G Loomis new IMX series
New blog up here: https://steelheadgirls.com/bryannas-blog/
G LOOMIS IMX – steelhead rods don’t get any better than this!
G Loomis has recently come out with an entire new line of IMX rods. All of your favorite rods, from float fishing to trolling to side drifting and everything in between, have been re-introduced in the newest IMX blank. The blanks are still carbon fiber but lighter than ever, as flexible as a rubber band, and capable of taking on the baddest fish in the river.
This last weekend I got to put them to the test and I did just that. We took out the 1162s rated 6-10lb and 9’8” for a little side drifting action. We all know how incredibly sensitive the IMX’s and Steelhead Series rods were so it goes without saying these rods are still the most sensitive rods I’ve ever drifted with.
We already had one 8lb hatchery buck in the boat when I hook up. It came to the boat pretty quickly so I wasn’t expecting much until I felt the full weight beneath me as I tried to pull it up to the surface. I knew this fish was not ready and it was not coming in without a fight. It ran a little, but the fight was more in the dead, solid weight and head throbs beneath me. The boys hollered at me to hurry up “c’mon and stop cupcaking it!” I tried to tell them I was not cupcaking this one! It was solid and as I realize I’m fishing a new rod, I look down and say “look at the bend in this rod. There’s no way I’m cupcaking this!” The rod was doubled over and the bend went all the way to the cork. Most rods have a backbone point, even steelhead rods. You can tell where sensitive meets strength, but not with this guy!
As I warned the net guy I needed him to be quick, brave, and that he only is going to have one shot when I lift up, I was ready to really put this rod to the test. I have to admit, I was a little scared I would either A) pop the 10lb leader or size 4 hooks, or B) break my new rod if I lifted to fast. I put on my big girl pants and lifted this “cupcake fish” up so we could scoop her up and it was effortless!
I couldn’t believe how incredible that fight was. This is what steelhead dreams consist of! Beautiful chrome fish and getting to EXPERIENCE the fight. There will be no more horsing steelhead in on salmon rods and no more getting owned on rods that didn’t quite have the backbone needed. The new G Loomis IMX rods are capable of anything and everything and you’ll experience fishing like you were brand new again.
I landed the 14lb hatchery on it and we also landed 2 8lb hatchery fish, 8lb native, and the next day, this incredible 19lb hatchery buck.
We landed fish ranging from 8lbs to 19lbs all on the same rod and lost none! Even the best anglers lose fish on occasion, and I do believe that the new IMX blanks are going to increase the land ratio. The flexibility is incomparable to any other rod I’ve seen and it absorbs every single movement the fish makes which allows you to use as much or as little force as you need without pulling too hard or giving slack.
They are lighter and stronger than ever and really give you a whole new outlook on fighting fish. I’ve also purchased a few other rods in the new IMX blank that I’ll be sure to share with everyone in the next few months.
- 13ft 1562-2 6-12lb used for free drifting springers
- 11’4” 1363C 6-12lb casting rod used for float fishing Puget Sound salmon and steelhead from the drift boat or bank
- 9”8” 1262S 8-12lb spinning rod used for float fishing Puget Sound salmon and steelhead from the drift boat or sled
Check out their breakage test! I’m not sure a fish would stand up against this!!
http://vimeo.com/85602554
Last coho trip?
Not sure if I’ll be chasing the elusive steelhead or searching for more b run coho…..Oh what a tough decision to make when just 2 days I caught my second biggest coho ever! This year is full of big fish for me so let’s hope I can make it into the 20 lb steelhead club this year!
I only fished one day this weekend and spent the other day off doing some Christmas shopping. Another great day with the b run coho as we filled the boat up with scale shaking fish. Near the end of the day, we were getting ready to call it a day and we all really wanted one more fish so we were fishing harder than ever. We find a new hole and whack! first pass, Curtis hooks up. Second pass, whack! Patrick hooks up. Now I’m really wanting another one and sure enough! WHACK!!!!!! Third pass and before I could even set the hook, the fish was leaping upriver with my spinner in tow.
“WOOHOO!!!!” Thank you for one more fish! This coho, about 15lbs was acrobatic as ever! A little color to it but this buck was my second coho ever! We’re usually in full steelhead mode by this time of year but we are just loving these big fish and certainly aren’t quite ready to switch gears yet.
We all pretty much got our limits and got fish in almost every hole we fished and probably have the last coho fillet in the freezer for this year.
This weekend I’ll be going to a meeting in Olympia regarding the Gray’s Harbor fisheries to support the “1000 man march”. This is a fishery that we fish often and finally have an opportunity to voice our concerns and help support some very dedicated men who has put their blood, sweat, and tears into keeping this fishery alive for anglers.
The commission, a citizen panel appointed by the Governor to set policy for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), will convene in Room 172 of the Natural Resources Building, 1111 Washington St. S.E. The meeting is scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m. on 12/7/13.
An agenda for the meeting is available at
http://wdfw.wa.gov/commission/
I hope to see many fellow anglers there to support what an amazing fishery we currently have.
~Bry
Chasing coho’s
A very frosty morning led to an absolutely beautiful day on the water. I was actually nervous to head out that morning because of how cold it was! It’s certainly no different than the weather we fish in all winter long, but this weekend was really the first weekend of our winter weather and I wasn’t quite ready for it.
We got to the icy launch and after a failed attempt of launching the boat, I gave up out of shear fear. Not only have we launched the sled in colder weather, we’ve launched in the snow and ice and this was no where near that weather. In fact, we’ve even had the truck start sliding while I was out of the car trying to hook up or take off the boat, but nothing that an extra push on the brake pedal didn’t fix. This morning as I slowly backed the truck down with Jeff ready to drive the boat off, I begun sliding even with the brake pedal engaged and the emergency brake on. As I picked up speed, I VERY QUICKLY panicked, put it in drive and floored it hoping the truck would get traction and get me the hell off that launch. Thankfully it did 
After I gave up, we watched another truck do the same thing, but with a much smaller boat. They slid to the water where they finally got traction and launched their boat. As we tried again, some other anglers waiting to launch threw dirt on the launch. What a great idea! Everyone successfully and safely was able to launch. Thank goodness for some people who had their coffee that morning!
And lesson learned! There are many tactics that would have and did work in that situation, but panicking was not one of them! Keep calm and fish on!
So, after that experience, the rest of the day was perfect. We had plenty of opportunity to land fish and catch our limit. While we had a land ratio of 6:14, we were all very happy with what we put in the box and the fun we had. Clarissa knocked out two firsts and actually had a 100% land ratio! She got her first plug fish AND her first spinner fish! She’s fished bait almost exclusively but she’ll be a hardware junkie in no time
We laughed endlessly, sang countless 90′s songs, and I’m sure annoyed the boys to no end but it was truly a girlfriend day on the river.
Sunday was a low-key fun day full of sleeping in, chum fishing, and getting home early to finish my homework. Now, I’m ready for the holidays and ready to start my Christmas shopping!!!!
~Bry
New rod, new records!
What an fun weekend! really put the wood to my Loomis SAMR1265C and will not be turning back. Caught my record salmon, and had awesome company!
