idiot1

Well that's strange...I can't edit my post. Anyway...as for Carrot or Avid, I've never fished a Carrot, but I love my Avid. I love it so much I may be getting another one soon. ;D

All of the properties are not the same no matter what the rod spec decal states. E21 rods do not use IPC or ART technology so the blank backbones and tip actions are not the same, and St.Croix doesn't use nano bio-fibers so they will not have the exact same backbones and tip actions. Even in the same rod brands no 2 rods are identical. But you are assuming all of the properties of the rod are the same (length, action, power...in your first statement....You asked and I replied. You know what they say about assumption, take a deep breath... I think its pretty clear that two rods, especially from two different manufacturers, won't be the same. I think what he's getting at is if two rods that have the "same" length, power and action, which one would suit his needs better? We all know that they'll be different...If they were the exact same, buy the one with the cheaper price, simple as that. If we go by your reasoning, we should not compare any rods as they're all different and will not yield the same results. Of course, the different results are the reason to compare the rods to each other. If we do not compare rods to each other, how do we know which one we prefer?

Shimano makes great rods for the price. They have, arguably, a better warranty than G. Loomis does, since you can exchange it right at the store and you're back fishing in a matter of minutes or hours, rather than days. On a bit of a side note, I wonder lately how much technology Shimano and G. Loomis swap with each other, since both make such nice rods lately. ;D

Well its good to hear that the 6'6 Avid MF should serve me well, because I pretty much fell in love with it as soon as I put it in my hands. ;D On a side note, I'm kinda disappointed with the fishing section at my closest Dick's. I usually don't shop there, but coupon + no job + need stuff = I'll take a ride over there. I've seen better Rapala selections and more high end rods at tiny, local shops. I saw one, maybe two Loomises, and probably only 10 St. Croixs besides the Triumphs. I didn't see a single Shimano rod either, which kind of bummed me out, since I really wanted to look at a few. :-/

So I was at Dick's today picking up a few X-Raps, some line, and a few Storm Wildeyes (I can't complain...they're cheap and work great for me!) when I realized that I still need to pick out a casting rod for myself. I took a look at a few rods, and I must say that while I had my doubts about the St. Croix Avids and the "new" gloss coat (I've always been a big fan of the matte finish on my other Avid and IMX), I really, really like how they look and of course they felt great. I was looking at a 6'6 Medium Fast if I'm not mistaken, and I'm wondering if this would make for a good baitcaster rod? I'll probably be throwing a little bit of everything, but mainly some X-raps, a few cranks, and maybe a little of my heavier topwater lures. I was really close to taking one home with me, but I figured that because my birthday is coming up and since an Avid would fit perfectly into the price range, I should wait a few weeks. I also figure that something like this I'll get at my local shop since the price is the same and if a certain guy I know is there that day, I might be able to cut a little deal. I don't have to worry about a reel, as I've got an oldish Shimano that should tide me over until I've got some more cash saved up for something nice and new. So...I'm going to say that my price range is about $160ish or so. Does anyone have any recommendations for other rods in that price range that I might be interested in? I would love to get a Loomis, but I've never been impressed with the GL2 or 3 before. Thanks all!

Nice. I've only gone through the ice once. I didn't do so hot jigging, but we caught a few on tipups. I'll try it again, if it gets cold again over here. Of course, I'm not exactly hoping for that, though. I much prefer the warm weather as opposed to the cold.

Take this as you will, but what does post count have to do with whether someone is knowledgeable in an area or not? Edit: I might be reading this wrong. If you mean people who come here who obviously don't know their you know what from a hole in the wall and becoming a self proclaimed "expert" within a few months, I'll give you that much. If you're implying that post count means something besides they post a lot, you're sadly mistaken.

I kinda don't understand this post. Was there something I said that made you think there was a hassle? And why would a $50.00 cost for the Loomis expeditor program be better than the $20.00 replacement from St. Croix? Those of you who know me on the boards, know that I love my Loomis rods, but they all also know that I broke a reel seat on a St. Croix, by overtightening it with a pair of pliers. (yes, I really did this) :-[ . I told them the truth and they still replaced it for the $20.00 bench fee. I hear that St. Croix is going to the expeditor type policy of Loomis. If so, this means I will pay $30.00 more to get the same service I have been getting for $20.00 St. Croix service is good. I've had a rod replaced through them before and I was happy with the service I received. I was just commenting that I like the Loomis Xpeditor and that it is truly hassle free. IE, no trips to FedEx or UPS, etc. It also seems like a better deal than the Gold Star program. $50 is a better deal than $70. Loomis also has the $20 normal warranty too (remember, $20 each way), but IMO, the extra $10 might be worth it so you can get back to fishing quicker.

I wouldn't call myself a picky eater at all, but I'm not sure how anyone can enjoy blue cheese. I've had it once, and that was enough for me. To me, its like trying to eat a sweaty gym sock. I just can't get past the smell. The taste isn't my favorite either. :-X My opinion is that anyone who wants to can eat as much blue cheese as they want, just not around me.

...$70. Considering that the Loomis Xpeditor program costs $50 and includes shipping each way with no questions asked, the Gold Star program doesn't look that good to me. The Gold Star program still costs another $20 or so on top of the $50 to ship your old rod out to them. Not to mention that you'll get your rod quite a bit faster from the Loomis Xpeditor program. $50 (or $65 with second day air) and quicker turnaround vs $70 and slower? Not a hard choice IMO as to which one is better. Of course, the Shimano warranty is even nicer, but that's another story.

As a rod builder who works with St.Croix's blank warranties a lot, IMPO you couldn't be more wrong. Don't think that after 60+ years of building quality rods, and working their warranties that they don't have a good idea of what happens on a blank failure, no matter what the angler said. They DO X ray all returned blanks/rods, and, then give their opinion on whether or not it will be replaced via warranty or retail purchase. Tight Lines!!! I'm just saying that the only thing they can do is see where and how the rod failed. Knowing that gives them a few likely possibilities of what caused the failure. Unless the end user tells them the truth, they cannot possibly know with 100% certainty what caused it to break. One type of break can be have a few possible causes, which could range from abuse to flawed materials. They can analyze it as much as they want, but the results of the tests only give them possibilities of what caused it to break. Different types of failures will look different, so if the damage does not match your story, you're out of luck (torsional failure looks different than shear which looks different than bending, etc). Once they're done looking at it, they must ultimately rely on the end user for information on how it broke. On that note, I have seen countless St. Croix and G. Loomis rods sent out for warranty work from working for a St. Croix and Loomis dealer for a few years, and every rod was replaced free of cost, minus shipping. They never once did not replace a rod. There were more than a few that I knew with around 95% certainty were abused or accidentally damaged, but St. Croix replaced anyway. They certainly were very generous in many of the cases that I've seen.

http://www.stcroixrods.com/content.asp?id=14&section=about St. Croix now has two different warranty programs. I still like the Loomis Xpeditor program best, though. No hassle whatsoever. The "Gold Star" program is kind of funny. If you have broken a rod that is no longer under warranty, it is probably a Triumph or Premier. $50 + shipping to St. Croix isn't worth it at all, especially if it is a Triumph. You're better off buying a new rod from the store instead of sending it to them and using that program. Also, doesn't St. Croix know that 99.9% of all people who send their rods in for replacement say that they "broke it reeling in a monster fish" or something like that? Unless there's a boot mark on it, or the guy shatters it in multiple places (running it over with a truck like some guides do to get new rods each year), I doubt they have any way to know exactly how the rod broke. :

I'd like to see that too. They list prices on their website, but they even have an explanation of why you CANNOT order fully finished rods directly from them. : I also have been on their site numerous times, and I have never found a link to buy their rods directly from them. http://www.stcroixrods.com/content.asp?id=10&section=about

Well, you just confirmed what I had thought when I looked at the new rods in the '08 catalog. I quite like the matte carbon finish. It goes well with my older Premier, other Avid, and my IMX. I'm not too big a fan of the pearl gloss finishing. :-/ The only fully finished rods you should be able to order directly from St. Croix are their ice rods. All other rods should not be available from their online store, and can be purchased from a St. Croix retailer.

This makes ordering that Energy PT I want even easier! ;D I do hate rebates, but since I've been planning on getting one anyway...

DanekM, I'd be using mono or maybe flouro, and I did mention in later posts that I'd be using the rod for crankbaits, spinnerbaits, and lures similar to those.

Thanks for the help. The first rod I was consdering was the St. Croix and not the Loomis. It looks like I'll be ordering an AVC66MF sometime in the next few weeks. ;D

Well, the Loomis is out then. I was only considering it because I may be able to get an absolutely killer deal on it. On that note, would the St. Croix AVC66MF be a better choice?

Wow, I'm tired tonight. What I meant to say was crankbaits and spinnerbaits. I'd be keeping my jigs (Cabin Creeks, etc) on one of my spinning setups.

Sorry for not mentioning what I'll be using with it. I was trying to post this and get out of work at the same time and forgot about that. For the most part, I'll be using crankbaits and jigs.

I'm looking at baitcasting setups, and I've got a question here. Is a rod that's rated from 12-20 pound normal or too heavy for bass? I'm coming from using pretty much just spinning gear for many years, and that just sounds heavy to me. I was originally thinking about getting a St. Croix AVC66MF, which is 10-17, but the 12-20 pound rod is a CR724 IMX that I could potentially get a killer deal on. So what's everyone's take on this?

I used to use nothing but Sensation until last year, where we got nothing but bad spool after bad spool. Last year really soured me on Berkley line, so this year I tried InvisX and Original Stren. I've gotta say that for a cheap line, Stren is pretty good. By the way, they're probably selling that line ultra cheap because they don't want it sitting around all winter long, or its old as dirt.

Really heavy? I didn't think so when I felt it, but I haven't held any side by side yet. Basspro claims that the Energy PT weighs 9.5 oz, whereas a similar Curado D weighs 9.8 oz. Also, the guy I work with who has two, fishes them pretty hard, and they still look great after a year. All but two out of 35 Energy PT reviews on Basspro are good.

Does anyone know of any advantage to using a right hand retrieve baitcaster, or is it completely personal preference? Also, what's everyone's opinion on the Quantum Energy PT? A few guys I work with absolutely love them, and they're one of the ones I'm considering. I'm looking to stay in that price range.

Although I won't be buying until next spring, I'm starting to look at some baitcasters (first one). With all of my spinning reels, I have them set up for left hand retrieve. I'm just wondering why left handed retrieve isn't very popular for baitcasting? Each time that I've fished my friend's baitcasting setup, I've always casted with the rod in my right hand, then had to switch it to my left hand in order to reel in. Wouldn't I just be better off with a left handed reel so I could cast with my right and reel with my left?