IMHO ST CROIX =
Over priced rods with lousy pac bay guides and lousy reel seats.
If you buy St. Croix you are paying for the fancy ads of guys standing on rocks and not fishing.
However, I should say that I rewrapped a st. croix blank with some quaility guides and I love it.
Great schoolie rod and it is the rod that I take down to North Carolina every year.
I love the breakaways, although I've seen a few with the wrong size guide near the tip.