Good buys on St croix rods?

Anyone hear of any good deals on St croix rods lately?

Mike,
check the Gander in Fridley.
they had a rack of factory reconditioned rods a couple of weeks ago. St Croix pricing is pretty standard wherever you buy them I have found.. I picked up a 7’2″ Premier Muskie rod at the Muskie show in Blaine in March. Saved a few bucks and got a free hat. Also try E-Bay. I think Stillakid2 does find some good buys on there. Maybe you should drop him a PM. I’ve got some great deals from him in the past. Saved some good $$$ on a Legend Elite he sold me.

The stores have a standard price to sell by. St. Croix rods are really great rods. If you want a custom rod made with St. Croix blanks go to Hooked On Fishing Bait and Tackle in Rochester Mn. or you can call them at 507-282-4982. Thanks, Bill

Hey, Mike

Ever think of building your own rods? You can buy St. Croix blanks and then get the components that really fit you the best – handles, guides, tips. Top that off with getting the colors you like and the pride in “doing-it-yourself” and you’ve got a rod you can be proud of.

And, it’s about 40% cheaper, too!

I just started building rods this winter, so not an expert. But, would be happy to help you with your first one. PM me about it.

I’ve had good luck on EBay as well. Just got a ES68MXF for $200, brand new.

Small world! I was looking at those too!!! Unless you had a “3-day” come through that I missed, I monitor the activity alot. I liked the deal I saw but the guy wanted $30.00 to ship it. I’ve had plenty of oversized items ship for less than that. Even so, it was a good deal…………just not good enough for me support the outrageous S&H charge.

Bottom line? I still envy the heck out you for getting one before I did!! I’ll be okay though…………..I think……………hope……………………keep telling myself…………..

Okay…………that was pathetic! Congrats on a great buy RippinPigs!!!

Just wanted to give you guys some info on St. Croix that you may or may not use. The only rod of theirs I ever bought was an ultralight (don’t remember the model #). I know I bought it sometime in ’01 and since then it has busted on me three, that’s right, three times, and not under any unusual stress either–just normal fishing conditions. I’m a very avid fisherman so I know what and what not to do to a rod. So I take it back to the place I bought it and they say I have to mail it to St. Croix. So I pay the extra few bucks for shipping and get one back in about a week. Then I get a bill from them sometime later for another ten bucks for the return leg of the trip. Then it breaks again and the same scenerio occurs and I’m getting annoyed with the cost and the hassle. It broke the third time last summer and I sat on the thing thinking it’s not worth dealing with anymore. Well, this spring I changed my mind, sent it in with a note telling them what I think about their product. Yesterday I get a letter from St. Croix Rods along with a catalog. I wish I had the letter in front of me so I could give you the exact quote but they say something very close to this: after having our technician inspect the rod, we have determined that it doesn’t come under warranty because of time. Time?! Since when does a technician look at a rod to determine if the time of the warranty has elapsed?? So they make me an “offer” to buy something for $36 plus…you guessed it, another $10 for S&H. I was thinking, worst case scenerio, I’ll have to pay another ten bucks to get this toothpick replaced, and it turns out I don’t even get THAT “good” of a deal. Needless to say, I will NEVER do business with them again. I feel taken that I even had to pay shipping back and forth. Why can’t a guy just take it back to where he bought it and let the manufacturer eat that cost? It’s their defect after all. They WILL get a big piece of my mind on the phone today. Well, anyway, I saw this post and felt compelled to respond. I didn’t put it on the main forum because I don’t want to make it look like I’m out to smear anyone. I know how popular St. Croix is and figured most people would think me nuts to have a bad run in with them. Let me know if any of you have had problems like this.

I own 4 St Croix rods and am not very easy on them-no problems to date. Under what conditions did yours break??? I landed a 30lb cat during high/fast water on a light action 6′ St Croix Premier. For the entire 20-30 minute fight, the rod was doubled over. I have also horsed in some big sturgeon on a med-heavy rod and “pulled” through snags w/ Fireline that staightened out hooks.

I am sure you experienced what you did. I am just wondering how. Were all the breaks under similar circumstances or a variety of situations?

They broke extremely easily. I remember at least one of them being on a river snag. I usually give the rod one snap of the wrist to see if the hook will release and then I go to an in-line, pull-it-straight-out routine. I didn’t even get there since it snapped on the first try. It was pretty loud, too, like it was brittle or something. I’m more upset at what they said about the techinian and the warranty. Sounds like a case of third strike and you’re out.

Juggs,
If that was a premier rod, they only have a 2 year warranty. I suspect that could be what they are refering to as the time has run out on the warranty… They do change colors, stickers occassionaly so that could be how they are gauging how old the rod is. The Avids and Legends have a lifetime warranty.

Mike,

Check ebay, I have some inside info about a bunch of rods coming up for sale out there, with very low reserve prices(just above cost). Check it out!!

Juggs,

I’m curious. What kind of line was being used on those rods that broke? Being ultra-lights they are probably rated for 6 pound line max, and going any higher than that (braided line maybe?) could be the problem. Using line heavier than the rod is rated would void the warranty.

Just a thought.

Dan

Fireline four pound test, one pound diameter. I never fish with anything over six pound test.

Juggs,

About a year ago I did an independent research project with my oldest son for a school project. In that study, Fireline 4lb. test/1lb. diameter line was consistantly over 6lbs of pressure before breaking. In some examples, not all but some, it actually exceeded 8lbs before snapping!

Just a little FYI guys that superlines and “xtra tuff monos” consistantly exceed their strength rating. 4lb. Fireline has the ability to break an ultra-light.

Note to self………………

I always figured braided lines were stronger than advertised. Anyway, I don’t crank on a rod hard enough to break it unless it’s really cheap or there’s something wrong with it. I broke a cheap rod a long time ago while snagged on a rock and I had to build muscle to do it.

I use the premier 6 footer med-heavy and I use stren hi vis gold 6 lb test, anything out there that is that strong but limper? what do you guys use.

Juggs,

I wasn’t trying to throw anything back on you. I just wanted to let the forum know that it is possible to break a rod with that stuff.

Not that your experience, as described, wouldn’t be a big pain in the rump for anyone to experience but keep in mind that not everyone can make a perfect product throughout. Croix, Loomis, Sage, Lamiglas, Fenwick………….all the manufacturers have their technologies but in certain mathmatical applications, some models will not have the performance results others do. Of course, according to all the research data, it is believed that it would still be a good product and is tested to be so. Then come the manufacturing tolerances. Who’s to say that had you tried one model up you wouldn’t be a happy camper? Nobody knows of course but in the realm of percentages, it certainly carries some weight in it’s possibility.

I’ve had top of the line products that for one reason or other, I didn’t like. I’ve had expensive rods break. I’ve had cheap rods break. I’ve had rods give out right on the showroom floor!!! I guess my point is that there’s a lemon in every basket. Don’t write of St. Croix as a product. As a business, by all means………….take up your issues with them. Customer satisfaction is everything! But as a product, don’t pitch them to the round file. However, if the same model keeps breaking, that’s when you sell that thing and go shopping for something more dependable, even if it’s just a longer/shorter version or model upgrade.

Don’t quote me but I think that’s what the Sensation and Iron Silk products from Trilene and Berkley (respectively) are supposed to do exactly that.

I’ve heard some guys encouraging the trying of Maxima products, and given the names suggesting it, chances are very good that it’s a very good mono.

I can understand your ire Juggs, but StillaKid is right. Fireline is grossly underrated per tensil #strength.
Ultra lites are tested with standard “stretchy” mono and have very fragile top ends. I love the feel and very fast taper of St. Croix Avids and you are moving into a pretty pricey rod;but usually you get what you pay for(and a great warranty).
I don’t think a guy has to have a super sensitive expensive rod for pulling 3 ways or throwing cranks, but my opinion is when working jigs you need that kind of rod for the feel and high modulus action like an Avid or Legend.

PS My buddy has a 6’3″ Cortland ML action spin rod(79$) , lifetime guarantee, pretty darn snappy….just a thought