St. Croix Trade-up Plan

Sorry if this info has been posted before. If so, here is a refresher (I just found out about it).

Basically, for $10 per year of depreciation on your existing rod and the difference in cost for the new one (plus $20 shipping) you can move up the St. Croix line. You have to move up the line to qualify.

For example (as I understand it), a 2005 Avid could be exchanged for a new Tourney Elite. If the Avid cost $160 it is now worth $120. If the new Tourney Elite is $210 you would pay the difference of $90 plus shipping.

Details are at http://www.stcroixrod.com under service and warranties.

Anyone take advantage of this? Plus, I wonder how you inquire about buying some of the rods that have been traded in

Looks like St Croix is backdooring the retailers. And poeple wonder why good bait shops are all but gone. First it was big box now it’s direct sales. Golf has gone the same way.

Go support your local bait shop.

Sorry for the rant.

Agreed!! I still order my rods through my Aunt’s bait shop in good old Guttenberg, Iowa. I can’t stand Scheels and big bargain discount stores. I want customer service, and when it comes to small town, personal service, a nice local bait shop is just one place you’ll get it. Also, the small business appreciate your business much more! No “You have to send it in yourself”, or “You don’t have your receipt”… anyway, I completely agree!

Yes, I have 7 St. Croix rods ALL of which were purchased at local bait shops and not Scheels. Granted, many of them don’t/can’t carry a big inventory of the high end rods but the baitshop can order them for you. They still got my business and I support them when I can.

At the same time, it is still nice to know St. Croix has the up grade if you choose to do so. Only other option is to try and sell it yourself and get what you can. This gives you a ready market to do that if you don’t want to sell yourself.

St.Croix has been a retailer since day one back in 1948…They have a great tackle store and have run it for 62 years! Many local tackle shops…like Everts will trade and up grade St. Croix rods, and there is no shipping.
It was the retailers that went to St. Croix, wanting to retail the rods so…voila! Dealerships…
The majority of trade ups come from damaged/broken rod returns. Not to mention you may have a wait of several weeks. I paid for a MOJO(out of stock) when I was at Park Falls the 9th of April…I am currently #115/1,161 on the back ordered waiting list. My rod MAY show up next week.

Dean would have had one here for me a month ago…

Its a great option for a broken rod Vs buying a brand new one and still having a broken one. I would much rather use the warranty and get that replacement for a few extra bucks. Then I could still go out and buy another new one if I wanted. Its not like you are buying all your rods direct from St. Croix. I still buy all of my st croixs at retail outlets (Dean is shipping me two as we speak – thanks, BTW), but I busted an Avid last year and shipped it back this year. Upgraded a busted (totally my fault), no good Avid up to a legend tourney. Not really screwing any local dealerships out of my business, but I’m using the lifetime warranty that originally came with the rod and a few extra bucks out of my pocket to upgrade. FYI, last time I upgraded, they didn’t charge me any depreciation fee. My rod was probably 10 years old, too!! $50 due to operator error, and I think $60 or something to upgrade. Not as good as a totally free replacement, but better than shelling out $250 or whatever. BTW, it hasn’t stopped me from buying new rods, like I mentioned earlier. I mean, c’mon, guys.. We are fishermen. I haven’t seen too many angling-based companies asking congress for a bailout… If I bust a rod, it gets sent to St Croix for warranty issues. If I want a new one, I’ll probably go to Evert’s based on recent great service.

Thanks again for the combo setups, Dean!!

Love St. Croix rods, and service is usually stellar.

Mike

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Its a great option for a broken rod Vs buying a brand new one and still having a broken one. I would much rather use the warranty and get that replacement for a few extra bucks.

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I’ve got both of my fall trolling rods in this very predictament right now. Both have 3 inches broken off the tip. I’m thinking of upgrading one to the Wild River series and another to who knows what. But, I love I have the option.

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…have 3 inches broken off the tip.

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Oh, you’re talking about fishing rods.

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…have 3 inches broken off the tip.

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Oh, you’re talking about fishing rods.

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yea and if Kooty says 3 inches its problably more like 1.5

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I’m thinking of upgrading one to the Wild River series and another to who knows what.

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Ask Deano about his S-Eweet St Croix Sturgeon rods.

Not sure a sturgeon rod will be that efficient for fall trolling on Mille Lacs. I am going to get one of those broom sticks for the collection for the next time you take me flatty fishing!!

I used this program twice this season. I was planning on buying new rods but with the economy I looked at what I had and traded in an Avid upgraded to a higher model and then switched out my 6’3″ TWS for a 6’8″ TWS.

The ST Croix folks were great to work with and they delivered on or before the date they said they would. The only gripe I had was that the shipper dumped the first rod in my drive way for the whole world to see. It didn’t walk away but I called St. Croix to let them know and the next one was delivered using a different shipper and it was left on my front porch out of the view of everyone who wanted to look.

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Looks like St Croix is backdooring the retailers. And poeple wonder why good bait shops are all but gone. First it was big box now it’s direct sales. Golf has gone the same way.

Go support your local bait shop.

Sorry for the rant.

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It would be nice to purchase premium rods from small bait shops except most mark them up a ridiculous amount then wonder why nobody buys them. I only personally know of two that dont practice this and one is Everts. Thanks Dean.

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Looks like St Croix is backdooring the retailers. And poeple wonder why good bait shops are all but gone. First it was big box now it’s direct sales. Golf has gone the same way.

Go support your local bait shop.

Sorry for the rant.

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It would be nice to purchase premium rods from small bait shops except most mark them up a ridiculous amount then wonder why nobody buys them. I only personally know of two that dont practice this and one is Everts. Thanks Dean.

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I don’t think St. Croix will allow you to be a dealer unless you agree to sell the rods at the same price point as every other St. Croix dealer. Scheels is the same as Gander is the same as cabelas is the same as bass pro is the same as Everts. St Croix’s pricing policy I imagine only helps the smaller shops since mass retailers can’t give large volume discounts, even if they do indeed buy in huge quantities. Other “premium” rods might be marked up at various retailers, but not St. Croix rods. I guess I wouldn’t really know about the other rods, though, since Croix’s are the only premium rods I’ll buy..

I feel much better giving my money to local guys than to big chains, and I think Croix’s policy reflects this attitude. No reason to shop around, all prices will be the same across the board. Way to go, St. Croix. And thanks, Dean, for those Wild Rivers… Still thinking about how nice it is to fish with them… Can’t wait to get out on Thursday.

Mike

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I’ve got both of my fall trolling rods in this very predictament right now. Both have 3 inches broken off the tip. I’m thinking of upgrading one to the Wild River series and another to who knows what. But, I love I have the option.

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I’ve gotten out a few times now with my two 10.5′ Wild Rivers that I got from Dean / recommended during a guided trip with Jason Halfen…

Those rods are friggin awesome! VERY nice rods to troll or bounce with. Ran cranks with and without a board last week with no problems at all, and ran bouncers over the weekend catching everything from small crappies to a 42″ musky.

Sweet rods fo’ sho’!!

Mike