Fredrick
Well-known member
I went to Marblehead Fly Fisher in De today to do a shootout between The Sage XI3 9 wt and The Loomis NRX 9wt . In hopes of choosing my future new toy. The lines I used were a 9wt Rio outbound and a Orvis depth charge line 350 grains. Each rod was cosmetically sound but the Loomis had this new harder cork that I never seen before and it felt great in my hand .I did two casting rounds with each rod using both lines. At first both rods were neck and neck with each other in casting performance the Sage felt a little more smoother than the NRX but I needed to work more to get the same amount of line out . The NRX felt different then any other rod I have casted before but I felt like it had more power to shoot more line than I was casting . Here is a pic I took of the amount of line I casted with each rod using the Orvis line.
With no clear winner after the first round I decided to try both rods again. So I started casting the Loomis again with the depthcharge line and I guess I was warmed up after the first session or my timing with this rod was clicking but I started casting the NRX consistently 115'. At first I thought it must be the line so I put on the outbound and produce the same results .
Here is a pic with about ten feet of backing hanging out my tiptop with the fly line and backing connection about six inches off the ground .
Out of curiosity I tried the XI3 again and it produced the same results as the first time I casted it with both lines .
So the clear winner for me was the NRX I can't wait to get one
:-D
With no clear winner after the first round I decided to try both rods again. So I started casting the Loomis again with the depthcharge line and I guess I was warmed up after the first session or my timing with this rod was clicking but I started casting the NRX consistently 115'. At first I thought it must be the line so I put on the outbound and produce the same results .
Here is a pic with about ten feet of backing hanging out my tiptop with the fly line and backing connection about six inches off the ground .
Out of curiosity I tried the XI3 again and it produced the same results as the first time I casted it with both lines .
So the clear winner for me was the NRX I can't wait to get one
:-D
