Is St Croix's power rating heavier than other rod makers?  I recently bought my first St Croix,  bought it on line on line,  a 6ft medium Triumph. I realize this is their lowest priced rod.  No complaints about fit and finish but it feels a lot more like a med/hvy compared to other med power rated rods I have and have owned.  Would a medium power in one of their more expensive 6ft spinning rods feel the same?

 

How would a 6ft med power Shimano in the $100 range compare to the Triumph?

1 hour ago, learnin said:

Would a medium power in one of their more expensive 6ft spinning rods feel the same?

Yes. The more expensive lines will be lighter, more sensitive, prettier, better fit and finish, but blanks are pretty consistent. Everyone says St Croix is a bit heavier or stouter than other rod companies. It's all i own so i cant compare them myself. My advice is just get your hands on some rods in the store and conpare, then decide if you want to keep it, return for a ML, or get a different brand.

It is my experience that St Croix is on the high side, that their blanks are a little more powerful than most others with the same rating for power.  Not talking action.  I build rods  and use CCS objective power/action testing to evaluate, so it's more than just an opinion.  

 

The one thing that will make different St Croix rods with the same power rating feel different is if their actions are different.  Especially if comparing a "mag-bass" medium power with a moderate action medium power.  You change almost anything about a blank and it will feel different.  It's hard to answer your question because the way you define feel may be different than how others define it.  It is a subjective term.  But if you have two blanks, both with the same CCS objective power and action numbers, they will "feel" about the same.  except when one weighs significantly more or less than the other.

 

If you want blanks to feel the same, buy the same one again.

Have you actually fished the rod before you passed judgment? I fish St. Croix rods a lot and disagree that their rods power ratings are higher than others. I find that the weight range of lures listed on the rod, to be spot on. The rods do have more “backbone”, than other rods with similar ratings. I’m a smallmouth fisherman who uses more finesse lures and lighter rods most of the time. I prefer St. Croix rods because of how well they can handle hard fighting smallies in current while still being able to throw those light lures. Fish the rod a while then see if you still think it is more of a mh. 

I've fished it six or seven times with 30 lb braid, tungsten bullet wts, Texas rigged 5" Senkos & 4" finese worms. It's got a fast action and rated for 1/4 to 5/8 baits.  It does fine with 1/2 & 5/8 wts but doesn't have as good a feel or cast as well, for me anyway, with 1/4 oz wts and the 4" worms. Overall it's a good rod and I like it well enough to consider buying another with a lighter power.

 

I should have read the specs more carefully before ordering.  My other two medium action rods, a Shimano and a 21 year old Bass Pro Extreme are rated for 1/8 to 1/2 oz baits and1/16 to 3/8 respectively so I assumed the St Croix would probably be I/2 oz max.

 

Thanks to all for the info.

 

 

I think if you were to compare St. Croix to the other brands I've used and base it on the power (light, medium, heavy) rating alone rather than the line/lure weight rating, the St. Croixs will seem more powerful.  That seems particularly pronounced in the Avid line, but in the Premier and Legend Tournament series too.  I don't have any experience with the Triumph line but you'd think they would use the same mandrels for the same tapers across their lines.  I think what @Scott F mentioned about lure weight ratings is spot on, and it appears you're coming to that realization yourself.  

St. Croix is a heavy rod and that's why I don't own one lots of rods out there that are way more sensitive, just as good and long lasting. SC has sold rods on their name. I have Shimano, Quantum, and Cabela's they are all fantastic rods the Quantum is 30 years old and as good as when it  was new. It's all about what you like.   I hate Shakespeare ugly stick, who wants to fish with a stick?