Who is the MOST over rated ?

[BRONZEBACK32]

Youtuber rods "favorite fishing" my friend purchased one of their
Higher end models, he let me try it and it was heavy feeling in
Hand and the sensitivity was horrible.
But he liked how it looked

Imo the nrx is the most sensitive rod I have used and I think
the recoil guides help that cause, I've also noticed that st croix rods are not even close in sensitivity even to a glx, but st croix build quality is excellent compared to loomis.

As for megabass china, it reminds me of spyderco taichung made knives, while not made in the U.S. they are much nicer then USA made spyderco's.

Megabass Destroyer series are amazing, the build quality, sensitivity and weight make these rods hard to beat, I put them up with the GLX but the megabass are funner to fish and feel better in hand, plus they look awesome.
One thing I would change with megabass, better cork, but once you seal it with U40 it looks pretty nice.

The helium 3 is underrated, the nfc blank is excellent.
Better guides and handles would make this rod amazing.

[ShimanoFan]

Imo the nrx is the most sensitive rod I have used and I think
the recoil guides help that cause, I've also noticed that st croix rods are not even close in sensitivity even to a glx, but st croix build quality is excellent compared to loomis.

Can we clear something up, or at least clarify it better...

When you say "Loomis" is not as well built as St. Croix, can we be more specific? If you are talking about G.Loomis, then to me it would be more fair to say that the Shimano-G.Loomis build is not a good as St. Croix.

I think this distinction is important for several reasons:

1)Gary Loomis is still alive and producing some the finest rod blanks on the planet.
2)G.Loomis is no longer Gary Loomis and his name should not be dragged through the mud because of what Shimano is doing with his former company that is out of his control.
3)The G.Loomis of today no longer has Gary Loomis designing or providing any technological advances to Shimano that can show up in their rods. Meaning, G.Loomis was left with an older rod blank technology that Gary sold them along with the company.

So if anyone wants to keep up with the best in the world, then they need to forget all about Shimano-G.Loomis, and follow Gary Loomis to his company North Fork Composites and try his new NFC rod blanks and Edge finished rods.

I don't think the Shimano-G.Loomis company is keeping the same standards Gary Loomis demanded, since it is a for profit company, I would not be surprised if they were taking shortcuts for higher profits.

While I am a fan of Shimano reels, their rods leave much to be desired for me. And I gotta stand up for Gary Loomis on this one...

And as an opinion projected here... if you think some of those old G.Loomis rods are the most sensitive you have tried, may I suggest trying some of his newer NFC rods that will surpass those of yesterday...

[BRONZEBACK32]

My bad, Shimano/Gloomis rods are not built as nice as St Croix.

But even when Gary Loomis was running Gloomis the build was still not at St Croixs level of QC.

I have a few of both Gary's and Shimano's Gloomis rods and they seem equal in build quality IMO.


The only NFC blank I have used is from Kistler, I will be trying more NFC build rods in the future...

[reason162]

As for megabass china, it reminds me of spyderco taichung made knives, while not made in the U.S. they are much nicer then USA made spyderco's.

I'm sure you know this but just to clarify: Taichung is a city in Taiwan, not China. Taiwanese made Spydercos are very, very nice indeed.

[BRONZEBACK32]

As for megabass china, it reminds me of spyderco taichung made knives, while not made in the U.S. they are much nicer then USA made spyderco's.

I'm sure you know this but just to clarify: Taichung is a city in Taiwan, not China. Taiwanese made Spydercos are very, very nice indeed.

Yes
I was just making a example.

The only rods I have seen that are better built, meaning blank, strait guides and use of epoxy over St Croix
are the Megabass rods and Custom rods.

[Aquaftm45]

When you say "Loomis" is not as well built as St. Croix, can we be more specific? If you are talking about G.Loomis, then to me it would be more fair to say that the Shimano-G.Loomis build is not a good as St. Croix.

I think this distinction is important for several reasons:

1)Gary Loomis is still alive and producing some the finest rod blanks on the planet.
2)G.Loomis is no longer Gary Loomis and his name should not be dragged through the mud because of what Shimano is doing with his former company that is out of his control.
3)The G.Loomis of today no longer has Gary Loomis designing or providing any technological advances to Shimano that can show up in their rods. Meaning, G.Loomis was left with an older rod blank technology that Gary sold them along with the company.

So if anyone wants to keep up with the best in the world, then they need to forget all about Shimano-G.Loomis, and follow Gary Loomis to his company North Fork Composites and try his new NFC rod blanks and Edge finished rods.

I don't think the Shimano-G.Loomis company is keeping the same standards Gary Loomis demanded, since it is a for profit company, I would not be surprised if they were taking shortcuts for higher profits.

Keep in mind that there is only one entity that can use the word Loomis on a rod and it's not Gary Loomis. Gary chose to give up his brand to a oversees juggernaut who is in business to make money, so unfortunatly he would be the only one who put the "Loomis" Brand in jeopardy of getting "dragged through the mud"

Interesting to note: On the NFC website, despite listing (and mapping) all of his approved builders in the US, he goes on to showcase Japanese rod makers in the majority of his expose pictures. Several being of the new DRT Pulse Series. (they have a higher level series which uses a different blank)
NFC blank are well regarded in Japan, although they are not considered the most advanced.

[DirtyD64]

My TFO Tactical Series says "Gary's Tactical Series", that gives it 5 more fish flipping horsepower...

[Polkfish1]

Keep in mind that there is only one entity that can use the word Loomis on a rod and it's not Gary Loomis. Gary chose to give up his brand to a oversees juggernaut who is in business to make money, so unfortunatly he would be the only one who put the "Loomis" Brand in jeopardy of getting "dragged through the mud"

Interesting to note: On the NFC website, despite listing (and mapping) all of his approved builders in the US, he goes on to showcase Japanese rod makers in the majority of his expose pictures. Several being of the new DRT Pulse Series. (they have a higher level series which uses a different blank)
NFC blank are well regarded in Japan, although they are not considered the most advanced.
[/quote]

^^This objectivity written information is grounded in facts. While not a requirement in this forum, it’s nice to read.

[ShimanoFan]

NFC blank are well regarded in Japan, although they are not considered the most advanced.

This is an interesting spin grounded in subjective opinion only- so far...

Sage Manufacturing
8500 Northeast Day Road
Bainbridge Island, WA 98110

North Fork Composites is now COMPOSITE VENTURES LLC
1395 Down River Drive, Suite D
Woodland WA 98674

So we have two of the best rod blank building companies now located in the same state? And Sage letters of incorp. say 1978 as the creation date coincides with one person who moved up there who designed and built the rod blank factories there, as well as Texas, and Oklahoma. All tracked to one man. The same man who created LCI and G.Loomis with Gary Loomis. Very interesting indeed.

My number one favorite rod of all time is also tracked to this same man when he was in Texas...

So what pray tell does Japan regard as the most advanced?

[Polkfish1]

NFC blank are well regarded in Japan, although they are not considered the most advanced.

This is an interesting spin grounded in subjective opinion only- so far...

Sage Manufacturing
8500 Northeast Day Road

Bainbridge Island, WA 98110

North Fork Composites is now COMPOSITE VENTURES LLC
1395 Down River Drive, Suite D
Woodland WA 98674

So we have two of the best rod blank building companies now located in the same state? And Sage letters of incorp. say 1978 as the creation date coincides with one person who moved up there who designed and built the rod blank factories there, as well as Texas, and Oklahoma. All tracked to one man. The same man who created LCI and G.Loomis with Gary Loomis. Very interesting indeed.

My number one favorite rod of all time is also tracked to this same man when he was in Texas...

So what pray tell does Japan regard as the most advanced?

There’s quite a bit out there on totayca and the variants of T1100 G. Members have posted some good leads to follow up on in the enthusiast section. I tried looking through it when doing some research, but it was a bit difficult separating facts from advertising. Also, a lot of the manufacturers that use it (shimano, eg, daiwa, gamakatzu), often innovate on top of it. But, here’s something that would likely be regarded as more advanced.

[ShimanoFan]

There’s quite a bit out there on totayca and the variants of T1100 G.

I will check it out. Thanks.

For now though I have been doing some digging into "composites" companies in Washington and Oregon, and I may have to retract my support for NFC due to a bankruptcy filing I found online. Gary Loomis is no longer listed as an owner and that concerns me because the person who is listed as a owner is problematic to say the least- which may be why Loomis is no longer listed as owner in filed documents with Washington state.

North Fork Composites DISSOLVED and INACTIVE. No longer a company. Does not exist.
Edge Rods DISSOLVED and INACTIVE. No longer a company. Does not exist.

Today, the receiver company for the now bankrupt and dissolved and sold off assets now belong to Composite Ventures LLC, and Gary Loomis, in fact, no Loomis family members are listed as owners nor registered agents for the new company carrying on as if nothing happened... all registered to a Russian now. And one quick check of this Russian is not very good nor promising...

So now I am left wondering if what happened to G.Loomis has now happened to North Fork and Edge Rods... Shame really.
-----------------------------------------------------------

Business Name: NORTH FORK COMPOSITES LLC UBI Number: 602 907 686
Business Type: WA LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY Business Status: ADMINISTRATIVELY DISSOLVED
Expiration Date: 03/31/2017
Jurisdiction: UNITED STATES, WASHINGTON
Formation/ Registration Date: 03/13/2009 Period of Duration: PERPETUAL
Inactive Date: 08/01/2017
---------------------------------------------------------
Business Name: EDGE RODS LLC UBI Number: 603 146 473
Business Type: WA LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY Business Status: ADMINISTRATIVELY DISSOLVED
Expiration Date: 09/30/2016
Jurisdiction: UNITED STATES, WASHINGTON
Formation/ Registration Date: 09/26/2011 Period of Duration: PERPETUAL
Inactive Date: 02/03/2017
---------------------------------------------------------
MOTION
North Fork Composites LLC (the “Debtor”) moves the Court for an order pursuant
to 11 USC § 363(b) and (f) authorizing it to sell all of its equipment, inventory, supplies,
raw materials, and general intangibles, including, without limitation, the trade names
“North Fork Composites,” and the Debtor’s 100% membership interest in Edge Rods
LLC (the “Assets”) free and clear of liens, claims, and interests to Composite Ventures
LLC (“Purchaser”), with the net proceeds of the sale to be impressed with the liens of
Columbia Bank (the “Bank”), pursuant to the terms of the Asset Purchase Agreement
attached to the Declaration of........... a Russian!

[Polkfish1]

There’s quite a bit out there on totayca and the variants of T1100 G.

I will check it out. Thanks.

For now though I have been doing some digging into "composites" companies in Washington and Oregon, and I may have to retract my support for NFC due to a bankruptcy filing I found online. Gary Loomis is no longer listed as an owner and that concerns me because the person who is listed as a owner is problematic to say the least- which may be why Loomis is no longer listed as owner in filed documents with Washington state.

North Fork Composites DISSOLVED and INACTIVE. No longer a company. Does not exist.
Edge Rods DISSOLVED and INACTIVE. No longer a company. Does not exist.

Today, the receiver company for the now bankrupt and dissolved and sold off assets now belong to Composite Ventures LLC, and Gary Loomis, in fact, no Loomis family members are listed as owners nor registered agents for the new company carrying on as if nothing happened... all registered to a Russian now. And one quick check of this Russian is not very good nor promising...

So now I am left wondering if what happened to G.Loomis has now happened to North Fork and Edge Rods... Shame really.

Torayca if you look. My typo.

Yeah; I also hear some concerning things about edge rods. Did not hear the things about NFC. Not all engineer talents are also business talents. Also, it’s hard to sustain decades of greatness in business, manufacturing, and engineering wizardry.

[ShimanoFan]

Thanks. I will look them up.

It appears that this could be a bankruptcy restructuring of the business, but what concerns me is that now only one name is listed as owner of it all. Gary Loomis is not listed as an owner any longer and this concerns me as to his involvement now with this Russian businessman.

One quick check of his name reveals something very startling indeed... I will now remove NFC image from my avatar.

[ShimanoFan]

Torayca if you look. My typo.

Toray Industries, Inc.

I've been doing some digging into this company as well thanks to your tip...

This company could best be described as the copy-cat company... no doubt they are advancing technology, but they are copying everyone else to get there and don't seem to care about patents and copyright protections unless it is their own...

"When Nylon was invented in 1935 by Wallace Carothers of DuPont, Toray immediately got hold of a sample product through the New York City branch of Mitsui Bussan, and started research by dissolving this sample in sulfuric acid. Because of the patent protection, the company had to make its own effort to synthesize polyamide and make fibre out of it. In 1941, just three years after Du Pont's announcement of nylon, Toray completed the basic research on nylon and started building a small plant to produce Nylon 6. The operation started in 1943 and the product was sold, mainly to make fishing nets.

In 1946, following the end of World War II, Du Pont requested an investigation by GHQ (the General Headquarters of Allied Powers) of Toray's infringement of Du Pont's nylon patents but GHQ found no evidence of infringement, certifying that Toray's nylon technology was its own."


I'd bet they did the same thing with rods as well... learned it from someone else, and then took it to be their own and replicated it into the markets... same as with nylon... all their own... yeah right.

[Aquaftm45]

I'd bet they did the same thing with rods as well... learned it from someone else, and then took it to be their own and replicated it into the markets... same as with nylon... all their own... yeah right.

Shimano Fan, Don't let the Russians scare you away from NFC, Gary has been involved with this guy for years, at some point he was going to hang up his hat (the business end, anyway) and as we all know, money talks,_____walks.
My comments above are no slight toward Gary Loomis, he is the Dusty Rhodes of rod building world. (compliment) There is no argument that he is/has been the mastermind behind some of the best production rods/blanks in the world. His rod building innovations are utilized world wide.
To my knowledge there are two main players who are creating the most advanced production raw carbon materials. Mitsubishi Chemical (Pyrophil) and Toray (Torayca). These are both global companies founded and home-based in Japan. They have manufacturing facilities worldwide, including in China and the USA.
Toray Composites USA happens to be in Washington State, home of Boeing's primary manufacuring facitlity, no cooincidence. It's also no cooincidence that there are several well known rod manufacturers in Washington State, including NFC. It's good business sense to be close to your raw material supplier.
NFC utilizes Toray products, they don't mention which Torayca grade they utilize in their various blanks. It's a clear indicator that they do not use Torayca 1100G, which is the most advanced (and expensive) rod building material available currently.
"The Best" is very subjective and in terms of rod applications might not always mean utilizing the most advanced materials or methods.
"The most advanced" is more objective. With that I will leave you with an image from NFC's state of the art rod testing facility...

rsz_rod_testing_machine.jpg (32.95 KiB) Viewed 26361 times