St. Croix or Falcon?

[jb_adams]

I am hoping to invest in a new baitcasting rod soon.  It will be for a BPS Prolite baitcaster.  Before anyone knocks this little baitcaster because it's not Shimano.....let me tell you that I have experience with this reel and it is very high quality for the small price of $100.  It's primarily for finesse fishing.  This baitcaster can throw weightless t-rig flukes quite a ways and with no backlash and little casting effort.  It will be used for flukes, small buzzbaits, small spinnerbaits, etc.  Maybe even a few smaller crankbaits.

Anyway...

My buddy has one of these on a Falcon Lowrider rod and loves it.  He loves it so much that he spent 11 hours diving for it after it fell over the side of the boat by accident.  After 4 days of diving, he found it, re-set the tension and cast it.  He's been fishing with it ever since.

So I like the feel of the St. Croix and I like his Falcon rod too.  Somehow, I feel that one is not really better than the other.  I want an all around medium action rod with a solid feel and sensitive tip but made for lighter tackle.  I noticed the diameter of the rod near the handle is small (5/16" or 3/8" maybe?) but it is strong enough to feel like a medium action rod even though it says light action.

So, which one has better warranty benefits, etc.  I know Avid has told several tales of getting entirely new rods after a rod eye broke on his St. Croix.

[JayW]

St Croix would be my #1 choice of those 2 rods. Falcon is not a bad rod either though.

[burleytog]

Croix Croix Croix!

[BassPonder72]

My vote is for Falcon.  They also have great CS.  I snapped one sent it in and a week later had a brand new one, no questions asked.

[TxBuddha]

Take a look at the Falcon Weightless Worm rod in either the Low Rider or Cara line. I've got two of the Low Riders with Citica 100's on 'em that I love to fish. They're light weight and sensitive with enough *ss to fish finesse jigs and T rigged finesse worms but still cast weightless flukes.

[jb_adams]

Take a look at the Falcon Weightless Worm rod in either the Low Rider or Cara line. I've got two of the Low Riders with Citica 100's on 'em that I love to fish. They're light weight and sensitive with enough *ss to fish finesse jigs and T rigged finesse worms but still cast weightless flukes.

That's what I'm looking for.  Versatility!

My buddy has the Lowrider series on his Prolite and I know how well it works with flukes and other weightless plastics.

For the money, they are relatively close in price and both feel relatively the same.  I have fishing experience with the Falcon but none with the St. Croix.  I really like the looks and feel of the St. Croix but as many have pointed out to me, you can't tell jack from holding one in your hand inside the store.

[JayW]

Like I said earlier... both are good rods. I've built on a LOT of St Croix blanks and can tell you first hand that they make some top notch blanks! I've caught some big Bass on St Croix blanks including a 13.1 Bass, a 12.11 and a 10.6 all on St Croix blanks and they handled like a dream.  If you're gonna go with a Falcon... the Lowriders are nice little rods from what I've seen (or so they used to be). In the end it will all come down to personal preference.  8-)

[jb_adams]

jay you make me sick....that large of a bass record to me is like a white buffalo to a Native American.  If it exists and I ever see it in a lifetime, I will die happy. ;D  Florida has some monster size bass.  I wouldn't know what to do if I ever landed a lunker.  Around here, I get excited about a 5lb bass.  This part of the state, that's a really good bass and probably about as big as you will catch in my home lake.  Even the FLW Tour has difficulty each year bringing in a 6lb bass or larger.  I once saw an 8lb and the crowd gave the guy a standing "O" with applause!

Anyway back to the subject.

Thanks for the tips.  I think St. Croix and Falcon will cost about the same price range ($120ish).  I may go with St. Croix just because I've heard of them more and it will give me more reason to talk trash to my fishing partner.  He uses Falcon exclusively now.  He was told at the local shop there is no difference between GLoomis and Falcon.  Now he's sold.  I'm sure the materials are the same but the manufacturing process is half of what matters too.

[Guest SkyChimp]

If you willing to consider something else, I would recommend the Team All Star IM10 TAS 845C-SH (7', medium power, fast action).  They run about $100.  

[Guest avid]

I may have missed something but I didn't catch you saying which st. croix rod?

I do not think the triumph series is worthy of the name st. croix, and have told them so.

I think the premiere is a decent enough rod, but at that price point I would by a Fenwick

Now when you get to the avid series you are talking St. Croix!!!

They are great rods, light, sensative, strong, alconite guides, lifetime warranty.

But even though I own and love the legend elite series, i can tell you that the tournament bass series rod is a great rod.  All the latest St. Croix technology, in a beuatiful handling, light sensative rod.

The avid series has an ergonomic grip handle, that some people find a little bulky, but he tournament bass series does not.

The TBC68MXF is one of my favorite rods.  It cost $210.00 not cheap, but my Legend elites, and GLX loomis cost quite a bit more.

go St. Croix young feller.

[mike bat]

i agree with avid ..... id go with a croix .... my first choice would be the legened tourney bass rod .... the one he listed should be fine .... but id go with the teaser rod  its a 7 ft med fast and if will cover alot of ground ..... tubes grubs spooks buzz baits senkos smaller t rigs and so on .... i have the legened tourney bass frogg rod ,,, 7ft heavy fast .... the more i fish it the harder it is to put down .....

now my seconed choice would be the avid .... its another great stick and price point concitered a killer stick ..... go croix  ;D

[jb_adams]

No Avid, I didn't say which rod.  I wasn't sure which rod series to select.  All I could remember was the name and how well like they are here on the forum.  I've picked up a few in stores but never paid enough attention to the series because I wasn't buying yet.  I feel nervous handling a rod over $100 if I'm not prepared to buy one. (haha)

My current two baitcaster rods have the ergonomic grip and I love it.  My buddy has the regular handles and they just feel so small but, his rod diameter is a lot smaller and thus more sensative.  Mine are medium heavy action 7ft. and his is a medium heavy action 6'-6 or 7ft but without the ergonomic grip.  The rod diameter at the handle is quite a bit smaller diameter which seems to add more feedback in the rod.  I may be wrong here but that's just my initial perception.

Since this rod will be for a finesse baitcaster, it will be the smaller medium light action 6ft rod.  I think a 6'-6 is as long as I'll want.  I like the longer rods just because you can get more distance (very little but more none the less).

Thanks for the feedback Avid!