G. Loomis holds an esteemed reputation amongst saltwater fly anglers thanks to big names like Gary Loomis and Steve Rajeff pushing boundaries with innovative rod designs. Saying the sport wouldn’t be where it is today without G. Loomis isn’t hyperbole. Unfortunately, for budget-conscious anglers, high-performance G. Loomis fly rods have always come at the expense of the angler’s wallet. After we got our hands on the new mid-priced IMX-Pro V2 8wt, we were excited to give it a spin. After all, it has the Loomis name behind it, and at $595, the price tag is pretty reasonable in today’s hyper-inflated market. If you have ever drooled over the Loomis section at the fly shop but walked away in tears after glancing at price tags, read on to see if the IMX-Pro V2 8wt is the mid-priced saltwater Loomis you’ve been waiting for!
Big flies, shooting heads, and voracious predatory fish are all the rage in the world of fly fishing. The craze was popularized by anglers like Mike Schultz, Kelly Galloup, and Blane Chocklett, who are responsible for tying some of the meanest and ugliest streamers around. Although the ‘streamer junkie’ movement led to rapid advancements in fly design, the specialized equipment needed for this adrenaline-pumping action has failed to keep up. For years, streamer anglers have made do with salt sticks designed for flats fishing. Sight casting to bonefish with a size 6 Gotcha is vastly different from blind casting patterns that are nearly the size of a chicken to apex predators. If the flies, species, and techniques are different, shouldn’t the rods be too?
