Capt.Bob

Thanks for that bit of info on the Avid line of fly rods flyfisher,,,,,I was not aware that was a characteristic with all wts. in the Avid line. But the slow action was what I liked about the rod for bluegill and small trout in slower water (the small rivers I fish for trout are not very fast water). I was looking at adding a 10 wt. and the price of the Avid was appealing for the 10 wt. I would use this for heavy cover top water bass and weeds to shallow open water for pike. Now that I have this tiny bit of information I will stick with the Legend rod's as I definitely like the faster action's for the heavier line and bigger wind sensitive fly's that are hard to cast with any distance in the wind. I want to be able to stay out about 40 feet or so from the weed line, and make cast 10 or so feet back into the salad for large mouth, and the older I get the more work that becomes!!! Thanks Fly!!! Those would be my top choices, I have never used the Rio, but have used the Scientific angler for some time, it don't get no better if you use their top of the line (no pun intended LINE, the Rio is well known for it's quality also

I think the one rod idea will bite you! You need two rods one for each species. I use a 7 wt. for bass and Browns , rainbow and Steelhead, and I consider that light at times. It is great for Smallies and open water fishing, but when throwing weedless poppers, frogs, and my favorite "MICE" in the pads and weeds, I find the 8 wt. would have been better suited for this. I have caught some very nice fish with the fly rod,,,,,,,but have lost the biggest bass in cover and I think it was from too light a leader, but also not being able to keep the fish coming to me and allowing it to get to deep in the vegetation. I could have used a little more rod to get them out, and the 8wt line would help casting some of these not so wind friendly poppers and mice. Then when fishing for small trout and big bluegills it seems it is over bearing and the 4wt is my preferred rod. If going for brookies and small trout in stocked streams where most adults are non existent,,,,,,(like around here) the 7 wt was no fun and why I bought the 4wt. It is kinda like the difference between you using the Ultra-ligh on your trip or if you would have used your 6'6" or 7' MH,,,,,,same goes for bass fishing, if you tried your Utra-light on your next bass trip and fishing weedless rigs in the pads and weeds. But the big difference with a fly rod is your line wt and rod wt are what cast your fly's. Big poppers frogs mice and even streemer's are hard to cast on calm days with a light rod and line, even on a 5wt, let alone in the wind. As others have said,,,,,"don't invest in cheap line" it is to casting, like buying a $20.00 reel and trying to throw with your Lew's TP or Shimano Core,,,,, good line is not an option on a fly rod "ESPECIALLY A NOVICE" nothing is worse than the frustration trying to cast fly's with the wrong equipment. Light lines and tippets on to heavy a rod for me,,,,results in snapping them off at the knot, and heavy line and tippet on a light rod ends up in a disaster trying to make any cast over a few feet. The line and rod as others have said is where to put your money, I have a St. Croix Avid in 4wt that is great, I spent the big buck's on my 7wt. Legend Ultra, and although I am happy with it, I think the Avid would have worked just as good???? I am not familiar with the Imperial but would have to think from St. Croix you will get your money's worth,,,,,"I ALLWAY'S HAVE"!! I spent big money right off the bat for a 7wt for smallies and rainbows and it worked great. The smallies were on Lake Erie and I had open water to contend with and the Rainbows were in a fairly open stream. For bigger bass and Steelhead I was a little light. I have to much invested in the Legend Ultra 7wt and don't use it enough to justify switching now. But if I were to buy a rod today for bass and larger trout, to use in all situations, I would go with an 8 wt. for the smaller fish like brook trout and small streams that get annual stockings with very few adult trout, I love my 4wt. With all this being said, I am only an occasional fly fisherman that has been doing it for 30 some years, so I am sure there others with more experience than me on these boards!! But this has been my experience using these types of rods for all species.

My new rod of choice this year is my 2012 St. Croix Extreme, 7'2" MHM, this is turning out to be a very sweet and versatile rod, 1/2 oz and 3/4 traps it's excellent. The Avid MM R W mentioned works good if your in fairly clean water, but a little light for 3/4 traps.

All reel's are spooled with Suffix, and then mono or fluoro leaders are tied direct with an improved Blood knot in different weight's depending on species and technique. braid: Suffix 832 fluoro: Seaguar AbrazX Mono: Trilene Big game

Part of fishing, same every year. Just gotta address it, I usually go to a crawler on a carolina rigg and slooooowwww iittt dooowwwwnnn,,,,,,,, I can't make any more cast between cleeaning the stuff off but it gives me more time between cleaning it,,,,,,, it will be all gone soon ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,we hope!

I would hold off with the rumor of the new Ci4 floating around and see what it offers and at what price point, or as always when the new reel does come out, the old stock will be easy to obtain at a vary substantial discount, always seem to be the case. But I can assure anyone that wants a Ci4 or currently has one, you will have access to parts for some time well past 3 or 4 years without worry. I have had customers who needed parts for the original aero Stradic this year, the first model, and they cent them to me because Shimano told them they no longer are able to supply parts for them. We in the reel servicing industry have other access to factory parts and a reel as popular as the Ci4 will be no different. The factory usually keeps so many parts in inventory for so long then they sell the entire stock for the particular discontinued reel to a parts distributor, these parts are available at about the same price as they were from Shimano. I am sure there are going to be parts available for these reels for some time to come, so don't let that bother your decision. My only hesitation would be if I was going to want the upgraded reel in a few months, or a chance at the current reel at a substantial discount then!

I have all my rods custom balanced where I want them. I would not pay to have a rod built and balanced if it was not the way I wanted it. This is where I have all my rods balanced and built, almost 1" forward of the line guide, same on spinning gear, and where every customer I have had rods built for in my shop decide to have theirs built at. The rod in the picture is slightly tip high where I am balancing it but the wind is bobbing it up and down as I am trying to take the picture with my camera in my other hand. When balanced dead center of the reel seat, this the way they feel in the wind and why I like that couple grams of tip weight, as most choose when they try it. I like them balance at or slightly in front of the line guide, where I paid to have this rod balanced at when I had the custom handle built. This gives about 3 to 4 grams, or just under 1tenth of an oz. tip weight at very tip when balanced at the center of the reel itself. This feels natural when palming a baitcaster or splitting the handle with two fingers on each side of a spinning reel and gives me better feel and control. When I setup or have a rod built, my rodsmith has the reel I want on that rod so it is exactly the way I want it, or my customer's. I have had more customers that have came back and had other rods built and balanced the same way than I have had build just one and done, and never had one ask to change from that setup after fishing it they love it. Even my rods I buy factory, if not balanced this way, I pay the $7.00 dollars to have them balanced internally. If I had any rod that balanced on my finger in the middle of the reel seat with no reel on it, I would put it back on the shelf, as I would have to either put heavier guides on it or cut off part of the handle to get the balance I want. Probably why they make many different rods, we all can have it our way, and why I love St. Croix so much, no one builds them lighter!!! I have had my 1000 fj on my 6'3 MXF and my 3000 FJ, it is to but heavy with the 3000, but the 6'6" MF is to tip heavy with the 1000FJ, the great thing is on my Elites or even my Avids, for $7.00 I can have the lighter Ci4 ,,,,,, (when the new one comes out with the modern technology) perfectly balanced to my rod where I want them!!!! So regardless which reel you choose balancing them at a cost of $7.00 and never seeing it, isn't a huge problem, but it would be hard to pack the new technology in the older Ci4, I think everyone that loves their FJ should buy a Ci4, that way they can appreciate just how smooth the FJ is all over again!!

Every rod I own would be so out of balance with a lighter reel, by the time you balance them that would be a wash,,,,, anytime your outfit is balanced it will be much easier on your wrist, at 6' I could see the saving's over 6'3" the math don't work.

I have 4 FJ's one of each 1000, 2500, 3000, 4000, never paid more than $135.00 for any of them and most $125.00, but if they were $175.00 I would pay it over a Ci4, why pay more for old technology??? The FJ is smoother and has more power under a load.

I usually use 6'8" to 7'6" in the boat, when wading and shore fishing 6' to 6'6" are most used rods, Iike to accuracy and control of the shorter rods around obstacles. For jigs I like a MHF action most time's from shore and wading, in the boat for light finesse jigs in deep open water MXF, heavier jig's in rough water MHF or MHXF. They all get used!

I would go with the Premier, and remember with St. Croix you get what you pay for!!! I learned that 20 years ago,,,,with that in mind once you try a Premier just try and imagine what the Legend Tourny is like, but believe me you can't even imagine what the Legend Elite or Extreme is like,,,,,Simply Amazing!!!! The Premier is a very addictive rod and unbeatable at that price range!!

x2 it will reel smoother longer!!

It does get even better, but you should never fill a spool so full the line rubs on anything but the level wind guide or the rod guides!! good luck with a great reel!!

I agree both rods have triggers, but there is a big difference in actions. The list's above are both the same and not showing the crankbait rods available in the Premier line. The crankbait rod's in the Premier line from St. Croix rods can be found here,,,,,, http://www.basspro.com/St-Croix-Premier-Series-Crankbait-Rods/product/74391/ I would not choose the 6'10' 6'10 Heavy Moderate Fast "HMF" action for crank's, I want a true Moderate action, the reason being they have a more forgiving action to keep pressure on the treble's but still give without being so stiff they rip marginally hooked up fish loose. The list of premier crank'n rods is a good one.

Like 00 said, if it works for you so be it, but fluoro is not for walk the dog action, I know some say they can but they defiantly are working harder and would have a better side slide with it braid or mono. I use big game for all open top water work, poppers minnow baits and spooks cause there on open water, frogs and soft plastics in weeds and slop I use braid, I still am not confident that fish don't react to the appearance of the line, and in weeds and slop I think it is concealed and unoticed. This is definitely a prime example of confidence in my setup,,,,,,,or lack of. Everything I own is spooled with braid, and all use leaders from 4' to 12' depending on what and where I am using it, except when I am fishing in slop and weeds, then a lot of the time I tie right to braid.

35 years ago I saw what damage WD40 can do, my customer was not very happy at the time, a mistake that came out of my pocket, I mention these things so those who don't have to get it right, or make their living servicing reels, don't make that mistake, the hundreds of people I rely on for my income depend on me using the proper parts tool's lubes and solvents. So a professional tech in the industry, I try to steer new folk's at the task in a safe trouble free manner, so they don't make those mistakes, and pay for them themselves. But I agree 100% you are entitled to your own opinion, and can continue to service your reels anyway you like, but I have never herd of any professional tech using WD40, maybe they just haven't found it's marvelous qualities yet??? my mistake,,,,TIGHT LINES!!

In my first post after noticing no mention of it, if you read them you will see I made that statement 1hour and 15 minuets into this thread, I did fail to mention why!,,, it only uses 3 bearings, bushings, and a spool and will never be cast with the settings most make to watch it uselessly go around,,,,, no gears, level wind, knobs, etc etc etc, you get the picture,,,,, why so much is missed and hard to follow comments get made, is most only read the last few post when commenting,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

No one was commenting on you Hootie, or are you spin testing empty spools and afraid a slower spinning one rite out of the box is an indication of good or bad????? But hey pal I don't want to hurt your feelings either. Now back to the OP's, concerns, or ,,,,,, oh thats right,,,,,after doing that spin test in the shop he wasn't questioning the Chronarch,,,,,,,,,,I keep forgetting??????????

I couldn't agree more! I think after trying a fresh spool he will not only be happy, but will display to others how keeping an open mind pays off.

There are many other solvents made for that job that are much better than WD40!! the best advice for all on any forum is as stated, WD40 has no place in reel maintenance. Especially with new users, it's always best to use the proper solvents and lubes, and guide them in the right direction from the start, it is also why commercial techs DON'T USE IT! I will stick to my original post,,,,,WD40 HAS NO PLACE IN REEL MAINTENANCE!! There are far better solvents for the job, if that is what you are using it for.

The only difference in parts are that the quality changes from brand to brand, and tolerances. Some models will have different parts, and design.

Sorry, your right it's probably a bad one,,,,,,,,my mistake

I would buy the Avid from St. Croix, for a one rod setup, 7' MF, if you fish it in a lot of heavy cover,,,MHF, if you want to spend less, get the Premier!!!! I assure you that you will be pleasantly satisfied with either!! Those would be my only choices in that price range, if I wanted to be sure I was going to be happy with my decision!! No need to thank me, just enjoy it!

sounds like someone is a bit THIN SKINNED!!!! Get over it, I wont say stupid, but most of us that service reels as a business, knows how useless spinning an empty spool is to determine what reels are best!!!!

BEEN THERE DONE THAT!!! I agree with others, I think you got a bad spool that has been on the rack or in a warehouse to long. I am sure if your knot tying and equipment are good to go, and your not happier with Trilene than Stren, you definitely got a bad spool! Try it again but get it from a source you know has good turnover and can be sure it is fresh, that aint wall mart!! I am sure you will be happy!