St Croix - Setting The Example (Video Added)

[A-Jay]

During the most recent bass fishing trip to Mexico – I was in some kind of a rod breaking funk.

 Two of my (and 1 of 00 mods – Sorry Jeff)  St Croix Tidemaster Inshore Travel rod blanks fail during hook sets.  

I believe the trouble lies in the ferrule design; something not associated with any of the one piece models.

3 of the 6 I’ve owned failed in the same manner. I had already been returned one for replacement; which went very smoothly.

 

Not planning on replacing these with the same product and have not decided which way I’m going here just yet, perhaps GLoomis.

 

Decided instead to return them to St Croix and utilize their “Upgrade” plan.  This requires payment of a “fee” which in this case would be $75 per rod as well as the price difference between the two rods & the shipping. So I packed them up and included a brief but detailed letter explaining the deal.

 

After receiving the rods & accessing my “Claim”, Vicky at St Croix called and was most helpful. 

St Croix expressed that they were sorry the rods failed on my trip and that they were giving me a full value credit for travel rods and for my troubles they were  Not Going To Charge me the standard $75 per rod Upgrade Fee.

So with the price difference & shipping ($60), they are sending the 2 Legend Tournament Bass rods of my choice to my home.   Needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised.   

 

I certainly do appreciate St Croix’s support & friendly customer service and despite the bummer of snapping those rods in Mexico, I will not hesitate to consider St Croix on any & all future rod purchases.

 

A-Jay

 

http://stcroixrods.com/service-warranty/service-warranty-policies/

 

Here's a video of the last failure ~ sometimes fishing rods just break.

[Goose52]

Good news for you Andy...and for all St. Croix customers....

 

I have a lot of St. Croix rods...and this is another reason why...

[BassinLou]

That's great CS right there. I had a couple of issues of my own with a different series of rod and my upgrades were for LTB's as well. A-Jay I don't think you will be disappointed with LTB's. They are a tad tip heavy but are great rods nonetheless. 

[J Francho]

They've been nothing short of "extremely fair" to me. They even rebuilt a grip on a 15 year old Avid prototype for a nominal fee - basically round trip shipping fees.

[00 mod]

Glad it all worked out for you!  My broken travel rod was replaced with a brand new one for only $20 in shipping!  I too have been very happy with their CS.

 

Jeff

[A-Jay]

Glad it all worked out for you!  My broken travel rod was replaced with a brand new one for only $20 in shipping!  I too have been very happy with their CS.

 

Jeff

 

Cool - I'm still loading up that trip video, which does include at least one of those rods busting in 2 or 3 pieces.  I think it was yours.  I'll add it here today.  It was funny . . . now. 

 

A-Jay

[papajoe222]

Can't wait to see the video, more so to see you guys sticking some pigs than seeing the rod fail. Glad to see you can look back on the experience positively, both from your CS experience and from your poor sense of humor.

[buzzed bait]

i dealt with them once on a broken ultralight rod and they were over the top helpful and had my replacement rod to me very quickly....  glad to hear you had a positive experience as well!!

[Big Bait Fishing]

St.Croix has phenomenal customer service , Vicky Nelson takes great care of you !!

[FishTank]

Good stuff.  I love the St. Croix Rods I have.  I wish G. Loomis would follow suit.  I love their rods as well but their service has been lacking over the past few years.  

[AdamsEye]

Glad to hear that happy ending, always great when a company like to make happy customers! Best of luck with the new sticks!

[A-Jay]

Here’s a brief video clip of one of the rod failures on the trip this past June.   Just for the record, this one was a 7’6” MH Fast stick, 10-20lb line and ½ - 1 ¼ oz lure weight.  I was throwing a 3/4 Bomber Fat Free Shad Crankbait on 17 lb mono.  And please do not misinterpret my attitude here; this was the THIRD rod to break in Two Days.  After the first two there may have been some colorful language used (OK – I was cursing like the Sailor that I am) but by this point there really was nothing left to do but laugh.  My Guide Eddie certainly found the whole thing very entertaining and I wasn’t about to let it ruin the trip.   Jeff was real good about it and did receive a warranty replacement soon after our return.      A-Jay  

 

[Big Bait Fishing]

easy on those hooksets !!! get some sharp hooks  

[tomustang]

Their service is top notch. Another reason why I have two full lockers of them.

[SirSnookalot]

I bought a tidemaster last year 8' mh, I was fishing with rod within 15 minutes of purchase.  The rod did not handle the lures as well as my Okuma 8' cedros, which I was looking to replace.  I take the rod right back to Tuppens and exchanged for a teramer, even worse.  I get my money back and wound with a 7'6 mh Star rod, which I've had over a year and love it, my tarpon rod.  I have used an 8' legend surf, decent blank with a knarly handle, didn't like it even with a van staal on it.  Just recent I tried out a legend with that white butt, it was ok but nothing I'd spend over $300 for.  A friend just bought an 8' med triumph surf saddled with a 5000 spheros sweet combo, that isn't a bad rod especially for the money, liked it better than the legends.

[jbw252]

Wow - hats off to St Croix for their customer service & for standing behind their products.  I own an Avid and love it.  Thanks, A-Jay for sharing your tales of woe.  I'm glad it all worked out for you.

[A-Jay]

Rods came today - Fed Ex.

 

TBC70MHMF Sweeper Spinnerbait 7' Med. Heavy Mod. Fast 12 - 20 ³⁄₈ - ³⁄₄  4.3 oz

 

TBS71MF  Plastics   7' 1" Medium Fast   6-12  3/16 - 5/8  4.0 oz 

 

Really sweet. 

 

I'm headed to the lake.

 

A-Jay

[Bluebasser86]

That 7' 1" plastics rods is the best finesse jig rod I've ever owned, just fantastic. 

[WIGuide]

There's a lot of reasons I use St. Croix rods, and their customer service is definitely one of them. Amazing rods and amazing customer service. That's what keeps bringing me back time after time.

[kschultz76]

Rods came today - Fed Ex.

TBC70MHMF Sweeper Spinnerbait 7' Med. Heavy Mod. Fast 12 - 20 ³⁄₈ - ³⁄₄ 4.3 oz

TBS71MF Plastics 7' 1" Medium Fast 6-12 3/16 - 5/8 4.0 oz

Really sweet.

I'm headed to the lake.

A-Jay

Glad to hear they took such good care of you, ashame they broke but in these things it's the recovery that matters.

If you don't mind please provide a review of that MHMF Spinnerbait rod after you get some seat time. I'm very curious about it and wondering how wide a range of moving baits including cranks it may handle.

[A-Jay]

Glad to hear they took such good care of you, ashame they broke but in these things it's the recovery that matters.

If you don't mind please provide a review of that MHMF Spinnerbait rod after you get some seat time. I'm very curious about it and wondering how wide a range of moving baits including cranks it may handle.

 

Sure ~

 

 I can tell you that my perception right out of the tube is that The Sweeper appears to feel much like it is described:  Light, Med Hvy with a moderate fast action, has nice a tip with a back end that appears to be able to pull it's weight.  The standard quality fit & finish is all one has come to expect from ST Croix.

First impressions are favorable ~ More to follow.

 

A-Jay

[Chris at Tech]

Some people just shouldn't have nice things

[A-Jay]

Some people just shouldn't have nice things

 

LOL ~

 

Other people should know who these people are and never loan them anything nice either . . .

 

 

A-Jay