St Croix

[setsail26]

I was going to post about how disappointed I am about the rods St Croix is releasing for 2022. Then I realized I feel sad for them.They are having to use cheaper and cheaper components to sell rods at a reasonable price. Cork quality continues to go down, and now they are making cork handles thinner. Quality of guides has gone down from mid range to pretty low range. Hybrid guide train with aluminum oxide guides and stainless steel guides? Really? Sea guide seats instead of Fuji. Not to bash Sea Guide, but pretty much their entire purpose is to be a cheaper copy of Fuji. Yes, all the rods are between $100 and $200, so not super high price. But the changes are really noticeable and make the rods seem lower quality. Maybe their typical buyers won't noticed or care. Then again, those typical buyers might not notice a lower quality blank either. I like St Croix and these changes make me believe that things aren't going that well. Am I off base here?

[Hulkster]

Yeah I hear you. Loomis did the same thing with the guides when the changed the E6X to the G6X. But at least the Loomis rods have no EVA foam and an exposed blank reel seat (the new Victory ones do not its filled with foam where the cutaway to the rod blank usually is)

[HobeyBaker]

I was going to post about how disappointed I am about the rods St Croix is releasing for 2022. Then I realized I feel sad for them.They are having to use cheaper and cheaper components to sell rods at a reasonable price. Cork quality continues to go down, and now they are making cork handles thinner. Quality of guides has gone down from mid range to pretty low range. Hybrid guide train with aluminum oxide guides and stainless steel guides? Really? Sea guide seats instead of Fuji. Not to bash Sea Guide, but pretty much their entire purpose is to be a cheaper copy of Fuji. Yes, all the rods are between $100 and $200, so not super high price. But the changes are really noticeable and make the rods seem lower quality. Maybe their typical buyers won't noticed or care. Then again, those typical buyers might not notice a lower quality blank either. I like St Croix and these changes make me believe that things aren't going that well. Am I off base here?

They have to hit a price point which is hard to do with a made in USA rod these days. I've played with a few of the Victory rods and the tapers were good, but the rods had no sensitivity.

I did hear a rumor that the business was being shopped around with Daiwa the likely buyer.

[Hogsticker2]

St Croix has always over priced their blanks imo.

[Bronzeye]

Fifteen years ago, St. Croix Avid rods were, IMO, the best bang for the buck. I bought five, including two two-piece rods (as well as two Legend Tournaments and a Legend Elite).

It's saddening to read the first three posts in this thread. I haven't bought any St. Croix recently, but high-quality competition is a good thing.

[slipperybob]

That's why when I can buy it on discount I only do then. I avoid the full retail price. I feel it's overpriced.

At the same time being the ice fisherman, I see how they release their top tier models for ice fishing rods and there's no way I would go for the recoil wire guides and only tennessee handles. They could've easily put reel seats on those rods.

[zalan]

I like St Croix and these changes make me believe that things aren't going that well. Am I off base here?

What you describe is an industry wide trend, I can see this here in EU as well. Unless it is a high end rod, companies using more and more cheaper stuff. I see a lot more SeaGuide stuff as well and less Fuji.

Regarding St Croix, they might struggle, I have no clue. I always thought that companies who design and produce their own blanks will always be more expensive, especially in the cheaper segment. I'm not sure how can they compete with China makers in the low/mid price range.

[Thunderblack1984]

This is starting to be the norm across the board....not just fishing.

Truth over facts - Joe Biden

[Hobie-Wan Kenobi]

I was going to post about how disappointed I am about the rods St Croix is releasing for 2022. Then I realized I feel sad for them.They are having to use cheaper and cheaper components to sell rods at a reasonable price. Cork quality continues to go down, and now they are making cork handles thinner. Quality of guides has gone down from mid range to pretty low range. Hybrid guide train with aluminum oxide guides and stainless steel guides? Really? Sea guide seats instead of Fuji. Not to bash Sea Guide, but pretty much their entire purpose is to be a cheaper copy of Fuji. Yes, all the rods are between $100 and $200, so not super high price. But the changes are really noticeable and make the rods seem lower quality. Maybe their typical buyers won't noticed or care. Then again, those typical buyers might not notice a lower quality blank either. I like St Croix and these changes make me believe that things aren't going that well. Am I off base here?

They have to hit a price point which is hard to do with a made in USA rod these days. I've played with a few of the Victory rods and the tapers were good, but the rods had no sensitivity.

I did hear a rumor that the business was being shopped around with Daiwa the likely buyer.

Daiwa and St Croix do have a working relationship.

[DrTrevorkian]

I’ve only considered St.Croix for their multiple Legend series anymore. I’m more walleye/pike/Muskie oriented than bass oriented, so I really like their high-end blank tapers. I’m currently trying to model my preference St. Croix blanks over to NFC options, though…

[godshippy]

I've tried to like St. Croix...but have never been impressed over the years. I tried the LTB back in 09 and it was just too tip heavy to comfortably fish anything besides a tip down...even then it felt like my tip was dragging to the water.

I tried a couple Legend Elites earlier this year and they were tip heavy as well...just not that enjoyable to fish. The fit and finish on these rods have always been great, but they're not comfortable to me. I even tried pairing them with the OG Zillions and they're still tip heavy.

[LowRange]

Never gave one a shot. I've picked them up and held them but they didn't impress. Tip heavy and they look bizarrely crude but most US rods are like that.

Literally anybody else: here's anodized aluminum winding checks, carbon inlays, carbon wrap, graphics and laser etching

St Croix, Loomis, Kisler: here's some grips glued to stick.

[Fishing4Fun]

Not a fan. Bought a Legend Extreme and it was sold in 2 months. Worst rod I ever owned.

[Hogsticker2]

Not a fan. Bought a Legend Extreme and it was sold in 2 months. Worst rod I ever owned.

Ever?!

[Bronzeye]

Not a fan. Bought a Legend Extreme and it was sold in 2 months. Worst rod I ever owned.

Ever?!

I, too, suspect hyperbole or amnesia.