St Croix

[Obz]

I have a couple avid spinning rods, a 7mh mojo bass and 7mh LE. I like the avid spinning rods, painted blanks more durable, my friends can beat them up, not worried about it, same with the mojo. The LE is nice, use it for bigger top waters, spinner baits. I'm a sconi guy so I like reppin' st.croix a bit. Probably can get more bang for buck in terms of sensitivity with different brand but probably not the durability or customer service. Plus WISCONSIN! Plus AMERICA! That said. My next rod will probably be nrx/nrx+ 873. Next after that US P5, after that an expride spinning rod. Lol.

[Hulkster]

they have discontinued the entire Avid line though.

what were they thinking?

were sales really that bad????

[QUAKEnSHAKE]

I ordered the 7'10" ML/XF Victory crosshair rod.

[Thunderblack1984]

I think Victory will be replacing Avid. I'm sure it is hard for rod companies to try and accommodate us with all the reel seat, hook keeper, guide, and handle preferences but SC does a good job in my opinion. Not a huge SC buff but going to try a new legend. Looks very nice.

[setsail26]

If St. Croix made the choice for components on the Victory based on preference that would be fine. Unfortunately, they made the choice on price. Has anyone ever seen a custom rod with a split reel seat with EVA in the middle? I have not. I would be willing to bet less than 5% of fishermen have a grip like that as a preference. Same for spinning. A person with normal adult size hands will not find a VSS size 16 comfortable to fish all day. It's just not big enough around. Again, try to find a medium light or heavier custom spinning rod with a VSS 16. Not very many of them. Maybe for kids. Both of these choices are clear cost cutting moves. Cork is expensive. Less cork is less expensive. Also, what's up with the plastic reel seat thread covers on the legend tournament? Would it kill them to spend another buck and cover it with cork instead?

[LowRange]

If St. Croix made the choice for components on the Victory based on preference that would be fine. Unfortunately, they made the choice on price. Has anyone ever seen a custom rod with a split reel seat with EVA in the middle? I have not. I would be willing to bet less than 5% of fishermen have a grip like that as a preference. Same for spinning. A person with normal adult size hands will not find a VSS size 16 comfortable to fish all day. It's just not big enough around. Again, try to find a medium light or heavier custom spinning rod with a VSS 16. Not very many of them. Maybe for kids. Both of these choices are clear cost cutting moves. Cork is expensive. Less cork is less expensive. Also, what's up with the plastic reel seat thread covers on the legend tournament? Would it kill them to spend another buck and cover it with cork instead?

I'll defend St Croix on this one. That split seat needs a tube of... something to go around the rod blank between the split portions of the seat. I have a few rods with this seat and they range from a lazer engraved aluminum tube to a carbon fiber tube. Its pretty common practice for the "exposed blank" portion of lots of rods to be some sort of insert slid over the blank to take up the difference between the OD of the blank and ID of the seat meaning you're not actually touching blank on a lot of rods. Yeah, EVA is a low end choice here but its not out of place for that reel seat nor is St Croix known for knocking it out of the park in detailing and build quality on $500 let alone a $200 rod. At least the lock nut and foregrip cover the threads now. That's an improvement. The rod shows that they trying.

[LowRange]

Nevermind I thought you were talking about the fuji split grip casting seat. I forget eggbeaters exist. A lot of JDM rods have skinny grips though. This is not a jdm rod but it is ultimately preference.

[setsail26]

I was talking about the casting seat with the EVA insert, and also the spinning seat. Maybe it is just me. I was looking at the Victory rods again the other day, and I can't stop thinking that they feel cheap compared with the avid and avid x. Of course they are newer and less expensive. Maybe I expect too much.

[slipperybob]

Wait till you see their higher grade ice rods.

[spookybaits]

St. Croix’s high point was their burgundy Legend Elites.
That’s the best rod they ever made, and some of the best rods made by anyone, ever, imo. Crazy to think that was back in 2005.
Incredible rods, excellent sensitivity, excellent fast actions, strong, impeccable build, Fuji full size titanium guides & sic inserts, and overall just drop dead gorgeous.
I wish I had stocked up on those when I had the chance.

http://www.tackletour.com/reviewstcroixLE.html

[hoohoorjoo]

St. Croix’s high point was their burgundy Legend Elites.
That’s the best rod they ever made, and some of the best rods made by anyone, ever, imo. Crazy to think that was back in 2005.
Incredible rods, excellent sensitivity, excellent fast actions, strong, impeccable build, Fuji full size titanium guides & sic inserts, and overall just drop dead gorgeous.
I wish I had stocked up on those when I had the chance.

http://www.tackletour.com/reviewstcroixLE.html

Agreed! The brown blank model with the marbled metallic brown-painted ECS reel seat and iridescent brown blank also an excellent line, as well. I think that was the next gen after the burgundy blanks.

[dragon1]

St. Croix’s high point was their burgundy Legend Elites.
That’s the best rod they ever made, and some of the best rods made by anyone, ever, imo. Crazy to think that was back in 2005.
Incredible rods, excellent sensitivity, excellent fast actions, strong, impeccable build, Fuji full size titanium guides & sic inserts, and overall just drop dead gorgeous.
I wish I had stocked up on those when I had the chance.

http://www.tackletour.com/reviewstcroixLE.html

Agreed! The brown blank model with the marbled metallic brown-painted ECS reel seat and iridescent brown blank also an excellent line, as well. I think that was the next gen after the burgundy blanks.

Yeppers, my favorite as well...I had the 7'0" med and it was a bit more powerful than a GLoomis MBR 843 IMX, but with impeccable build quality, slightly better sensitivity and excellent performance. Man, I used to slay with that rod and an Antares AR matched to it for light-med plastics/t-tigs and jigs.

[slipperybob]

Looks like the discontinued Avid models has been updated for new 2023