Tuffy

I thought about just installing a tennessee style handle with slip rings, but I do like the pistol grip.. I'll give St Croix a shout. I was a staffer from '88-94 , but most of my contacts, well the head builder Marcella, has long since retired.

An40 12lb on casting reels An40 8lb on most spinning reels, but I do use 10lb on one specific smallie rig. I really liked the P-line C21 12lb on my casting reels but nobody in my area carries it, come to think of it I haven't seen Silver Thread in stores for about 10 years. The wonderful world of "just in time inventory" these days. I don't care for flouro coated lines... Had too many break offs... Yes ,I now how to tie a knot. not limp enough either, The CXX reminded me of Excalibur... Probably all made in the same factory. I'd guess that Silver Thread Excalibur is simply the old Bagleys Black label line renamed, I tried it a few years back and it was as dreadful as the black stuff was during the late 80's. Tough, but not limp enough. My wife still uses that old black label pony spool for hanging decorations in windows during the holidays Do IGFA line rules even apply to record catches anymore ? I haven't seen IGFA ratings in years. Though off the copoly topic. I really like Stren Magna Thin 6 and 8lb test for lighter spinning applications. I've landed 7 lb Bass on light rods with 6 lb test while fishing Gillies, and very nice Northern as well. Nice thin limp line.

Strong but it has high spool memory...This has to be the old Bagleys black label re-named.. I think I still have pony partial spool of Bagleys black 14lb . If you've used it , it's great fishing pads, but if presentation and finesse is in order, I'd rank it as one of the all time worst lines.. Truth be told, you are better going to a heavier line weight in AN40 than using this.

Are there 2 piece pistol grip repair kits ? In other words after you carefully remove the crummy seat that broke, is there a 2 piece seat that can be installed without removing guides and foam/cork ? I have a mint St Croix that the back end of the seat broke... Common issue on the old Pro Graphite series... I have nothing but time... I can fix it with the right parts...But removing guides and handle negates the value of the rod.

Resurrecting this topic. '89 St Croix Pro Graphite series casting rod. Bought this for my EX years ago and she broke the seat slot pretty quick... Years later the rod still resides in my rod rack, fixed it with Q-Bond a couple years ago, worked great... put on a different reel and it broke again... Tried to repair it today and just playing around to see how strong , it broke even worse. SO..... My question is this .....Is there some kind of 2 piece reel seat kit available ? I'm not removing the guides, this rod is mint, this was simply St Croix "cheaping out" in the name of saving,what a buck-two-eighty to come up with an economically priced rod using a premier blank ??? I am quite adept at fixing things , I can dremel this off no problem. Ive safely cut off butt ends [cork only] a bunch of times when repairing old St Croix Tennessee handle rods where someone removed the metal slip rings to use tape. thanks , I appreciate the input..

Thanks guys !

The XLT line of reels was the industry benchmark reel during the 80's... Shimano, Quantum , Diawa, of the same ilk were pretty lame compared to them. Of course you get into the bigger Musky/Saltwater reels ,those brands were fantastic and highly sought after today, love the Diawa's ! I collected all XLT reels up until a few years ago, and I still use them on the water to this day mainly because I'm an ABU man, but moreover the new Garcia Revvo/Orra stuff is garbage. I'm of the mindset that rod and reel specific type of fishing is a marketing gimmick. Really, I need a special rod and reel to drop shot... ? Comical. My one and only complaint with the XLT line was that the graphics rubbed off with little to no use. No excuse for that. When the XLT 2 speed came out late 80's, it became my go to baitcast reel and it's ALL I use today and 6 of them are in the boat at any given time. They are bullet proof, well made reels that feel good in the hand. I'm on the water over a hundred plus days every year and I've never had to replace a single part on any XLT reel. The nice thing about the XLT 2 speed is that the graphics are clear coated over, so unless you have sandpaper hands or throw your gear around, the graphics should last a lifetime.. This coming season will mark 30 years that I've used my first pair purchased new in '89... They still look and function as new, but I also take care of my gear. I sold off dozens of 521 and 321 variants over the past 4 years... Market seems to have tanked on them, and there is nobody coming up that collects in this throw away society... So The 2 speeds and Syncro's are all I've kept. Off topic, but along the same lines, I suppose guys would laugh that anyone still uses the old Garcia Cardinal 3 and 4x as well...Another bullet proof reel simply works. Only spinning reels I use... I say give the XLT a try, goof proof, great wind drag, and they dont break.

Never to old to learn... but sometimes wise enough to know better ? Dunno, but I'm happy to be here, and as luck would have it , a cold one in hand.. Thanks for having me, that's a nice fish in your avatar pic... Nothing like fishing down south !

Hello All ! New to the board , been reading a while and figured it time I join in . Bass fishing nut... Former St Croix Staffer during the late 80s. Today simply an enthusiast and lure fanatic.