Get Started in Fly Fishing - Chapter Two - Fly Rods

The look on your face when you get a new rod

The fun begins with your first purchase. You're ready to buy a fly rod. Most will experience one of three possible scenarios.

1) You find yourself in a large outdoor chain store with plenty of things to buy but no help to see you through a good decision.

2) You find yourself in a upscale fly shop where the sales staff proceeds to make you feel inferior and unworthy of the sport.

3) You come across a yard sale or hand me down rod that is always the best ever according to the previous owner. Trust me. Its rare to find any worth $$$ in a yard sale. I know because I look for them.

I didn't intend to start off this article sounding cynical but I bet if many of you would comment with your stories many of them would match one of these three descriptions.

Too Many Choices

Too Many Choices

Lets start with import or USA built.We can discuss this subject from many different angles - here's the facts

USA Built 

Pros - The best fly rods are built in USA. All USA built fly rods are hand crafted. Most if not all USA built rods come with some kind of lifetime warranty. Most have good resale value.
Cons - Expensive! Cost of USA manufacturing, research and development, advanced materials technology that makes these rods the best come at a high price.
Summary - If you become passionate about fly fishing you will own USA built fly rods. What comes with these rods is a sense of pride. Hard to have that feeling for something imported from an overseas factory. I have had the pleasure of visiting many USA rod manufacturer facilities. I like knowing that the hands that built my rods also are as passionate about fishing as I am. Its a feeling you cannot put a price on.

Imported fly rods

Pros - Value per dollar. Good entry level options. Some have lifetime warranty (although you may end up with a different rod than what you started with). Also some very good quality rods for much less than USA built price.
Cons - Hard to tell good from bad. Here today and gone tomorrow.
Summary - There is some really good import rods on the market and they catch fish just like a USA built rods. But the import business tends to flood the market and makes it hard to sift through whats Great, Good, OK or just plain cheap rods. Resale value of imports is weak and often times you can't give them away. I also notice that many come with catchy names to help sell them but not a good description of what the action is, so often you find someone purchased a rod only to find out it is a poor fit for their casting ability or the fishing they are doing.

Premium Picks - 

Sage One

Winston BIIIx

G.Loomis NRX Lite Presentation

All of these rods are beautiful and powerful tools for fishing. Each has great power coupled with very intuitive feeling that will help any angler progress down the path of good casting. Excellent resale value and the industry leading warranty service also add to their value. I should note here that rods like these hold their place in history for years to come.

Mid Line Winners - 

G. Loomis Pro4x

Winston Nexus

Echo 3

Sage ACCEL

These models range in price from about $300 to $595. Winston, G. Loomis and Sage are built in USA. All have lifetime warranty. All of these rods offer excellent performance and value. They could go with you on a lifetime of fishing and you would enjoy them for years to come.

Entry Level Values - Imports

Redington Classic Trout

Echo Solo

Redington Crosswater

Classic Trout and Solo offer lifetime warranty. One year on the Crosswater. I am real fond of the Classic Trout. Its a moderate action easy to cast really good trout rod for the price. The Echo Solo is also a good choice and at $119 with lifetime warranty its hard to beat.

Outfit Options

An outfit is an easy way to get Rod, Reel and Line all in one purchase. 

Sage Approach Outfits

Redington Minnow 
Made for Kids-Loved by Adults

Redington Topo Outfit - Complete ready to fish

Echo Solo Outfit - Great Value

Two Hand (Spey) Rod Choices

No reason one has to start out with a single hand fly rod. If you live in steelhead country just go ahead and jump to a two hand. I've seen too many beginners get a single hand 8wt only to come back in a month and say I want a two hand rod. I think two hand casting is harder to learn on your own but with a good instructor like Tom Larimer of Jeff Hickman you will soon be on your way to fishing success! Learning single hand casting first is not a prerequisite. The rods I choose are all pretty moderate action and not only do they fit beginners well they are also a great action for skagit style two hand casting.

Winston Boron III TH

G.Loomis Pro4x

Sage ACCEL Two Hand

Redington Dually

Echo Dec Hogan II

Sum it up

A popular quote around the fly shop is "if you don't want to buy a more expensive rod than don't cast a more expensive rod." Even a person just starting out with some basic casting skills can feel the difference from these different levels of rods. That doesn't mean they catch more fish, they just cast better and make you feel like a hero. I know plenty of anglers that catch plenty of fish on $89 Crosswater rods. This works on the premise that if you want to catch fish you will use what you got! Spending more on a rod doesn't guarantee you more fish. What I can almost certainly guarantee is if you embrace to sport of fly fishing you will own premium USA built fly rods. It's inevitable!

The way I weigh the options is in one of three choices - 

Buy Top Shelf- You work hard for your money and when you have time off you deserve to enjoy it. Great pride comes with the best rods and you find yourself taking great pride in your fishing. Long after your gone when your grand kids find your fly rod hidden among your treasures they'll know how much it meant to you by the way you took care of it.

Buy middle of the road knowing that you'll get a great rod you can own a lifetime or maybe it will be the first and last rod you buy. I know anglers that only fish their home waters. They usually will fish a dry fly if fish are raising and if not they switch to a nymph rig. One rod can do both methods therefore they only need one rod. They only fish a few days a year and enjoy it as much as anyone. Some of today's mid line rods are a recent yesterdays premium rod.

Buy cheap now knowing that you'll upgrade in the future - Its nice to have a cheapy around for yard casting or letting your buddy or kid have a swing...Hard to hand over your several hundred dollar investment and watch a novice thrash it.

Don't fret over making a wrong choice. There are no wrong choices just future choices and Gorge Fly Shop will be here to help you make that choice whether you buy one or a hundred rods. 

Greg Darling 

Gorge Fly Shop Internet Sales Manager | Product Specialist

"Fly Fish the World with Us"

G. Loomis Xpeditor Program is Back!

Back by popular demand!

Good News!

G. loomis has been hand crafting fine rods for decades and they have earned their place on the fishing scene with technology such as GLX, NRX and Pro4X. In recent times the warranty has been a bit of confusion for buyers and dealers alike. Many times we brought up this issue in round table discussions and our friends at G. Loomis have answered the need of a simple, uncomplicated system to get you back to fishing as quickly as possible when trouble occurs. Many of you loyal G. Loomis fans may remember the Xpeditor service of days past.

It's back and it's simple! 

If you break your rod call G. Loomis. They send you out a new rod. Put your broken rod back in the tube your new rod came in and slap the return shipping label on it and hand it back to the delivery guy. Yes, I skipped a couple details such as $$$ but you can read all the details yourself without the need for me to rewrite them.

I copied and Highlighted the details of the Xpeditor Program for you

Xpeditor Program Details - Courtesy of G. Loomis

G. Loomis Xpeditor Service
(Limited to US and Canada)

A broken rod will never keep you off the water again. With the G. Loomis Xpeditor Service you can get a brand new rod to replace a broken one, delivered to your doorstep (anywhere in the US) in as little as two days. Our Xpeditor Service will get you back on the water fishing in days, not weeks!
Why should you use the Xpeditor Service:
• HASSLE FREE, just send in your rod and get a new one – no questions asked!
• Always get a brand NEW rod, never repaired
• FAST - Rod ships within 1 business day, if in stock
• NO WAITING – Your rod ships immediately, no waiting for your broken rod to reach the factory, no waiting on the processing and then shipping it back which can take up to two or three weeks
• CONVENIENT– use the tube provided, you do not have to run around town looking for packaging to send your rod in (cost to purchase a tube can run $15)
• NO SHIPPING COSTS to the consumer, reuse the tube the new rod came in, slap the provided label on the tube and hand it back to the driver

Here is how the service works:

• Contact Customer Service at 877/577-0600 and request the Xpeditor Service
• Tell them the model number and rod series from the logo on the rod
• If we no longer offer the model that you broke, we will replace it with the closest comparable model from our current product line
• Pending stock availability, we will ship your rod via standard ground delivery the next business day
• When you receive your new rod, simply remove it from the shipping tube, place the broken rod into that same tube, ensure both ends are sealed and affix the enclosed, pre-paid shipping label on the outside of the tube (Please Note: Return shipping label service is not available in Canada)
• Once you hand off the package to your delivery agent, you’re done and back on the water

COST: (US Only)
Ground Shipments
$75 Fee USD - Regular graphite, GL2, GL3, IM6
$100 Fee USD – GL4, IMX, GLX, NRX, all blends not identified by
Material type
2nd Day Air, Alaska or Hawaii shipments
$100 Fee USD - Regular graphite, GL2, GL3, IM6
$125 Fee USD – GL4, IMX, GLX, NRX, all blends not identified by
Material type


COST: (Canadian)
Ground Shipments
$100 Fee Canadian - Regular graphite, GL2, GL3, IM6
$125 Fee Canadian – GL4, IMX, GLX, NRX, all blends not identified by
Material type


Please Note:
• If you fail to return the complete broken rod within 30 days of receiving your replacement, you authorize G. Loomis to charge your credit card the full MSRP of the replacement rod in addition to the fee already paid for the Xpeditor Service
• Rods covered by the discontinued Wildcard program may be sent in for a one-time only free Xpeditor service on that rod
• If you are returning a custom rod please remove any after-market components that you wish to keep, as they will not be returned
• The Xpeditor Service is a one-time (per rod) offer that may only be applied to the originally purchased item.
• Premier Rods (PMR), Kit and Demo rods are not able to utilize Xpeditor service. 

G. Loomis Limited Lifetime Warranty - Courtesy of G. Loomis

All G. Loomis rods are covered by a limited lifetime warranty. The Xpeditor program is designed for the those times when you need your rod replaced quick with no hassle and no questions asked. After all accidents happen. But if you feel like your broken rod was a result of a material problem or workmanship you still have the option of sending back to the G. Loomis factory where they will inspect the rod to determine cause of breakage and whether it will be covered. 

I copied and highlighted the details for the Limited Lifetime Warranty for you

G.Loomis Limited Lifetime Warranty.

G. Loomis rods are covered by a Limited Lifetime Warranty against non-conformities in workmanship and materials for the life of the original owner. GL push poles, Venture (Adventure) fly reels, and GL fly rod outfits are covered against non-conformances in workmanship and materials for a period of one year from the date of purchase. Premier Rods (PMR) are covered against non-conformances in workmanship and materials for a period of two years from date of purchase. Demo rods are not covered under warranty. Sales receipt or proof of purchase required.

G. Loomis will inspect the rod to determine if the breakage was due to workmanship or material non-conformance.
For breakage determined to have occurred due to non-conformance, G. Loomis will at the companies’ discretion, either repair or replace the product at no charge.

Breakage deemed to be the result of normal wear and tear, accident or neglect will, at the companies’ discretion, be repaired or replaced for a specific fee. A full estimate will be provided for your approval before any fees are levied.

To initiate a claim: (For US customers only)
Ship the damaged rod in a disposable container, prepaid and insured, along with a completed copy of our Web Warranty Return Form.

Send directly to:
G. Loomis, Inc.
Warranty Services
1359 Down River Drive
Woodland, WA 98674

NOTE:
• If you are returning a custom rod please remove any after-market components that you wish to keep, as they will not be returned
• Do not use a shipping container that you want returned, it will be disposed of at the factory

Web Warranty Form U.S.
Web Warranty Form Canada

For U.S. Customers Send Directly to:

GLoomis, Inc.
Warranty Service
1359 Down River Drive
Woodland, WA 98674

We welcome back the Xpeditor program. It really is the fastest service I know of to get you back to fishing. 

Thank You G. Loomis

Gorge Fly Shop Team

"Fly Fish the World with Us"

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)

Casting for Recovery: Photo Contest

THE RESULTS ARE IN: Thank you everyone for submitting your photos we truly do appreciate all the submissions. Look for some special mentions later this week for some of our other favorites.

GFS Photo Competition

First Place Winner: Joann and Mark Ouellette - "The Intruder"  - Why we chose this photo...

Second Place Winner: Jessica Rice for one of her submissions.

Third Place Winner: Dennis DeWitt.

Fourth Place Winner: Carly Shears for one of her submissions.

2013 Contest Winners

Casting for Recovery Photo Contest. In support of CFR the GFS team has created a very first for GFS and have commissioned the help from some of our friends, G. Loomis, Nautilus Reels, Hatch Outdoors as well as fellow fly fisherman and fly tyer, John Garrett (GFS Employee). We have some pretty cool prizes to give away to four lucky winners.

Gorge Fly Shop: Casting for Recovery Photo Contest Prizes

Contest Opened
August 9th, 2013

Contest Closed
October 30th, 2013

PRIZES

G. Loomis Pro4x 9' 5 Weight Fly Rod
They are as beautiful to look at as they are to cast. A rod any flyfisher would be proud to own!!
Read our G. Loomis Pro4x Rod Review

Nautilus FWX 5/6 Silver Fly Reel dressed in Pink
Trout to Bonefish. Fresh Water Light, Salt Water Safe!

Set of 12 "Angel Girl Steelhead Flies" in a GFS Fly Box
A Gorge Fly Shop Very Limited - Special Edition Fly designed and made by John Garrett. Read the full story about this product here.

Hatch Trucker Hat with a Hatch (logo) Original, White Buff
The perfect swagger for any hardcore Hatch fan.


Starting August 9th, 2013 submit your fly fishing photos to our Webmaster, all photos must belong to you and you must have the permission of the person or persons in the photo or photos you submit. By submitting your photos you are giving the Gorge Fly Shop permission to promote each photo in support of Casting for Recovery and the good of the competition, this could be on our Facebook Page, Home Page, Blog or other GFS media outlets. You have until October 30th (2013) at 12PM Pacific Time to submit your submission(s) to win a chance at one of these cool prizes.

The Photo
All photos must be in the spirit of fly fishing, do not restrict yourself to photos of fish head shots. We encourage everyone to get creative. Photos could be of product (example: Sage Grace Rod), scenery, your kids or grandkids fly fishing. Extra points may be rewarded for those who capture our main project goal. "To support Casting for Recovery and to promote Women fly casters as well as the Sport of Fly Fishing for younger generations." Brownie points will may be given for the most creative. You may see us use the phrase: Go Pink! Don't be afraid to get creative...

Brownie Points!

Judgement Day
All photos will be judged by the Gorge Fly Shop team, we will accept input on our Facebook Page given in comment form or by sharing the photos you support. The more comments and the more shares a photo gets may help us in our decision making process. We will be watching...
Results will be announced October 31st. Halloween!

Contest Rules

• All photos must be in the spirit of fly fishing.
• Photos of Kids or Female Casters may be given extra points.
• The use of PINK clothing or gear may also receive extra points.
• Men (boys) using or wearing PINK will receive brownie points.
• Photos must belong to you.
• You must have permission of the person(s) in the photo.
• Please include a photo caption or we will provide one for you.
• All photos must be submitted by October 30th, 2013 no later than 12PM Pacific Time.
• All photos must be submitted to our webmaster: webmaster@gorgeflyshop.com

Thank You for Submitting your photos!

The Gorge Fly Shop gives special thanks to G. Loomis, Nautilus Reels, Hatch Outdoors and John Garrett for giving their time and donating product(s) to the Gorge Fly Shop's first ever - Casting for Recovery Photo Contest. 

- Thank You the GFS Team



Some more of our Favorites:

Gorge Fly Shop
Webmaster | Mike Prine
webmaster@gorgeflyshop.com

Support Casting for Recovery: Go Pink

"Fly Fish the World with Us"
Pro4x Rod Review
Story behind a Angel

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