G. Loomis IMX-PRO Ice Rods

[slipperybob]

If we go down on the history of solid carbon blanks...I heard that when St Croix introduced it...it was a tough sell.  They stuck with it and now it's mainstream...solid carbon rods is the standard.

The thing about tubular rods is...is it is better in so many ways for a carbon scrim...

I often wonder why can't fishing rods be reproduce with the strength and lightness of an arrow shaft.  Yeah cuz it needs to flex, but I don't need it to flex at around the butt.  If my ice rod can have that 60/40 or even that 70/30 rate of deflection I would be ecstatic.  Honestly I always wanted to glue a rod tip to an arrow shaft and go ice fishing with it.  And there is the cost of production with that kind of concept cuz it's not going to be just one solid carbon material.

I suspect that St Croix cut the same solid carbon ice rod blank at various points to get the listed action out the rod.  I flex them and align different rod power and whoaaahh...they match so very closely.  Now if they rolled it out of a tubular blank, it would be too improbable to cut the same blank at various points to achieve various rod power rating.

Anyways back to the G Loomis ice rods.  Of all the rods I've ever hand flex in store.  I will say that these were the first ice rods that actually impressed me.  Of all the rods that came with a reel seat, well that goes to St Croix rods for having an overall best feeling in my hands.  I was honestly impressed at how light and crisp the St Croix Apex Predator rod felt in comparison to most other rods of the retail shelf.  If they can accomplish that in their heaviest of rod models, why can't they copy that engineering feat down to their lighter power rods?  Maybe it's just a tough sell...the demand is just not there...and enough rambling from me.  I'm still waiting for that BFS system that been popularized to convert over for ice fishing..

[matzilla]

Tubular blanks hit a point of diminishing rewards - to make a blank light enough in power and be tubular, the walls need to be thin and thin walls are brittle. If you have a 30' tubular blank you only have so much "room" for taper - you can get more taper out of a solid blank and the solid blank will be more durable. Solid blanks do not have to factor in constraints for wall thickness or overall diameter. Open water rods have at least 5' to create taper and have more power then an ice blank so they can be made durable. You can taper down a tubular blank to a solid tip however....most of these are medium to heavy power blanks

[Gunflint]

Tubular blanks hit a point of diminishing rewards - to make a blank light enough in power and be tubular, the walls need to be thin and thin walls are brittle. If you have a 30' tubular blank you only have so much "room" for taper - you can get more taper out of a solid blank and the solid blank will be more durable. Solid blanks do not have to factor in constraints for wall thickness or overall diameter. Open water rods have at least 5' to create taper and have more power then an ice blank so they can be made durable. You can taper down a tubular blank to a solid tip however....most of these are medium to heavy power blanks

Great explanation of the basic issues in play.

Thank you

[hnd]

tubular blanks are not an upgrade...

not even in the slightest when it comes to the ice fishing.  there is no advantage to tubular on a < 36" rod vs a solid blank.  and solid blanks have a ton of advantages.   

[slipperybob]

The part where the benefits of a tubular section is further down the rod blank rather than just the tip taper section.  There's only so much a solid rod of one material will give and the performance merit of it, such as lighter weight, better vibration transmission.  The engineering of a tubular rod with different carbon material like say 24t to 36t in the overall construction of the rod.  There is no, one is totally superior to the other.  It's just different application at different sections along the entire rod.  Part of the reason why ice rods are just so short.  Yet we are seeing longer ice rods coming into the market.  They're growing longer than 36 inches and going above 48 inches. 

And here is where the engineering difference that we must clarify.  When we refer to a solid blank, I assume it is limited to only the linear graphite/carbon fibers that comes as a solid rod.  Whereas the tubular blank, I assume will be a rolled material where the graphite/carbon fibers are bonded in a spiral/helical pattern.  It may have a solid core.  It may have a cross wrap.  It may have a woven carbon cloth.  At this point in time, perhaps the tubular ice rods were of the cheap single material variety whereas it was fragile.  Probably no different than your cheap tubular graphite rods that are your sales tag giveaways.  However the sentiment of that does not apply to a properly engineered blank that is rolled with performance merits without the brittleness associated with the linear material.

So what if St Croix and/or G. Loomis have decided to engineer and created short rod blanks of tubular design into ice rods.  Do we just dismiss it as cheap tubular rods that are prone to brittleness?  Probably have to lump in the Fenwick Techna tubular ice rods.  They are so uptight about it, that they clearly marketed them as solid carbon rods just because the tip taper sections are solid.  Perhaps it's just the bottom part is hollowed out, because it's not solid all the way through.

...and the only tubular rods I have for ice fishing are still my Ugly Sticks but they don't count since they're a composite of graphite and glass material.  Maybe I'm just wishing that something tubular comes down.    As in price.

[matzilla]

I don't think the price of tubular ice blanks will ever come down due to how much they cost to produce. Grinding a solid rod will always be cheaper than wraping/forming over a mandrel

The cheapest tubular blanks out there right now are crb and sportsmans direct whipping stick - both have solid tips
https://www.mudhole.com/Deluxe-Tubular-Graphite-Ice-Rod-Blank - these are not ml as described, I've profiled all of them and couldn't think of a situation in which I would choose any of them for a specific ice application
https://sportsmensdirect.com/shop/whipping-rods/ the blank is not listed for sale on their site but is available if you call them direct - it would be decent for lake trout - I have also profiled this blank


Janns has a tubular panfish blank for $7
https://www.jannsnetcraft.com/graphite-ice-rod-blanks/graphite-ice-rod-blanks-panfish-42.aspx
and walleye as well
https://www.jannsnetcraft.com/graphite-ice-rod-blanks/graphite-ice-rod-blanks-walleye-42.aspx
I have not profiled any of the Janns blanks as they do not respond to my inquiries to do so - given the tip diameters I would guess that these might be tubular throughout

[tswoboda]

Not sure how profiling is relevant with tubular blanks. The beauty of the new tubular blanks (specifically the Loomis and Croix) is that there are more variables at play than simply the profile or taper that defines the power and action of the blank.

And to compare the Netcraft or CRB tubular blanks to St. Croix and G. Loomis is silly.

The point of solid blanks being superior in short and light blanks is evident where Croix and Loomis are using solid blanks in the smaller blanks. But there is clearly an advantage to using tubular graphite blanks as the power and length goes up.

[matzilla]

not comparing, slipperybob said he wished that something comes down with tubular blanks as in price....there are cheap tubular blanks today

If you want something comparable to st crois and gloomis blanks look at the nfc tubulars

Keep in mind, as the power and length go up, the need for sensitivity and lightness goes down - is there really a point? Durability is still needed, and thats where solid blanks shine.

[tswoboda]

If you want something comparable to st crois and gloomis blanks look at the nfc tubulars

The NFC Delta ice have intrigued me but haven't been able to find enough information on them to pull the trigger.  RodGeeks offers a 42" blank and I was thinking it would be the blank used in their Custom Ice Predator rod but per email correspondence it is not.

Keep in mind, as the power and length go up, the need for sensitivity and lightness goes down - is there really a point?

As someone who has built a lot of my own rods for fishing Lake Winnipeg walleye and NW Ontario lakers, I would whole heartedly disagree.  BUT that's the beauty of having options... different stroke for different folks.

[slipperybob]

And those cheap tubular rods are often linear graphite/carbon bonded together.  They aren't rolled with a carbon fiber strip and bonded.  When a rod breaks, look at the breakage fibers and that will sort of clue in into how it was produced.  Not that I go around breaking rods... LOL.

[TickleStick]

The NFC Delta ice have intrigued me but haven't been able to find enough information on them to pull the trigger.

I have the Delta Ice 330-1 "ultra light" which to me it feels more like a medium action and I would never fish anything on it under 1/8 oz.

Its a powerful rod and it would make a good rod for larger fish, I would pass on it for any kind of panfishing, the Zentron is nice and very responsive
but almost makes the rod a more moderate action.

If NFC could make a true ultra light with this material then it would be amazing.

I would like to know who made up the rod ratings for these rods, because they are way off IMO.

I personally like the St Croix and Gloomis ice rods a lot over my NFC ice rod.

[matzilla]

NFC blanks were made by folks who mostly chase lakers in the NW - not by midwest panfishermen, thats why their ratings are a bit skewed. Last I had heard in talking to them they were working on a true UL blank. Zentron is nice - it would be great if other folks were making zentron based blanks

[veedo]

Update:

Didn't get a reply from loomis, but the awesome guy over at American legacy fishing where I bought the rod told me to give it a good scrape with a softer tool.  Surprisingly it all came off with no damage to the blank.  I gave it a scrape with my finger nail when I first got it, but it didn't budge.  Good to go.

[TickleStick]

Just a update, love the IMX ice rods.

Sensitivity, super light and powerful.

I just ordered a 330xf, my friend just ordered a 331f, I want to see how much different it is from my 331xf.

These rods are Master Pieces IMO.

[fishsluggos]

I would give these rods a look at 1/2 the price.

https://haatfishing.com/

[TickleStick]

I would give these rods a look at 1/2 the price.

https://haatfishing.com/

I've been looking at those for a while, the Medium light spinning is always out of stock 

[veedo]

I have been using the 330 up until last weekend, snapped a few inches off the tip.  First rod I've ever broke, believe it or not.  Was bending down to pull a perch out of the hole and there the tip was, not sure what happened.  But it is a really nice rod, can feel bites more than any of my other rods, but the tip is a little stiffer than some of my light glass rods for sight bites.  I liked it enough to buy another while waiting for this one to get fixed. 

[TickleStick]

I have been using the 330 up until last weekend, snapped a few inches off the tip.  First rod I've ever broke, believe it or not.  Was bending down to pull a perch out of the hole and there the tip was, not sure what happened.  But it is a really nice rod, can feel bites more than any of my other rods, but the tip is a little stiffer than some of my light glass rods for sight bites.  I liked it enough to buy another while waiting for this one to get fixed.

Excellent, good to hear that the rod is awesome.
Sucks about the rod breaking, how was the warranty dealing with Gloomis? Whenever I have had to deal with Gloomis they have always
been amazing with customer service.

[veedo]

i just filled out the warranty paper, and sent it in.  they got it last week.  ill keep you posted!

[WALL E GATOR]

I've been looking at those for a while, the Medium light spinning is always out of stock 

Thats cause I bought them up.... just kidding but I do love my Haat Rods and have 2 of the Medium Light Spinning rods. They work great in my Jaw jackers.

Oh and my new G Loomis Ice rod will be here Thursday...

[TickleStick]

Thats cause I bought them up.... just kidding but I do love my Haat Rods and have 2 of the Medium Light Spinning rods. They work great in my Jaw jackers.

Oh and my new G Loomis Ice rod will be here Thursday...

Nice, what G Loomis did you order?
I hope mine will be here soon, I'm going fishing Thursday morning...

[WALL E GATOR]

331 F

[veedo]

Notified yesterday that my replacement rod is in the mail.  Looks like it will be here for the weekend. 

[TickleStick]

Mine will be here tomorrow 

[TickleStick]

Got the 330 XF today and man that tip is thin 

Going out tomorrow and will see how it compares to the 331 XF.

[markinohio]

Most of my soft water rods are IMX, and I would buy a couple ice rods today if they offered a 36” in light power. I really like my 36” Quiversticks, but I’m confident that a 360XF would immediately replace them.

[TickleStick]

Most of my soft water rods are IMX, and I would buy a couple ice rods today if they offered a 36” in light power. I really like my 36” Quiversticks, but I’m confident that a 360XF would immediately replace them.

I would like that also.

[tacklecter]

I own 5.....yep I’m a Loomis fan and the IMX is top notch. I have the 311xf, 331xf, 331f, 352f, and 392f....they are all very high quality and every thread, eye, epoxy, and cork is perfect. They really are a work of art. I purchased all of them at a 25% discount since a nearby store is looking to sell any remaining ice fishing products they have till next year. Basically, I bought their remaining stock after holding them in my hands. Not sure about the batch that others complain about, but i’m a happy customer. To be fair, I also own many TB and TUCR ice rods as well and they are also amazing at a cheaper price point even with the sale price I found the IMX’s at.

[WALL E GATOR]

I own 5.....yep I’m a Loomis fan and the IMX is top notch. I have the 311xf, 331xf, 331f, 352f, and 392f....they are all very high quality and every thread, eye, epoxy, and cork is perfect. They really are a work of art. I purchased all of them at a 25% discount since a nearby store is looking to sell any remaining ice fishing products they have till next year. Basically, I bought their remaining stock after holding them in my hands. Not sure about the batch that others complain about, but i’m a happy customer. To be fair, I also own many TB and TUCR ice rods as well and they are also amazing at a cheaper price point even with the sale price I found the IMX’s at.

And we have a winner. Damn and I thought I was bad with this high end ice fishing equipment fetish of mine.

Got my 331F in last night and it seems real nice. get my new black betty maverick mounted and spooled up and I will try it out hopefully this weekend... woooohaaaaa!

[tacklecter]

Any known sales on these? Still looking for a 351f, but don’t see the need to pay full price. Thinking about a couple ultra light models too if others are happy with them.