Fly Blog

by Mark Waldin Custom Fly Rods – I’ve been asked a number of times about which rod blank is which when it comes to G Loomis fly rod blanks. Loomis has a strong tendency to re-use names for their fly rods and put addendums on them. For example they make a GLX Cross Current rod and a GLX Presentation rod. The Presentation rod comes in 3 line speeds all called Presentation. I don’t know about you but to me these are fundamentally different rods and should have different names. It makes it hard for the consumer to know what is going on.

It is even more difficult when you are looking to build a rod because Loomis sells the GLX rod blank but it has no indication as to which GLX it is! If anyone wanted to deliberately confuse people they couldn’t have done a better job. So if you are looking to build or are looking to buy a custom fly rod, you need a little more insight in to what Loomis is doing. Here is my understanding.

Loomis makes some very nice rods, but the company has some strange quirks that make it difficult for anglers. Perhaps it is because they are owned by Shimano, perhaps not. The most important thing to know is Loomis does not sell any rod blanks for any current production fly rods. All blanks are older models.

Because Loomis is not building rod blanks for sale using current fly rods, they have to set up a special production run when they go to build blanks for sale. (This may be why the quality control on the blanks seems to vary.) Rod blanks are built in fits and starts with varying degrees of availability. It is not unusual to find that a particular rod blank is months away from being produced.

If your heart is set on G Loomis then order your blank and wait until you can get it. If you have some latitude, my recommendation for rod builders is to look to St Croix if you want a rod blank that has excellent performance and a great performance to price ratio. If you want the best of the best rod blanks then go with Sage. With St Croix you’ll get a very comparable rod and with Sage you’ll get a rod that will beat Loomis every time.

 by Mark Waldin Custom Fly Rods – Continuing my series on user reviews of various fly rods… I’ve always found it to be a pain to collect reviews of various fly rods.  To help us all out I’ve been collecting user reviews of different rods.  This time: Sage Z Axis.  Great rod.  Enjoy…

Two good rods. The Redington is $100+ cheaper but it weighs more than the Sage. If price is not driving your choice, I would go with the Sage in the 8 weight. This is my gut feeling as I have not casted them. I do own several Sage 8 weight rods and they have all been good rods. –posted http://www.theflyfishingforum.com

I just purchased a Sage Z Axis this week in a 7wt. Excellent rod………cast better than my Sage XP rods……I would go with the Sage Z Axis……..you won’t be disappointed –posted http://www.theflyfishingforum.com

Hey everyone, i went down to Mt. View sports here in anchorage and went through the lineup, orvis, sage, g loomis, etc. All i can say is the cross current is a no go, the z-axis is a no go, the winner?? Sage Xi2! Talk about a backbone for a 7wt! I have that same rod in a 10wt, and i just cant get over that magical fast action that they have. Looks like my mind is made up! –posted http://www.fishingtalks.com

I threw one (Z Axis) back in November when I was looking for a new 8wt. It’s a nice rod and throws better than some of their older models, but it still wasn’t fast enough for me. I ended up buying the Loomis CC GLX 8wt. I was throwing at least 5-10yds farther with the Loomis and tighter loops. –posted http://outdoorsbest.zeroforum.com

The Z-axis 8 wt is a very nice rod to cast. The new softer tip flex alows you to bail out on a bad cast. Like any new rod it takes a little bit of time to get used to. You will find that its a very fast rod when you have some time to get used to it. Otherwise I like the Xi2 in Sages line up for a smoking fast rod. –posted http://outdoorsbest.zeroforum.com

I have one in five wt. and love it. I have used on everything from spanish macks to big brown trout up north. Basically no complaints here. –posted http://outdoorsbest.zeroforum.com

This is the 5wt acting as a workhorse on my B-day. The first z-axis rod I fished was the 5wt and it throws big streamers to little dry flies with ease. –posted http://outdoorsbest.zeroforum.com

The Z-Axis is a great rod. It’s slower than the Xi2, so it comes down to personal preference. I like faster rods for saltwater, so my Z-axis is a 4wt trout rod. –posted http://outdoorsbest.zeroforum.com

That’s hard, both (Streamdance GLX and Z-Axis) great rods but since i’m partial to sage and frequently make long casts with my 4 or 5 weight i’d go with the Z-axis. Hard to go wrong either way –posted http://www.fliesandfins.com

I don’t fish one myself as I am partial to the Winston BIIX. I do have a very close friend that got one (Z-Axis) for Christmas. He fished with a Sage XP prior to that and always said that Sage would never be able to replace it. Now he says he could not have been more wrong.! He is in love with this rod!! he has let me cast it a few times and I must say I was very tempted to pick one up my self. I don’t think you could go wrong if you got one. –posted http://www.flyshop.co.nz

Have spent about an hour casting the 5 and 6 z-axis. Really liked them, a bit more versatile than the XP. A bit slower the the XP. Better than the SLT in my opinion. Could still get 100′ on occasion, not as easily as my TCR which I normally fish. The 5 seemed a bit to delicate to me, the 6 seemed about right. 5 was still beautiful to cast and seemed a great rod, I just prefer my rods with a bit more substance. –posted http://www.flyshop.co.nz

I have fished with the Z-Axis since August last year. I also have an SLT and XP, all 5wts. In my view it’s the best Sage rod since the SP. It’s delicate but fast. Good on both short and long casts. You simply cannot go wrong with that rod. –posted http://www.flyshop.co.nz

i like the Z but i dont know if i have a place for it in my stash of rods. It is a good rod and has much more sensitivity than the XP. For my trout fishing though i prefer the SLT or my old SP and when i go to salt I fish my Xi2. Its a good rod but i;d be suprised if i ever owned one. –posted http://www.flyfishingforum.com

This is a rod that could do everything well, but maybe they lost a little “sweetness” in trying to achieve that. It seems like a cross between the TCR and the XP. Maybe the SLT and the XP were too close together and they wanted a wider spread between the Axis and the SLT. –posted http://www.flyfishingforum.com

The SLT and XP were pretty far apart and they wanted to bridge that gap. They axed the XP and they added a little sensitivity and took some of the backbone out and came up with the Z Axis. This is going to be a good all around rod for most people I think, i probably wont use one, mainly because i am a gear whore and have too many rods(is that possible?) as it is… If people want 1 rod that can do a lot for them the Z is a good choice. In the trout weights it has enough umph to nymph or throw buggers but also enough sensitivity to throw dries. And in the 8wt range it is a good rod for throwing tips but it doesnt lack the sensitivity like the XP. –posted http://www.flyfishingforum.com

I have both (Z Axis and T&T) and prefer T & T’s http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca

I think both rods should be called the Sageston Z-axis IIt. Sage made a rod to be more like the Winston Bii and Winston took the Bii and made it more like the XP. Both excellent rods, but to me, it’s like the difference between a Chevy and GMC. –posted http://www.talkflyfishing.com

Had a few casts with a Sage Z-Axis 586-4 today – unbelievable feel in this rod so much so I was reluctant to let it go back to its owner. If you can get a cast with one, do it! –posted http://forums.sydneyflyfishing.com.au

by Mark Waldin Custom Fly Rods – I’ve collected a lot of web site forum commentary on the G Loomis GLX rod.  Please enjoy reading and add your comments if you have opinions on this rod!  Enjoy…

25 foot performance – 18 points out of 20

The softer progressive tip of this rod contributes to the excellent short-range accuracy and feel. No one has mastered the technology like Steve Rajeff and G. Loomis when it comes to building really small diameter rod tips. It’s hard to believe, but the tip diameter of this 5 weight StreamDance GLX, just below the tip wrap, measures only .053”! The next best is Sage at .059” and all the rest of the rods go from .061” (Scott G-2) to .067” (Orvis Zero G.) All the G. Loomis StreamDance rods we’ve sold have proven to be extremely strong despite the tiny tip diameters. Breakage rates are one of the lowest in the industry.

Excellent accuracy at short distance, combined with a very light swing weight making this a great rod for dry fly fishing and lots of false casting.

45 foot performance – 20 points out of 20

A virtual dead heat with the Z-Axis. Terrific feel and accuracy. Slightly heavier in my hand (heavier swing weight) than the Sage but equal in mid-distance performance, accuracy and power. Both of these finalists are on a higher performance plateau than all the other rods tested.

70 foot performance – 18 points out of 20

Wonderful power and accuracy. Unbelievable explosive power on tap when you need it. Lean on this rod and the line really flies! A great performer at long distance and an amazing amount of reserve power that you didn’t believe existed. Throwing a tight loop into a hard wind was effortless.

–posted Yellowstone Angler

I don’t own one, but I have cast it, drooled over it even tried to smuggle it out LOL. A very, very nice rod. Fast but delicate. –posted North American Fly Fishing Forum

A 4 or 5 lb trout on a 6wt G-Loomis (Streamdance GLX) rod is something every angler should have the opportunity to experience. –posted www.marinews.com

A friend of mine has one of these (Loomis GLX) in the 9′6″ length … and it’s one SWEET casting fly rod. –posted Rocky Mountain Fly Forums

I casted a friend’s Z-Axis last June, and it was probably the best casting rod I have ever casted. It was effortless for getting the line out, and it was accurate as hell. I might even put it above my G-Loomis StreamDance GLX for casting ability…which says a lot because the GLX is a hell of a rod too. –posted http://flyangler.ca

For an all-round 5-wt for Colorado I flat love my Loomis GL3. I have a 6-wt GLX and it has its place (mainly in wind or stillwater fishing) but for most my nymphing and dry fishing the GL3 has my heart. –posted Intermedia Outdoor Forum

In the $600.00 range the Z Axis, BXII and the Streamdance GLX in the 9′ 5 wts. are as good as it gets. –posted Intermedia Outdoor Forum

My 8 weight Loomis GLX weighs aprox the same as most brands 6 weight. I can also cast the Loomis with 2 fingers anda palm, so yes I would spend the big bucks versus cutting corners. For comparable money, if I had to choose a non-Lomis rod, then the St Croix Ultra Legend would be a better value. Plus both are American made. –posted TexasKayakFishermen.com

I gave a try to the tiboronII, didn’t like it so much, kind of tiring… sent it back for refund. Got a great deal on a loomis CC-GLX, this rod is awesome, light, nervous, smooth, lots of fun I love it. –posted Fly Rod Review

I use my glx as often as I use my Sage. I’ve put my T&T rods on the back burner for now because I think the GLX and the Sage are better rods for me, especially when casting weighted streamers.

No, i’m not a pro by any means but I know what a good rod feels like and I know what a crap rod feels like. Then again, it’s all based on personal preference. My opinion is that the old GLX outperforms the new GLX by a long shot. My personal opinion is that the St. Croix and the Orvis Zero G rods are really nice too. –posted New Jersey Fly Fishing