G. Loomis: 5 Minutes with Steve Rajeff

The Interview with Steve Rajeff

On a chilly rainy September morning Travis, Lyndsey, Mike and I headed out to Woodland Washington for a tour of the G. Loomis factory. We had the day planned with tour, video, casting demonstrations, lunch and a sit down meeting with our reps to go over future planning and new ideas. While Rod building is not new to me I was most excited about the tour. It takes a lot of hands on skill to build rods and its evident G.Loomis is a well assembled skilled workforce. I must include that the G. Loomis facility is clean with an excellent layout and the paint booth is something you would expect to find in an auto manufacturing plant. But the real reward came for us at the end of the tour. Steve Rajeff is the Chief Rod Designer of G. Loomis and he headed up our tour. Steve’s name is synonymous with G. Loomis and if you’re familiar with the name you probably know that Steve is a World Champion Fly Caster. While I have been acquainted with Steve for several years now I have never really known what drives him. One question kept ringing in my head during the tour, How did Steve come to be Chief Rod Designer? So when opportunity rang I asked and what we witnessed the next five minutes I could not put into words!

See it for yourself…Watch the video

Steve Rajeff from G. Loomis Interview with Greg Darling: Gorge Fly Shop

Now I understand why my G. Loomis rods feel the way they do. You just witnessed the most important ingredient to go into a great rod, Passion!

Greg Darling  - The Tormented Angler

Gorge Fly Shop Product Specialist

"Fly Fish the World with Us"

Read the Full Tour Report

G. Loomis: Pro4x Spey Rods (a legend formed?)

Josh Linn: G. Loomis Pro4x catch

One of the things I really like about G Loomis is the idea of making actions specific to fishing applications. Skagit, Scandi, long belly we make them all. For winter fishing in Oregon or sink tip fishing in general the dredger rods are hard to beat and the 13'4" 7 wt is one of my all time favorite rods. A couple of years ago we introduced the NRX Spey rod in the 13' 7/8, it's an amazing rod and perfect for the PNW. When I started Spey casting I really liked or thought I liked fast action rods as my Spey casting has evolved just like my single hand casting I've decided I like all actions and I really like the right action for the job.

SCANDI
Scandi rods are typically more of a tip action rod, so when you make a cast you are just casting right off of the tip. A really short stroke with a crisp pull from the bottom hand creates tighter more aerodynamic loops. In the states we most often think of a Scandi line as a full floater made for casting small flies on long leaders.

SKAGIT
Skagit rods are typically softer rods that flex all of the way down into the handle. They load easier and cast heavier shorter lines with ease using a constant slower motion with a little longer stroke. When we were contemplating coming out with the pro4x line of rods I wanted more of an all around rod that would be able to cast a skagit and a Scandi with ease. Something that loads easily and cast from deep down in the rod. I didn't want to make another NRX 13' 7/8 we already had that. I wanted the rod to be very easy to cast yet still be a performer.

G. Loomis Pro4x 7130-4 Spey Rod - 13' 7/8 Weight

"Cheese"

One day in February Steve Rajeff called me and said the first round of new pro4x Spey rods were ready to try. I met Steve Rajeff and Steve Choate on a river near the factory. We brought tons and tons of lines to try Scandi and Skagits,in all makes, sizes, and lengths, from airflo, rio, and SA. Mentally I had an idea of how I wanted all of the rods to cast. 14' and 15' should be more suited for a long belly line. The 13' 7 & 8 should be more of a medium action rod capable of casting skagit and Scandi lines. We tested the 14 and 15, figured out the little changes we needed to make and moved on to the two 13' rods. Both rods were amazing especially for being the first generation but they were not what we wanted. They were great Scandi rods and would probably sell amazingly well in Europe. But that's not what we wanted. We wanted more of a mid flex rod. One that would be easy to cast, that would load into the butt of the rod and that I could hit as hard as I wanted and it would just load deeper and deeper.

Steve Choate and I were on the same page. Steve Choate and Brian O'keefe really helped me to understand and develop my Spey casting. The funny thing is that Brian doesn't even Spey cast, but I did pick up some ideas and concepts from watching him distance cast. The first time I fished with Choate really made me rethink what I was doing. He is an amazing caster and showed me what was possible with a Spey rod. After being with those two guys my Spey casting really started to evolve. I started to break down concepts and redesign them. Steve and I fish mostly the same rods with very similar lines and cast in a similar manner. One thing we both do is hit it about as hard as possible and come over the top in a straight line. This allows for a good positive turn over with a lot of power. 

We explained to Steve Rajeff what we wanted, stiffen the tip so that it will flex a little deeper in the rod and smooth out the middle so it flexes a little more evenly. He totally understood what we were looking for. A few weeks later Steve called us up again. The new rods are ready. We met up on the river again there were two sets of rods, the new ones and the original ones, so we could compare and see if the changes we wanted had been made. I was most excited for the 13' 7/8 as that would be my daily fishing rod. We use high quality graphite, Fuji guides, and the best cork available, we just wrap it up in a price tag that is affordable.

We started testing the second round of rods.

Everything was good and the changes were spot on. We got to the 13' 7/8. It was great. Loaded deeper into the blank, it had a stiffer tip. Just what I wanted. I fished those prototype rods throughout the rest of the winter. Caught a fair amount of fish on them. They were easy to cast and worked well. But they were still just prototypes. Shortly after that I got the first couple to come off of the production line. Winter fishing was over and Deschutes summer steelhead was beginning. I was extremely excited to have a finished product in my hand. When we tested the rod we cast a Scandi line around 430-440. I truly like the rio Scandi lines and fish the 435 on that rod. Talk about easy, I could easily cast and cover as much water as I wanted. Nothing was off limits. I put that rod in tons of people's hands and everyone loved it. Part of that may be that the rod is a point of pride for me. I have worked with many companies casting and testing new rods but this was different. This was my rod. This was exactly what I wanted. It cast the size of lines I think a 7wt should and it does it easily. 

C.P.R:  Catch. Photo. Release

As fall progressed I had a trip scheduled to BC. I took 3 of these rods with me so that anyone in our party could use it. I was like a proud parent. Everyone should own at least two of these! We mostly fished sink tips on that trip I loaded the rods with the new rio skagit max 550. What an amazing outfit, any fly any tip, just let it rip. I still gravitate to this rod everyday I'm on the water. This is definitely my go to rod. I am still blown away that one of my favorite rods is our price point rod. But that actually says a lot about our products. When we build something inexpensive it's not just cheap crap. All of our pro4x rods are killer and I find myself using them everywhere I go.

Try one I bet you'll like it.

Josh Linn
G. Loomis - Sales Manager

Includes FREE Spey Head of your Choice with Purchase of this Rod at GorgeFlyShop.com

"Fly Fish the World with Us"

Other G. Loomis Links and Videos:

• G. Loomis Factory Tour Slide Show
• G. Loomis Factory Tour with Steve Rajeff
• 5 Minutes with Steve Rajeff (Interview with G. Loomis Rod Designer)

G. Loomis Factory Film Tour

Gorge Fly Shop's - G. Loomis Tour (Photo Slide Show: 3 Min 07 Sec.)
Full Featured Tour Video Below

Woodland  Washington - U.S.A

I admit it! I’m a gear junkie! That’s a good thing considering the job I do is to bring all that fly gear live to you on our site for you to purchase. Think about fly line specs alone and it’s enough to make one dizzy but I don’t stop studying them until they are understood. But the one piece of gear I respect the most is my fly rods. On the river they are the precision tool that enables us to cast, mend and hopefully do battle with the underwater species. They are handmade by skilled craftsman, who just like you and I, love the outdoors. I believe each rod has a personality and many take considerable amount of time to become one with. I used to bounce from rod to rod trying to find the one that I could cast farther only to figure out that the one I cast the best was the one I fished with the most. Great distances is fun and rewarding to ones’ skills but the biggest reward is to be able to make the cast that requires precise action and dead on accuracy in order to present your fly to the greatest of quarry. You know when you got it right! The rest of the time it’s just casting practice.

"Master rod builders have perfected so many actions and tapers that enable us to expand our reaches..."

Today’s fly rods are nothing short of amazing! The master rod builders have perfected so many actions and tapers that enable us to expand our reaches of angling with a fly. The loading of a fly rod is also something one needs to witness...Hard to see with the naked eye but a video camera can catch it…See our blog post: Find the Power of the Stick… These are a few reasons I have such respect for the rod. 

So, when the guys over at G. Loomis invited us in for a factory tour I said name the date and time and I’ll be there and soon the plans were made. Arriving on a morning with a Pacific Northwest rain in progress started the day of the tour. Walking into the front door I quickly notice the inspiration all around on display. It was evident that the employees here love their rods as much as we love our own and proudly display them in plain sight for all to see. Pictures relating to our sport adorned the walls for more inspiration. Passion for the product is a key for success and that is evident at first glance.

"G.loomis rod design goes through this test many times to ensure a strong quality product is being built."

After introductions and greetings we geared the cameras for action. A quick briefing and the safety equipment in place and off to the factory we go. Perfect timing was in order as the employees were all on break. Steve Rajeff (Chief Rod Designer) headed up our tour and gave the step by step of how a rod all comes together. Later we were able to go back and repeat the tour while production was in progress. Toward the end of the tour we got to see and play with a piece of equipment that really imparted a new perspective to the strength and flex of a rod. It’s a machine built to mechanically apply load to the rod to the point of destruction. Every G.loomis rod design goes through this test many times to ensure a strong quality product is being built. We got to see several rods tested to the point of destruction and even captured it on video. It’s quite a sight to see a rod tip pulled below the butt before destruction occurs.

3I’m not kidding when I say that seeing rods built before your eyes will change the way you feel about all fly rods no matter who the manufacturer is. Ninety something employees make up the work force of G.loomis but to be fair I think the appropriate title of these hard workers would be Artist and Skilled Craftsman. From cutting patterns of graphite to applying the epoxy, each one of the steps of rod building is an act of precision talent. My first career was one of a skilled trade and it’s good for me to witness an American work force dedicated to producing the finest products possible. It reminds me of the pride and dedication I took in my own first career.

G. Loomis Prototype Rod

After the tour Steve took us outside and introduced us to a prototype rod he was working on (see photo to left). We got to take turns making some casts. I have never claimed to be a great fly caster. It’s a work in process skill for me. I have never liked casting in front of a crowd but I do it anyway to cast the rods we sell so that I am better able to describe them to you. But this is way different. Think of it like being at the golf driving range with Tiger Woods standing behind you. I did my best to just relax and experience another great future rod coming soon. I can’t say much about this prototype but I will say the pursuit of perfection is alive and a passion driven quest for better fly rods lives on in the hands of Master Rod Designer Steve Rajeff and the G. Loomis team.

After our day at the factory we got to spend some time with Steve Rajeff and although I have met Steve on many occasions this was the first time we got to just be ourselves and catch up on our latest fishing adventures. You see all those other times we met we were at shows and events when the topic of conversation is what new rods are in the works or new technology is being used and what it does for us anglers. This time I got to ask the question “How did you get started, Steve?” In short I witnessed a lifetime of true passion summarized in front of me and no words I could write could do any justice.

5 Minutes with Steve Rajeff

I toured a different rod plant many years ago and from that day forward I had a greater respect for fly rods. I even bought a blank and gave it my best effort to finish it. I've caught many fish on that rod and still have it today. Every once in a while I get it out and give it a cast. It reminds me why rod building is better left up to the professional and I am quite happy to enjoy their fine work. I place a great value on my fly rods for without them I would not be able to fish! What would I do if I couldn't fish? I would have to take up Noodling...oh no!

Factory Film Tour: Full Featured Version
26:06 Minutes Long

Be warned the following video is quite long. It's full of detailed information and a step by step process 

of how G. Loomis rods are built. Enjoy!

Greg Darling  - The Tormented Angler

Gorge Fly Shop Product Specialist

Grand Opening Day Event Schedule

Doors open at 10:00 am and we will wrap up at 5:00 pm

10:00  -  Jola's  -  Food and Beverage all day (10am - 5pm)
               Freebridge Brewing - Beer and Cider

10:15  -  Deschutes River Alliance Presentation

• Location: Theater

11:00  -  Tim Rajeff - Finding the Right Rod

• Tim Rajeff will give his entertaining insights on the fundamentals of fly casting and how to choose the right casting tool. 
• Location: Casting area

11:45  -  Eric Neufeld - Wader Care and Repair

• Simms Sales Rep Eric Neufeld shares how to get the most life out of your waders
• Location: Simms display in shop

12:00  -  Jon Covich - Fly Water Travel Destinations

• Travel veteran Jon Covich highlights details on a few select best travel destinations
• Location: Theater

1:15  -  Tom Larimer - How to Rob a Bank

• G.Loomis Sales Manager gives up 15 years of Deschutes River tout fishing secrets
• Location: Casting Area

2:00  -  Eric Neufeld - Fly Fishing North Idaho

• Looking for nearby world class fishing destination? Eric gives up the goods on his home waters
• Location: Theater

3:00  -  Steve Rajeff - Advanced Casting

• Fourteen time world champion caster Steve Rajeff will make you a more proficient caster & angler
• Location: Casting area

4:00  -  Battle of the Brothers - Steve & Tim Rajeff

• Two of the best casters in the world, go toe to toe in a battle for casting glory, while holding a beer!
• Location Casting area

4:30  -  Raffle Prizes & G.Loomis Casting Competition Giveaway

• Location: Casting area

Steve Rajeff - Asquith Spey

 Steve Rajeff - G.Loomis (Asquith Spey)

Steve Rajeff Director of Engineering for G.loomis gives his insight on the new G.loomis/Shimano Asquith Spey utilizing the new Spiral X.

I-Cast /IFTD 2013 Show Overview

Day before the show...

I-Cast and IFTD

I-Cast (The International Convention of Allied Sportfishing Trades) and IFTD (International Fly Tackle Dealer) have joined forces for 2013 to deliver the largest Sport Fishing Show in the world held this year in Las Vegas, Nevada. Over 9500 representatives of the fishing industry under one roof all equipped with the passion of fishing. Now that gets me excited! This wasn’t my first IFTD show nor my first I-CAST show attendance but it is a first for all who attended this show. The buzz from the combined show was much bigger than any in the past and sure to live on for the future. I feel for the future of fishing that this is of great importance to stand together as a whole and safeguard our right and our future generations the right to fish period.

Time to go talk about some rods with G. Loomis (and Steve Rajeff)

Steve Rajeff - Advanced Casting

At 3:00pm, on Saturday, June 22nd, right before the "Battle of the Brothers" competition, Steve Rajeff presents a special presentation on Advanced Casting Techniques.

This presentation takes place on the new casting area in front of the new shop.

Hope to see you there!

Rajeff Brothers - Casting Competition

Join us Saturday, June 22nd for our Grand Opening Party at our Brand New location 

Watch brothers Tim and Steve Rajeff Battle it out in a single hand casting competition...

WHILE HOLDING A BEER!!!

Come early for swag and prizes. Reps and presentations all day. Enter to Win! Food and Drink!

3200 Lower Mill Dr, Hood River, Oregon 97031

Hope to see you there. 

"The Gorge"

Gorge Fly Shop Team - 541.386.6977

GorgeFlyShop.com  |  Join our Team |  Contact Us

"Fly Fish the World with Us"

 

Greg's Rod Picks from IFTD / I-CAST 2016

Best New Freshwater | Best New Saltwater | Best Of Show

It was a great time at the big show this year. Lot's of great new stuff but most of all a great time spent getting to know some people in this industry that work hard and pour their heart and passion into making it better for all, every single day.

The purpose of this article is not for me to pick winners and losers but instead showcase to you (our customers) what I saw that you might be interested in. I love gear and will proudly proclaim that I am a gear junkie. I enjoy spending time always seeking a better fly rod, reel, line, bag, tool...you name it. If it gives me an edge then it's a winner.

Fly Rods

It's pretty clear in the fly rod industry to build a better rod we must reach for higher tech materials and/or resins. This is the theme for 2016 coming from Sage, Winston and G.loomis. Outside of that the only unique contributions comes from building niche products like the OHS from Echo. Ask me if fly rods are improving and my answer will quickly be yes but mostly only in materials. Today's fly rod tapers are pretty well established for the intended use. Whether you need dry fly, nymph, saltwater, predator, two hand or any other technique one can find rod tapers that best suit those techniques and fishing situations. As far as what fly rods we like, it leans heavily on our own casting preferences and personalities. If I were to name one characteristic improving in today's high tech fly rods it is the expanded range that they load thus also expanding on the range that the load is felt. Every fly rod has a sweet spot; today's rods seem to have widened that sweet spot. While this expression rings true for the first three entries ahead it also happens to be the tagline for the Winston AIR..."Widen your sweet spot with the new Winston AIR." Back to the original question..."Are today's fly rods better?" Yes, they are much better, at a wider range of uses, load feel and fit a wider range of casting personalities.

Sage X

The New Sage X took the show. Best New Freshwater, Best New Saltwater and Best of Show.
I read somewhere that this three category win was the first ever for a rod series. The New X delivered exactly what it claimed, faster recovery, deeper loading, crisp tip stop and produced incredible tight loops. Match that with an elegant fit and finish Sage is known for and the X becomes one tough rod to beat. On the pond the X held true to its claims and did it with style and grace. The real test of course is on the water and I am so looking forward to time with these new sticks. Single, Switch and Spey models $895-$1095


R.L. Winston Air

"Widen your sweet spot with the new Winston AIR." 

Super Premium, Ultra-Lightweight Boron III Technology and featuring New SuperSilica Resin System. This new line of 3-6 weight freshwater rods from Winston could have easily taken the freshwater award. A clear cut winner in my eyes!

Winston Air

Paired with legendary finish Winston is so well known for into a high energy progressive action from a new SuperSilica resin creating an incredible accurate presentation all came together into one sweeet little fly rod. Year after year this fly rod company and its wonderful group of people continue to impress me with their relentless forward driving passion in the factory as well as on the stream. To build a rod this good can only come from countless hours on the water. Awesome job Winston!
Four Models 3-6 weights, $945

G.Loomis Asquith

Labeled as a Global All-Water Fly Rod in part due to the cooperative effort between G.Loomis with Chief Rod Designer Steve Rajeff and sister corporation Shimano. The New Asquith starts its life in Japan from some extremely high tech material, then finds its way into the Washington State based G.Loomis plant where the finish work is completed. On the pond the Asquith is light and responsive. It tracks a straight line in near perfect form. Swing weight is impressively light. This is another entry into the show that could have easily taken a win. 4-12 weight and 5 spey models $1000-$1400

Scott Flex Series

Scott Flex Series

The New Flex is a mid price point rod designed to offer fast performance with a fine tuned flex and recovery. It did not disappoint. The flex displayed a great amount of power while retaining a good balance of feel. The rod blank finish is classic to Scott natural and the components are premium all coming together into a aesthetically pleasing fly rod.  This is a great American made stick for a price that isn't out of the ball park. 3-8 weights, $475

Redington Hydrogen Trout Spey

Hydrogen Trout Spey

The Hydrogen series of single hand trout rods came out last year and in that time this lightweight rod has left quite the impression. When I heard Hydrogen was to expand into trout spey for 2017, I instantly knew this would be a home run. Now that I have seen and cast the new trout spey model I can honestly say it's out of the park. The med-fast action allows for a deeper load into the blank for great feel while the butt provides great power both for scandi  tight loops and/or skagit power. The downlocking skeletonized reel seat helps reduce the weight and looks great. Shown here with the new Redington Rise Fly Reel. 2-4 weight, $349.95

Predator

Redington Predator

Always a favorite the newly update Predator gets some added horsepower to tackle the whole chickens and bunnies. Fresh or Salt, wherever Predators Roam! 5-12 weights with additional specialized bass and pike/musky models, $299.95


Redington Vice

Redington Vice

Classically Styled Fast Action full range of rods from fresh to salt. The Vice replaces the aging Voyant series of Redington Fly Rods. Besides a full on color face lift the New Vice receives advancements in the use of multi modulus carbon fibers that greatly enhances control, recovery and accuracy. Add saltwater grade components, black anodized snake guides and a lazer etched reel seat indicating rod weight and the package comes together to form a really sweet rod.
3-9 weights, $199.95



Echo Bad Ass Glass
If you follow the fiberglass crowd you will naturally gravitate to the BAG (Bad Ass Glass) Series of rods.

Bad Ass Glass

I admit they are pretty cool looking but really Tarpon on Glass?! But that's the idea behind this big heavy glass stick. Bonefish, Steelhead, Permit, Tarpon. Get your groove on glass fans!
8-12 weights, $274.99

Echo OHS (One Hand Spey)
My real interest coming from the Mr.Tim Rajeff is the new Echo OHS (One Hand Spey).

Measuring in at 10'4" with 6-8 weights. My prediction for this show was that someone is going to show up with a single handed spey rod...Ding, Ding, Ding...we have a winner! While I was hoping for a trout model too, it's a start. I got to spend a little time on the pond with the 7 weight equipped with the new Airflo Skagit Scout head and it HUK'D!

OHS spey handle

A unique feature of the OHS is it comes with two different fighting butts. One is normal standard nubby and the spey version is 2.5"providing you something to underhand some leverage with. 6-8 weights, $474.99

More Echo's
Several other new models coming out of the Echo camp. EPR is rated "Stupid Fast" intended for salt fanatics chasing fins that weigh more than you do. The New DRY is pretty obvious. Boost Reach designed for beach casters both east and west. And the 8 piece trip designed for the backpacking crowd. We'll have more on these when they arrive.


Take Survey - 2017 New Fly Rods - What New Rods have your interest?

This one question survey let's you tell us what fly rods you are curious about. Check one or as many as you want and if your fly rod of interest is not listed use the write-in spot. 

Complete List of Show Winners

Best of Show	Sage	X 590
Fly Rod: Freshwater	Sage	X 590
Fly Rod: Saltwater	Sage	X 890
Reel: Freshwater	Ross Reels	Colorado LT
Reel: Saltwater	Abel Reels	SDS
Fly Line: Freshwater	RIO Products	InTouch Big Nasty
Fly Line: Saltwater	RIO Products	Winter Redfish
Leader / Tippet	RIO Products	RIO Saltwater Mono
Fly Pattern: Freshwater	Aqua Flies, LLC	Stu Foxall’s PrawnTruder
Fly Pattern: Saltwater	Umpqua Feather Merchants	Contraband Crab, Chicone
Fly Box / Storage System	Tacky Fly Fishing	Tacky Dry Fly Box
Fly Tying Materials / Equipment	Freestone Designs	The Go Box
Men’s Waders	Simms Fishing Products	Headwater Pro Waders
Women’s Waders	Hodgeman	Women’s H4 Wader
Wading Boots	Simms Fishing Products	Rip Rap Shoe Felt
Check Pack / Vest	Simms Fishing Products	G4 Pro Sling Pack
Luggage	Umpqua Feather Merchants	ZeroSweep Cooler-Gater
Men’s Outerwear	Patagonia	Minimalist Wading Jacket
Men’s General Apparel	Simms Fishing Products	Intruder BiComp L/S Shirt
Women’s Outerwear	Patagonia	Women’s River Salt Jacket
Women’s General Apparel	Simms Fishing Products	Women’s Rip Rap Sandal
Youth Product	Umpqua Feather Merchants	ZS Wader Chest Pack
Accessories (under $100)	Orvis	U.S.-Made Aluminum Nipper
Eco-friendly Product	Fishpond	Thunderhead Duffel
Boat / Personal Watercraft	Outcast Sporting Gear	Fish Cat 5 Mat
Book	Angler’s Book Supply	Fusion Fly Tying
DVD	RIO Products	Favorite Fly-Fishing Knots
Gift Items (under $100)	Umpqua Feather Merchants	ZS Guide Wader Belt
P.O.S. / Booking Software	The Outfitter Pro	Online Booking System

Coming soon I will share my Top Reel Picks...

Greg Darling 

Gorge Fly Shop Internet Sales Manager | Product Specialist

"Fly Fish the World with Us"

Read more of Greg's Post

ANNOUNCEMENT: G. Loomis Factory Tour

G. Loomis Tour in the works:
Next week Travis, Greg, Lyndsey and Mike will be visiting the G. Loomis Factory in Woodland, Washington, basically in our backyard. It's only an hour and a half drive from the shop but the factory has forgone a overhaul since the last time we visited. This time we will be sure to film plenty and test out a few rods. Steve Rajeff and the G. Loomis team will be on hand to give us a full factory tour and explain all the nitty gritty.

Check back soon for a full report and videos to come.

"Fly Fish the World with Us"

G. Loomis IMX Pro Spey Rod

John gets excited about IMX Pro Spey Rod Series

John Garret - Veteran Guide: Gorge Fly Shop Product Specialist covers the G. Loomis IMX Pro Short Spey and puts it to the test in the video above.

Hey guys this is John from the Gorge Fly Shop and I'm here to chat with you today about the new G Loomis IMX Pro short spey trout rods.

A long time ago I turned a passion into a profession with a long time guiding career and now working at the Gorge Fly Shop all along the way I've been a huge Loomis fan. So I'm really excited about the IMX Pro Series rods, which were designed from the idea of fulfilling the needs of discriminating professional guides.

With today's efficient and versatile modern short head, line systems being a popular and practical solution for many common casting and presentation issues there was a need for a true Spey taper in a trout spey rod. Recognizing this issue Tom Larimer and Steve Rajeff of G. Loomis, joined forces to create a collection of true spey action rods, crafted to meet the performance characteristics of this new breed of fly lines.

The IMX Pro short spey trout rods are ideal for folks who are already into the two-handed game for steelhead, and want to expand their love beyond steelhead fishing. This allows the angler to fish a two handed rod all year long from multiple species. The conduit core technology used in these rods allows for a ridiculously light rod that sacrifices nothing when it comes to durability, line speed, and ease of casting.

The IMX Pro's short trout spey rods are light and in the right spots. Traditionally as the blank diameter increases, so does the total amount of material being used. This was the only way of ensuring strength and durability in the bottom half of the rod until now. Conduit Core technology replaces excess wraps of graphite with a material of similar strength that's lighter in weight. This improves efficiency and reduces fatigue of fishing situations that require the animation of chunky flies, popping, chugging, stack mending, reach casting, and other repetitive motion.

The IMX pro short trout spey rods come in five models from 3 - 7 weight and are 11' 11 inches in length making them perfect for executing short swings and managing tight fishing conditions.

My favorite being the 4wt. 11' 11" for trout. With the progressive flex, fast action, and plenty of power, the IMX Pro short spey rods jack a cast with ease. Built to the demanding specifications of professional fishing guides the IMX Pro Series is comprised of 15 purpose-driven designs to meet the performance demands of  modern fly fishing.

The IMX Pro short spey trout rods deliver series performance at a beautiful price point, making them a perfect tool for today's modern trout fishing needs.

More information on the new IMX Pro Series rods both singlehand and spey: Contact Us Today.

"The Gorge"

Gorge Fly Shop Team - 541.386.6977

GorgeFlyShop.com  |  Join our Team |  Contact Us

"Fly Fish the World with Us"

The New G. Loomis NRX Fly Rods

Greg Darling and I just returned from the ICAST fishing trade show in Las Vegas, NV.  We attended G.Loomis’s launch of their all new NRX series of fly rods!  These rods are amazing!  We had a chance to spend a lot of time on the casting pond casting the whole series of NRX rods.  We were very impressed with how light these rods were.  The 10’ 7 weight felt like a nine foot six weight rod.  Steve Rajeff has spent the last five years designing this series of rods, he mastered every rod model in the series, so they were dialed in for each rods expected use. 

Here is a quote from G. Loomis:

NRX is the culmination of what we have been doing at G.Loomis since day one. We have been continually striving to build the best rod on the planet. Laminates, resin, mandrels, components and the know how you expect from us. These new NRX rods look like nothing we have built before. They feel better than anything we have built before. We aren’t talking about a little better here or a little lighter there –

What we are saying so there is no confusion... “This is the Best Fly Rod Ever Built!” Period!!

We have been chosen to be one of 10 fly shops in the world to launch the new G. Loomis NRX fly rods.  August 13^th  @ 8:00 pm our store will reopen to help G. Loomis launch the NRX series.  Come join us and G. Loomis staff to see and have the chance to purchase the new NRX rods before any other anglers can.

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At 12:00 am on August 14^th our website will launch the new NRX series and they will be able to be purchased and shipped worldwide!

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G. Loomis IMX Pro Fly Rod

John Garrett talks about the new IMX trout series

John Garret - Veteran Guide: Gorge Fly Shop Product Specialist covers the G. Loomis IMX Pro Series and puts it to the test in the video above.

Hey guys this is John from the Gorge Fly Shop and I'm here to talk to you about the new G. Loomis IMX Pro single hand trout fly rods. Many time world champion caster and rod designer Steve Rajeff and Tom Larimer teamed up to create a rod that meets the demands of professional guides that is durable, powerful, and yet affordable without sacrificing quality feel or performance. 


From this collaboration the IMX Pro Series was born. 

Maybe you're working that tight seam up against the far bank with your favorite nymph setup or maybe you're tossing ridiculous sized streamers at Western trout there is definitely an IMX Pro fly rod (singlehand) for you. For me the IMX Pro is light in all the right spots. This is due to the new G. Loomis Conduit Core Technology. These rods have you covered whether fishing with small flies and delicate long leader presentations or casting big foam stone flies into the wind.

Traditionally as the blank diameter increases so does the total amount of material being used. This was the only way of ensuring durability and strength in the bottom half of the rod, until now.

The Conduit Core technology allows G. Loomis to remove areas of graphite that are not needed while maintaining durability, specifically for each purpose-driven model. This improves positive feel, balance and helps fight fatigue.

G. Loomis IMX Pro Fly Rod

All Single Hand Rods Feature:

• Stunning uplocking custom design reel seat 
• Single foot chrome guides for weight reduction
• Fuji stripping guides premium
• Cork handles a micro fighting butt

On models 10' 5 weight and heavier. 6 weight and under have a full wells micro grip. Ten' 7 weight and 7 and 8 weight streamer rods in both four piece and one-piece have a standard full wells grip. This is ideal for large streamers or nymph fishing for Alaska size rainbows, steelhead or fishing in salt water.

John Garrett giving the IMX a workout

All models come with a rod sock and all four piece models come with a cordura rod case for storage.

IMX Pro Series rods were designed for technical trout applications delivering durability and high-end performance for a variety of techniques, satisfying the demands of professional fishing guides Worldwide.

If you'd like more information contact us today or purchase here. IMX Pro Series Rod

"The Gorge"

Gorge Fly Shop Team - 541.386.6977

GorgeFlyShop.com  |  Join our Team |  Contact Us

"Fly Fish the World with Us"

G. Loomis Pro4x Review

Las Vegas I-Cast / IFTD Show with Steve Rajeff

Pro4x: The Sleeper! This is what comes to mind when I think of the G.Loomis Pro4x series rods. The Pro4x series appeared quietly on the market shortly after the launch of the revolutionary NRX. NO flashy colors or hardware on these rods, just clean, streamlined and ready to fish.

G. Loomis Pro4x

It wasn’t long after the Pro4x hit the market that anglers started to take note of it. Maybe it’s the attractive price point which is exceptional for an all American built Fly Rod. Maybe it has to do with the use of NRX tapers as the design layout for the backbone of this “sleeper”. Whatever it is the word is spreading around and anglers all across the world are adding Pro4x’s to their arsenals.

As a writer for the fishing industry I feel responsible for informing anglers of what is new, great and must have. We are passionate for our sport and with that comes a great deal of appreciation for the craftsmanship and quality of our gear. Just as a much as you count on anglers like myself to evaluate the latest greatest industry offering it is also my responsibility to listen to what anglers are saying. I confess that I didn’t pay much attention to what anglers were saying about the Pro4x. I saw the sales and was impressed. I heard the feedback and it was all good so why did it take so long to pick up a Pro4x. It’s easy in my position to only look at top shelf contenders and dismiss mid-price offerings as inferior products. Even budget minded rods get more evaluation for the purpose of finding the greatest value for our customers. When I fish an NRX or similar price point rod it’s hard to imagine that a rod near half the price might ruffle my interest at all. At this moment while feeling shame for ignoring the middle ground I must apologize to my fellow anglers.

So after spending some time swinging the Pro4x one word resonates over and over in my head...Intuitive! The Pro4x exhibits an intuitive feeling as soon as you throw it in a backcast. That feeling follows right through the forward cast and transmits to your fly. Automatically intuitive so much that there is no learning curve to find tune in this rod. I’m not saying it’s slow or soft! This is a powerful and capable rod. The intuitive feeling comes in the loading of the rod. I can feel this rod absorb the energy on a backcast. This is important because it’s the act of using the stored energy that is available to you in proper timing that can bring forth positive results on the forward cast. While distance is an important factor many rods that can cast great distances often leave out the intuitive feeling needed to successfully fish.

I have cast many rods over many years and in recent time I have really worked on becoming a better caster. I am working toward intuitive casting. I’m confident I can cast any rod presented to me but intuitive rods instantly become a natural fit. Many rods cast just as well when you finally learn the taper of that individual rod but they can leave you with a feeling of “I must conform to the needs of the rod” and intuitive fishing is out the window! Connect with your rod and you will connect with the fish.

I connected with the Pro4x in just one cast...Now that’s Intuitive!

Greg Darling
The Tormented Angler

Gorge Fly Shop

G. Loomis Pro4x

"Fly Fish the World with Us"
Win a G. Loomis Pro4x - Casting for Recovery Photo Contest