Fishing Rods

Looking at replacing some of my current rods with new ones……looking at Falcon, St. Croix, and Shimano…..any advice / pros & cons to each. Thanks in advance. Will primarily be used for casting and jigging for walleye and bass.

I have been using the St. Croix Avid 6 ft 6” medium popwer fast action rods and really love them. I also use the 6ft rods both medium and medium light too. They are very sensitive rods which improve your feel of what the jig is doing and what kind of bottom content [hard or soft] is where you are fishing. They are great all around rods for jigging and casting. I fell in love with St. Croix rods years ago and still feel the same way now. They can be bought two ways-factory rods or custom made. Gotta love them St. Croix rods.

Thanks, Bill

St. Croix Rods

Custom St. Croix Rods

Help us help you……..

What length and action do you prefer for jigging and for pitching/casting, do you prefer spinning or casting rods? If the answer is casting rods, what lures (weights) will you throw most often?

There’s too much available that’s too good to pass up so some specifics would help us better help you.

BTW buddy……… spring crappie fever hittin’ ya yet?

Need 6 rods, 1 to be a baitcaster and the other 5 spinning rods. All but one to be around 6′-6″ and Medium fast to Medium Heavy. I need one good walleye jigging rod around 6′ with a good sensitive tip. the rod has to be liteweight and well balanced.
Yep….crappie fever is kicking in…..maybe this year we can get out in the boat and hit some new spots on the croix. By the way, I attended Faith Community Church in Hudson to watch a freind of ours play saxaphone…..a blurb on the screen about some Gull Lake fishing trip came up that sounded like what you went on and sure enough she knew who you were….small world.

you wont be dissipointed if you go with a st croix

I have never owned a St. Croix in my life but after reading the testimonials on this site I decide to break down and buy a Avid 6’6″ and was truly amazed in the difference. I can’t say I will spend a $150.00 clams every time for a rod but I feel this is going to help my catch rate.

I have had good luck with cortland rods. use everything from the 6’6″ for jigging to the 7’6″ for rigging live bait. lifetime waranty and they run around $65

not that this makes much of a differnece but you confidence in your equiptment and what it will do will help you alot. not nessairly to catch more fish, but to have the confidence that u can and you wont have to worry about cheeper stuff failing on you.

G-Loomis

I’m a BIG fan of St.Croix rods. I think I now have 8 of them ? Anyhow , for tossing plastics I like the Avid 6’6″ ML rods. I just bought one of the new Legend Tournament series rods in 6’8″ Medium action with a XF tip. I’ve only had it out once so far but I REALLY like the way this one fishes. I also have an Avid 6’8″ Medium action rod that works good for tossing cranks and 5″ plastic.
I use a 5’6″ Premier series rod for vertical jigging. It’s a nice rod too but another 6″ would be nice.

Welcome to IDA GEEMAN!!!

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It’s a nice rod too but another 6″ would be nice.

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This a bad spot to step into this conversation! lol!

Anyway, I have to agree with your Croix recommendations. A ML model in your length of preference is a great jigging rod or one of the XF tip models. My 6’3″ Avid MXF is one of my all-time favorites! I’ve heard many like the 6’8″ too. My favorite ML length is 7′ but it seems most prefer the 6’6″.

If I were to combine some pitching, these XF models are nice for that too but if you’r looking for something to be specifically applied, the 6’6″ Medium should do well.

For casting…….. I really lean toward the medium heavy models because I’m often throwing a little heavier lures or chasing fish in an area prone to have big fish around so I like having the extra muscle. Croix’s have some XF models in casters too so I’d look into them if you like some forgiveness at the tip. Otherwise, they’re pretty solid.

One of my favorite casting rods is a G-Loomis Walleye Series WBR813. Good power down the blank with a little more forgiveness through the first 3rd of the blank.

If you know anyone who’s got the models you’re interested in, see if you can get together with them and try them out. Nothing like hands-on experience to see if you like it or not.

Good luck and have fun shoppin’!

SAK2 Once I reread that part after posting it I figured sombody would chime in about it. I’d expect nothing less from a fellow fisherman.

I’ll have to check out the 6’3″ Avid. I’ve been looking for a longer Jigging stick.

Re: Tossing cranks , Fishing the Rock River system mostly, I fish shallower water for the most part so don’t throw bigger cranks as a rule. The ML and MXF rods I have do a good job when casting smaller cranks like Shad Raps , little Bombers , Yo-Zuris etc. If I were to throw larger cranks then I too would look to a MH action rod.

Overall , I prefer the 6’6″ length. I have a 7′ MF St.Croix but it just does’nt feel comfortable to me. A personal preferance for sure. I DO like casting the 6’8″ Legend Tournament tho. It does’nt have the broom stick feel like my 7’MF does.

Bottom line if a guys wants to try somthing new in the rod department ( Like SAK2 said ) if at all possible fish with sombody who has rods you are considering and who will let you try em out. Like many things in life , we all have our personal preferances and what one guy likes another might not.
There are many options out there to suit any budget. Happy shopping !

I just ordered my first custom St. Croix rod from HOF, for 3-waying. For spinning rods, I love the Gander Mountain pro select spinning rods. They have IM-8 graphite, a lifetime warranty (I think) and they are very sensitive for only $60. I wish I could afford those SC Avids, but being only 16, I have to make do with the GM’s. Thanks

Tony

Thanks Steve. I’ve been looking to learn more about fishing the Miss for quite a while now. So far I’ve found a lot of good info on this site. Looking forward to asking questions and learning about fishing the big river.

Also ,It’s a nice change of pace to find a site like this that is’nt filled with bickering or useless info.

Just got my 6’8″ Walleye Tournament series River Pitchin rod yesterday. WHOOOEE! I compared it side by side with my Avid version and it os lighter, faster, and feels even quicker.
I put a light weight Fin Nor 100 Ahablite on it and it is going to be a joy at the end of a long day of pitchin.

Tom , If you like that stick in the livingroom then your gonna love it on the water garunteed ! I put a 6735 President on mine. Nice reel but it has problems with the anti reverse with temps in the 20 – 30 degree range = BUMMER.

Tony, You’ll see the day when you can afford stuff like St.Croix , Loomis rods etc. if you want to go that route. There’s nothing wrong with fishing the GM rods if they do the job for you and your satisfied. The main thing is to be out on the water fishing and learning.

I have a good assortment of these. Worth checking out. I think you get a better quality rod for a lot less money.

Check out the reel seats, just like a Loomis.

I also really like the IM 8 Pro Select Gander rods. I have one in Medium action 7′. To me, it was the best buy in my price range.