A streamer rod designed as a streamer rod. G. Loomis built the Swim Fly with Mike Schultz, their elite ambassador and one of the more thoughtful streamer anglers working, and their reasoning is refreshingly blunt:
Repurposed saltwater rods lacked the quick-loading response required for accurate casts into tight cover and the feedback needed to precisely animate multi-jointed flies on the retrieve.
That is exactly right, and it is what most people are actually doing — throwing streamers with an 8 weight salt rod that was never built for it. The Swim Fly loads quickly to drive accurate casts under obstacles while transmitting every twitch, bump, and slide directly to the fly for controlled, lifelike swimming motion.
Full lineup — two models, both 8'8", both 4-piece
| Line | Length | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| 7 wt | 8' 8" | Trout streamers, smallmouth, tight cover |
| 8 wt | 8' 8" | Bigger articulated flies, pike, heavier sink tips |
Streamer action. Current pricing is on the selector above.
Why 8'8". Short rods cast accurately under overhanging brush and let you drive a fly into a bank from a moving boat. They also make animating a jointed fly on the retrieve far more controllable, because the tip talks back to your stripping hand. If your streamer fishing happens from a drift boat on the Gunnison, that combination matters more than distance.
Components
- Dynamic Recovery Technology on the NRX+ platform
- Single-foot recoil guides with titanium SiC strippers
- Full-wells AAA cork; custom aluminum reel seat with fighting butt
- Aluminum rod tube and cloth bag included
- Handcrafted in Woodland, Washington
Line it right or do not bother. A streamer rod is only as good as the head you put on it, and most people underline these. Call 970-964-9991 or come in and we will match a sink tip or integrated streamer line to the rod and the water you fish. That conversation is free and it is most of the performance.
The alternative within G. Loomis: the IMX-Pro V2 range includes two 8'10" rods in 7 and 8 weight that G. Loomis also rates as Streamer action, at a friendlier price. We stock those too — they live on the IMX-Pro V2 page.
Warranty: limited lifetime to the original owner, proof of purchase required, non-transferable. Accidental breakage goes through Xpeditor for a set fee — call us for current terms, as G. Loomis's site is offline for rebuilding.
Ed's Fly Shop, 432 E Main St, downtown Montrose, Colorado.