Sensitivity in older rods vs. newer ones

[catch5]

I’m sure the super high end rods are more sensitive than say the $150 rods, but I think you lose the “bang for the buck” once you go above that.

[rboren]

I know that I am old and a lot less sensitive.

Me too. To a lot of things!

[coreynov902]

IMO, the old GLX's are just as good (maybe better) and if you are lucky, you also have a Weibe reel seat which was excellent.

This is the reason I was asking. I just purchased an older GLX (with the Weibe reel seat) from another BBC member and was curious if I could expect it to be on the same level of sensitivity as the newer GLX's.

[rboren]

That is a reasonable question. I have a few older G-Loomis that probably cost 3-400$ when I purchased them. More sensitive than a Duckett rod but can't tell much difference in a new Hammer rod in my hand. Someone else mentioned weight differences in old and new. I can tell a difference with that.

[ARK Ranger]

some of the best rods at the time when i was fishing with them was the 5-6 pistol grip Fenwick rods. These had powers 4 thur 8 I think. I caught close to a dozen over ten # bass out of a Arkansas lake in the late 70's and early 80,s. I still have 5 or 6 of these. I cant prove the story but the talk back then is Gary Loomis worked for Fenwick and had a lot to do with the design of these rods. My first Loomis blank was an IM6 wrapped by a guy in Washington state. First exposed rod at grip. Early 80's. Still got one or two of those. Thats when the Trigger Sticks(longer Rods) started up. Boy has fishing been fun. Got late model GLX and NRX now. Went to spinning rods( Ferry Sticks as called back then) in early 80's. Tried all rods but ended up with Loomis. Bought a Loomis DEMO at a shop in Bull Shoals. in 1985. Great rod. Boat storage box lid go it. It was the first rod that I got that Loomis wrapped as a company. I think the name of that guy in Washington state was Gillies. Gillies rods??? Just some memories!!

[ARK Ranger]

some of the best rods at the time when i was fishing with them was the 5-6 pistol grip Fenwick rods. These had powers 4 thur 8 I think. I caught close to a dozen over ten # bass out of a Arkansas lake in the late 70's and early 80,s. I still have 5 or 6 of these. I cant prove the story but the talk back then is Gary Loomis worked for Fenwick and had a lot to do with the design of these rods. My first Loomis blank was an IM6 wrapped by a guy in Washington state. First exposed rod at grip. Early 80's. Still got one or two of those. Thats when the Trigger Sticks(longer Rods) started up. Boy has fishing been fun. Got late model GLX and NRX now. Went to spinning rods( Ferry Sticks as called back then) in early 80's. Tried all rods but ended up with Loomis. Bought a Loomis DEMO at a shop in Bull Shoals. in 1985. Great rod. Boat storage box lid go it. It was the first rod that I got that Loomis wrapped as a company. I think the name of that guy in Washington state was Gillies. Gillies rods??? Just some memories!!

I think Gary Loomis had a lot to do with the design of the first Fenwick HMG rods!

[Big-E]

The Duckett "Black Ice" series gives the GL NRX a run for it's money. Both are high dollar though.

[D.O.C. 989]

Good story on Gary. Any rodbuilders who have ever talked rods with Gary is a great experience.

[Highcentered]

an older rod vs new. simple, the fibers stretch with each flex. a well used older rod, the fibers have degraded, and sensitivity has decreased. Years ago early 90s all used was loomis, they were so far ahead of anything. I do believe that gap is closed, many companies now produce equal rods. One does not need to spend high dollars either to get an excellent rod many in the 100-150 range are excellent, and gains after that price point are miniscule as you increase in cost.

I have an older medium action St. Croix I bought about 15ish years ago that I remember handled great. Now it casts like crap. Could degraded fibers be the reason? I'm going to give it another chance as a squarebill/medium cranking rod but things aren't looking good for it at this point. Maybe it wants to go in the pile of retired rods that I'll never use again OR get rid of?

[D.O.C. 989]

I have an older medium action St. Croix I bought about 15ish years ago that I remember handled great. Now it casts like crap. Could degraded fibers be the reason? I'm going to give it another chance as a squarebill/medium cranking rod but things aren't looking good for it at this point. Maybe it wants to go in the pile of retired rods that I'll never use again OR get rid of?

As a rodbulder my opinion is the rod probably hasn't changed much from when you originally used it. As we progress through the years buying rods with the latest technology we tend to think the older rods have changed. In my opinion if you were to have that rod rebuilt using the latest in components and design you would most likely rate it as good as anything today. Resins and graphite quality have risen in todays market but if that particular rod was rebuilt to the specs of something you find more comfortable today, I think you would be surprised. Is it cost effective? I doubt it would be unless you can do the work yourself.

[smalljawguy]

IMO, the old GLX's are just as good (maybe better) and if you are lucky, you also have a Weibe reel seat which was excellent.

I have one that is many years old (paid $250 for it when I bought it) and it's still as sensitive as any rod I've ever handled.

[ifishinxs]

Sensitivity is totally subjective. I believe some folks don’t feel what a rod is transmitting and others do. Some anglers are line watchers, and line feelers. It those cases a sensitive rod is somewhat useless! Case in point. I fish an NRX 894 C on a Chronarch filled with braid to a floro leader. It’s my primary jig rod. I can feel what kind of cover the jig is crawling through and a fish easily. I don’t get that same feel with any other rod. Now my fishing partner picks up the same rod and reel combo and can’t catch a fish on it and just doesn’t get it. I’ll pick the rod back up a catch a fish in just a few casts.

I love Inn and Out Burger and wouldn’t walk across the street for Red Robin.

[jigman51]

I really don't know how rod sensitivity is subjective. I have used higher end rods like the GLX and even IMX and they are far more sensitive than all the low end products. If you fish a jig and Texas rigged plastics much and can't tell the difference, then IMO, you have nerve damage in your hands or arms.

[RazorCat]

Nothing is more sensitive than an NRX.....never was and maybe never will be

I'd put up a Croix Legend Elite against an NRX any day. Most people would be hard pressed to rate one more sensitive than the other in a blind test.

[fluke1987]

I'm surprised by the answers on this thread. I totally agree that sensitivity is subjective...however to say that a Duckett or Envy is just as sensitive as an NRX is false. To say that an NRX is the most sensitive series of rod out there and will ever be is also false. A sub 150 dollar rod in some cases will perform better than high end rods...but that's usually not the case. And why would you put a Lews on an NRX? lol

[kickerfish1]

The Duckett "Black Ice" series gives the GL NRX a run for it's money. Both are high dollar though.

[rednecktech]

True. How did we catch fish with fiberglass rods. I always have been a line watcher and it works for me.

Yes...wayyy back in the day of Heddon fiberglass and the original Lews Speed Stick, we had to be line watchers. I grew up fishing a TX rig, and to this day, I still palm the reel and use my thumb and finger to feel the line when worm fishing. A sensitive rod is great but I have to admit, I'm with the crowd that stays around the 75-125 price range for a rod.

[D.O.C. 989]

Some of the older glass rods and some newer ones have sensitivity too. As had been said, different levels for different people using the same rod.

[chefdlh1972]

I know that I am old and a lot less sensitive.

[kercha83]

however to say that a Duckett or Envy is just as sensitive as an NRX is false.

I've never tried the Duckett so I can't speak for that but if anyone that lives close to me wants to meet up and test both my Envy Blacks and NRX to prove me wrong please do so. When I'm dragging a jig or t-rig on hard bottom/rocks I can feel the rocks so much better on the Envy blacks than the NRX.