G-Loomis so what?

I think the Stradic CI4 reel and Loomis Trout & Panfish Series rods are a pre-selected combo system. Sorta like how Shimano designed the Trevala rod & Torium reel (Butterfly jig system) were designed to work together for optimum performance. But the purpose with the Loomis/Stradic CI combo is the ability to use ultralight braid. If I remember correctly, the ad I saw touted that combo as a high-performance ultralight system that allows you to use 5lb PowerPro braid to max efficiency.
If I got one of the smaller Stradic CI reels, I'd pair it with the TSR791. Otherwise, I'd probably go for the TSR802 and the Stradic 3000 size reel. But honestly, I really like the regular Stradic FI reels and I don't use braid under 20lbs (anything smaller in diameter and I prefer mono, but then again I haven't really tried 5lb braid lol), so the CI4 reels might not be the best choice for my fishing style.

If this sport doesn't work out for you, I'd like to be first in line when you start unloading your gear.   

Also, not to threadjack, but you should join us at Berryessa and Clear Lake and put some of this new gear to work.

I learned to fly fish on an Orvis reel and rod, it was smooth and wonderful, and a reel joy to use...till I asked the guide how much for this setup?  He replied about $600. that is a whole lot of 8-12 inch trout.  I like to go out in the sticks and stuff in the sticks takes an awful beating.  I think I would cry if I broke a $300+ rod tip!  If I break a cheapo, oh well get another.

"I think I would cry if I broke a $300+ rod tip!"

Which makes the warranties on higher end stuff so nice.

Go catch some fishies!

"I think I would cry if I broke a $300+ rod tip!"

Which makes the warranties on higher end stuff so nice.

Some of them are but I think the Loomis "waranty" costs you $100 bucks now. It used to be $50 which isn't bad when you consider the msrp but $100 seems like a lot to me.

Not dissing any of you for owning them I've been lusting after a couple of the one piece back bouncing sticks for years now. They seem like they have the perfect all around action for our local saltwater scene. Nice flexible tip section but they still load up nicely when you put some pressure on.

-Eliot

I am a simple kinda guy. Ugly stik for everything. I have four of them, and about a dozen other cheap rods. I catch fish, lots of fish. I have confidence in my gear, and that is the only, ONLY, important thing! My flueger fly rod has been w me for 15 years, and many fish. The reel is a place to hold line, until hooking into a king! I could buy high end, and have, but i dont notice too much dif and it is like mooch said, it is all about fishin, not just catchin! So buy what YOU want, you are the one that has to use the stuff!

i think it really depends on how you are fishing...

for trout fishing, i rarely use anything more than a $30 rod. if i break it, or drop it overboard, i really don't worry about it.

i am primarily a troller, so the "feel" of a bite is not that big of a deal, as the fish is hooked by the movement of the boat and i almost never have to set the hook.

when i am throwing hardware, its pretty much the same thing.  even though i use cheap rods, i can't recall ever missing a bite which I felt I should have been able to get. sometimes fish just plain miss.  when i fish bait, i fish relatively slack line and i watch the line, not the rod tip.  trout are fairly sensitive to rod tip feedback and will often drop the bait if they feel resistance.

heck i recently broke a rod tip on a $14 berkeley rod.  i took a pair of pliers and cut the tip off right above the next eye and kept fishing. ended up catching another 3 trout on that rod that day, and caught a crappie and LM on it yesterday, even though both bit super light.

i'd rather have 2-3 shimano clarus rods with lifetime over the counter exchange warranty than one $400 g-loomis.  just my opinion.

i am primarily a troller, so the "feel" of a bite is not that big of a deal, as the fish is hooked by the movement of the boat and i almost never have to set the hook.

Many, many times I have felt a fish "pass" or 'nip" at a trolled bait or lure.  There have been days when I cannot figure out the right lure, or speed, or whatever to catch those fiish.  But often times I have drawn strikes and caught fish by immediately putting the reel out of gear and letting out some line [if somebody else is controlling the boat], or taking the motor out of gear or not pedaling / paddling [if I am in control of the boat].  If you do not notice the near hits, you cannot do this.

The same applies to cast-and-retrieve, cast-and-let-current-sweep, lift-and-let-drop-to-bottom situations.  Detecting the near or momentary nips tells you are on fish but to try something a little different.

  when i fish bait, i fish relatively slack line and i watch the line, not the rod tip.

Why not line things up visually so you can do both!

i am primarily a troller, so the "feel" of a bite is not that big of a deal, as the fish is hooked by the movement of the boat and i almost never have to set the hook.

Many, many times I have felt a fish "pass" or 'nip" at a trolled bait or lure.  There have been days when I cannot figure out the right lure, or speed, or whatever to catch those fiish.  But often times I have drawn strikes and caught fish by immediately putting the reel out of gear and letting out some line [if somebody else is controlling the boat], or taking the motor out of gear or not pedaling / paddling [if I am in control of the boat].  If you do not notice the near hits, you cannot do this.

The same applies to cast-and-retrieve, cast-and-let-current-sweep, lift-and-let-drop-to-bottom situations.  Detecting the near or momentary nips tells you are on fish but to try something a little different.

  when i fish bait, i fish relatively slack line and i watch the line, not the rod tip.

Why not line things up visually so you can do both!

This is how I perceive things also.  I know I can catch trout on my daughters learner $20 combo rod/reel, but it's not how I want to fish, and it's not nearly consistent, and it's not the finesse I want, it is more about luck and time spent - not my thing.  I want to find fish, understand what they are biting, know when they are biting, or striking etc, I want to know and feel the contour of the water, I want to know I snagged a leaf kind of thing.  Basically, I want ultra sensitivity, as I sort of "feel" my way when fishing. 

Good example, I was trolling with my Clarus on my Yak on Thur on the stocked lake.  Using a deep dive Rap, when suddenly I felt a small change in the vibration pattern the Rap makes, but nothing really changed, so I kept going for about 1-2 seconds, then stopped pedaling my yak and waited for the lure to slow, once it slowed I started to pedal again faster, and BAM! Fish On!  I barely detected that first strike, I think with something more sensitive, I would miss less of those opportunities.  The same goes for casting lures, which is my preferred way to fish.  The same goes, maybe double, for drifitng soft plastic worms or eggs or w/e. 

For me it is very much about the fishing, not just the casting, and having the ability to "feel" the environment and the fish, for me, has to be the goal. 

Maybe there is a happy medium on rods/reels - I do want to catch catfish/bass this summer, and I do want to keep my trout fishing up, I also want to try some of the smaller summer fishing that's out there with my daughter, bluegill or crappie or w/e.

This is a really good thread, I think it has tons of great info and really different approaches to fishing, and I love that.  Fishing is as much art as science, and like all good art, it should be also an expression of the artist, and there are plenty of fishing artists here, all with their own styles.  I really am looking forward to getting on the water with you guys.   

All I can say is for a newb you really started a massive posting over this topic.  I hope you enjoy whatever you end up with, I usually do.  But, just in case, I am second in line after Dilbeck!----Jeff

Good example, I was trolling with my Clarus on my Yak on Thur on the stocked lake.  Using a deep dive Rap, when suddenly I felt a small change in the vibration pattern the Rap makes, but nothing really changed, so I kept going for about 1-2 seconds, then stopped pedaling my yak and waited for the lure to slow, once it slowed I started to pedal again faster, and BAM! Fish On!  I barely detected that first strike, I think with something more sensitive, I would miss less of those opportunities.  The same goes for casting lures, which is my preferred way to fish.  The same goes, maybe double, for drifitng soft plastic worms or eggs or w/e. 

I don't see how the loomis would make any difference in either of the situations unless you are drift fishing in current.
Don't get me wrong I love Loomis it's just that the difference  is very small in sensitivity more of a feel (enjoyment)and power thing.
Ultra lights are great you might feel more hits but you won't hook as many fish as you would with a stiffer rod except in very specialized situations.

 I don't see how the loomis would make any difference in either of the situations unless you are drift fishing in current.[/quote]

More sensitive rods are just that, more sensitive.  They are a bit like higher powered optics, they just allow you to perceive things a bit further away and a bit clearer.  The result is you just detect a bit more.  For example, when trolling or retrieving a less sensitive rod may show a small tic-tic-tic intermittent tip action at moderate and higher speeds while a more sensitive rod may show a bigger, more constant, swoop-swoop-swoop tip action at even lower speeds that just makles it easier to detect when that "something different" occurs.

[/quote]Ultra lights are great you might feel more hits but you won't hook as many fish as you would with a stiffer rod except in very specialized situations. [/quote] 

It is not about the weight or action of the rod, which must be appropriate to the environment, and your prey and chosen line weight, but about the sensitivity of rod for a given weight and action.  Suicide fish aside [bless them!], you just more often hook fish you detect.

I, too. watch my line as well as the tip of the rod, and try to have t least a finger directly on the rod blank for feel.  My favorite spot on the line to watch is the right where it enters the water, a tiny jump, sideways movement, strange "rise", tiny "sink", or any change at all from the baseline pattern: set!   

I can't imagine how high end rod/reel combos could possibly hurt ... 

My next project is to build a couple rods from some Kistler blanks I have. It will be fun to see how their sensitivity compares to to my Ugly Stix.

I have braid on everything, and have never felt like I was missing out in terms of sensitivity. Even on the ocean, 150' down, 4oz of lead, and still pick up the taps of tiny sand-dabs.

Ben

For example, when trolling or retrieving a less sensitive rod may show a small tic-tic-tic intermittent tip action at moderate and higher speeds while a more sensitive rod may show a bigger, more constant, swoop-swoop-swoop tip action at even lower speeds that just makles it easier to detect when that "something different" occurs.

Then why are trolling rods made with a more moderate action and lower modulus graphite?