NRX+ LP 486-4

Reviews

1. Rated 4 out of 5

   Does not generate high line speed, but the NRX+ 486-4 LP is very stable and offers excellent loop control. It tightens down nicely around 20’ and can turn over a long leader out to about 55’ or 60’. The rods in this series are chips off the same block. Like its cousins, the 486-4 possesses that lovely elastic feel in the upper mid-section that entices the caster to make lots of false casts with 30 feet of line in the air. It’s a great feeling, but the rod prioritizes this “sweetness” over “versatility,” which it lacks. With a dry fly, it needs about 20-30’ of line in the air to push through its stiff tip and get into that nice, soft middle section. The butt section is stiff enough to generate a little line speed and turn over a long leader, but not stiff enough to muscle a nymph rig. So, the NRX+ 486-4 LP is a nice dry fly rod for calm conditions and average size flies. Everyone should own a designated dry fly 4-weight, even if it’s not a good choice for aggressive angling situations.

   John Duncan (Telluride Angler)

2. Rated 4 out of 5

   The 486 LP is a great all around 4wt. It’s certainly designed as a dry fly rod, but I wouldn’t be afraid of throwing a dry dropper or even a lighter nymph rig with it. I cast this rod with both a Rio Gold and an SA Amplitude Trout. I liked both lines well enough but felt the Gold put a little too much of a bend in the top of the rod and therefore created a significant hitch in the casting stroke. The SA Trout, being a slightly lighter line, really helped fix that. This rod cast well in close but was happiest with about 30 feet or more of fly line out. This will make for a great dry fly rod for anglers looking for a slightly shorter 4wt.

   Parker Thompson (Telluride Angler)

3. Rated 5 out of 5

   The G Loomis folks have certainly achieved their goal of reducing the weight of the new NRX + rods. The 486 LP is super light in hand and very well balanced. I really liked the feel and found it to be both responsive and accurate. I cast this with the Rio Gold and liked the pairing but would be open to experimenting with different lines. With the Gold it handled varying distances quite well, the exception being the longest casts. True to it’s “light presentation” name, this rod would be a perfect dedicated dry fly rod. For the angler looking for a “do everything” 4 wt, the 490 NRX+ is the better bet.

   Jason Moshonas (Telluride Angler)

4. Rated 4 out of 5

   A very nice casting and handling 8 foot 6 inch 4-weight with a playful action that welcomes the caster. An airy swing weight and a sustained feeling of connectedness through the cast implore the caster to take another false cast. This is a very fun rod and it is appropriately tuned to its task. This is not a powerful 4-weight, it is a dry fly tuned rod designed to help anglers create presentation solutions inside of 65 feet. If you’re inclined to fish an indicator, I would look at another 4 weight, but for the GLoomis dry fly aficionado, give this rod a cast.

   Richard Post (Telluride Angler)