St. Croix 7'1" M casting rods - Bass X or Mojo?

[Recurve1]

Hi - I use spinning gear for river small mouth most of the time but want a general purpose, all-around casting rod for this year.  Will fish small crankbaits, small spinnerbaits, small rapala minnow-type lures, jigheads with paddletail and curly-tail plastics, and occasional in-line spinners.  Do you all like either of these rods for that general use?  Do you favor one of these models over the other for occasional use? lures are usually on the lighter side from 3/16 - 1/2 oz total weight.

Thanks.

[Hulkster]

I just cant do the purple rod thing, so for me it would be Bass X 

[Bankc]

The Mojo has the SCIII blank, which is more sensitive.  But the Bass X's SCII isn't necessarily un-sensitive.  Plus it's probably a bit more durable.  And since you'll be using it for moving baits, sensitivity isn't super important.

Either would be fine, but I'd probably go with the Mojo if I were you.  Even when sensitivity isn't important, it's still appreciated.  It'll make it easier to slow roll a spinnerbait or crankbait and feel the point at which is just starts to vibrate.  

[Hulkster]

i was looking over on TW and if you look at the reviews of the Bass X everyone is saying their reel seats are breaking. 

 

something to consider

[akmac]

I handled a new medium model of the Bass X at Scheels and wasn't impressed.  Felt stiff/hollow like it wouldn't take much abuse.  The old version felt much better.  Much prefer the Mojo Bass.

[WIGuide]

For the price difference I'd go Mojo hands down. The Bass-X is basically the old original Mojo which was an SCII blank. Jumping to SCIII there is a significant difference in weight, balance, and sensitivity. 

[Cbump]

Mojo blows the bass x away. 

[gim]

I think the mojo has a 5 year warranty, the bass x only has a 1 year warranty.

[MN Fisher]

21 minutes ago, gimruis said:

I think the mojo has a 5 year warranty, the bass x only has a 1 year warranty.

I know when I registered my Mojos (I got 3 this year), they all said '5 years'.

 

Course the Victory has a 15 year transferable warranty - the one I got used...registered it and still have 13 years left of the warranty.

[Boomstick]

I do not own any Bass X, but I do own some Mojo Bass rods. I have held Bass X's in the store and tapped the tip against my kid's winter jacket, I couldn't really feel when it hit where I could with the Mojo Bass. Not the greatest real world test, but it still tells me the Mojo Bass is worth the extra cost quite easily.

 

My kid has the 7'1" Mojo Bass Plastics rod. It's a solid rod for unweighted or lightly weight soft plastics, finesse jigs, jerkbaits, square bills etc.

[Mbirdsley]

Definitely the Mojo.  However, the premier is at the same price point or a little bit more as the mojo and is made in Wisconsin.  I don’t know if the premier comes with split grips.

[Bankc]

10 hours ago, Mbirdsley said:

Definitely the Mojo.  However, the premier is at the same price point or a little bit more as the mojo and is made in Wisconsin.  I don’t know if the premier comes with split grips.

BPS and Cabella's sell the Premier with split grips.  It's an "exclusive" offering from them.  However, the Premier has the SCII blank like the Bass X.  

[waymont]

I think a medium St Croix will be too heavy for your applications.

[WIGuide]

1 hour ago, waymont said:

I think a medium St Croix will be too heavy for your applications.

OP states his lure weights are between 3/16 - 1/2 oz. the 7'1" M/F is rated at 1/4 - 5/8 so it would be pretty spot on. I've fished most of what he talks about on my M/F St. Croix's at some point or another without any issue. 

[MN Fisher]

22 minutes ago, WIGuide said:

OP states his lure weights are between 3/16 - 1/2 oz. the 7'1" M/F is rated at 1/4 - 5/8 so it would be pretty spot on. I've fished most of what he talks about on my M/F St. Croix's at some point or another without any issue. 

Spinners and Jigs - remember the weight is just for the head...my 3/8oz spinners total out at almost 5/8...and that's not including a trailer.

 

For a Medium power rod, I'd limit spinners and jigs to 1/4 oz.

[waymont]

43 minutes ago, WIGuide said:

OP states his lure weights are between 3/16 - 1/2 oz. the 7'1" M/F is rated at 1/4 - 5/8 so it would be pretty spot on. I've fished most of what he talks about on my M/F St. Croix's at some point or another without any issue. 

 I’m familiar with St Croix Premier M casting rods rated 1/4-3/4 which are fairly stiff rods. What other companies call medium heavy.

[Recurve1]

Thanks guys - going with the Mojo.  The weights listed are the total weight as I fish them - weighed them on a digital scale.

 

Thanks again for the advice.

[waymont]

2 minutes ago, Recurve1 said:

Thanks guys - going with the Mojo.  The weights listed are the total weight as I fish them - weighed them on a digital scale.

 

Thanks again for the advice.

I think you may have trouble with the 3/16-1/4 oz baits. The medium mojo bass rods are rated 10-17lb line 1/4-5/8oz baits. But try it 

[WRB]

I have the SC Victory 7’1” MF in a spinning rod that is rated 3/16-5/8 oz and if* the casting rod uses the same blank it would ideal with all the lures listed except Rapala original balsa Minnow lures. The reason imo is the rod tip is too stiff for casting reels to launch the original Minnow lures.

Tom

*Don’t see a Victory 7’1” MF casting rod listed?

[Cbump]

1 hour ago, MN Fisher said:

Spinners and Jigs - remember the weight is just for the head...my 3/8oz spinners total out at almost 5/8...and that's not including a trailer.

 

For a Medium power rod, I'd limit spinners and jigs to 1/4 oz.

You’re saying when I buy a 3/8 oz jig or spinnerbait that listed weight doesn’t include hook or skirt or blades? Just the head? 

[MN Fisher]

2 minutes ago, Cbump said:

You’re saying when I buy a 3/8 oz jig or spinnerbait that listed weight doesn’t include hook or skirt or blades? Just the head? 

Yep - normally a 3/8 oz spinner, chatter or jig tells you there's 3/8oz of lead or tungsten - the blades, skirt, hook, wire all add to that. There are a few that tell you the 'true' weight, but mostly it's as I said. Then add the trailer...my usual trailer is a 4" Pit Boss that weighs in at .34oz - so a 3/8 oz chatter with trailer weighs about 3/4oz when all is said and done.

 

That's why I toss 3/8oz on a MH rod, not a M.

[Cbump]

Dang. Didn’t know that. Going to have to weigh my baits. 

[Boomstick]

21 hours ago, MN Fisher said:

Spinners and Jigs - remember the weight is just for the head...my 3/8oz spinners total out at almost 5/8...and that's not including a trailer.

 

For a Medium power rod, I'd limit spinners and jigs to 1/4 oz.

A 3/8oz spinnerbait is kind of a gray area on this rod. The upper weight limit is 5/8oz, but other manufacturers might put 3/4oz on the same rod. It will work in a pinch, but it's not a rod I would get out with the intention of throwing one. Maybe if I'm on the kayak and not getting hits on whatever I have on it but the jig on the other rod is productive so maybe I'll try a spinnerbait kind of thing.

 

It's pretty good with lighter spinnerbaits though.

21 hours ago, waymont said:

I think you may have trouble with the 3/16-1/4 oz baits. The medium mojo bass rods are rated 10-17lb line 1/4-5/8oz baits. But try it 

My kid has thrown 1/4oz poppers on his before. Had to crank up the brakes on the reel a bit but it did alright. I wouldn't try anything lighter than that.