Loomis Changes Musky Rod Line-Up

Loomis cut their lineup to 3 8′, and 1 8’6″, pretty excited to go play with these at Thorne Bros, especially the 8’6″.

Thorne Bros

My fee for topper install is…ONE 8’6″ muskie rod

I too am looking forward to seeing this stick

Come on June

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Loomis makes an awesome stick no doubt, if you buy 3 rods with they give you the complimentary reach around that is required by Bob?

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I just picked up an 8′ Mega mag Heavy for throwing the big plastic

I do like my Loomis but have found a rod that is as good but 1/3 the price, my Loomis has now been downgraded to wife and daughter rod. Never thought it was possible to find a budget rod to match up with the high end Loomis and Croixs but it does exist. Plus it comes in a 9′ version…

Would that be Hulbert’s rod from Musky Armor…

If I had to guess I’m thinking that’s the tackle industries muskie rods

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Would that be Hulbert’s rod from Musky Armor…

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Not if he paid me to use them.

Yes plunge is right, started using them last fall and totaly amazed at this rod. 9′ lenth but fits in an 8′ rod locker and I’ll compaire it to my Thorne Brothers 9′ Predator. I do love my top end rods but this rod matches up to those easily.

No kidding, it compares to a Loomis or a St. Croix tournament rod

I’m shocked

Aren’t you worried about the warranty though, it didn’t seem worth doing to me when I looked at it from that angle

5 year warrenty but then again $40+ shipping to get a Loomis replaced. I figure if it lasts 5 years I got my $100 worth of use plus saved $200 off the top so I’m still ahead. And Loomis don’t offer and won’t be offering a 9′ rod.

Curiously, in what ways is it superior? Is it lighter? Load better? Better grip and/or fit? Sensitivity? Handle length? Number of guides? Overall construction of blank combined with parts used? The production process? C’mon man….if the claim is to be validated, we need some details other than being a 9′ rod.

Where do you get them at? I have the green light from the wife to get a couple new rods so I better pull the trigger before the light changes back to red! Looking for something less spendy but still quality. Do you use it primarily for bucktails and plastic or do you throw jerks with it too? 9′ seems like a lot of rod for jerkbaits but I could be wrong

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Curiously, in what ways is it superior? Is it lighter? Load better? Better grip and/or fit? Sensitivity? Handle length? Number of guides? Overall construction of blank combined with parts used? The production process? C’mon man….if the claim is to be validated, we need some details other than being a 9′ rod.

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Yes, please give some additional details, I am looking for a cowgirl rod that is light, as I have a crappy back. I currently own two old diamondbacks that are great, just not for the cowgirls. Thanks…

Didn’t say superior said as good. Look up Tackle Industries or look for them at the Expo. The 9’s are limited in the XH right now. The XH does make a good bucktail rod, in fact a little better than my H Predator since it loads less ( wishing I had got an XH looking back). I still use the Predator for blades and the TI for about everything else.

He has made these with 2 handles, 1 gives you a 8’6″ the other givers you a 9′ but still fit in a 8′ rod locker.

As far as what I throw on mine, name it, most likely I do. Wades Wobblers,7-11″ Bull Dawgs, reg to pounders, DCG’s, super modles, gliders, DDD”s jakes ect.

Oh yea handles fish great to…..

You mention “he” has made….. Is this a guy making his own line of rods? If so, what blanks is he using.

Pardon my skepticism but for years I tried playing the “as good” game and quite frankly, when it came down to brass tacks, I still preferred the higher end rods. Not that the other rods I chose couldn’t readily handle a fish on the other end, I just kept rediscovering little nuances in the higher end rods that caused me to prefer their feel and performance. This is why I’m asking for specifics.

I could always research the product but until it’s in someone’s hands, claims mean little to me….I’ve seen too much come and go that are supposed to be “as good”.

Not rippin on ya….if you like it, so be it. Just searching out specifics cuz rods have differences. I’ve fished with Shimano, Rapala, St. Croix, and Berkley muskie sticks and all “handle” fish on the other end but when that “feel factor” comes up, I prefer my Croixs. I’ve been hesitant to try a Loomis cuz I got smallish sized paws and I don’t like those monster grips. So what I’d like your input on is things like fatigue, more or less load when using heavier baits, is it preferred more for trolling than for casting…..stuff like that. Tell us about the comparisons you’ve made and how the results stacked up. If you haven’t done a “shootout”, do a few over the course of this season and get back to us. Take the money out of the equation and tell us what/why/when you preferred one over the other. Without that kind of input, I know I’d risk feeling like I just wasted another $40-$50 on something I’m truly not satisfied with.

Shaley,
That handle looks pretty cool on their website. Do you know if they will have any of their rods at the Minnesota Muskie Expo? Thanks.

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Shaley,

That handle looks pretty cool on their website. Do you know if they will have any of their rods at the Minnesota Muskie Expo? Thanks.

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James (the owner of tackle indy) said there will be about 20-30 rods at the expo at a few of the guides booths for sale.

But I’ll stick with my croix’s 17 days till my Thorne bros 9’8″ xh predator is in my hands

What I like about the TI rod is light weight, long handles, little bigger cork ( wasn’t fond of it when I got it but love it now) I got my rod more for big rubber as I truly hate the anchor that Muskie Innovations makes, it’s heavy hard to balance ect. I used that rod for mainly 13oz Curlie Sues and after an hour I was done. With the TI rod I put on a 13oz Curlie the first day out and casted it for 16 hours and wasn’t wore out.

Against my Loomis, it loads better for blades and rubber for casting, again I like the longer rear handle, I had my Loomis extended and it’s still a tad short. Handles fish IMO a little better, rod loads father down the blank with a fish on. Loomis is lighter over all but not by much.

Against my Predator Heavy it’s about the same with blades but doesn’t load as much in the 8. Weights similar Predators 1-2 oz lighter.

Other than my 9′ Predator the others mentioned are 8′ rods. My TI rod is well balanced with either my Okuma Induron or Revo Toro 60 on it.

I to love my top end rods and took a big chance at a rod I had never seen before buying, but I have no regrets buying it and is in my top 2 rods I use most, other being my Predator.

James designed the rod and it is made overseas but whatever he’s done he’s done it well. I asked him Saturday when I was there picking up an order how many returns or warrenty issues he’s had so far, his reply was 1, and that was a friend of mines rod that was easily fixed. I know some guys that are testing his rods that are hard on stuff and they rave about them to. I know there will be a few at the expo but get there early I’ll be willing to bet they will all be gone on Friday, I know the number of the XH rods he has avalible are limited at the moment.

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I know there will be a few at the expo but get there early I’ll be willing to bet they will all be gone on Friday, I know the number of the XH rods he has avalible are limited at the moment.

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Hence the problem, I cannot get there until Sunday, and I would really like to see the TI rod, the musky armor rod and the Predator next to each other to compare them…

Tim-
You will love that Predator! They are super light for a big ol’ chuckin huge baits rod. Best Muskie stick out there if you ask me.

Don’t get me wrong I love my Predator and had all intentions of getting another this year, but I can buy 3 TI rods for the same price and still have a quality rod and honestly a better warrenty. Predators only a 1 year. On the other hand nobody builds them like Thorne Brothers

I’m not or ever have been one to skimp on any of my outdoors gear and was hesitant to try out a budget rod but it has impressed me at the quality and how light it was built while still being strong enough to handle the bigger baits I use. But then again coming from using the Muskie Innovations rod a 8′ piece of rerod would feel good

WOW just looked at the new line up, $375???? I paid $238 with shipping for mine 3 years ago. I did notice 6 months later when it got replaced the price tag was up to $275, why the big increase? Same rod I have is $150 more now.

I think maybe the’re sprinkling a little bit of gold dust in with the graphite when they mix it

I hear ya though it’s getting out of hand

On the other hand I can hardly wait to use my mega mag XH rod for throwing big plastic

A change in plans had me at the show Saturday volunteering at Thorne Bros’s booth helping kids make bucktails. I had a blast.

I stopped by Kevin Cochran’s booth as he had some TI rods and went with the XH mag as it was his last in the 7’6″/8′ range he said. Seems nice and light which is key for me, and cannot wait to try it out…

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A change in plans had me at the show Saturday volunteering at Thorne Bros’s booth helping kids make bucktails. I had a blast.

I stopped by Kevin Cochran’s booth as he had some TI rods and went with the XH mag as it was his last in the 7’6″/8′ range he said. Seems nice and light which is key for me, and cannot wait to try it out…

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I think you’ll be pleased with your purchase. 2 of my friends also walked out with the TI rods to.

I looked for these and didnt see them

Kevin Cochran had the only ones at the show in his booth.

Correct, Kevin had 2-3 left today, but my buddy bought one.

Check out Tackle Industries direclty, James still has some on sale he would mail you for $ 110.00 according to M1, just not the 9 footers to my knowledge.

Pal

He should have some left in stock, I have 15 of the 9’XH on backorder, maybe he’ll have the camo ones ready in the next shipment.

I was able to pick up one of the 8’6” – 9′ Mega Heavy rods from Kevin’s booth this morning. I’m looking forward to trying it out.

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He should have some left in stock, I have 15 of the 9’XH on backorder, maybe he’ll have the camo ones ready in the next shipment.

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15??