Sensitivity is never an issue when fishing out of a moving boat if one is boondogging, side drifting, or free drifting. I'm pretty sure one could fish with a Sawyer wooden oar and still hook and land a steelhead when using these techniques.
To me, it's the feel of graphite (mush, spongy, whippy) and the weight of the graphite that push me towards a particular rod.
Once you match the proper action of the rod to the technique being used, it's kinda up to you as to what rod is the "best". It's whatever feels the best in your hands.
I've fished all three and am not a fan of the XMG's. They just don't "feel right" when fishing them. The rods are built well, and there's nothing wrong with the graphite- other than I just don't like the feel of them, so I don't use them. No other valid reason. The GLX is WAY too brittle and WAY too damn expensive. I don't like the lack of quality in the "craftsmanship" of the IMX, but the weight of the rod and the feel of the IMX graphite works well for me. Conversely, the GL3 1141 also just feels "wrong" when I use it. Just don't like that graphite in that particular rod.
Never tried an XST in a 1141 or 1082, but I suspect it compares to the GL3 in feel and weight. I do have an XST 1025 and it doesn't really compare in feel to the IMX 1025. I still go to the IMX 1025 over my XST 1025 as my primary rod.
Well said here Parker... The 1141 isn't made to feel good in any rod application when used in higher flows hence larger leads.... Fishing larger leads will give this rod a spongy feel in any of the 3 models listed, when fishing heavier leads to me is a good time to bump up to the 1082... But the 1082 will fish the smaller leads just as good as the 1141 and diminishes that sponge feel.. Only problem I have with a 1082 is if I get a ripper bite and set the hook hard I've popped fish off on 8lb leaders where that's nearly impossible with the 1141 as it absorbs the hookset better....
As far as XMG vs IMX, hands down the IMX is a sharper rod to the feel. To me the XMG feels very close to the GL3 of the Loomis line...
GLX, well I've had a couple and got rid of them. To me there wasn't much if any difference in sensitivity with the IMX but the GLX as Parker said is much more brittle... The GLX is the only rod I've had to pick splinters from my face after a hookset....
So overall winner for me, all around rod would be the IMX 1082S. It's the most well rounded rod.
Keith
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