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| Gary Loomis Inducted Into the IGFA Hall of Fame |
| October 20, 2007 |
“It didn’t seem like that big of a deal to me back then,” said Gary Loomis. “I was more concerned about figuring out a way to land one of those crazy summer-run steelhead in the Kalama River. We could hook them with our winter steelhead gear if you dropped down to six or eight-pound test line, but the rods were too powerful for that light of line and we ended up breaking them off all the time. It was pretty frustrating.”
Doesn’t seem like a very difficult project does it? …at least not a project that would turn out to be the foundation for one of the most successful fishing rod companies in the past century, but then you’re not talking about an ordinary angler either. Gary Loomis is one of those people that hits the floor at full speed every morning. He was and remains to this day, fanatical about every obstacle he faces. It was that passion, that drive that eventually nurtured the beginnings of the G.Loomis rod company and then in later years, the conversation group he started, known as Fish First. His love for the sport and his never-ending efforts to give something back to the fishery and the fishing industry ultimately earned Gary Loomis a spot in the International Game Fish Association’s Hall of Fame.
The following is a short story that Gary told during the induction ceremony…
“I knew if I wanted to land any of those big steelhead it was going to take a different type of rod. The water in the Kalama was always low and extremely clear during the summertime and those big silver beauties were pretty spooky. We needed a rod that would handle a big fish and still protect light line. I took an old fly rod, stripped off the lower three or four guides, put spinning guides in their place, extended the rear grip of the handle a bit so I could use a small spinning reel in place of the fly reel. That did the trick! The softer, more forgiving flex of the fly rod allowed me to use much lighter line and I started catching fish like crazy. After a while it was getting embarrassing. I would hook and land up to a half-dozen fish or more, an evening while ALL the other anglers on the river may land one or two between the bunch of them. Sure… I loved being the one that figured it out. It was great knowing I had an advantage, but then, the guys who were struggling started coming over to ask me what I was doing so different. When I showed them the rod they all wanted one.
One night, a guy came up to me, as I returned to my car at my special parking spot on the Kalama River, and asked me how much I wanted for the rod. I told him it wasn’t for sale. He was very persistent… almost fanatical about it. I finally told him there are two things that aren’t for sale in my way of thinking. One was my wife, Suzi, and the other was that rod. Then he started making me ridiculous offers for the rod. He said, ‘I’ll give you a hundred dollars for that rod.’ I said no! He increased the price to $150… again I said no, but when he said he’d pay $200 for it, I said ‘let me get the reel off of it’!!
Now I had to go home and make another one. Not wanting to miss another day of fishing, I hurried the job this time, borrowing some of my wife’s fingernail polish to finish over the guides and not really putting much effort into the fit & finish on the handle, but I got it done and the next night, I went back to fish that stretch of river again. I couldn’t believe it! There was a car parked in my spot! I ALWAYS parked in that spot! As soon as I got out of my car, a guy jumps out of the other car and asked if I’m the guy selling rods? I told him I don’t sell rods. He said yea… you’re the guy – my fishing buddy said he got one from you yesterday. He told me they cost $200. I told him ‘it’s in the trunk’.”
That was the beginning of a business adventure that took every single dime he could muster. He made custom rods for a time, then worked for Lamiglas for seven years, running their blank plant in Kent, Washington. A little later, he started a company called Loomis Composites, Inc. After a short struggle with partnership issues he found himself back in a machine shop near his home in Woodland.
Gary was a machinist by trade. He was good at his job, but what he really liked to do was fish and hunt. He spent every bit of his spare time on the nearby Kalama River or in mountains of the Lewis River drainage, looking for elk, deer, bear – whatever. In 1982 he couldn’t stand it any longer… he had to get back in the rod business. That’s when he started G.Loomis. At first he just made graphite blanks, but in 1985, he started making rods – a move that has affected literally millions of anglers all around the world. His knowledge of graphite helped him to develop some of the most technologically advanced rods in the world. They are legendary in their performance. In 1997 he sold G.Loomis to Shimano American Corporation. It was time to move forward with his life and his passion for the very creatures that he’s chased all over the world. He started a conversation group called Fish-First, to help fund restoration projects on the Lewis River and to ultimately take the politics out of fish management. That group, under Loomis’ leadership and drive, has had a major impact in helping to save the Pacific Salmon runs in the Northwest. The job isn’t done yet, but neither is Gary. He’s out there pushing from every angle to help protect our salmon. He was recognized recently in a speech by President Bush as he toured the Columbia and Snake River Dams and hatcheries. It was a proud moment for Gary and all of us in the fishing world.
He was inducted into the IGFA Hall of Fame on October 20, 2007, joining fishing legends, Homer Circle, Joan Wulff, Peter B. Wright and Ruben Jaen C. It was a great night and one we’ll never forget. It was the night they honored our mentor and our friend… Gary Loomis.
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| Gary Loomis delivers his acceptance speech at the IGFA Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Saturday, October 20th. |
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| Bruce Holt, Executive Director at G.Loomis, presents Gary Loomis with his IGFA Hall of Fame plaque. |
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