New Legend Tournament

[Thunderblack1984]

This off topic but does anyone know if they are updating the saltwater line up of legend tourney as well? Haven't seen anything mentioned.

[slipperybob]

There's something about the way how St. Croix builds their rods that is distinctive to them. The moment there's a lure on a rod, it's tip heavy so that's moot. Being that, a more tip heavy rod is less affected with a lure on it. In a way, there's benefit to it and also detracts from it. Depending on user preference in short, the LT rods are slightly geared more towards a heavier use with the tip heavy feel workings for it's intended purpose. To me, 3/8th oz. seems to be the target on a Medium power rod in the LT line up. If using 1/4 oz. lures, I would step up to the LE or Legend X in a Medium power rod. Perhaps step down on the Avid/Mojo models.

[LowRange]

I like them. They don't look 100 years old anymore.

[Lightningmusky]

Blanks are a little better and rod color is nice but the fake cork reel seat and no exposed blank is a major miss. I am guessing they did this due to supply issues. It’s a poor design to transmit feel. They took a step forward and a step back on this one. I also heard that the Blanks on some models may be heavier than victory. Hoping that’s not true.

[LowRange]

I never bought into the exposed reel seat thing. Plenty of rods like the old Steez rods or old Destroyers don't have exposed blank seats. Also this fuji split seat needs a tube of something to go in between the seat. I have this seat on two kuying rods and one uses an aluminum tube and the other a carbon tube. It's just a tube of material to take up the ID of the seat and OD of the blank. If you look close most of your rods probably use some tube inserted into the seat that has an ID to match the rod blank OD even on seats with "exposed blank seats"

There is good chance that what you are thinking is the blank on a lot of rods is in fact, some sort of insert . This is what allows one reel reat to be used for rods with blank diameter tuning from ultra skinny F1 to F7 powers on the same seat. One of the dead giveaways is that the finish on the "exposed blank" will not match the blanks finish. Off the top of my head the rods that I have that I suspect this is the case are: zodias gen 1, huyga, orochi xxx, levante, super destroyer, destroyer evo and super trickster. My lews Hank Parker, Veritas 2.0 and fantasista deez definitely do not. Not sure on my gen 1 orochi rods.

Admittedly all these rods with an insert use a carbon tube or at worst a plastic or aluminum tube and not grip material but I don't think thats much of a negative. In my opinion anyways. We're also bolting 5-8 oz of fishing reel to the rod and then palming that anyways so I don't put too much stock in the bottom of the reel seat. I'm more concerned with the balance, sensitivity aesthetics and weight of these rods. I know St Croix gets the taper down right and that's my #1 followed closely by balance and sensitivity then finally aesthetics.

[setsail26]

I have to admit that I don't understand split reel seats at all. They are not lighter, especially as mentioned above when they have an insert. Many people find them less comfortable. I don't think there is a big group that finds them more comfortable. My guess is that their use is all about looks. Maybe I am wrong.

[Phish-Hunter]

There is good chance that what you are thinking is the blank on a lot of rods is in fact, some sort of insert . This is what allows one reel reat to be used for rods with blank diameter tuning from ultra skinny F1 to F7 powers on the same seat. One of the dead giveaways is that the finish on the "exposed blank" will not match the blanks finish. Off the top of my head the rods that I have that I suspect this is the case are: zodias gen 1, huyga, orochi xxx, levante, super destroyer, destroyer evo and super trickster. My lews Hank Parker, Veritas 2.0 and fantasista deez definitely do not. Not sure on my gen 1 orochi rods.

I agree. Many of the top manufacturer's use a completely separate handle, even if it looks like a solid blank. I used to steer away from that build style until I got my first Steez. Once I figured out that's how the steez was made, I realized that most of my other rods were in fact made the same way. I could even imagine there being more vibration picked up if your grip is at the end of the blank opposed to grasping the blank 8-12" from the butt. It seems like the blank extending from tip to but is largely an American build style. There are many exceptions, obviously.
There is not any real performance benefit to an exposed blank reel seat imo. The fact that many Evergreen Kaleido rods (which are arguably the most sensitive bass rods on earth) didn't use a skeletonized seat or even exposed blank seat is proof enough that it doesn't affect performance much, if even at all. I do prefer exposed blank seats stylistically though. A St. Croix rep recently told me that none of their testing indicated any advantage to an exposed blank, so they are going for ergonomics only. I still would have preferred an ECS or they should just start getting the air beam seat. There are a couple moving bait rods that are intriguing, specifically the Chatterbait rod. The rep told me the composite design was totally new tech, and the glass was not just at the tip like a traditional glass/carbon composite. Instead it is laid up throughout the blank. Maybe these rods will perform similarly to the Valkyrie? They look interesting enough to try.

[LowRange]

There is good chance that what you are thinking is the blank on a lot of rods is in fact, some sort of insert . This is what allows one reel reat to be used for rods with blank diameter tuning from ultra skinny F1 to F7 powers on the same seat. One of the dead giveaways is that the finish on the "exposed blank" will not match the blanks finish. Off the top of my head the rods that I have that I suspect this is the case are: zodias gen 1, huyga, orochi xxx, levante, super destroyer, destroyer evo and super trickster. My lews Hank Parker, Veritas 2.0 and fantasista deez definitely do not. Not sure on my gen 1 orochi rods.

I agree. Many of the top manufacturer's use a completely separate handle, even if it looks like a solid blank. I used to steer away from that build style until I got my first Steez. Once I figured out that's how the steez was made, I realized that most of my other rods were in fact made the same way. I could even imagine there being more vibration picked up if your grip is at the end of the blank opposed to grasping the blank 8-12" from the butt. It seems like the blank extending from tip to but is largely an American build style. There are many exceptions, obviously.
There is not any real performance benefit to an exposed blank reel seat imo. The fact that many Evergreen Kaleido rods (which are arguably the most sensitive bass rods on earth) didn't use a skeletonized seat or even exposed blank seat is proof enough that it doesn't affect performance much, if even at all. I do prefer exposed blank seats stylistically though. A St. Croix rep recently told me that none of their testing indicated any advantage to an exposed blank, so they are going for ergonomics only. I still would have preferred an ECS or they should just start getting the air beam seat. There are a couple moving bait rods that are intriguing, specifically the Chatterbait rod. The rep told me the composite design was totally new tech, and the glass was not just at the tip like a traditional glass/carbon composite. Instead it is laid up throughout the blank. Maybe these rods will perform similarly to the Valkyrie? They look interesting enough to try.

I have the MH Valkaryie and am eyeing the chatterbait stick. The MH valk is over loaded imo with a 1/2 oz chatterbait making me wish I has gotten the H valk but it has been a GREAT 3/8 chatter, 3/8-1/2 spinner 1/2-5/8 square bill and lipless stick.


I got a Zillion PE Special I want one of these rods for and am debating on going with tbe 7'10" deep crank stick with an HLC spool and just let it sit most of the year or go with the ripping/chatter stick to supplement the MH Valkaryie with the PE spool or IP68 spool. Can't decide.

[dragon1]

FWIW, that PE Special 6.3 is absolutely killer with braid and chatters.

[LowRange]

FWIW, that PE Special 6.3 is absolutely killer with braid and chatters.

Good to know. How does it handle 3/8 - 7/8 oz cranks? My old Type R Tatula has gotten geary and the Ray's long cast spool in it is not behaving well with flatside cranks so I'm looking for something better. That reel on a M mod fast rod was my 3/8 oz crankbait rig but was always overpowered with bigger square bills and 6+ foot divers. There is a "flip-chat-crank" rod that looks interesting. So does the 7'4" power cranking stick. Does anyone know exactly which rods are glass composite? St Croix is not doing a good job of giving each stick a good run down on what's what and what separates the sticks in the lineup. Even their office videos are garbage.

[dragon1]

It'll handle cranks that size fine, granted at 28 IPTs it's on the faster side of crankbait reels, unless you plan to speed crank a bit. It does have very good power, although not the same as a low gear ratio reel with same size/type main gear.

[BRONZEBACK32]

Might order a LTB Workhorse this week, will be putting a Bantam MGL on it for a all around rod.

[goldrod]

The spinning looks good

Casting one of these years they’ll get it right. Just give me a ecs with a clean locking nut with trimmed threads. Also disappointed they don’t offer the MF in 7 or 73

That’s something that really turned me off. They could have just given an exposed blank in the handle. That material seems to be an afterthought to me
And I personally don’t see how it enhances the experience

[goldrod]

I never bought into the exposed reel seat thing. Plenty of rods like the old Steez rods or old Destroyers don't have exposed blank seats. Also this fuji split seat needs a tube of something to go in between the seat. I have this seat on two kuying rods and one uses an aluminum tube and the other a carbon tube. It's just a tube of material to take up the ID of the seat and OD of the blank. If you look close most of your rods probably use some tube inserted into the seat that has an ID to match the rod blank OD even on seats with "exposed blank seats"

There is good chance that what you are thinking is the blank on a lot of rods is in fact, some sort of insert . This is what allows one reel reat to be used for rods with blank diameter tuning from ultra skinny F1 to F7 powers on the same seat. One of the dead giveaways is that the finish on the "exposed blank" will not match the blanks finish. Off the top of my head the rods that I have that I suspect this is the case are: zodias gen 1, huyga, orochi xxx, levante, super destroyer, destroyer evo and super trickster. My lews Hank Parker, Veritas 2.0 and fantasista deez definitely do not. Not sure on my gen 1 orochi rods.

Admittedly all these rods with an insert use a carbon tube or at worst a plastic or aluminum tube and not grip material but I don't think thats much of a negative. In my opinion anyways. We're also bolting 5-8 oz of fishing reel to the rod and then palming that anyways so I don't put too much stock in the bottom of the reel seat. I'm more concerned with the balance, sensitivity aesthetics and weight of these rods. I know St Croix gets the taper down right and that's my #1 followed closely by balance and sensitivity then finally aesthetics.

I understand your point and agree with you in many ways however
I had to think if St.Croix ever made an unbalanced rod that I’ve used and
I can’t say that I have had that experience.

[sbd3]

I knew it was a long shot but I was hoping these would be styled after the legends and offered with full cork and foregrip. It’ll be a sad day if, or more likely when, they update the elite and x series to what’s for some more aesthetically pleasing but for someone who chokes up when jigging/worming the horribly dysfunctional style of minimal locking nuts and no foregrip.