St. Croix Rods

[JohnnySaxatilis]

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

[Mike P]

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.

[JohnnySaxatilis]

Originally Posted by Mike P

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

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?

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

[Mike P]

Originally Posted by JohnnySaxatilis

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?

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

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.

[JohnnySaxatilis]

Originally Posted by Mike P

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

thanks, sounds like its a good stick

[Frankiesurf]

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.

[Mike P]

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.