_text & photo: Dmitry Drozdov
Last year, at the beginning of the season in February I got the first LOOP Cross S1 for testing. After a while I went on a fishing trip to Tierra del Fuego, Rio Grande. During this week the weather was changing: some days were incredibly quiet and windless. But we also had a couple of days with strong winds.
I used the Cross S1 12’0’’ #7 with Speedrunner reel. As for line, I use the Loop Adapted Shooting Head system: Floating and Intermediate belly complete the different type off front (Float, Intermed, Sink).
My first feeling from using this rod was not understandable! I have many different LOOP rods but Cross S1 is like no one of them. Very light blank to the best of flexible and thus has a huge kinetic energy for given to fly line for casting. It’s really something new among the fly fishing rods!!! When you cast the rod it makes excellent sharp loops which perfectly cuts strong wind. This rods allows you to do whatever you want with a fly line. The rod performs very good casting for long distance and you spend less of your physical energy.
During this week, I landed some good number of Sea Trout one of them was 20+ Lb. All week, I used Cross S1 12’0” #7 and I discovered all the secrets and the possibility of Cross S1.
In the Summer time at the end of June I went to Kola Peninsula to Varzina and Drozdovka river. After that followed other rivers like Rynda and Kharlovka. On this trip, I used the LOOP Cross S1 14’0” #9 with Megaloop reel. For line, I used the Loop Adapted Shooting Head system. Floating belly complete with different type front (Float, Intermed).
Cross S1 14’0” #9 : this is the rod for really long casting! Varzina river have some very wide pools, and long cast can bring you really good number of Salmon! The Cross S1 makes a cast like a catapult! This rod is powerful and very well holds large salmon and causing it quickly to lose the power.
I fell in love with Cross S1!
