St Croix Premier

[Jake P]

who has or is using premiers? interested in the 7 MH/F casting model and a 7' M/F Spinning.

 

Also, Cabelas offers the rod in a split grip. The description on Cabelas site says its strictly sold at Cabelas. Im assuming the rod is built the exact same as the Premier with full grips?

 

Thanks guys.

[0119]

Made in US still.  Its a workhorse rod most here consider too heavy or out of date.  It is my preferred rod.  Because it still has full cork grips and a standard type reel seat.  Caution if using shimano reels as they had in the past a tendancy to not seat correctly on the rod if it was made using Pac Bay reel.  It is a tough rod and light enough to me.  No fancy tech guides, just solid and best of all its not white, blue, orange, yellow tipped or any other ridiculous color.

[Darren.]

who has or is using premiers? interested in the 7 MH/F casting model and a 7' M/F Spinning.

 

Also, Cabelas offers the rod in a split grip. The description on Cabelas site says its strictly sold at Cabelas. Im assuming the rod is built the exact same as the Premier with full grips?

 

Thanks guys.

 

I got my first Premier this year - a 6'6" MF casting rod - and paired it up with my Lexa 100. Great combo, quite sensitive. I also bought my first Avid spinning rod recently (I'm a converted Croix fan now) and paired it up with my Lexa 2000SH and absolutely love the combo. Amazing sensitivity, power (and it's a MLXF rod).

[KevO]

I've got a 7' M/F casting rod.  It was the first "nice" rod I bought.  It has caught more big bass than any other rod I have.  I use it for just about anything, but I really like it for spinnerbaits, jerkbaits, and traps.  

[Will Wetline]

I've been fishing the Premier 7' M spinning rod for at least 15 years and it has served me well paired with a Shimano Stradic 4000. If I broke it, I'd replace it.

 

The comparable model in St. Croix's Avid series is lighter but somewhat stiffer.

 

I will happily continue to fish both. 

[ColdSVT]

I have both the 7ft Mh casting and a 7ft m spinning premier. I love em both

I have a curado on the casting rig,and a stradic 4000 on the spinning rig. they both perform great. are they as light as my loomis or LTB? no but they perform great all day every day. for 130bucks the premier is darn hard to,beat. besides im old school and like solid cork handles vice split grips lol

[dam0007]

I have a 6 M/F spinning, its my 'just bringing one rod with me today to the local lake' rod. Lol Have 2 shimano 2500's I throw on it. Love it!

[HookSetDon]

I have a couple premiers, great rods for the money. Just keep in mind powers are heavier than other rods. 

[Bluebasser86]

I have a 7' M/F in both casting and spinning and a 6' 6" M/F casting. They were my first nicer rods and I still use them even now that I have mostly LTB rods. They aren't the lightest rods around but their durability has been better than any rod I've ever owned.

[wnybassman]

I still have a bunch of Premiers, maybe a dozen or 14 or so, mixed in with several Avids and Legend Tx's.  Four of them are the 7' MH/F casting rods.  I have used this rod for jigs, t-rigs, bubbashots, spoons, bladebaits, deep cranks, spinnerbaits, chatterbaits and probably a few other other things I am not thinking about, with excellent results.   As stated, they are very durable.  I could be very happy using only Premiers.

 

Never seen/owned the split grip Premier though, so I can't comment on that.

[Flukeman]

I to have 8 - 10 of them and they have served me well. I think I have had them for 12 years now, they are very durable and I like the full cork handle.

[Goose52]

I echo all the comments above.  Good serviceable rods - not the lightest, not uber-sensitive, no bling; just good fishing performance.

 

My most used baitcasting rod is the 7' mf Premier; I use it as my main lipless crank rod.  As already mentioned above, the actual rod power is heavier than it's rating - it's about half-way between an M and an MH. The lure weight rating on this rod is 1/4 to 3/4 (rather than the 5/8 rating most "M" rods have).  A good, versatile rod.

 

Do Premiers work?  Here's a couple pics featuring that 7' mf Premier...

 

 

[ww2farmer]

The comparable model in St. Croix's Avid series is lighter but somewhat stiffer.

 I have found that to be true also, every single Avid I have, or have ever had has always been stiffer than it's SCII, or even SCIV counterpart. I have a Rage now too, which is built on an SCIII blank, like the Avids, yet it seems to have more tip than the comparable Avid I have (7'1" MH/F Rage vs. 7' MH/F Avid)

[jerzeeD]

I have had multiple premiers... ML/F, M/F, and MH/F. All were good solid rods. I still have a 6'6" MH/F premier I use for frogs and brush jigs. It takes a pounding and never gives. Mind you these are all spinning rods so they are rated slightly weaker than the same rods in BC form. I have been slowly upgrading my rods to Avoids and LTB's, but have no problem with recommending Premiers to those who want a good rod on a budget.