IS St. CROIX A GOOD ROD?

[Backwater Guide]

I just bought a new 8' ST. Croix bait cast rod - med/heavy action. Will this hold up well to 30lb+ stripers? Has anyone had any experience with these rods?

[saltydog]

should have came w/a LIFETIME WARRANTY!
"GOOD LUCK GOOD FISHIN"

[Slipknot]

They make good rods but I have no experience with that particular rod. I do have the 8' heavy conv. rod and I am not sure if it would subdue a 25 lb bass where I fish nevermind a 30+, and yours is a med/heavy.

Maybe if you fish a bay from a boat it would but not likely in a breachway or canal. Baitcaster might have one of those rods.
All I can say is try, and you'll find out

[schoolie monster]

I think Slip is right... Baitcaster has this rod and I'm pretty sure John "had" that rod and he may have built a spinning rod off that blank as well.

I think John had some issues with decent fish in heavy current off the shore. I would think that outta the boat, it'd be fine.

Anyway, they should have some input.

My dad bought the med action 8-15lb 7' travel rod and it was great for alot of nice size schoolies to small keepers. Not alot of help to you, but it certainly was no wimpy rod.

[chris L]

for the money they make a good rod . I have the 10'6 MH 3 to 6 oz bend over rod with aa Abu BG7000cl. I use it in the canal and breachways . I havent had any problems with big fish yet . But the largest I caught on it so far is only a 32 # at charlestown breachway !

[jeffsod]

Well I personally witnessed a 7 foot st. croix tidemaster heavy action subdue a 18 and a half pound striper just last weekend from a boat. The new rod owner was quite pleased with the performance of the rod and the nice catch.

[Mike P]

I have that 8' St Croix as a spinning rod in the "Tidemaster" series. I think John and #^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^& have--or had--it as a casting rod. Rated for something like 1/2 to 2 oz or thereabouts? If it's the same model, it's a good rod for most stripers as long as you're not fishing around heavy structure or current. By "most stripers", I'm saying well into the 30# range.

Most St Croix rods with the same "medium heavy" rating have similar actions no matter what series they come from---any differences have to do with the quality and modulus of the blank material. St Croix makes a good product, and has for years. They were long a "sleeper" in saltwater tackle but are more and more coming into their own. Their blanks are reasonably priced and more and more builders every year are working with their blanks.

In fact, the Tidemaster series comes with better quality components than the higher priced Ben Doerr surf series rods in the shorter lengths. Tidemasters have genuine cork grips, and Fuji guides and seats. The Doerrs have cork tape grips, and while they have Fuji seats, they have crappy Pac Bay guides, and not enough of them.

[Jenn]

dont know if this helps or not...

I got a 6' st.cr. for freshwater and you will have to pry it from my cold dead hands!!!! (but honey both the rod AND reel were on sale....I swear! )

this spring hooked on to a few pretty good sized shad with it and was very happy with the way it handled them....I was sceptical at first........

[IRL]

All of my rods are ben doer but 1 conventional
I too will have to have them removed from my hands when I die
I have a 7' ben doer that has landed prob 4-5-hundred fish from schoolies to a few 32"+ fish and gone through 3 reels its just now tired enough where im going to send it back to them this year (and yes they will send a new replacement without even a question. )
Has anyone used any of the cape fears I dont like how the guides are set on the blank but never put one to the test I'm getting one of their demo rods next weekent to borrow and was just looking for some other input?