GLX 844c MBR

[jimanchower]

I've got an 843 (~2 years old) and it's my favorite rod. Is the 844 a must-have?

 

I do some kayak fishing and don't want to take more than 2-3 rods. Would the 843 and 844 pair well, or is there too much overlap? Should I just get an Expride heavy instead? I even considered the Conquest. I'm keeping my eyes peeled for a bit of a discount on a Loomis over Memorial Day weekend.

[rangerjockey]

The 843/844 are both classic's. The 844 will throw bigger spinnerbaits and heavier plastics as well as bigger topwaters like the super spook. 

The Expride heavy is a faster action and I personally use it for throwing the ol' ball and chain and big worms in the summer but it's not as versatile as the Loomis MBR actions.

[Dwight Hottle]

1 hour ago, rangerjockey said:

The 843/844 are both classic's. The 844 will throw bigger spinnerbaits and heavier plastics as well as bigger topwaters like the super spook. 

The Expride heavy is a faster action and I personally use it for throwing the ol' ball and chain and big worms in the summer but it's not as versatile as the Loomis MBR actions.

X2 the 844 will do everything the 843 will do but with heavier baits. And it will handle bigger baits than the 1oz rating if needed. 

[optimator]

In the words of @waymont  “a 834 & 844 will cover 99% of your needs “. Or at least that was pretty close to what he said ?

[jimanchower]

It does seem easy to justify, and would theoretically allow me to sell a rod or two that isn't getting used.

 

Probably going to pair the 844 with a reel I already own - either the Zillion HD or a Metanium.

[optimator]

45 minutes ago, jimanchower said:

It does seem easy to justify, and would theoretically allow me to sell a rod or two that isn't getting used.

 

Probably going to pair the 844 with a reel I already own - either the Zillion HD or a Metanium.

That would be a killer setup ?

[Cbump]

Just sold my 844c so no, It wasn’t a must have for me. 

[jimanchower]

5 minutes ago, Cbump said:

Just sold my 844c so no, It wasn’t a must have for me. 

 

I followed that thread. It seems like you prefer something faster than the MBR action. I remember when I got my 843c I had a little bit of regret. It felt a little delicate (light weight + softer tip) and I questioned why I bought another MH rod. Then I fished it and have been smitten ever since. Hoping the 844c does the same, just "one louder."

[Cbump]

1 minute ago, jimanchower said:

 

I followed that thread. It seems like you prefer something faster than the MBR action. I remember when I got my 843c I had a little bit of regret. It felt a little delicate (light weight + softer tip) and I questioned why I bought another MH rod. Then I fished it and have been smitten ever since. Hoping the 844c does the same, just "one louder."

You nailed It. It was actually a very high quality Rod that I wanted to like. Probably should have fished It more but have too many that feel more crisp to me. 

[KP Duty]

I fished club tournaments as a non-boater for many years with just two 843's and two 844's along with a medium spinning rod.  If you don't have an 844...get one.  

[jbrew73]

4 hours ago, KP Duty said:

I fished club tournaments as a non-boater for many years with just two 843's and two 844's along with a medium spinning rod.  If you don't have an 844...get one.  

The 844 is a very versatile rod for many techniques .

[Motoboss]

I own both and can’t say I use the 844 much. I just don’t throw the bigger baits it is best at. Since kayaking I went to two MH (one being the 843 the other a Kistler 6’9” MH). I find with two different tip types covers the baits I throw more often.

 

Although the 844 isn’t going anywhere.

[jimanchower]

I got my 844C last week but exchanged it because it had a clicking noise when I'd make a casting motion (or when holding the handle and wiggling the rod tip up and down). It sounded like something was loose/broken. I just received the replacement and it does the exact same thing. My 843C makes no such sound. Is it possible that I got two bad rods, or is there something else going on here?

[ironbjorn]

4 minutes ago, jimanchower said:

I got my 844C last week but exchanged it because it had a clicking noise when I'd make a casting motion (or when holding the handle and wiggling the rod tip up and down). It sounded like something was loose/broken. I just received the replacement and it does the exact same thing. My 843C makes no such sound. Is it possible that I got two bad rods, or is there something else going on here?

I had a rod like that once, but it was a Fenwick. 4-5 years ago. My son ended up snapping it.

 

Sounds like you might have gotten the exact same rod back, literally. I once exchanged a reel to Tackle Warehouse because it was a finicky POS, brakes were not right. I'd had several of these reels and all the others were fine. I got the exact same reel back. I know because a lipless treble made a unique making in the reel. It had my same lipless marking. Exchanged again and got an actually different reel.

[jimanchower]

Ha, in this case I actually ordered a new one and shipped them the first one back when the guy delivered the replacement, so I'm sure it's a different rod.

[ironbjorn]

1 minute ago, jimanchower said:

Ha, in this case I actually ordered a new one and shipped them the first one back when the guy delivered the replacement, so I'm sure it's a different rod.

Could it be line slap or even the reel?

[jimanchower]

Just now, ironbjorn said:

Could it be line slap or even the reel?

 

This is without a reel even mounted!

[ironbjorn]

Just now, jimanchower said:

 

This is without a reel even mounted!

That is very weird. I have no answers. Just that my son did snap the Fenwick I had that made this clicking you're describing, so I wouldn't trust it at all.

[Junger]

31 minutes ago, jimanchower said:

Ha, in this case I actually ordered a new one and shipped them the first one back when the guy delivered the replacement, so I'm sure it's a different rod.

 

My 844 doesn't make any noise like that, but it does sound like they sent you the same rod back. Good plan, good luck with the next one, and don't be afraid to really lean into the hookset on the 844, it has a beefy backbone but you gotta get to it.

[Hulkster]

I have had the clicking noise on a few Loomis rods. 

 

its the epoxy cracked at the guide foot where it is epoxied to the rod blank. you should be able to reproduce the sound by pushing on a guide in a downward direction with your finger. 

 

I ended up exchanging my rod at the store I bought it from with no issues. 

 

Loomis never had these issues before but I understand they contract out the installation of the guides (or at least they used to)

 

not sure if this is why they have these issues???

 

 

[jimanchower]

I think you're right about the guide foot. I can't reproduce it just by pressing/tapping on the guide, but if I put pressure on the second guide where it meets the blank, the noise goes away almost completely when shaking the rod.

 

I got my 843 out again and shook it / faux casted it as hard as I could and it was solid and silent. The 844 sounds like what Hulkster describes.

 

I think I'll reach out to G Loomis and seek their guidance. I know TW will take care of things on their end. I've gone this far in my life without fishing an 844C - what's another couple of weeks?

[T2DM]

5 hours ago, jimanchower said:

I think you're right about the guide foot. I can't reproduce it just by pressing/tapping on the guide, but if I put pressure on the second guide where it meets the blank, the noise goes away almost completely when shaking the rod.

 

I've had the same issue a while back with a Shimano Zodias 610M, sent it in for a warranty and an "expert" called me to inform me that there's nothing wrong with the rod, when I told him to whip it up and down to replicate the click noise, he claimed it's a normal "wear and tear." I was so disappointed; I didn't even argue, got the rod back and I can re produce the click noise pretty easy, went to Goodwill and donated the darn thing along with some Shimano rods that clicks but out of warranty. Bought an IMX PRO and guess what? it clicks too! I just don't put up with any of it anymore and I just keep sending them back for an exchange or refund.

 

Hopefully Shimano take notice of these issues because it does exist!

 

Here is an example @ 2:16

 

 

 

[jimanchower]

Well, the third time was a charm on the 844. I got the replacement replacement rod in today and it's good to go. Looking forward to getting out on the water with it later this week!

[Jmurphy87]

1 hour ago, jimanchower said:

Well, the third time was a charm on the 844. I got the replacement replacement rod in today and it's good to go. Looking forward to getting out on the water with it later this week!

I am sure that you will really enjoy the 844, I had a hard time choosing a single rod to do a little bit of everything. I went with the conquest and I could not be happier, the rod is surprisingly good with a little bit of everything. My rod is paired with a curado 150 mgl and 14lb fluorocarbon, I have thrown rapala dt-4 on this rod and it casted them good enough for me. I have caught fish on about every presentation and it just keeps surprising me. This past weekend in a river with a 1/4oz tungsten swing head jig you could feel everything on the bottom. Enjoy the new rod.