G. Loomis NRX+ Swim Fly Rod Review

Trident Fly Fishing is a full-service fly shop. We spend a lot of time testing gear and writing reviews to give you all of the tools to make your next trip a success. We are not a blog or a review site. 100% of our funding comes from your gear purchases, so if this blog post helps you on your next fly fishing adventure, please support us by buying your gear from us.

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?

G. Loomis attempts to address these issues with the NRX+ Swim Fly, a rod designed for throwing the gnarliest flies out there and streamlined to give those articulated streamers their enticing motion. Read on if you want to know if the NRX+ SF lives up to the hype!

Outfit

G. Loomis NRX+ SF 8’8” 7wt Fly Rod

Scientific Anglers Sonar Titan Fly Line

Fit & Finish

The components are virtually indistinguishable from the standard NRX+ Salt, and you can find that review HERE. The Swim Fly features a solid fighting butt, a half-wells grip with clean cork, and a double uplocking reel seat to keep that reel secured while fighting those hard chargers. The main difference is G. Loomis opted for single-foot guides instead of the snake guides found on the NRX+ Salt. The black blank with green accents gives the Swim Fly a visually pleasing aesthetic.

Distance

The Swim Fly is an absolute rocket launcher for a 7wt and is only limited by the caster's ability.

Accuracy

We weren’t necessarily looking to make pinpoint, accurate casts at precise targets while testing the Swim Fly for stripers in Casco Bay. New England striper anglers' needs differ from the wants of tropical flats anglers. We thought the test should represent this.

Flex & Feel

G. Loomis designed a purpose-driven taper that enables the NRX+ SF to handle big streamers and heavy-headed fly lines. Thanks to the stiff tip and butt section, we could easily lift that forward mass and shoot line easily. The shorter length is perfect for slinging meat at structure, but it has power in the rear to steer fish away from dangerous obstacles. The NRX+ SF doesn’t simply need a RIO Outbound Short or Scientific Anglers Titan Taper to make it come alive. It craves it. Due to its stiffness, you will not want to pair the rod up with a lightweight bonefish taper.

Warranty

Lifetime

Conclusion

G. Loomis succeeded in creating a purpose-driven rod for the angler looking for a specialized tool. The NRX+ SF can deliver the goods and put the hammer down on predatory fish. The streamer junkie will be hard-pressed to find a better option.

Pros

• Power in a compact package
• Purpose-driven for streamer fishing and heavy lines

Cons

• Line Sensitive
• Lacks Versatility