Rip Glx Bsr852 - Welcome New Glx 852S Jwr 2025
Goose52 reply :
I broke 11" off the tip of my beloved Loomis GLX BSR852 spinning rod while in the boat yesterday. Completely my fault (with contributing factors of a snag, a drifting boat, and braided line). I bought this rod used (but as-new) here in our flea market back in 2010 for only $275. Loomis calls this a Senko rod and I tossed a few stick worms with it, but I mostly used it to toss weightless 5" grubs. In four seasons it brought in a total of 2,226 fish of which 2,186 were bass; It brought in 799 fish so far this season alone. Nothing real big, LMB up to the 5-pound class, and hundreds and hundreds of dinks. 
A 4.5lb channel cat that hit with about 8ft. of line out - that was fun. Lots of memories - it was a great rod. If you do the math, this rod gave me 2226 fish at a cost of only about 12 cents a fish - lots of value delivered... 
Replacement Question: Time to move on and I have been shopping for a replacement "grub rod." The BSR852 was a beast of a rod for only a 2-power, having an XF action, and was really overpowered for my little 5" grubs. I'm thinking I'm going to replace it with a St. Croix Legend Elite 7' medium light-fast (I want a full cork grip). Anyone have an ML spinning rod in the Elite or Extreme series? Are they typical St. Croix and a bit underrated on power? I have ML-powered casting rods in the St. Croix Premier, Avid, and LTB series and they all have plenty of power for light soft-plastics so I'm hoping the spinning rods are similar.
Here's the BSR852 with a 4 1/2 pounder in "happier days" - farewell old friend... 
kschultz76 reply :
Sorry about your loss 
I have a 6'6" ML/F LTB spinning rod, it's a great stick and handles well. I've never hooked into anything big with it. It handles and has the same lure/line ratings as an older Loomis GL2 M/F spinning rod I have and the same way my Dad's GLX M/F spinning rods do. For his 65th birthday got my dad a 6' Legend Elite M/F and he loves it, says he won't buy another Loomis and ist his prefered to to rod now. He prefers spinning gear except for cranks. I also have a M/F Avid spinning and M/XF Legend Elite, the mediums definitely have a bit more backbone then the ML, but I love how the ML casts and use for light weight lures. Fwiw he loves how the orig Stradic CI4 handles on his Elite.
iabass8 reply :
i use the xtreme 69mlxf. it's not quite a M power rod but it is a tad more powerful than typical ML rods. if you know anything about the nrx 822, the powers are comparable but the tip action of the st. croixs XF is faster than the loomis. I don't think there is a company that makes a faster action xf than a st. croix though. i use mine mostly for 1/16-3/16 oz shakey heads and casting DS. it gets the majority of it's use throwing 3/32-5/16 jig/plastics for walleye in the spring/fall. it has as much "meat" as you could want in a ML spinning rod after the tip. it's handled 5lb bass as well as 25lb sheep head who you basically drag in after they give up. fun rod to fish with. i'm sure you know the elites and xtremes use the same blank so you know you're getting a fantastic scV blank. i'm you're worried about ripping baits away using weightless grugs/worms , i'd opt for the 7'mlf. i handled a custom 7'mlf xtreme last fall and really like the extra length for casting but i prefer xf for the stuff i fish.
Sam reply :
Goose, the rod can be repaired.
Do you know of any rod repair guy in your area?
I got an old cranking stick at a yard sale and the darn thing broke on the first time out when I let it get caught between a boat cleat and a piling on Lake Anna. A friend used a piece of an old graphite rod, inserted and glued it in the bottom half where I broke it off and then glued the top half to it. Rod works great!
Also, consider calling or emailing Loomis and find out about their replacement policy. You may be surprised that they will replace the rod if you return the broken one to them. At least give that a shot.
Good luck and I am sure that St. Croix will fit your needs.
00 mod reply :
I have the Legend Elite M power rod and I think it fishes heavier, more like a MH. I find it balances better with a bit of a heavier reel on it(mine has a stradic fi) as opposed to the ci4 reels on my other spinning reels. It has a lot of backbone throughout the entire blank and it build with quality materials. It has decent feel and sensitivity, but to be honest I have been more impressed with another brand of spinning rods for half the price. That being said, they are split grip so out for you. Good luck with your search, and if you happen to get this rod, let us know what you think of it.
Jeff
skeletor6 reply :
You're going to hear alot of great reviews on the extreme. Frankly, the bsr 852 still stands as one of the best spinning rods made. I cannot compare the two with personal use, but St croix rods are a different animal.
If you like that bsr852... think very hard about getting a glx 852s jwr... very similar rod maybe slightly less powerful at the tip.
Or the NRX 852s... this would be my choice as you fish many weightless plastics and the rod is fantastic for the purpose and even smaller jigs. It won't be as stiff in the tip but will have the trademark NRX crispness and sensitivity.
Logically, these Rep sample rods aren't much different in price. Both have great warranties. I think it comes down to your personal decision. Do you want a rod who's behavior is different from your broken gem? Or do you want a rod that's an upgrade built from the success of the rod that has served you so well? Using new equipment is fun. The fact that the extreme will fish different could be an easy motive to choose that route. Its nice having exposure to multiple high end equipment.
I could see this being a tough decision. From everything I've read the extreme mentioned by iabass8 is one of St. Croixs finest. Sensitivity should be a wash with the GLX series. What I believe it ultimately comes down to is personal preference both will be fine rods.
Last note would be to contact iabass8 about what year his rod was manufaxtured. Ive seen rods vary significantly in balance per year. From what I understand, the best extreme made in that model was made a couple years ago. Not easy to find, but worth the exploration.
Please report back with detailed objective observations of the rod you choose. It will be an interesting review...cheers
John B. reply :
I was going to say....why not get another one until I looked at the Loomis website. It seems that they did away with the BCR GLX's and they just have the Mossybacks.
Goose52 reply :
Thanks to all for the helpful and detailed comments.
Unfortunately, the current Loomis GLX and NRX rods are out of consideration - they are split grip, and while I have a number of split grip rods now...I absolutely DON'T want a split grip rod for this application. I use my grub rod to catch 25 to 40% of all the fish I catch, and I want it to be a full grip.
Sam: the BSR852 could only be repaired by replacing the blank - you can't really repair a tip break like this one. I will call Loomis sometime next week to chat about options...but I really don't think I have any options with Loomis. The Expeditor program is no longer available since it's a discontinued rod. It didn't break due to manufacturing defect (it would be hard to argue that anyway after more than two thousand fish caught ). Even if Loomis offered me a deal on a current production rod, they are split grip so I would not be inclined unless it was a killer deal. Still, I'll give them a ring.
A custom-built rod is an option as well. Since this is my number ONE rod, I could go that route. However, there's something to be said for the St. Croix warranty and Gold Star Service Plan.
So, I'm still thinking it will be a Legend Elite - but still kicking around the 7' ML-F....or the 7' M-F. I'm still leaning toward the ML. The ML should give me some casting distance with the weightless grubs, and since I use braid most of the time on the grub rod, I should have no problem on hook-sets.
Well, time to think about it and hopefully there will be some Labor Day sales coming up.
kschultz76 reply :
Fwiw if custom build is an idea then St Croix blanks can be bought bare for that purpose.
I think you'll love the Legend Elite, and the ML as some else said fishes a bit more powerful the a traditional ML for sure. Hooksets are no problem with the ML. Also depends how heavy a lure you want, the ML is only rated for up to 3/8 oz. that's where you might consider going to a ML/XF if the XF tip will work for your presentations. It will give you 1/8-1/2 oz range. Other nice benefit with St Croix is the trade in program.
If full grip is a must you might want to also look at Dobyns as they come in full cork and seem to have a good service plan. But I have no personal experience with them. Also the new Megabass Orochis come all full cork, again no personal experience just read good things.
Chris at Tech reply :
Take a peak at Kistler KLX line. Full grips available, great price and great build quality. I think the ML would do well with grubs
tomustang reply :
It's good to hear you got that much mileage with your rod.
I'm on vacation right now and it gives me the opportunity to visit some tackle ships in the area, I found some legend inshores to play with and ran across a legend inshore 7'6MLF, this rod felt so much better than my other croix ML's, the length vs the action felt just right and if my vacation involved buying rods than it would come home with me.
Goose52 reply :
On 8/25/2013 at 6:30 AM, kschultz76 said:Fwiw if custom build is an idea then St Croix blanks can be bought bare for that purpose.
I think you'll love the Legend Elite, and the ML as some else said fishes a bit more powerful the a traditional ML for sure. Hooksets are no problem with the ML. Also depends how heavy a lure you want, the ML is only rated for up to 3/8 oz. that's where you might consider going to a ML/XF if the XF tip will work for your presentations. It will give you 1/8-1/2 oz range. Other nice benefit with St Croix is the trade in program.
If full grip is a must you might want to also look at Dobyns as they come in full cork and seem to have a good service plan. But I have no personal experience with them. Also the new Megabass Orochis come all full cork, again no personal experience just read good things.
A 5" grub with a 1/0 EWG hook only weighs about 3/16 oz. About the heaviest bait I would throw would be a 4" stickworm and that's only a bit over 1/4 oz with a hook so the ML weight rating isn't really a problem.
Re Dobyns, thanks for the tip but I think I'll stick with looking at St. Croix. While this would be my first St. Croix spinning rod, I have 11 of their casting rods and am familiar with the brand...and have already had occasion to use their nifty Gold Star Service Plan
On 8/25/2013 at 7:10 AM, Chris at Tech said:Take a peak at Kistler KLX line. Full grips available, great price and great build quality. I think the ML would do well with grubs
.Thanks, but I think I'll be sticking with St. Croix (see above!).
On 8/25/2013 at 7:11 AM, tomustang said:It's good to hear you got that much mileage with your rod.
I'm on vacation right now and it gives me the opportunity to visit some tackle ships in the area, I found some legend inshores to play with and ran across a legend inshore 7'6MLF, this rod felt so much better than my other croix ML's, the length vs the action felt just right and if my vacation involved buying rods than it would come home with me.
Yeah, they also have a Legend Elite 7'6" ML-XF that I looked at. Unfortunately, the "grub rod" is a must-have rod that I always have with me and one of my cars has about a 7' length limitation. The 7'1" BSR852 fit (just) but a 7'6" won't.
kschultz76 reply :
On if you've already got some Croix rods then you know what you're getting if you go with the Elite. I'm sure you'll love it and sounds like the ML power is really right for what you're looking to do. I think I said it in this thread or another one, but once I got my dad a Legend Elite he won't go back to Loomis and always picks that rod up before any of his GLXs.
tomustang reply :
On 8/25/2013 at 8:51 AM, Goose52 said:Yeah, they also have a Legend Elite 7'6" ML-XF that I looked at. Unfortunately, the "grub rod" is a must-have rod that I always have with me and one of my cars has about a 7' length limitation. The 7'1" BSR852 fit (just) but a 7'6" won't.
Ouch, my vehicle's limit is 7'6 so my choice maxes out there, them 7'ML's are still a treat
Darren. reply :
Allow me to say: I'm simply impressed you know how many fish you caught on the rod!! I have no clue with mine, LOL. 
Goose52 reply :
On 8/25/2013 at 10:20 AM, DarrenM said:Allow me to say: I'm simply impressed you know how many fish you caught on the rod!! I have no clue with mine, LOL.
Yep, I know this stuff. Like the first fish was caught on this rod on June 19, 2010 - the last fish was caught on August 22, 2013 - just over 3 years, 2 months in service. It was sorta only a "year" old as it caught fish on 389 days - and might have been skunked a few days as well. For the days that it did catch fish, it averaged 5.7 fish caught.
It's all in Excel...
derekxec reply :
On 8/25/2013 at 10:20 AM, DarrenM said:Allow me to say: I'm simply impressed you know how many fish you caught on the rod!! I have no clue with mine, LOL.
haha exactly what i was thinking...a lot is a close enough estimate for me lol
Goose52 reply :
On 8/24/2013 at 2:00 PM, skeletor6 said:Please report back with detailed objective observations of the rod you choose. It will be an interesting review...cheers
Well - it's not so much that I chose a rod...but that a rod chose me!
I had intended to get the St. Croix Legend Elite 7' ml-f. BUT, before ordering, I called Loomis to check out options for the broken BSR852. That rod is discontinued and thus no longer eligible for the "Expeditor" program. It had brought in over 2,000 fish so it would be hard to say that it had a manufacturing defect so that counts out the Limited Lifetime Warranty. The customer service guy said send it in anyway and I would likely get a "good deal". How good a deal says I.....he wouldn't say. I called back a few days later and got another guy...............and got the same message. They wouldn't say what I might have to spend, but that it would be a good deal.
So, I send the broken BSR852 back to Loomis - $15 for shipping and $20 processing fee. Yesterday, I receive via the Brown Truck a new GLX 852S JWR spinning rod - $435 retail value. No extra charge - nothing, nada, zip. New replacement rod for $35. I fessed up on the Warranty form that the breakage was my fault. I also mentioned that I had caught 2,226 fish with the rod - perhaps they'll use that in a product testimonial or something.... OBVIOUSLY, you can call me a happy Loomis customer right about now...
So - first impressions of the new rod - playing with it in the house:
- Very slightly heavier than the BSR852: 126.0 grams vs 123.9 grams.
- The tip might even be a bit faster than the BSR852.
- It feels just as "beastly"
as the BSR852 - for "2" power rods, both the old and new have tons of power in the blank. - I still don't like the split grip for this application....but for $35, I will learn to live with it.
- Not a fan of the reel seat - but at least I have cork under my hand.
- Old-style hook keeper, I was hoping that it would have a t-rig optimized keeper like many rods are going to (including my NRX).
- No recoil guides. Yay - less noise when using braid.
Took it out today on the water and caught two bass with it. I wish I could say that the first fish caught with this rod was a 5-pounder..................but I can't. The first fish was a 10" dink!
On the water impressions:
- Fishes much like the BSR852.
- Really a bit too much power here for weightless 5" grubs but I get adequate casting distance. This rod will be used more from the boat than the bank so casting distance isn't critical.
- This rod will be a nifty 4" stickworm rod as was the BSR852 (the fish today were actually caught with stickworms - not grubs).
- First impression - a more sensitive blank than the old rod. The first fish very gently picked up the bait on the fall while I still had semi-slack line and I knew right away that fish was there - it might have been a bit longer to detect that fish with the BSR852.
- All-in-all - a sensitive, quality, versatile spinning rod that is as good or better than the BSR852 in every way (except for the split-grip).
So, a good deal for me and I have a great new rod. It's still not an optimum "grub rod" and I have a feeling that the next time someone has a 20% off sale that I will have the Legend Elite in the battery. The GLX for the boat, the Legend Elite for the bank - sounds like a plan...
kschultz76 reply :
Congrats glad it worked out for you. Maybe Loomis service isn't as bad as it sounds sometimes.
Hi Salenity reply :
I wish you wouldn't have done the math and broke it down like you did. With some rough guessing on the number of fish I've caught on my NRX/Core and I may still be at around $20 a fish!!!!!!!!!!!!
kschultz76 reply :
Ah don't feel bad I still have a couple new rods that have yet to catch a single fish 
Goose52 reply :
On 9/19/2013 at 8:24 AM, Hi Salenity said:I wish you wouldn't have done the math and broke it down like you did. With some rough guessing on the number of fish I've caught on my NRX/Core and I may still be at around $20 a fish!!!!!!!!!!!!
My NRX 893C/Curado 50E is currently at $13.80 a fish...
Hi Salenity reply :
I truly have no idea how many fish I've caught with That combo but if they're not biting I normally go into some sort of a rant like: I can't believe I can cast this thing and not catch a fish, don't they know this is a $1000.00 combo ? they should be fighting each other just for the honor of getting a CPR...
I think I'm going to pay for my next combo in Yenn or Rubles... I don't think fish respect the good old American Greenback!
lmbfisherman reply :
I bought 3 new GLXs this year. I've caught 4 fish on GLX 894C - 156.25 (with Chronarch E6) per fish, I've caught 1 fish on my GLX 853C (CH50E)- $610 for the 1 fish. ( I have caught 22 fish with my GLX 854C paired with my Shimano CI4+ - 30.90 per fish retail. All prices in retail, luckily I bought them all on some kind of sale.
lmbfisherman reply :
By the way awesome to hear they took care of you though!
Dwight Hottle reply :
Well Goose you came out of that one smelling like a rose. Glad to see Loomis took care of you.
Goose52 reply :
On 9/19/2013 at 10:07 PM, lmbfisherman said:By the way awesome to hear they took care of you though!
On 9/19/2013 at 10:52 PM, Dwight Hottle said:Well Goose you came out of that one smelling like a rose. Glad to see Loomis took care of you.
Yeah - I'm sorta amazed they sent the replacement rod. Nothing in their stated warranty policies would cover this breakage. From what the customer service guys said, I was expecting at least a $100 charge (like Expeditor), or perhaps a "deal" of 50% off the retail price.
Perhaps they were impressed by the fish count!
related Fishing Rods Reels Line Knots topic
previous topic
most viewed Fishing Rods Reels Line Knots topic
© 2025 - fishing.qciss.net. All Rights Reserved.