers are a very broad range. We have tournament fisherman that fish them in secret because they are sponsored by other brands and people that fish only a few times a year that just want that edge to help them be successful. Then we have the guys that walk into their local shops and say I want the best you have! All in all it seems to work for everyone.

The butt section of the rod is finished with composite cork

Zander: I can’t remember a bigger more publicized launch for any series of Loomis, and that includes GLX. As you reflect back on the launch of NRX, which incorporated a nationwide network of dealers and fly shops, how do you think the entire rollout went overall?

Justin: Overall it went great. We saw thousands of people on the night of August 13^th!! All of us had 1 thing in common. We love fishing!! We had issues in some places with logistics and such but overall it was a chance to do something very unique in the tackle business that had never been done before. We knew there were some necessary risks to that. We cast some baits in parking lots. Talked fishing to thousands that we would have otherwise never had the chance to and most importantly got feedback on the most important G. Loomis product to hit the shelves in more than a dozen years. Not bad at all.

The NRX spinning rods feature cork over the entire reel seat for comfort

Zander: Are there any particular top sellers in the line thus far that have become really popular among anglers?

Justin: You know there are really no stand out rods in terms of units sold. It’s very regional. But My personal favorites are the NRX802CJWR for throwing a fluke and I just cannot get enough of that NRX893CJWR in my opinion it’s the best 1/2ounce jig rod ever built. But I am biased!!

The spinning rods have large split grips which help the rods balance out with lightweight magnesium and carbon composite reels

Zander: Are NRX blanks currently being offered to custom rod builders?

Justin: No these blanks are proprietary to our finished rods. I know that has made some people mad at us but it is a way for us to control exactly how we want our brand to be viewed and also for the efficiency of our factory. Most people don’t understand that but I invite them to come to Woodland Washington and see what I mean. Every rod is still proudly made in Woodland where you will still find people that built the first G. Loomis rods. It is amazing to say that with our 30^th anniversary next year the people who built the first G. loomis rods are still building NRX.

The rods feature a open hook hanger design

Zander: On the fly side how have fly fishermen responded to the rods? There is a statement on the G.Loomis site saying… What we are saying so there is no confusion... "This is the Best Fly Rod Ever Built!" Period!!!” what makes these fly rods “the best?”

Justin: The same is true on the fly side of these rods. There are many rods that cast good there are many rods that fight fish well but rarely do those rods intersect so seamlessly. A customer of ours told me the day of our dealer sneak peak at Icast that he was shocked. He felt that there was no waste of energy. The lightness of the rods help you conserve your energy but the power of the rod is somewhat of a secret until you really give it some power. There have been many incredible NRX fly stories already. It is quickly becoming the rod which others are compared to in an effort to qualify acceptance. We are very proud of that.

Like the casting and spinning rods the fly rods also feature a stiffer, lighter, higher density carbon that is paired with a "nano silica" resin to create a rod that is designed to be 15% lighter and 20% stronger than comparable GLX rods

Zander: Moving forward can we expect to see more NRX rods or is the line pretty much complete from your perspective? Any hints on what anglers can expect to see from G.Loomis in the future?

Oh man you know I cannot tell you that!! We aren’t done yet. NRX will build and flow. This is just the beginning baby steps of the NRX family. We learned a lot about the material and about anglers and tackle shops along the way. The next 3 years will be very big years at G.Loomis. We are scheduled all the way out to 2013 for our new product development and have visions into 2015 currently.

Cal and Zander inspect the NRX build quality and map out the field tests

Zander: I figured you couldn't say anything, but hey, I had to ask! Were looking forward to seeing what G.Loomis introduces in just a few months at ICAST, and until then we will be taking a closer look at the NRX line.

We would like to thank Justin for taking the time to sit down with us and give us the scoop behind the NRX lineup and launch. Now it is time to see just how well these rods will perform in the field, stay tuned!