G. Loomis IMX-PRO V2S Fly Rod Review - New for Saltwater!
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The new G. Loomis IMX-PRO V2S is here! Another contender in the "mid-priced" but still American-made segment of saltwater fly rods, up against great rods like the Sage Maverick, Scott Wave, T&T Zone and several other great rods. The new IMX-PRO V2S Saltwater rods will compete directly with the Scott Wave and the Sage Maverick (all are 9'0" 6-12wt saltwater rods) as well as the T&T Zone (up to 10wt). Above these are the new Sage Salt R8, Scott Sector, G. Loomis' own NRX+ Saltwater rods, and a few other options around the $1,000-$1,100 price point.
*Looking for our review of the new IMX-PRO V2 for Freshwater? - Click Here!
There have been some big changes to the IMX lineup since the last version. This "V2" or "Version 2" has a surprising similarity to the more expensive NRX+ fly rod series (this is a good thing) although with a silver reel seat rather than the gunmetal/gray color of the NRX+ rods.
In my personal opinion, these will be very popular rods. G. Loomis quality without spending $1,000 is a no-brainer. But the competition is very tough in this segment. All of the top rod brands offer a mid-priced saltwater option now. It used to be mainly just Sage offering great rods in this range.
This is what I call a "rolling" review so I will be adding and updating as I test each rod. My first impressions are that these are actually built similarly to the NRX+ series (which has always been very popular) but the question is what did they leave out to keep the price down? Well the obvious thing is these are not colorful rods, no fancy thread wraps, nothing too crazy. Very minimal but they look nice. Sage is definitely winning on looks with the Maverick, a very nice shade of deep blue. And at $650, Sage is also slightly winning on lower price since this new rod is launching at $595 - While it may not seem like much, that's still enough to consider if you are trying to keep to a budget. Don't want to be in the doghouse.
**This is a rolling review so I will update as I thoroughly test each model. Let me know if you have any questions: 941-483-6847
2 comments
I forgot to mention it’s meent for big pikeflies at freshwater lakes :o)
The rod itself feels very durable. It casts my 12" streamer easily to 60 feet. And that was the first time i shortly tried it. Only remark is the small tipring at the top.
Hi there! Getting the right flyline for a #12 rod is hard in the Netherlands. I have a 450 grains line (SA sonar sink 30 cold). This rod needs more, i think…. Can you tell me how many grains this rod is estimated and which line would you advice for a sink 3 type? Thanks! Wim.