Crankbaits to Jigs, This Rod Rules the Bass: G. Loomis NRX+ Review

If you’re not careful, bass fishing can put you in a financial bind. Seriously. The industry pushes the need for a specialized rod for every lure, and American consumerism is at its highest level. All the fancy tackle, boats, and tournament entry fees really add up for something as silly as chasing a green fish.

However, you don’t need to spend a ton of money to bass fish. Sounds funny coming from the guy writing a review on the $650 G. Loomis NRX+, right?

Usually, I encourage anglers to stick to budget and mid-priced tackle for several reasons. One, expensive stuff isn’t necessary, and two, serious bass anglers do need quite a few rods. That means buying high-dollar rods is out of the question from a sheer numbers standpoint. The only time I’ve recommended expensive bass fishing tackle is for finesse fishing, where increased sensitivity translates to more on-the-water success.

But, this spring I fished a G. Loomis NRX+ casting rod from the Mag Bass line, specifically the 844C MBR. It’s changed my mind on recommending expensive bass fishing rods.

In short: The G. Loomis NRX+ is an expensive fishing pole. However, it’s worth the price of admission for one reason. The 844C MBR is unique in its ability to function as a do-all rod. The multi-taper design allows it to function as both a fast-actioned rod and a moderate-actioned rod. It’s the first rod I’ve used that I can confidently recommend for throwing everything from Senkos and shakey heads to 1-ounce jigs and even treble-hooked baits. Sure, it costs a lot, but its value is that it’s four rods rolled into one. And, it’s as sensitive a rod as you can get.

Compare the G. Loomis NRX+ with the best fishing rods.

What Exactly Is the 844 MBR?

Like every manufacturer out there, G. Loomis uses an unclear number system to describe rods. I’m not here to explain how the number system works, but rather to provide you with the skinny on the rod I tested. The G. Loomis NRX+ 844C MBR is a casting rod that is 7 feet long, fast-actioned, and heavy-powered.

Materials Used in the G. Loomis NRX+ 844C MBR

The primary reason the G. Loomis NRX+ line of rods commands such a high price is the materials used to manufacture them. G. Loomis uses Spiral X Technology to build the blank. For those unfamiliar with rods, the carbon fiber used to build a rod accounts for most of the differences between rod prices. Spiral X is G. Loomis’ top-of-the-line carbon fiber.

It consists of three layers. Like other high-end blank materials and processes, it results in a lighter, more sensitive rod. It also increases rigidity and hoop strength. That means a more durable rod.

The reel seat is made of CI4+, a unique G. Loomis/Shimano material reinforced with carbon fiber. Its advantages are that it is incredibly lightweight and more sensitive, allowing the angler to feel vibration in their hands.

One of the most striking things about the rod at first glance is the rod guides. It has two Fuji Titanium SIC stripper guides, but all the other guides are lightweight RECOIL guides. If you haven’t seen them before, they resemble a thin wire wound into the shape of a guide. From head to toe, the G. Loomis NRX+ is built to maintain ultra-light weight.

Fishing With the G. Loomis NRX+

I spent the spring fishing with this rod on numerous bodies of water while testing for our best bass fishing rods buyers guide. I’m based in Nashville and fish the area’s larger bodies of water on my bass boat, and I fish the smaller streams in the area out of a fishing raft. Here are my thoughts on the rod’s performance.

First Casts

When I first picked up the G.-Loomis NRX+, it felt light as a feather. I’m not one to tout rod weight, because let’s be real, we’re talking a difference of ounces or less.

But, somehow, this rod’s lightweight construction is noticeable in hand. I believe that’s due to the rod having an actual lighter weight, in conjunction with the weight being strategically distributed throughout the rod. It feels like there’s nothing in your hands.

With my first cast, I noticed how soft the tip of the rod was, which shocked me for a heavy-powered, fast-actioned rod. If you’re used to a broomstick for a heavy-powered rod, this isn’t that. It felt like my finesse spinning rods, which was disconcerting.

Rods with the same specs are my normal choice for Texas rigs, jigs, and big worms, but with how the 844C MBR felt, I wasn’t sure what it would be best for. So, I threw a bunch of different things on it.

Jig Fishing

My main concern with the soft tip was that the G. Loomis NRX+ 844C MBR wouldn’t have the oomph to fish jigs in deeper water. I figured if it didn’t, it would score some real negative points with me, since you know, as a 7′ Heavy rod, it should be a perfect jig rod.

I headed off to a channel swing to drag some football jigs around. While fishing with a jig, the sensitivity of the rod is fantastic. I could feel everything as I dragged and hopped it around rock shelves. I could feel even the most subtle “thumps” when bass grabbed my jig.

The key to jig fishing with this rod is to hammer them on the hookset. That’s for two reasons. The first is that the rod is only 7 feet, which is shorter than I like for a jig rod. The second is that the softer tip doesn’t pack enough power to drive a big hook into a fish in 20 feet of water.

However, when you set the hook harder, you access the thicker part of the blank in the mid and butt sections, which is much more similar to what is found on other heavy-powered rods. That portion provides loads of power to set the hook. Once I started hitting them hard, I stopped missing fish, and I was able to detect more fish with the increased sensitivity the rod offers.

Spinnerbaits and Chatterbaits

We had a few floods in the Nashville area this spring, which pushed lake levels up, submerging laydowns usually on dry land. It was the perfect time for me to throw spinnerbaits and chatterbaits.

With the NRX+, I could easily tell when the blades on both types of baits engaged. The vibration was clear, and if I wasn’t feeling it, I knew to give the rod tip a pump to engage them.

Some of my other heavy rods are too dead feeling to feel the slight vibrations of a small Mini Max fluttering after lifting it off the structure. I could feel all of that with this rod.

The soft tip allows you to lean into the fish to set the hook with these baits. You don’t have to power it home, nor should you, like you do when fishing a jig. I was impressed at how well the fast-actioned rod kept fish pinned on a moving bait. That’s all attributed to the soft tip.

Crankbaits

Usually, a fast-actioned rod recovers too quickly on the hookset to work well for treble-hooked baits. It will rip the bait out of a fish’s mouth, which is why I often opt for a softer fiberglass rod. But after seeing how well the NRX+ fished chatterbaits, I figured, why not give it a try?

What I found was solid performance as a cranking rod. Was it as good as my fiberglass Shimano Curado? No, but that’s a rod created solely for crankbait fishing.

The 7-foot length kept me from getting the same casting distance I could with my longer crankbait rods, but that’s not the end of the world. More importantly, I was able to keep fish pinned with this rod.

Going back to the soft tip, I found that if I gently leaned into the fish, it would absorb the pressure and sink the hooks in. I couldn’t lean into them with all my weight like a glass rod, but with a simple rotation at the waist, the fish was on.

I have not fished any other heavy-powered, fast-actioned rod that can do that. Most rods with the same rating would result in missed fish. The G.Loomis NRX+ 844C MBR’s ability to set the hook on crankbaits, while also being a good jig rod, makes it a unicorn.

Finesse Fishing

With the rod already shaping up to be a good all-around stick, I wanted to see how it performed on the lower end of its lure spectrum, ¼-ounce baits. While I know that isn’t true finesse fishing, its about as finesse as you can get with a casting rod without diving into specialized BFS equipment.

I threw Senkos and heavier shaky heads on this rod and found it to perform well. When fishing with lighter fluorocarbon, I didn’t lose much casting distance on the lighter end of the rod’s lure weight rating. I did lose some distance, but not so much that I couldn’t make it work.

The sensitivity of the rod shone through when fishing these baits. If you’re the type of angler who doesn’t like fishing “fairy wands,” this casting rod will give you just as much sensitivity as a spinning rod and allow you to fish slowly and finesse when the fish aren’t cooperating.

So, What Does the G. Loomis NRX+ 844C MRB Do Best?

I can’t say this rod does anything the best. But it does everything. And it does everything better than anything.

If I were to go bass fishing tomorrow and could only take one rod, this would be the rod I would pick. By a mile. I have never fished a bass rod that could provide good to excellent performance across such a wide variety of techniques. That is why this rod is worth the $650 price tag.

In the past, if an angler wanted to get serious about crankbait fishing, they needed a rod for that. Same thing with jig fishing. And spinnerbait fishing. And topwater fishing. That alone is four rods, which could easily cost over $800.

I could confidently fish every one of those techniques with this one rod. That $650 doesn’t seem so bad now, does it? Note: I’m great at using flawed logic to buy expensive fishing gear.

What I Don’t Like

Obviously, I’m not a fan of the price tag. But, it is what it is. The NRX+ 844C MBR’s performance is so far and above other rods that it’s not entirely ridiculous to pay the $650.

The other complaint I have is the length, but I have to put an asterisk by that. For jig fishing, cranking, flipping, and pitching, I’d like the rod to be longer.

However, the NRX+ MBR line of rods is diverse, with many different models, and one in particular solves that complaint. It has the same specs, but is longer.

However, if you have any history with rod tapers, you know adding another 3 inches can change a rod entirely. Since I haven’t used that particular model, I can’t say whether or not it would be as diverse a rod as this one.

On the subject of length, the handle feels shorter than other rods. I compared it to other rods in my arsenal. It is, in fact, shorter than the glass Shimano Curado crankbait rod I use. It is barely shorter than the Fenwick Eagle handle and is the same length as my Bass Pro Shops Johnny Morris Platinum Signature rod. It may be due to the single-handle design, which isn’t commonly found on many rods today, but for some reason, it felt shorter.

Warranty

The price of this rod is scary, but it comes with a warranty, making it a solid investment for the long haul. It obviously has a warranty for defects, but I’d be willing to bet you could count on one hand the number of times Loomis has had to eat that. It makes fantastic rods, and most problems are likely caused by users.

For those situations, G. Loomis has the Xpeditor service, where, for a fee, G. Loomis will provide a no-questions-asked replacement. The fee for the NRX+ is $200. If you’re used to fly rod “warranties,” you probably think that’s ridiculously steep. But it comes down to about 30% of the MSRP. In the conventional fishing space, that’s quite cheap.

Who Is the G. Loomis NRX+ 844C MBR For?

This is the perfect rod for dedicated kayak and bank fishermen. Those groups are inherently limited in the number of rods they can carry. This do-it-all stick can be the Swiss Army knife of your quiver.

When space is limited, it ensures you’re always prepared to throw anything you need. For that reason, it’s always on board my raft for small water expeditions. I don’t need to take up space with seven different rods when I have this one.

This rod also deserves a spot on the deck of tournament anglers, who have dozens of rods for every situation. On my big boat, I leave the NRX+ 844MBR rigged up with a spinnerbait or jig, but in the event I break a rod, it can replace almost every rod on board. Don’t mistake that as me treating it as a backup rod. It’s my favorite casting rod and sees tons of use due to its incredible sensitivity.

Due to its prohibitive price, it’s a tough sell for new anglers. That being said, if you have the funds, I’d buy it as a first rod. The NRX+ will enable you to try different techniques without the need to purchase additional equipment. Overall, if you’re looking for the most sensitive casting rod or need a rod that can do double duty, the NRX+ is a great fit.