St. Croix rods...NEVER again!

[mushroom_capd_1]

So I picked up a 34" MH premeir baitcaster rod at gander today, put a reel on and spooled it up. Went to see how she felt under load and...SNAP! I also had an older premier rod I owned break on me in rod bag and I have no idea how that one busted but I do somehow think that one busting was kinda my fault a little.  But a brand new rod just snapping at the tip under load? I mean come on now! I dunno what I want to do yet, take it back to gander for a refund or take it to a local rod shop and have a new tip put on. I should just take it back for a refund but I do need a MH baitcaster rod. At least one thing is for sure...I will not be buying anymore St. Croix ice rods anytime soon.

[dkfry]

I have a never used 36" MH caster Berkley Prolite for sale. You will probably end up shipping the rod to St. Croix for a replacement. I don't know what Ganders return policy is on broken stuff like that. The few times I broke an open water rod I shipped it back to the rod company. Have had and seen all kinds of issues with the premiers. The blanks like to twist up, eyes not even close to straight and etc. Had an Avid that had the worst "flat spot" in the blank I have ever seen, there was over a 8" section of the rod that just would not bend. My Legends have been ok so far.

[Kevin23]

Did you pay for the gander mtn warranty? its like $3 and allows you to return it no questions asked. You will still be able to return it, but they will drill you with 40 questions to see how it broke.

[mushroom_capd_1]

I'm pretty sure I would be able to return it. A friend bought a rod there and had the same thing happen. they let him return it no questions asked

[That Guy]

I love at croix rods but I honestly think there quality control has gone to crap in the past few years I've broken probably three of them in the last year with no real reason other than maybe to hard off a hook set but none of my shimano a have ever had an issue no matter how hard I set the hook my buddy bought a brand new medium heavy bait caster for fluke fishing last spring and within a month it was broke I was there when it happened he set the hook like any other time and the thing literally blew into three pieces granted st croix took care of him but he had to go through the hassle of sending it back and waiting for a replacement

[slipperybob]

Maybe...most of the time, it's the handler at the store or during shipment to the store...they just beat those rods up.

[pete/ny]

Yes their quality standards have gone way downhill.I looked at a couple last week at Gander and upon taking them out of the plastic tube look down the blanks and both rods, the guides were not even inline.They have done away also with the Gold colored Spring bobber and now use a plain one that says, stainless but by looking at them, its probably a low grade of stainless. For the price of these rods, one can buy from a bunch of Custom rod builders and get better quality than is now being offered from St. Croix.I have many built by Thorne Bros, Gregs Customs Rods, Jason Mitchell and on all of them, the balnks are first line quality and the guides are all in a perfect line down the blank and have yet to break a tip on any of them.

[mushroom_capd_1]

Yeah, I just took it back and traded it in for some hyfax runners no questions asked.

[Buschfisher]

I bought a legend ice and a premium ice combo last year first time out me and my uncle both broke our legend the first time out would never buy another one but the premium combo I use a lot and love it.  im thinking about buying another premium combo ic they come in a new blue color and I think I need it lol.

[cold_feet]

I know this when you go to the store and handle a rod you must check the rod blank area closely for a ding here or a scratch or any imperfection. Those ice rods with the micro small tip area like ST Croix has one little nick and that is a weak spot. It is not a excuse for the stores but observing guys in those store handle rods the bend pull whip them like a bull whip and some even have the tip sections slip out their hand and bang a shelf. After they get done beating them up they grab another rod and do the same. I've got St Croix's too and they have lasted me 5 years now and thousands of fish with no busted tip or any other part. Just next time you look at a rod feel them closely for those nicks or imperfections before buying.

[OTIS]

I have the St Croix rod with the carbon fiber handle and it's been great for the past 6-7 years.  It's still my go to rod for perch and walleye.

[Kevin23]

The st. croix rods made in mexico and china are no good. Well, I should say some of them are good but most are not perfect. All of the ice rods are not made in the USA. Open water rods, avid and above are made in the USA and are perfect before they leave the factory.

[bigredonice]

I've had 2 st croix 28" medium premiers that have lasted me about 8 years now.   I've also had a bunch of UL and ML St Croix premiers, and I can barely get two seasons out of them before they break.    You know their rods are crappy when they don't even line the guides straight up before they leave the factory.

[Townie]

I checked out the Premier series at a local sporting goods chain and the guides were off so bad it was comical. Where is QC? The Fenwicks there were spot on. Shame, I remember the old Premiers as a quality rod with a nice fast action...

[mt.redneck]

I have one medium premier ice rod and 4 or 5 ultralight premiers and one ultraight legend ice rod the only one I've broke was cause I caught the tip when I sat on my bucket. I caught a 3 and a half pound rainbow on one of my ultralights and it performed flawlessly. their rods perform well, but customers and employees at stores can really beat the crap out of rods. I've seen 3 ugly sticks cause people just grabbed them and tried to bend them to look like the picture on the tag. how rods are handled makes all the difference in it they will break.

[Grizzly1]

The St Croix Premier rods are (not counting my custom rods) my goto factory rods, I have 5 now and the 6th was broken due to a drunk buddy falling on it  . They aren't perfect, but have a nice action and fish great. They also seem to be resonably durable for graphite and have endured some serious abuse from me and my 3 boys  . I do wish that the QC was a bit better in the finish and eye alignmnet, otherwise a solid rod for reasonable money.

[Yankee Troller]

People play with those rods all day every day when these stores put them on the shelves. I see guys grabbing them and extremely bending them every time I'm in there. There were even a few broken rod tips on combos that were sitting on the shelves when I was at Gander last week. I'd be hard pressed to buy a quality rod like that from the big box stores. Don't blame the rod company.

[mt.redneck]

People play with those rods all day every day when these stores put them on the shelves. I see guys grabbing them and extremely bending them every time I'm in there. There were even a few broken rod tips on combos that were sitting on the shelves when I was at Gander last week. I'd be hard pressed to buy a quality rod like that from the big box stores. Don't blame the rod company.

x2

[bigredonice]

I would love to blame the st croix's issues on store shelf abuse, but I just don't buy it.  I've never had the same breakage issues with the other UL jigging rods I've bought off the shelf, so why would just St Croixs  be susceptible to that?

[walleye tattoo]

One of mine had a tip brake just heated the end and made it one eye shorter. This was on a well used rod though. If it was new I would be po.ed also.

[brown-time]

I use the legends in L n UL on perch-crappie-trout in the hut.  No problems but they are brittle like all real sensitive rods. Haul em in a case. They are better than my Mitchell longer rods.

[mushroom_capd_1]

People play with those rods all day every day when these stores put them on the shelves. I see guys grabbing them and extremely bending them every time I'm in there. There were even a few broken rod tips on combos that were sitting on the shelves when I was at Gander last week. I'd be hard pressed to buy a quality rod like that from the big box stores. Don't blame the rod company.

Well if you were to see this particular rod I had bought, it was a baitcaster rod and the rod tip twisted when I went to pull the fishing line and see how it loaded up. It was as if the spine of the rod was on the bottom side of the rod and the tip just twisted over and snapped off. I don't think it should have done that, do you? Don't get me wrong, I happened to like their ice rods and still own one that I had purchased about the same time as the brand new one that broke and a legend rod I've had for a few years...I just won't be buying anymore in the future.

[Ski Junkie]

Easy solution,

Thorne Bros rods

 

[Whopper Stopper]

I used to buy St Croix rods but then found Thorne.

              WS