DaveT63

I prefer between 6'10" and 7'2". Most of my rods are 7', and I do a lot of bank fishing. As stated before, rods are getting longer, but I'm not necessarily a fan. I had a St Croix 7'2" MHM crankbait rod that I LOVED. I broke it last year, and sent it in to St Croix under their warranty program. Because they had changed their model lineup, they replaced it with a 7'8" MHM. I haven't really gotten used to it, and ended up buying a 6'10" Elite Tech Smallmouth MHM to use instead.

I have the JDM version Scorpion 71 on order. Based on the 50 sized reels I have, it should be great for finesse.

For the most part I agree with all the above comments. HOWEVER, I would also add that reel size matters as well as the line. I use Sunline Super Natural 12lb mono on my 2500 size Stradics and very seldom ever have a problem. Other lines I have used have been a real headache at 12lb, but the Sunline works well FOR ME. YMMV. Dave

Anyone use the Elite Tech Smallmouth 6'10" MHMF rod as a crankbait rod? If so, what are your thoughts on it? When I broke my St Croix 7'2" MHM crankbait rod last year, they replaced it with a 7'8" model, which is longer than I prefer. I can get one of these for a good price. Thanks, Dave

The JDM Scorpion 71 won't be available until sometime in May, but there are a couple places that have the Curado 71 now. I know there is usually a small difference between the US and the JDM models, but is it enough of a difference to justify waiting for the Scorpion? Thanks, Dave

I ended up getting a really good deal on a used Winch, so went with that. Thanks for the input everyone!

Like DVT said, with that Legend Elite rod, you won't lose any sensitivity vs. a 1-pc rod. I have a 2-pc Legend Elite that is just as sensitive to me as my 1-pc Legend Elite. Sounds like you are getting a fantastic setup with lots of fun fishing in your future. Enjoy!!

Well, I haven't really mastered any baitcast reel yet. But I've gotten to the point where the backlash frequency is at least tolerable to me with most of my reels. But with the Curado I, for some reason, I'm having issues. I have two Curado Es, a Chronarch E, and a Scorpion 1001XT. I fish all of them with only one brake set and rarely backlash. But I am constantly bouncing between one and two brakes and adjusting the wheel on the side on the I. Maybe I just need to stick with one internal brake setting and make adjustments with the external adjustment. But I've only fished it about 3 times so far this year, so more time on the water will definitely help.

I have a Curado 201I and a new Scorpion 1001XT. I LOVE the Scorpion. I haven't gotten the Curado I dialed in yet and still get more backlashes than any other reel I have. I can see another Scorpion in my future before I see another Curado I. But as someone else said, that's just my personal opinion.

Looking for a new cranking reel in the 5.x:1 ratio area. Mostly what I see are the Revo Gen 3 Winch and the Lews BB1L. Any thoughts on one over the other? Any other suggestions? Thanks, Dave

Go to that auction site and buy Gammy or Owner in bulk. You can often find packs of 25-28 hooks for considerably cheaper than retail.

Thanks for all the replies! The wife bought me a Bluetooth speaker to use on my boat. I don't mind music, but wouldn't turn it up loud enough to be distracting, I don't think. Guess I will just have to give it a try and see.

How many of you play music while out fishing, and how many think it will have a negative impact on fish? Thanks, Dave

I will be in the Frederick area for the Thanksgiving weekend. Are the smallies biting up toward Harpers Ferry? And if so, what are they hitting? Thanks, Dave

I understand St Croix is in the process of upgrading their Elite line. They usually place remaining stock on sale in their bargain room for 30-50% when they do that. If you are a bit patient, you should be able to get an Elite model for the price of an LTB, and that is much more comparable to the GLX line.

Welcome to the forum, and back to fishing! The Avids are great rods and in my opinion, well worth the money. But right now, it you go to the Bargain Room on the St Croix web site, they have their whole line of Rage rods on sale for $89 with free shipping and a free hat and sticker. You could buy a different rod for a number of different techniques their without breaking the bank if you are a bang for the buck guy. I haven't seen anyone mention them yet, but the Pflueger reels, especially the President spinning reel, get a lot of love on here for the money spent on them.

Are they redesigning the Elites again? They just had a clearance sale on them about two years ago. I picked up 2 of them for about $125 each. Gotta keep my eye open!

Somebody wrote that the IMX is more comparable to the St Croix Legend Elite line. I disagree. I have an IMX, a GLX, an LTB, and an Elite. I would rate the LTB and IMX close. But the Elite and the St Croix Xtremes are much more comparable to the GLX than the IMX. But to the op's question, I don't consider the IMX to be $100 better than the Acid.

I've got a MBR842C GLX that I love to use. When I first got it, I used is for soft plastics like senkos and craws. But I've gravitated lately toward the St Croix MXF and MHXF for those applications. I have considered going back to it for the senkos and craws and getting rid of the MXF and MHXF rods, because the 842 is too nice of a rod NOT to fish. But I thought I would ask if anyone uses this rod for other things or has other ideas for it first. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks, Dave

Good point on the warranty, I forgot about that. The Rage rods also have a different handle. Still a great deal.

You don't mention your budget, but the St Croix Avid UL comes in lengths from 4'6" up to 7'. I've had the 5', 6', and the 7'. I found the 5' to be too short for me, and the 7' was a bit too whippy for my likes, but the 6' hit the sweet spot perfectly. YMMV. I've hauled in a number of 5+ lb bass with it, and would recommend it to anyone.

St Croix now has what looks like their whole inventory of Rage series rods in their Bargain Room for $99. It's built on the same blank as the Avid line, just built in Mexico. That is a great deal for that rod, and for $200, you can get two different rods.

I was just coming here to post the same thing. Sounds like a great deal.

I love the RI Beaver. I have yet to catch a fish on the Pot Boss, D Bomb, or the Structure Bug.

For the money, I would recommend a custom build on a St Croix Legend Xtreme blank.