The most shocking thing about this thread is that there is actually A LOT of good information here. I'd say that Green Drifter and Parker both absolutely stuck the answer like Mary Lou in '84.

As Parker said, with true "free drifting" our of boat, it doesn't even matter. For drift fishing, it matters a wholehellofalot.

I haven't fished as many rods as others here but I will say that I've never fished a Lami I love, Loomis GL2's are super-tough, GL3's are nice, and when I've been lucky enough to borrow an IMX for a cast or two, it is OBVIOUSLY better than my GL3s. I'm tough on rods so I think that there is a middle ground I must tread.