Capt.Bob

Like saying a Mojo Bass will sell better and recoupe it's cost better than an Avid after 2 to 10 years, I doubt it! but be assured any St. Croix will sell quicker than a no namer B.P. G.M. or whatever, the point is the no namer will not sell and recoupe 80 to 90% of it's original cost, so far my Croix's willll!! If you want to judge better by selling fast, the ugly stick will beat most rod's, for $25.00 to 30 bucks, but I'll take a used $150.00+ Avid all day long over one!!! I'm an old man, seen products come and go, and I wouldn't have a split grip, is it a fad? will it last? I don't know but probably, Mainly because I think quality cork is getting scarce, my son has one, tried it, so been there done that, not for me, he's young in his early 30's, hasn't spent decades holding a full grip, all day many times. I will be limited to what I can buy if it does last. I am sure I would get used to it if I had to, fortunatly I own enough Avids, Legend Elites, and Loomis IMX's that won't be happening.

The Saros is a Stradic FI in sheeps clothing, I have both and if blind folded wouldn't be able to tell the diference. You made a good choice for your reel. As for the rod, the Premier is a good entry level, but when you have the money I would upgrade to the Avid, better feel but the big upgrade is in the LIFETIME WARRANTY, I have several and a few Legends, and I feel the Avids, altho not as sensative are close and think they are the best buy at there price of any Premium rod on the market today!!! Oh yea and if you don't want to keep the Premier for a backup, you should do well and recoop most of your cost if you want to sell it, this wouldn't have been possible with the B.P. rods or most others!! GOOD CHOICES! altho I like my Avid 7' MF

that'll make a great starter rig, now hit the water and enjoy!!

I like 6.4:1 for it's all round ability, and it will definatly work for your application.

If I was going to nbuy a round reel for any reason from Shimano it would be a Calcutta over a cardiff, much higher quality and holds it's resale value better than most reels, and much better than a cardiff.

your comparing a Premier the low end St. Croix, to the Loomis top end rods. Wich match weight and are almost as sensative, I have an IMX, and Legend Elite, same level rods, and rod for rod, the Elite is lighter and as sensative if not more sesative. If you compare the Loomis GL2 and GL3 it is the same level rod for comparison with the Premier level rod, and the Premier wins that matchup hands down!! For the money with a 5 year warranty, the premier is a Super buy. I think the GL's are a as big a screw up for Loomis as the Triumph is for Croix, but Croix new it and priced it that way!

I am the biggest Shimano fan on the water, 3 Calcutta's, 2 Curado's, 1 Castaic, 4 Stradic MgFB's and 1 FBM, 4 Stradics, 3 Sustain's, 5 Symetre's. Those are just the ones I own now, minus one Castaic and 2 Curados, The 200 and both 400B Calcuttas are safe, BUT??? the Calcutta would be hard to beat! I just bought a new St. Croix Avid for a crankbait finess rod, a AV69MLXF, Love it! But when I bought the new reel for it, of course a Curado G7, and I was very dissapointed to say the least, Maybe if I didn't own enough QUALITY reels to compare it to I would have been Happy. The one Curado I already had was a 200BSF and It was DEFINIETLY A BETTER MADE REEL, right down to the centrifical brake design, I sold the G7 after one days use and talking to a fellow rod builder and autorized Shimano reel repair tec for a local huge tackle outlet. He said Bob buy one of these Lew's and try it, I'll give you a week and if you aren't happy, bring it in and I'll give you that G7 you sold for it even up. I bought the middle of the line Tournament MSB 6.4:1,about 30 bucks less than the G7. I am very sorry to say, I thought I would never after the last 20 years ever own another manufacturers reels. That was in the begining of March. I sold the old curado's and the Castaic, and bought the Tournament PRO 7.1:1 and the Team 6.4:1, and have 3 reels that are better than the Chronarch, New or old!! the Lews have a much better build sheet too, 11 ball bearing Chronarch has 6, 14 lbs. drag that is smoother than Butter, chronarch has 11 lbs.and smooth also, Smoother realing, especially with fish on, lighter weight and smaller profile, the TP is 6.7 oz. about the same size as a 50E and half oz lighter, with the same line capacity as the 200 series. I am sorry but I don't manufacture em, I don't fix em, I don't sell em, but I do use them and did use them proffesionally as a buisness, and the Lew's are better reels, cast farther, built stronger, less money and unbelievably smoother, now we will see if they will past the test of time for durability, if they do, they are the best buy and best reel on the planet in a low profile baitcast reel hands down. I should have listened to ***** when he told me to get the Lew's when I picked up my new rod, but like so many, I couldn't be made to believe there could be a better reel than a Shimano, but I know for fact in this size and style there is!! and it cost less. Oh and today we hit Clear Lake, the Team scored Walleye, Smallmouth and Largemouth, you can't believe how it cast weightless soft plastic's, as the bass were on the beds!!! Flawless, and UNBEILEVABLE. Don't try one and you will be happy with your Curados and Chronarchs. I was before the G7 let down!

Avid if you if you like full cork handles, I'm an old man and old fashion, just like the full cork and don't like the foam. So I am still lucking out. I always liked the Avid series, I have a couple Legend Elites and there great, but the buy of the century has alweays been the Avid line. Go with the Avid LTB LE or Rage and get a lifetime warranty only 5 years for the mojo, but still better than anyone else's. http://www.stcroixrods.com/shop/products/Legend_Tournament_Bass_Casting_Rod_LTBC68MXF-326-23.html $161.00 is less than the price on the Avid 68MXF, this a steel no doubt!

The one big plus here is it's a St Croix, if you wanna trade up, it will recoupe most of its cost if you take care of it, and - 5 YEAR WARRANTY - a good entry level rod, durable with good feel and at 3.9 oz its killer for weight to sensativity factor. http://www.basspro.com/St--Croix-Mojo-Bass-Spinning-Rods/product/104147/66775#chart this would be a good starter rod I feel for your needs I would choose the MBS68MXF model for all round plastics and finess fishing and has a good backbone. But the medium will be a rod you can use for multy tasking and the 6'8 length may be a little better for the blackies in the river. As far as Spinning reels, no doubt hands down the Sahara, I would not go back to a reel without intant anti backup for 1/2 the price difference. if you can stretch it a little go for a Saros, believe me, it's a Stradic in sheeps clothing.For a strait up finess rig the MBS69MLXF and a 1000 Sahara or Saros @ 10.7 oz. total weight aint bad under 2 bills, or with a heavier MBS68MXF @10.8 oz. either one would be pure stealth on a budget??? right now the Bass Pro Bionic Blade is on sale for $59.00 thats a pretty good rod for 60 bucks. But right now the Buy of the century is the LTB right hear. http://www.stcroixrods.com/shop/products/Legend_Tournament_Bass_Casting_Rod_LTBC68MXF-326-23.html

I just wish there were more Walleye around than Bass where I live, Northwest Ohio. Northern Indiana and lower Michigan get most of my time now, I quit running Charters on Lake Erie a couple years back, getting to hard on my back. But instead of throwing them Walleye back, if there leagal try fryin a mess up, you may decide that was a pretty good fishing day!! Fine eatin, don't get no better than Walleye, I know the meal I just finished was killer!! - Walleye fillets with Walleye cheecks sauteed in buter garlic and lemon peper with a side of Morels dipped in egg and ritz cracker crumbs and fried in butter!!! MMM MMM GOOD!!

Ultra light action spinning rigs, Stradic and Saros 1000 size reels- 6Lbs. test Fireline with 4-6 feet of 4 Lbs. test Seaguar Abrazx for leader joined with a Blood knot light and ML action spinning 1000 size or 2500 size Symetre Stradic and Sustains, use 10 Lbs.test Fireline with 4-10 feet 6 -12 Lbs. test Seaguar Abrazx for leader joined with Blood Knot My low profile reels on ML rods gets 20 Lbs. tracer Braid!! (tried 15 Lbs tracer Braid and had problems) same leaders. Medium action15 Lbs test Tracer braid, these rods use the 2500 size Symetre Sustains and Stradics, my low profile Bait cast reels on medium rods get 20 Lbs. test tracer braid. both get 6-10 feet of 8-12 Lbs Medium Heavy spinning gets 4000 Sustains and Stradics with 20 LBS fireline Braid, I use 6-12 feet of 12 to 20 Lbs. Seaguar abrazx and on my medium heavy low profile and round reels on bait cast rod the reels get 30Lbs Fireline Braid and same length leader but as strong as 25 Lbs. test Abrazx. My Heavy Bait Cast rods with Calcutta’s get 65 LBS fireline Braid and Vicious Fluorocarbon from 25-45 Lbs. test joined by a Blood Knot or a Seaguar Knot, and then leaders from 20" to 36" made up with 150lbs. test Ball Bearing swivels and 100 Lbs.test Cross Lock Snaps on 130 Lbs. test Vicious leader material that I personally build myself. I have always used Fireline since its introduction, going to a blood knot joined mono or fluoro leader of lighter weight, I am now converting all over to fireline braidsince it came out, as every 4 years they get new line. Almost always I run my reels for 2 years and turn the line around on the spools and run 2 more years, once in a while I that will only last one season on each end but it's rare. Leader material is mostly 250 yard spools and last a long time if kept out of the sun and elements when not in use. In stained water I will go to Trilene Big Game 1LBS spools, very abraision resistant and excelent knot strength, super cheap.

If you want a good rod for the money the Avid in my book is the best buy on the planet!! I bought a Loomis IMX and a GLX 15 years ago, I still own them. I bought a St. Croix Legend and an Avid about 15 years ago, I own 7 Avids total today and 4 Legend series and a couple premiers. The IMX was replaced by Loomis about 5 years ago, as it started delaminating, cost me 60 dollars!! I have never had to use the St Croix Warranty, and that is all I have to say about the matter!! Gotta love them St. Croix rods! I would have a rod built with a quality blank before I paid the price of a GL2 or 3, as stated above, and I'll bet it will be a better rod for less money.

As many said, anything under a 1/4 oz everyone can cast farther with a spinning rig. The thing is a baitcaster will cast 1/8 to 1/4 oz well enough for most finesse applications. But I have put together a couple Bait Casters for light finesse rods for Walleye and just 11.4 oz was as good as it got, worked great and I thought I had excellent feel and balance for that type fishing. BUT!!!! When I put a Legend Elite 6'3" MXF rod, with a 1000 Stratic MgFB at 10.1 oz. I can feel anything that moves within a foot of that drop shot rig, I can't find a rig that feels so well balanced and gives such incredible feel for everything that is going on, and I think as was stated earlier, the way it balances with the weight of the real under the rod instead of on top just adds to the way it telegraphs vibrations, and for only 1.3 oz lighter it feels like half the weight in your hand, and for some reason it just seems to make you want to sssslllloooooowwwwww dowwwnn. I know guys that use 6'6" heavy spinning rods for heavy jigs in the thick stuff, and they make it work, but I think most can doe better with heavier Bait Cast set up's for that kinda fishing. So as others, that is just what I prefer, I am sure some are just the opposite!

I have an older Avid 6'10" MHF Telescopic, and I know what you mean about under rated power. 12-25 line and 3/8-1 1/4 lures is what it says, but I love flippin heavy salad with it and timber, I think I could pull stumps with it? kiddin, but it is powerfull enough that I often put my 400B Calcutta on it and use it for Pike and Muskie with Bucktails. Works great for anything you want to put the pressure on! Enjoy that new Rod, and the best thing is it's a St. Croix, gotta love-em!

X2, I agree I love casting reels but for anything under a 1/4 oz I'll assure you my Stradic will cast farther and more accurate than my baitcasters, besides, anything lighter than 6# diameter mono has done nothing but make my baitcaters a chore to use. I like 20Lbs. Tracer Braid on my Lew's ss reals, it is only 6lbs test mono diameter and works great, tried 15# with braid and took it off, digs in, the 15# has a diameter of 4# mono, and did not work for me, but I have great luck with the 20# Fireline Braids, I then have 6# mono diameter and run a 4#-12# Flouocarbon leader to the end, 6’-8’ long for invisibility at the lure.

Depends on the application, under 3/8oz finess rig would be my St Croix L.E. 6'3 MXF with my Stradic 1000 MgFB 10# F.L. Chrystal, with 6'-8' 8# Flouro leader joined by a Blood Knott, the total weight of outfit 10.1oz for 1/4 to 1/2 oz finess rigging, and some lighter smaller cranks and inline spinners or (bucktails) St Croix Avid 6'9" MLXF with my Lews Tounament Pro 7:1 w/20# F.L.Tracer Braid with 6'-8' 8# flouro leader joined by a Blood Knott, the total weight of this outfit 11.4 OZ Both of these outfits used to be my Lake Erie Walleye rigging rods for drifting for Walleye or casting for Smallies, for most other crankin and spining and deep heavier rigging, my St. Croix Avid 7" MF with a Lews Team 6.4:1w/20# F.L. Tracer Braid and 6' 12# Floro leader joined by a Blood Knott, the total weight of this outfit is 12.1oz then for heavy salad and timber areas heavy rigging, flipping and such, my St Croix 6'10 Tele. MHF with a Lews Tournament w/30LB F.L. Braid and 25LB Flouro, or 20# Big Game, 4'-6' leader joined with a blood knott. a club at 14.6oz I do love bass on the fly rod, I mainly use a weedless mouse, on my "you geussed it" St. Croix Legend Ultra 9' 7wt. with a 7-8 weight Reddington LA reel. I ran my own Charter service on Erie for Walleye, Yellow Perch, and Smallmouth for 32 years, so I was fortunate that now at 58 years old I think I have my dream rigs and don't see anything changing! I retired from Chartering and am now getting back into Bass and Walley on inland lakes with a little Pike and Muskie fishing now and then.