St. Croix Victory vs. Avid Opinions

I was looking at picking up either the 7′ Medium Light Avid rod or the 7’3″ Med Light X-fast Victory and was wondering if anyone had reviews on the Victory rods? The rod will be used primarily for fishing jigs in the 1/16th- 3/16th ounce range. If you have any experience with either rod, feel free to comment, thank you!

Didn’t like the feel on any of my avids. Not to say they aren’t a good rod just didn’t feel good for me, had the m and mls. The latest is a TFO to replace the 610 rage and disappointing as well.

Good luck w your purchase hope it works out. Sucks to get rods that don’t pan out

Agreed. I hate buying rods that feel like turds. I had an old brown Legend Elite in 7′ ML, but i sold it many moons ago and have been kicking myself since. I tried the 6’9″ legned extreme, and liked that, but it just wasn’t the 7′ ML that I used to love. I was hoping maybe the Avid was similar in action, and then I noticed the Victory lineup at Scheels and wanted to know how they fished.

Victory is Head and shoulders above the Avid

Are you taking Avid OR Avid Walleye? I spoke with St. Croix the other day for a long time. Avid Walleye is a 2022 upgrade of Avid (& AvidX).

I had not bought a rod in maybe 15 years. I bought a AvidX 70MLXF last year and was very happy. This spring I wanted to get another one in 70MXF but of course they discontinued it. Victory is newer tech in materials and building process than Avid/AvidX. So I bought 3 Victory this winter. VTS73MXF/VTS710MLXF/VTC71MHF. Then in the spring they came out with the Avid Walleye.

So this what I know:

Victory is an upgrade from Avid.
Avid Walleye is an upgrade from Victory.
AND to throw a wrench in your soup – Legend Tournament Walleye is an upgrade from Avid Walleye in blank material.

Look at/compare the product info: IPC – ART – FRS – TET. All made in Park Falls. Eyecon made in Mexico.

I also have an old Avid 70MLXF. I think the Avid Walleye ASWS73MLXF would be what you’re looking for.

So with that said I plan on getting a Legend Tournament Walleye – LTW73MXF. This is coming from a guy with 13 G.Loomis and 8 St. Croixs already. To many rods you say???? I have a good woman that fishes and a brother that spends most of his money on doctors and medication. And I am lucky enough to be able to afford it. My buddy asked how I can afford it. I asked him how much a year he spend on cigarettes and in the bar???

Upgrade is a fairly subjective term, newer might be a better way to describe rod models. New blanks may be light but if it comes with stiffness it won’t have the qualities I’m looking for. To each their own!

Hodag Hunter,
I understand the problem with too many rods. I have gone from Loomis to St. Croix, back to Loomis, then St. Croix again. My wife thinks I’m nuts.

I feel that Loomis is superior to St Croix to be honest. I have a few of each. I bought a Victory in the 7’3 MLXF and it is a nice rod for sure but I still prefer my Loomis

Thanks for the feedback John! I have a 6’8″ NRX that i use often, but i feel it’s almost too stiff to throw smaller jigs, ergo, i was looking to see how the Victory was, as a cheaper rod that would still offer decent performance.

I have 2 7ft glx and 1 7’6 light glx and love them, but at $400 a piece retail I better love them. You will be happy with the Victory series though.

My buddy asked how I can afford it. I asked him how much a year he spend on cigarettes and in the bar???
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Have used that line several times myself. Always leaves the person asking the question speechless.

I wish they still made the avid x. To me they were way better than the avids.

I would personally go with the 7’3” mlxf victory. They feel much better to me than the avids.

They really need a 6’10” mlxf in the legend tourney series. They are the best rods for the money that st croix makes, just missing that one length and action.

Deuces wrote:

Upgrade is a fairly subjective term, newer might be a better way to describe rod models. New blanks may be light but if it comes with stiffness it won’t have the qualities I’m looking for. To each their own!

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I agree on this, that avid I got off you I do not use. I gave it to my kid, wasn’t my favorite rod to grab. It was actually about number 12 in line. I’ll fish my sixgill Lykan series 100 percent of the time before I grab any st croix. And I won’t ever buy another avid. I did like my avidx but there’s way better rods on the market

And the new LT’s that are built similar to the Victory rods, worth looking into but they are an extra Ben.

Those Avid Walleye are quite the eye catcher for sure – literally my eyes.

St Croix website suggests Avid Walleye uses same blank material as Victory, SC III+. Are these basically the same rod?

Sylvanboat wrote:

St Croix website suggests Avid Walleye uses same blank material as Victory, SC III+. Are these basically the same rod?

Same blanks. Different components.