Rx For Late Winter Blues

This has been a particularly long and difficult winter in Northwest Pennsylvania.  So when Bruce Holt of G.Loomis invited me on a trip to Dream Lake Lodge in Alabama to test their new NRX bass rods this past week, I eagerly accepted.

Not only was I motivated to get out of the cold, wet, miserable Pennsylvania weather for a chance at double digit bass, but I was equally excited to try out G.Loomis' NRX rods that are all the talk in the tackle industry.  Even though NRX won Best of Show at ICAST, at almost $500 per rod, one has to wonder if a single rod is really worth it.  Besides, how could G.Loomis improve on the sensitivity of their GLX rods?

"Using new nano resin technology, we built a stronger rod with less material, resulting in blanks that are 15% lighter and 20% stronger than anything on the market." explains Bruce.  "And I want to stress this point: there is no change in our warranty.  NRX rods are covered by the long-standing G.Loomis Limited Lifetime Warranty."

"But are NRX rods more sensitive than GLX?" I ask.

"Fish the rod and see for yourself," replies Bruce.

My test rod - a NRX 7'1" 3-power casting rod - is as light as a feather.  Light weight is immensely important to me due to a lingering bout of tendinitis.  Two days of casting the rod with a Shimano Core Reel mounted on it did not impact my mildly inflamed elbow - thank goodness!

Fishing was unusually tough on both of the lodge's lakes due to a severe spring cold front, but we still managed to hook numbers of 2- to 6-pound bass.  The extremely light bites received on worms and jigs would have gone undetected with an ordinary rod.

While the really big fish were uncooperative, the chance to simply catch largemouth on the NRX rod was just what the doctor ordered.  My hot baits were the Gene Larew Salt Flick'r Worm; Yum 5-inch Dinger and Tabu jig with Berkley HAVOC trailer.  Bruce scored with a Strike King duo - a 3.5" Shadalicious Swimbait and VanDam Square Bill Crankbait.

Hospitality at Dream Lake Lodge was Five Star, and the home cooked meals were simply out of this world.  Next year when the northern winter wanes and spring lags behind, I know exactly what to prescribe: a trip to Dream Lake (http://www.dreamlakelodge.com/).  But don't wait until then to check out the NRX bass rods (http://www.gloomis.com/) - you'll want one for this fishing season.  And yes, if you are a serious angler, NRX rods are worth the price!