G. Loomis and Shimano – Going on 20 Years
Shimano technology and G. Loomis fly rod expertise takes a step in unison to bring a unique concept to fly anglers worldwide in a new series of fly rods called Asquith. The line-up includes nine ‘all-water’ rods in nine-foot 4 through 12 weights, and five spey rods offered in a 12’9” #6, 13’ #7, 13’6” #8, 14’ #9 and 15’ #10.
With blanks rolled using Shimano’s proprietary Spiral X process at its production facility in Kumamoto, Japan, and then hand-finished at the G. Loomis facility in Woodland, Wash., according to the joint Shimano/G. Loomis product development team, anglers will find the Asquith series to be “the most technologically advanced fly rods in the world.” “We are making a bold statement with Asquith,” said world champion fly caster and chief G. Loomis rod designer Steve Rajeff. “By collaborating with my Shimano fishing rod associates at our world headquarters in Sakai City, Japan, and our facility in Kumamoto, we are able to bring together cutting-edge manufacturing techniques and materials with proven G. Loomis actions and design.”
He notes the rods are built and designed for demanding conditions and technical fishing environments – the culmination of these efforts to provide anglers with fly rods that offer exceptional casting distance, pinpoint accuracy, a lighter that expected blank and reduced blank twist. The proprietary Spiral X technology creates a rod blank utilizing Shimano’s carbon fiber Infinity Tape core layer, a longitudinal middle layer of Musclecarbon to form a base structure to improve efficiency and performance, and then finished with a reverse-axis Infinity Taper outer layer. This patented construction process increases rod rigidity to reduce twist without adding weight. Spiral X also allows for a thin wall blank, and reduces rod ovalization even when under the load of a big steelhead, striper or tarpon.
The guide train on all these rods includes Titanium SIC Sea Guide strippers with REC Recoil snake guides. Also with the CI4+ insert aluminum reel seats and Titanium SIC Sea Guide strippers, the #6 through #10 Asquith spey rods have with ‘Snake brand’ double-plated chrome snake guides.
Rajeff notes that during the extensive rod development, the Asquith 4 through 6 weights performed best when matched with either Airflo Elite or Scientific Anglers Mastery Trout lines. For freshwater situations with up to the 8-weight Asquith, Rajeff suggests the Airflo Exceed and Streamer Float, while the 7 through 12 weights in the salt call for an Airflo Tropical Punch or Scientific Anglers Mastery Bonefish Taper and Mastery Tarpon Taper lines.
A known worldwide leader in fishing reel manufacturing and technology, the Shimano Asquith 3-4 weight and 7-8 weight reel feature Shimano’s Hagane Body lightweight machined aluminum frame, full frame design for less line tangle, a sealed drag system, and a lightweight CI4+ material handle. Both reels have two shielded ARB (anti-rust) bearings.
Suggested retail: #4 through #12 – from $1000 to $1200; #6 to #10 Spey – from $1200 to $1700.
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