Loomis SJR721 ?

[Arjy]

Thinking about a 6 ft spinning rod for small creeks with lots of scrub.Has anyone had experience with this model?

[wizard]

Hi Arjy, first of all let me say that i'm a member of the Loomis pro staff and as such may be deemed to have a vested interest in my post. All of the sjr's imo are really good rods, their tapers just seem to work for breaming. I was introduced to the 6400 imx by a mate and love it, i also use the 720 imx, which is one power down from the rod you asked about. Sure, a long rod will cast further(how far do you need to cast ?) but the shorter rods give you great feel as the tip is closer to your hand. A short rod does not give you as much leverage on the fish from the bank, but may be required to dodge the scrub you talk about. Before i got these rods i was using 6'6' to 7 foot rods the most, but when i grab a rod these days it is invariably the 6400 or 720. So imo, a good choice.

[craig scott]

Hi Arjy,
I have built this blank up before, its very nice but I feel you might be compromising your ability to accurately cast in very tight situations. This blank, to me, seems to be more suited to hardbodies in more open situations like from the casting deck of a bream boat, where you can use the space to load the blank properly.
When I fish really tight scrub infested creek lines ( I have river frontage here) I prefer a rod that loads up with the slightest flick of the wrist, so you can remain stationary, and direct your lure with accuracy and distance without moving. This immediately implies a softer blank than the one you mentioned, I have used a Loomis IMX s781 in this situation and it works perfect at casting, though if you felt this rod you would think it doesnt have the power to extract fish, it does have the power, but you would have your hands full with a big bream as I have redfin here.
My current creek rod is a GUSA DHX 660 1-2kg. This blank has heaps of power, is lovely and responsive in the tip, and best of all the dhx blanks are super tough, being able to withstand some shorebashing in nasty scrub. You should be able to get one for about the same money as the Loomis, and they have a lifetime replacement warranty. I have built mine with rec guides, so the action of the rod is super crisp, if I were to build it again with only this puspose in mind I would opt for guides that take a bit of the stiffnes out of the tip, something like the lsg fuji SiC's, I use the recs as it keeps everything featherlight and I like the crispness as the rod doubles as a standby on my boat.
Hope this helps.
Cheers Craig.

[Arjy]

which model loomis IMX s781 do you mean?The sjr or the sr?

[Shortlite]

He means the SR Arjy. They have a slower taper and a much more through action, so the feel when it's loading is different. It loads further into the blank. In the same way when you hook a fish it bends way more before serious stopping power kicks in. The SJR's power comes in much quicker.

I am currently using a modified SJR6400 in GL2. I extended it to 6'2", and I use it for almost everything. With super light jigheads you need extra swinging room to load it though, but length and power is good for close quarters fishing.

[craig scott]

Cheers shortlite, thats the one I mean.
Your sjr from what I've heard is a really nice stick, and more suited to Arjys purpose than the s781. I think the lower modulus glass of the gl2 is actually a big plus when fishing close and with braid.
The imx is generally stiffer and, to me at least, works best when combined with slower tapers and less wraps, l'd say your 6400 would be too stiff if it were imx, but perfect as gl2.
Cheers,Craig

[Shortlite]

Thanks Craig. The little Loomis is sweet indeed, and being my own work I can never put it down (not having any other rods right now does that too).

I've got to say that as long as you are not trying to flick/flip less than 1/16 th for any distance and accuracy, the 6400 is perfect.
Only the top 20 inches of the tip loads on low energy casting. You are dead right about the IMX being a bit stiffer, but I don't think it'd be too stiff.

What you have to realize as well is that delicate presentations also rely on the reel spool being properly loaded, and fine diameter line really helps. The 0 power SJR or even the 1 power SJR721 will work just fine. What lure weights are you using Arjy?

[CHUNQX]

Arjy, sent you a PM (Private message).