What the Finesse: A Different Character, the NRX Drop Shot Rod (continued)

Power: Though light and very reactive the NRX822DSR also delivers plenty of muscle when you need it. There were many times when I was drop shotting spotted and smallmouth bass off the top of vertical rockpiles and hooked fish would dart into structure. I immediately found myself loading up the rod to pull the fish up and away before they had any chance to bring my line in contact with the rocks.

The hook hanger does a good job holding drop shot weights

The NRX822DSR loads up smoothly and it didn’t take long before I really had the confidence the blank would hold up to even big fish. This particular rod has the power to work deeper drop shots but the nice thing is that anglers don’t need to sacrifice any sensitivity. Even in deep water and heavier cover this rod has what it takes to extract big fish.

Though light this blank is very durable. Load it up!

Sensitivity: Though the NRX blanks transmit vibration slightly differently than GLX they are extremely sensitive. I really didn’t find this rod a whole lot more sensitive than the GLX drop shot rod, but when I fished the casting NRX rods using contact baits like jigs the improved sensitivity was immediately apparent. I then went back and decided to try fishing ultra small drop shot rigs for bluegill and sunfish and I found I could really detect both the exact type of structure and the most subtle nibbles.

Just for kicks we drop shot for Bluegill

The more I focused the more I learned how to really use this rod as a tool, and got to the point where it was like a weapon and I could detect and set on the lightest ticks. After fishing for a NRX rod for an extended period other G.Loomis rods start to feel less perceptive. Be careful about getting into NRX if you really like sensitive lightweight rods, it could get very expensive, very quickly.

Detecting subtle bites is easy with this rod

Durability: Like other high end G.loomis blanks the NRX blank is sanded but not coated with epoxy, this helps minimize weight and improve sensitivity but does open the door to possible damage form nicks to the blank itself. Throughout the tests the NRX822DS held up very well and we observed the usual wear and tear that we normally would expect to the cork grips but didn’t have any problems with damage to either the blank or the guide components. The black ion coating on the REC recoil guides not only makes the rod look a whole lot more stealthy it helps the guides hold up to braided line as well.

The rod features a hybrid guide design that is both lightweight yet casts well

Price and Applications: The NRX series represents the flagship lineup for G.Loomis and is priced accordingly. The 822SDSR is among the more expensive rods in the lineup and retails for $475 dollars, which is 25 dollars more than the two 6’8” 802S and 803S spinning rods. The NRX spinning rods that are 6’10” and above all retail at this higher $475 dollar price point. So how does the NRX compare in price to competing flagship offerings? It falls pretty much inline with the premium Daiwa Steez offerings which retail for $429 for SVF and $504 for Compile-X models, as expected when compared to Shimano’s top end offering the NRX is $50-75 dollars higher than the $399 price point for the Cumulus spinning rods. In terms of price to performance ratio the NRX material can also be compared with rods, like the Kistler Z-Bone, based on the new North Fork Composite blanks which typically retail for around $400 as well.

A closer look at the cork handle