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

Casting: A good drop shot rod should allow anglers to not cast great distances but be able to cast even light rigs with pinpoint accuracy. The tip should do the work and slight underhand casts with a fast rod should be enough to position the bait where it needs to go. The NRX822SSR does this in spades and I found this particular rod capable of tossing everything down to 3/16oz., and though the rod is only rated up to 1/2oz. it was still able to toss heavier rigs in a pinch.

The rod has a surprising amount of backbone with fish on the line

In the past we have experienced that some G.loomis rods which are outfitted solely with Recoil guides can be noisy when friction is generated by the superline and the guide surface. This is minimized with a new hybrid design as Fuji SIC guides are supporting the areas where the line first comes in contact with the guides. Some anglers will spool up with straight fluorocarbon when drop shotting with this rod, and I found 4 and 6lb. perfect for the complete range of casts with drop shot rigs and other finesse lures. For lakes with larger stronger fish I preferred to spool up with braided line and finished with a fluorocarbon leader.

Drop shotting fish in shallow water off timber

Retrieve: Here’s where things get really interesting. The NRX blank on this rod (and on other rods in the series) are quite unlike anything else in the G.Loomis lineup. When anglers moved up from IMX to GLX the rods felt relatively the same in character, sure GLX is more sensitive but for the most part the comparable rods from each series exhibited the same basic “personality,” just with different levels of refinement, and some of the GLX rods, though higher in modulus, do feel more lively, making them a great choice for moving bait applications. This is why some anglers find IMX just fine for power and vertical applications but step up to GLX for finesse and moving baits.

Once I started fishing the rod for extended periods I started getting used to the rod's unique feel

NRX is completely different, not only does it feel different it fishes different. These different characteristics can throw off long time G.Loomis fans that may pick up the rod in the store and feel like it feels lighter and weaker than comparable GLX rods. Like we first witnessed in the lab, rods like the NRX822DSR exhibit a feel and static deflection that can be very deceiving.

A simple lob cast and the drop shot is away...

Put the rod in the water and the light bulb suddenly goes off, I quickly understood just what the designers were going for. These rods unquestionably feel lighter in hand when fished and they seem like they should have less power, but they don’t. When you swing them during casting and set on a fish they may even feel flimsy for a split second, but they aren’t. The NRX material is very responsive and surprisingly durable for such a light rod and this really is one of those products that you gain more respect for the longer you spend time with it on the water.  

...it doesn't take long to land a Smallie

Ergonomically speaking this particular rod feels a little tip heavy by itself but once you strap a reel on the rod it balances out well. The cork grip that surrounds the entire seat is comfortable to grip and with this rod most anglers will be casting single handedly so the split grip really doesn’t come into play other than affecting balance.

New for Loomis spinning rods is a split grip design