Capt.Bob

Surely someone can save me here and steer me in the right direction, there must be at least one company that could 1) take better care of me,as a owner 2) have a better assortment for all to choose from, 3) make a rod better than the Legend E's,,,,,,,,, I have been wasting far to much money on these second rate rods, I just need a little help choosing a better rod supplier......... Someone?????? I don't know,,,,, maybe they are that good???? As far as LMG goes the man had a point,,,,,,,,,,,,till Lew's was reintroduced!! As far as 100% made in America call a couple components what you will, and don't forget they have imported several lines of rods to compete with the lower end stuff from others, they do try to please everyone!!,,,,,,,and to make sound even worse,,,,,,,,,they probably get the cork from Portugal?????There has to be someone out there doing a better job of taking care of all fisherman,,,,,,,,,,,,,anyone????

Sorry if you took me wrong, I started this thread stating their is no better CS than St. Croix!! I believe that and like I said the Rainshadow is a good buy and a good rod, There is only a fool who would tell someone if they asked if it is as good as a St. Croix SCV that would tell them yes!! Sorry it is a fact. It is not the same quality, hell they make a Triumph too, I assure you it aint in the same league with the Legends,,,,,,any of them!! I would be a total fool to suggest it was, or worse yet a liar! That said I stated it is a good rod and better than its price reflects, that is the truth, and not a bloated exaggeration!! Pick and cut out what you want, it is very obvious you are worried more about lying and twisting facts than pointing out the truth, sorry if I hurt his feelings and sorry if you don't like it but I wont feed someone a line of bull to build their ego!! The facts are it may may even be in the same leage as an Avid or IMX but it dang sure aint the quality of the Legend Elite or Extreme, sorry if the facts aren't what you want to hear, and anybody know I would be a fool to think they are the same quality!!! LIVE WITH IT!!! I will take a chance here and let you tell me what rod Manufacturer is better, more diverse, and makes more ways to take care of their customers with a larger offering covering more choices than St Croix,,,,,,,anywhere in the world!! mind you since you like calling names it would be childish to say better just name one that meets all these criteria!! Like I said some threads back, if any one ever asked me what rod they should be looking for if they wanted the best possible spinning or casting rod available, and as I said they did not care what it cost, but didn't want anything but the very highest quality, I would be a fool to offer any advice other than St. Croix Legend Elite or Extreme and if they prefer Loomis NRX or GLX, those would be what most agree are the very best factory rods available. Now if they were looking to build a rod I would have to recamend a St. Croix SCV, since Loomis no longer offers rod blanks for custom builders, and sir I would feel ignorant if I offered any other advice!! I am not going to suggest anything less to keep from hurting someones feelings, But as I said I am open to any possible suggestion of a Company that offers more models at a wider price range from factory built to bare blanks, with as many options to cover current and future owners of their products, please correct me!!! Hell I may have been depriving myself all these years???????? and don't sugar coat it to keep from hurting my feelings!!! Please educate this ignorant old man!

prefer the MHM for that, I have tried MHF and had good days and had days I pull my hair out, and can';t even get hooked up let alone keep em on. But everyone is a little different, maybe you could have better luck than me. I have a habit of using a fast handle turn and hard yank at the same time, a hard habit to break when you are use to fishing very long and deep with single hook finesse setups, not always beneficial especially for fast moving treble work.

Yes they are and as I said a very good blank for the money, somehow now I am accused of knocking it or downgrading it. Sorry but thought I made it clear it was quality for the cost which to most I would think means better quality than the price reflects!!!!!! Not so obvious to others! and like everything else, always someone to find a dig in it. I should have said how they are light years ahead of the SCV blanks, hope you didn't take it as a dig on the preferred blank RX8 blank, and sorry but they do carry a warranty a lifetime warranty if you are using the RX8. And if one reads what is typed they see OH the RX7 is not a premium blank but warranted the same!! and close in quality to the Premier!! Sorry but I don't consider the Premier a bad blank, but no it aint a SCV blank either!! I don't warrant them or make em, just the way the company backs em!!! Probably why they are not same cost either!!! Gee that must mean the Lifetime warranted blank of the RX8 is better, but not a SCV, will I be stoned for pointing out that difference as well?????? No one knocked you RX8 blanks, as I said for the price a good rod better than its price dictates, and good quality for what you are paying!!! OH I already said that!! I am sorry but only a lier would say as good as SCV. Hope you understood the post before better than "iabass8, he obviously didn't comprehend the whole thing.

Thats a pain, hate to hear a guy out of his top gear for any amount of time, hopefully you backsets for the season are over!!! Glad to hear you didn't let it stop you from your goal,,,,,gettin out on the water!!! Best of Luck on the rods!!!

There best blank is a comparable blank to the Premier for rod builders, Jann's Netcraft is one of the big wholesalers for Rainshadow RX8 there top end blank and the RX7 a very low priced blank for the money not bad but hardly premium, My Custom Rod Builder is the rod tech at Netcraft he has been building high end rods for over 30 years, he is also my Custom Rod Builder and rainshadow is not on his preferred list of blanks, much like our own .RM. he prefers tha Croix blanks also, and not because he can buy them cheaper. That is a very cost affective blank but there best blank is far below that of many blank rod suppliers!! They are great rods for the money, but far from the highest quality available.at $85.00 to $115.00 for there top tier blanks they are good quality for what you pay. But you truly do get what you pay for in rod blanks. One of Kevins projects was a handle he just finished for me and can be seen here.http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/118818-my-st-croix-legend-extreme-my-way-eye-candy/ He truly knows his stuff!! Most top end builders will prefer Loomis or St. Croix for the basis of their high performance builds.

This was one of my Legend Extreme I got out of the Bargain room even though I don't care for rods with half a handle. It was a steel and now less than $235.00 in it and it is now my way, I like it as much as my Elites. I think I like it better than the Elites! I did the 6'10" MXF first to make sure it is what I want, and now I am doing the 7'2" MHM I bought at the same time. I have to hand it to Kevin and his rod magic, for all the good work he put into the modification of the full cork handle, and balancing it. The only thing I don't care for is the looks of the recoil guides, but I have to say I do think they are a great aid to the sensitivity of the rod, and nothings lighter,,,,,,just don't care for the look. To finish it we mounted the Team Lew's Gold 7.1:1 reel and balanced it exactly where I wanted it, and capped the butt. It holds so sweet and os so sensative you can feel em comm'n!! On the 7'2" MHM I was going to go with a little more mass in the handle but am so happy with the way this one turned out and after fishing it the weekend, I am thinking of doing them pretty much the same. I am going to wait a week or two before I make the final decision. But I am really happy with the performance of this rod, it is going to be a great finesse rod and will be great in deeper water for Smallies and Walleye with small jigs, plastics and most finesse tactics.

Like so many others that could be true today its all about the market!! It just depends on the price!!! MY POINT EXACTLY!!!! Thank you for clarifying that!!

They only have 2 left but at the bottom of the page with the #3 at the end of the model # are Travel the MLF seems to be rated the same as a Medium Fast freshwater rod. This was the link. Probably a little light for your needs. http://www.stcroixrods.com/shop/catalog/Saltwater-24-1.html#

Again little to be gained mechanically, the rest is totally personal preference and will not enhance performance. Personalizing is totally ,,,,,,,,,,, well ,,,,,,,,, personal! GO FOR IT!

My whole point was no company has better Customer Service or better rods. Then it got turned into there are Companies as good, I don't dispute that, I simply don't think there is any Company with better Customer Service or quality. as good maybe better,,,,,,NOT! You are exactly right, and as long as I have been in this business those are the only two that can say they are the best period. They have the best and longest track record of taking care of their customers and no American Company or foreign has the blank technology these two do. They both produce rods that cannot be equaled, and I am not talking Avid's and IMX's. I can't think of anyone who would choose any rod made over their choice of a Legend Elite, Extreme, or a Loomis GLX or NRX no charge any rod you want!!! Those rods have no equals, they are very much divided by personal preference, and it would be fugal to say there are others that are their equal!! Just as it would be Fugal to say there was a Company that offered a wider variety from one end of the spectrum to the other, with Customer Service this good. Hence why I chose St. Croix as my prefered rod Company,,,,,not my only!! with over 40 rods from Eagle Claw, Fenwick, Abu-Garcia, Bass Pro, Pfluger, Diawa, Loomis, Okuma, Berkly, Browning, etc, but my prefered rod Company is St. Croix. I would not trade one of my Legend Elite's or Extreme's for any of them!! Just My Personal Choice!! I mean do you really think Hank Parker thinks there is no better built rod than Berkly???

Hey there A-Jay!! You lookin in that Bargain Room again??I been looking at them and the Inshore Legends, those sound like some good buy's, and might work for freshwater. But I have no experience with em and kinda like to know how they are rated as far as power compared to freshwater rods myself???

I don't take offense but some here seem to try and put interpretations on things that simply aren't said. I hope you don't, and I try and keep all happy as I may head your way someday and might need a friends guidance on that BIG RIVER!!! I have some very good (to me Bass Pro rods) I think there great, but I can't say they are the quality feel or durability that give them the right to be called "THE BEST" meaning if there are others as good there aren't any that are better!!! Kind of like some comparing a Custom Made not available anywhere rod to suggest you don't know what you are talking about. But like others who KNOW have said, you can do that with a ST. Croix Blank also, more so than any other!!

I have found 30 lbs. to be my sweet spot on my Lew's. I have a couple with 20 and they cast well but not really a noticeable improvement in the 30lbs. but it does dig in on ocasion. This is not a reel problem as a crefull cast and a few yards pulled off by hand and the spool is good to go again. I have went with 40 and think the 30 does as well, and allows me to use lighter weights to get down as good, and in current very noticeable plus not much in the way as dig in's. I chose the 30 because it is stronger than my locked down drags and heavier than any rod I am using it on for there rated max. For Pike and Muskie it is a different story.

Lew's makes a couple that can be had for less than you are wanting to spend, and would be very hard to beat! The Tournament and BB1 can both be had for less than $110.00 and are great reel/s for the money. The Tournament Pro can usually be gotten around the $150.00 mark and at times slightly less. If you want pure refined and smooth casting and retrieve, I have 4 of the Team and Team Gold, and have never paid over $170.00 for any of them, and can compare them to reels costing twice that amount, street price not retail. I am very happy with every reel I have bought from this company.

Yes and so does Bass Pro, but lately Dobyns has had their share of problems, faulty components and quality control, and they have admitted it!! Sorry but no need to apologize!

OH YA THE FISH!! Forgot, Like the ones from the Spring Walleye Run over the years that really is what tested the 6'6" MF action rod and test it's ability to handle abuse, from icing up to over stressed with heavier lines than rated for, with drags torqued for all there worth, and fish in fast currents, it has been a great River and Lake rod over the 14 years!! These really are harsh conditions on equipment, from freezing temps to extreme currents, over 14 years of this torture and simply not enough room to show em all, and really don't want to dig that far back thru the photos of the times this rod produced. I just hope I am able to enjoy another 14 years catching fish like this on the new one, and take the abuse the original did along with the 100's of Small Mouth, Lake Erie Permit, Buffalo Carp, and 1000's of Lake Erie Walleye, If it takes the abuse and test of time this one did, 15 lbs test with the drag at max and at times hand held for more pressure, on a rod rated for 12 lbs test, I will be happy, and maybe they'll give me another upgrade????????

Kind of a waste, as I told you before, and I believe DVC suggested the same. Flush and lube with proper lubes and it is a very hard reel to improve on, as Lew's uses very high quality components and tight tolerances. It is one of the best out there. But certainly it can be SUPER TUNED, I mean if you want, a Calais DC can be Super Tuned, you just have to question if the gain is worth it.

I would go with a 7'-7 1/2' MHF and you may want to look at the St. Croix Avid, you can usually find a used one for around $130.00 or the Premier for less than $100, they are sometimes her in the flea market now and then. Any descent rod in the length, action, & weight mentioned would make you a good setup.

The CHEVY vs Toyota was over a few's head I see, I didn't say there were not better buy's, or other preferences, we all know there are for some. I don't care what rod you want to compare at any price, the point being,,,,,,,the Extreme and Elite are as good as it get's. I did not say there was not a rod somewhere as good, or a "company that was not as good". I did say "THEY ARE THE BEST" that means "THERE IS NO BETTER COMPANY" so if there is a company as good that may be I won't argue preferences but to say there is better is only trying to argue a senseless point!!!!! As no one has ever done it as long as St. Croix with the level support they have. So I am saying that there is no "BETTER OR MORE DIVERSE COMPANY" to say different is defiantly not a fact, but an argument!! I hope you understand I never said it was "BETTER THAN!!!" but I will say to you there is "NO BETTER" but there is always those that want to twist what one try's to say, for the benefit of "me to me to", or mine is bigger, to say there is a better rod than the ELITE or EXTREME is purely personal preference!!. I will assure there is only one or two companies that can come close to as good!! That leaves out most that have been mentioned, and I could care less about price. Best is determined by the item, not the price of it! I am sorry to upset so many by mentioning "MADE IN AMERICA"?? I only wish more jumped so quickly to defend EXTREME QUALITY PRODUCTS that are made here as they are at defending foreign companies trying to compete with them. So as far as "MADE IN AMERICA" it does matter to me, as being a retired union Iron Worker and spending much of my life BUILDING THIS COUNTRY and it's FACTORIES and INFRASTRUCTURE, it disheartens me deeply to see so many who could care less what foreign countries economy their shopping dollars support, as long as it benefits them, when there are choices here that are as good, and in this case better. I really "DON'T UNDERSTAND" people in this "COUNTRY THAT CAN SAY IT DOESN'T MATTER TO THEM", and wonder if it would matter more to them if people paid illegals and foreigners for the services or products they provide, because it was cheaper or better for the price, even though not quite as good, and left them without a job. so I will spend a few dollars more to support the workers in my own "COUNTRY IF, THEY CAN PROVIDE A PRODUCT THAT IS JUST AS GOOD" or EVEN CLOSE!!!! But some want to "SAVE A BUCK, KILL AMERICAN LABOR", and for very little difference, sometimes settling for less because it's cheaper, not me "WHEN I CAN BUY AMERICAN QUALITY",,,, i will, if cost more for as good or better, I will buy American, and that too is personal preference!!!!. So feel free to buy as you please, but with companies like St. Croix, I feel it is easy to justify supporting them, all the way down to the Premier for around 100 bucks, like DVC said, they truly have a price range and a quality rod for everyone!!! And to the guy that wants to argue they aren't made here,,,,,,,with that in mind I am sorry, but GM, Ford Jeep, Dodge,,,,,,,you name it have parts on them that didn't come from here, but they are still known as American Auto Companies!!!! Same as Coix, & Loomis, and they are as 100% American as it gets, along with others I mentioned and Dobyns aint one of them! Sorry!

Soory to hear you are having problems!! I would suggest you do that, and let a tech look at it. I can't believe anything was harmed by getting it wet, and whatever the problem is would have to think something is not correctly assembled. There should be no damage from getting the reel wet, and there are so many things that could be installed improperly it would be hard for anyone to diagnose over the internet. I would not try to use it as what ever you are hearing could cause more problems or damage. I doubt it will take much for a reel tech to straiten out!! GL!

Some I think are trying to make this more than an opinion. You can twist the fact and state this says there are other "RODS THAT ARE BETTER" I personally would recommend you interpret it the way it reads!! I never said it is better than any Rod Company, simply it is the best, and I don't think it is possible for anyone to make a valid statement that "THERE IS A BETTER ROD COMPANY" PERIOD!!!! There will always be those that "PREFER ONE OVER THE OTHER" But I would have to dispute they were any better, and at the same time wont say Some one can't have a rod as good as a Legend Elite or Extreme, simply you can't buy better. I would also never say someone wouldn't like a rod better than those, but would argue there are any made or backed any better!! which equals the finest on the planet. There are those that prefer a toyota over a Ford truck, sorry I aint one of them, if you like Toyota, thats wonderful, I like my Ford! and you wont convince me the toyota is a better truck. then your comment on how would I know,,,,like I said I owned my own Charter Service on the Western Basin of Lake Erie for over 20 years, there were over 300 other Charters in the marina I ran out of, one thing we as Captains did was share our experience and knowledge among us. We also between the over 300 had the best of everything very shortly after it was introduced and let the others know or even use it, rod's, reel's, tackle, rigging gear you name it, even boats, this allowed me to make my decision on anything first hand sometimes before buying it! That with nearly 60 years in the industry and much of that as a profession, I never put a price tag on the best, it is very simple it won't come cheap, all things you learn by being there and doing that, and trust me, I have been there and done that and if you like you can share all your years and experience for your comparisons with us. But please don't think I said is not as good, but did say it aint better!! and as .RM. DVC and others have said, they have more models that cover more tactics than any company period! and no one offers more to custom builders Which does say no rod company is as diverse or has as much to offer!!! PERIOD!!!

Quite correct, so are Falcon, Crowder, Castaway, All Star, Esox and so on, but after my experience with both the St. Croix and high end Loomis, I made my choice, after dealing with both for warranty, and fishing them, I am very happy with my choice.

I prefer the rods made here in the U.S. and found in the long run they generally hold up over the test of time, over the YEARS the St. Croix's have proven this for me. I don't think rods should be considered terminal tackle. Once I used a Legend Elite and Extreme, the difference was obvious.

That is a really good point about the Blanks available to custom builders. This is a great way to own one of the finest rods on the planet, and have it exactly "THE WAY YOU WANT IT!! ",,,, and there are some very good builders out their that are no more expensive than if you bought it factory made, and still have that "LIFTIME WARRANTY" Best of all world's!! "YOUR WAY" and still ***100% AMERICAN MADE***