St. Croix Rods
 

I am thinking of trying either a MoJo or a legend
I am leaning towards the Mojo because it's about 200 bucks cheaper
I ask this question about the rods and was wondering the rod closest to the Lami GSB 1201 M?
and do anyone who owns one likes them better than Lami rods?

I bought the MH 10-1/2' Mojo this spring. Rated for 2-6 oz. Bearing in mind that I own about 8 Ron Arra rods, and have been a Lamiglas loyalist all of my life, since I've bought the Mojo, I've fished with my Lamis a grand total of two times this year in the Canal. I've even replaced my All Star 1209 as my primary jigging rod with the Mojo--and if you've fished with me in the past, you know that at one time you'd have to pull a gun on me to make me give up that rod. :grins:

They cast well. Many feel that they're easier to cast than the more expensive Legends. The have enough balls to lift 4 or even a 5 oz jig off the bottom, and they put a hurting on fish in that current. I've handled bass into the low 30 pound range on it as easily as I've handled them on any Lami. And, I will bet that due to the more moderate/fast action, I've pulled way fewer hooks than I did over the years on the 1209.

I traded a factory XSRA 1205 for the lighter 10-1/2 footer, rated 3/4 to 4 oz. at the end of July, and IMO it's an excellent rod for plugs up to about 3 oz, and will make a dynamite beach rod, as well as a light plugging rod for the Canal. I have to say that once you get to 3 oz, the heavier Mojo handles them better.

People talk about the low rider guides, but IMO it's the blank that makes this a special caster. If you've used Lamiglas rods of 10 or 11 feet, you know that there's a little up and down oscillation in the upper half of the rod after you release on the cast--even on the moderate/fast 1322. There's hardly any on the Mojo. It's a much lighter and more responsive rod. Even with a 29 oz Saltiga on it, it's easy to fish it all tide.

I don't have any loyalty or connection to St Croix. I just think that they've hit a grand slam with this rod, and it's a steal at $240. I'd gladly pay another $100 for one.

And no rod company has better customer service.

That being said, there is one minor recurring problem with these rods. They use a small plastic piece to secure the ends of the grips, and the one just above the reel seat is notorious for coming lose. I may have the only 2-6 Mojo ever made where it hasn't happened, but it did come loose on my 3/4-4. Some super glue fixed it for now. After the season I'll use epoxy to fix it.

I've also heard some complaints about the reel seat coming loose, but haven't seen it happen yet to anyone I know who has the rod. This has been a long time issue with St Croix.

Thanks for the review Mike I'm going to pull the trigger no sure which one of the ten footers I want, I need an all around rod from fishing rocky, sandy shore line, not much so in the canal because I only end up there once or twice a year. I do need power to turn big fish (if I ever catch one this year) when I fish Block Island.

I will probably go with the heavier rod 2-6

There's only one 10 footer, and it's a fast taper rod rated 1-4. If you're used to a Lami 1M, you'll be much happier with the more moderate action of the 10-1/2 footers.

damn, with that review I might have to pick one up.......I'm still fishing a 10' Ben Doerr 1 pc ......

people ive talked to said that the Mojo's they've had blow up in the mid sections with the 10'rs bringing in fish in the canal. Cool thing is, you can bring it back to most places and they just give you a new one. i was more inclined to the supersurf. but like you said its freakin 200+ more....

My premier surf which is pretty much the exact price range that the mojo was maybe just a few bucks cheaper when new last year, had all the problems you were decribing with the mojo. The real seat ended up getting loose and bent out of shape and off center a little bit. The butt got loose and was turning in my hand when i was casting started to unwrap the cork tape. This was easily fixed by just ripping the butt off and hockey taping the end into a ball the same size. but after less than a year of pretty extensive use I felt like the thing was just falling apart. And then it snapped on the jetty this past week.... lol. So I'll be interested to see how the thing lasts for you

thanks for your review

You don't want to know how many Super Surfs that I've seen blow up over the last 3 seasons ;)

All you need to know is that CMS is adding $40-$70 (depending on the blank) to the cost of every Lami custom they sell, because they've returned so many blown up blanks to Lamiglas that the company is starting to dispute warranty coverage under the "misuse" exception. Up until recently, they would always give CMS the benefit of the doubt due to the sheer number of Lamiglas blanks they order every year.

CMS gives an unconditional one year replacement warranty on every custom rod they sell, and to keep this practice going, they've been forced to increase the cost of a custom rod to cover potential breakage and Lamiglas' dishonoring the warranty.

The Arra blanks have a bad rap from a lot of people, but the SSUs fail way more often, considering that they're much less popular on the Canal than the Arras. The Arras are the leading blank on the Canal, and you would expect more failures with them.

The problem area on the SSU is 8-12 inches above the reel seat.

Does this mean watever you use is eventually gunna fail, it just depends on how you use it and what conditions you use it in, and hopefully you luck out on a single product? After reading ya'll's testimonials this seems to be more of the case

Im obviously in the market to get another 2 piece. Is it really worth your money to blow 400 $ on a high end surf rod if the mojo or something of the like is going to hold up just as well? :confused:

Should i just get another premier surf layin around in hopes that it'll last another year? Im freakin poor by the way lol. I appreciate your input mike! Thanks

I have a ssu1201L that is cut 1 ft from the butt. So far it is still one piece.

The full length rods snapping 28" to 32" from the butt equates to the potential breaking point on my rod being at or below the reel seat. There should be no way it can snap there.
Looks like I should begin researching an alternate rod in the event of a break down.



CMS also charging extra for the GSB lami's ?
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

All I can tell you is my own experience, and that of my partner.

I've been using the 2-6 rated Mojo almost exclusively all this season in the Canal. Hundreds of fish, into the low 30 pound range, more 20 lb. or better than I can remember accurately, and thousand of casts with 3 oz plugs, and 2, 3 and 4 oz lead, either bucktails or heads with Sluggo-type plastics. No issues whatsoever with my rod. The reel seat is solid, and even that little plastic piece that holds the foregrip in place hasn't come loose, as it has on almost every other Mojo that I've seen. It also had two nasty encounters with the rocks when I dropped it--the blank is scratched about 2/3 of the way up. I didn't buy it originally to replace either my 1322 as my primary plugging rod, or my 1209 as my primary jigging rod. I bought it for those night or mornings when I didn't have my bike and didn't feel like taking two rods along to fish only an hour or two before or after work, and wanted a rod that could throw either plugs or lead. But I was so pleased with its performance that it's been the only rod that I've used from June onwards.

My partner originally bought the lighter 3/4-4 oz rated one, and it snapped in the same general area as the Super Surfs--just above the ferrule (the rod splits 70% tip section and 30% butt section). This was around mid-June. Red Top arranged to trade a comparably priced rod with CMS to get him the heavier 2-6 oz model, as CMS was the only shop in the area that had any 10-1/2' Mojos in stock, and all 3 were the heavier rated model. He's used the rod probably even more heavily than I have since getting it, with at least as amany fish on it, and it's been fine. It's the only rod he's used, and after 40 years of fishing conventional, he's told me that he can never go back. He likes it so much that he's thinking of getting another one as a back-up for next year, before the prices go up.

I have seen no reason to try to upgrade to a Legend. St Croix would credit me the purchase price of the Mojo to trade up, but I have no reason to think that it would be worth it. The Mojo is everything I want for a Canal rod.

That may be, or it may just transfer the stress farther up the blank. But the GSB rods have thicker walls in that area than the SSU. The SSU one piece models were designed to be lighter than either the GSB or XRA. For all of their undeserved reputation for being fragile, the XRAs have the thickest wall of the lot in that area of the butt. You can feel the difference in wall thickness among the XRA, GSB and SSU 11' heaviest blanks by holding the blank at shoulder level and seeing which one resists compression the most--and you'll find that it's the XRA. As moderate ation blanks, the GSBs and SSUs have a more uniform taper from butt to tip. As a moderate/fast taper, the XRA has a sharper transition from the butt to the tip, occuring more towards the tip than uniformly. Same as with many of the All Star blanks.

I have a 25 year old GSB 120 1L. I don't use it very much, but it got used a lot in the first 15 years I've had it. I have a 15 year old XRA 1322 conventional that's caught thousands of fish, many in the Canal, and that held up. Same with my old 1204 (now the 1203 model). The breakage that many have complained about on the XRAs comes more towards the tip, and might be due to undue high-sticking. Rods that snap 30" or so from the butt, you can only think of two things that cause that--manufacturing defects (which can basically cover an entire production run) or a bad design to start with.

I don't know about the GSBs, but I can tell you that a custom 1322 used to cost $355 from CMS and that they're over $400 now.

Cabelas doesn't have them they are back ordered I ordered one from SWE this Morning, FREE SHIPPING

thanks, sounds like its a good stick

I have a Premier Surf. Zero problems that weren't my own fault in the three years I have been abusing it.

That said, my next rod will be a Lami GSB. Most likely the 132 1 M based on a few of my buddies use and abuse of these things with no problems.

The GSBs have a well-deserved reputation for durability. But they are a 30 year old design. Nothing wrong with standing the test of time, though. But where I fish, I need something with a firmer butt to midshaft section.

The 132 1M is still the standard rod for Long Island, though. I fished there for many years with one.

Hey Mike , I just finished wrapping a XRA 126 MH for fishing the canal.
Is this one of the many Arra's you own?
If so what are you thoughts on this blank....

I got the rod yesterday, I ordered it on Wednesday and the rod was on my door step yesterday when I got home from fishing. plus shipping was free. I will be using it today

wow, thats pretty slick.....Let us know how you like it......Its definately on my radar for next year

I have two. Both conventionals. I tried selling one at a flea market on the Canal at the end of July--no takers. Almost all of the Canal guys now use spinning exclusively.

It's a very parabolic rod, and IMO it has less mid-shaft strength than my 10' 1205. I use the 1205 now as the only conventional that I jig with, in the few spots where I still use conventional due to the easier ability to drop line to stay in bottom contact. I'm thinking of putting my level wind Saltist on it and using it as my Sebille rod.

The probelm that I have with the 126 1MH, at least as a conventional, is that it's as "bouncy" as a glass rod, both on the cast and when a bass does a head shake. I don't like that feel when fighting a fish. I may have it re-wrapped as a spinning rod. The 1205 as a medium/fast rod is much crisper to fish with, and it can throw 5 oz as well as the 126. I never throw more than 5 oz, and rarely even throw that much. Most tides, I'm fishing 3 oz most of the tide, and only step up to 4 on the very fast moon tides.

I wrapped mine spinning , a parabolic action and convention reels that dont bring in big lots of line per crank doesnt sound like a very good combination because when your cranking on a down stroke you want to keep that bend in the rod.
Rewapping them spinning may be the way to go.

I think I have a new favorite rod, paired with a ZeeBaas 27,
I had a good cast with a 2.5 oz. needle But I was told By Don (GoneFishin) it didn't look like the rod was loading fully so Don gave me one of his heavy plugs and told me to try it out. I did and I casted right down to the Mono backing I am thinking 140 yards? The reel wasn't totally full of line I would estimate 100 yards low.

I used my MoJo for the first time last week and love it !!!! I was hoping to see you Mike last Thurs. evening to thank you for suggesting it but we left around 6.

Bought my Legend last spring and LOVE it. Best rod I've ever owned.

I can't wait to catch a fish on mine, had a hit Saturday night

I am going to get the 3/4 to 4 oz. as soon as I sell a couple of things

Are you still loving the Mojo? Did you go with the 10' 2-6 oz. rated rod? I'm thinking of picking up a 10 footer to pair with my zx25. Where would say the sweet spot is with it? I mostly throw plugs, but out of desperation will occasionally toss eels.

Well I was really surprised. I got a blue that had to go 15-16lbs and it just beat the heck out of the rod and the rod did just great. I also threw a 1.5oz. Red-fin with it with no problem.

Yes I got the 10'6" 2-6
I have only used it a hand full of times, but I believe it is rated pretty much as what they say. I don't throw anything over 5 oz's

I have mine matched with a ZB-27 and I can cast past the middle of the canal, I just put new line on today (spool was down about 100 yards)
so I am hoping for a little more distance

I may pick up the 3/4 to 4 oz. tomorrow if Red top has one in stock, for lighter plugs and eels

I did catch a few decent size fish with it and it did handle them well

IMO for the price you can't go wrong

I am going to be around there tomorrow if you want to test cast it

I called a couple days ago, they only have your model, 10'6'' 2-6 left.... bummer:fury:

That is a bummer, oh well