G. Loomis intros IMX-PRO E Euro-nymphing and IMX-PRO C creek fly rods

Woodland, WA rod maker G. Loomis introduced the IMX-PRO lineup back in 2017 as a "purpose-built" lineup of rods that, rather than being a slate of do-it-all tools, was comprised of rods designed to tackle specific tasks. Over the years, that philosophy has proven itself on the water. For countless anglers, many of which are guides, various IMX-PRO models—such as the streamer-centric IMX-PRO 905-7 or the punchy IMX-PRO 61111-4 Short Spey—have become favorite and dependable task-specific performers. Continuing the purpose-built tradition, Loomis recently introduced two additions to the IMX-PRO lineup—the IMX-PROe Euro-nymphing and IMX-PROc Creek families—both aimed squarely at trout anglers.

All of the new rod offerings are built using the same tech as the rest of Loomis' IMX-PRO lineup, most notably Loomis' Conduit Core and Multi-Taper technologies. They're also in line with their IMX-PRO brothers and sisters from a price point perspective, existing in the nebulous "mid-range" world of fly rod pricing, which is generally regarded as somewhere between $400 and $700 dollars, though you'll certainly find folks to pick a bone with over that definition.

The new IMX-PROe, or IMX-PRO Euro-nymphing, rods—which includes just two models, a 10' 2-weight and a 10'6" 3-weight—leverage Loomis' unique ability to build rods with multiple tapers in one blank to address Euro anglers' unique need of a rod that possesses an extremely sensitive tip while retaining responsiveness for quick hooksets and offering power through the butt section to fight large fish. But it's not just the blank design of the new IMX-PROe models that are specially tuned to Euro-nymphing, virtually every other aspect of the rods' design are, as well. According to Loomis, in the IMX-PROe models, "Conduit Core Technology and our GL7 Resin System combine to reduce overall weight, resulting in a lightweight, scary sensitive blank. A custom half wells 'Euro Grip,' matte-finished reel seat with counter-weighted fighting butt, precise guide spacing to eliminate line sag, and pointer finger 'sensitivity zone' on the blank above the grip round out the feature set for this purpose-driven euro nymphing powerhouse."

While fast is still king in the fly world, that's slowly been changing over the last decade or so, with more and more rod makers opting to offer moderate and slow action rods whose tapers pay homage to classic graphite and bamboo rods from yesteryear. Not only are moderate and slow action rods typically more pleasurable to cast, they're also the tool of choice for applications like delicate dry fly fishing and fishing creeks, brooks and other small waterways.

The new IMX-PROe, or IMX-PRO EURO (photo: G. Loomis).

Loomis' new IMX-PROc, or IMX-PRO Creek, is targeted primarily towards anglers that engage in the latter pursuit. The Creek family includes 3 new rods, all 7'9" in length, with weights ranging from 2 to 4, which Loomis says "blend a compact 7’9” length with a stable tip to create a moderate action that loads short and tracks true."