Broken St Croix Rod

Jawjacker · #1 04-22-2019, 11:24 PM

Hey guys. I'm still deciding if i want to a buy a St Croix Walleye tournament series spinning rod. I've been reading all over the net about people complaining that their St Croix rods have exploded into a few pieces while hook setting an average size fish. Has any one here experienced that problem?

ghostguy6 · #2 04-22-2019, 11:35 PM

I had the front section of a Premier break. Their warranty is not worth it. When I did the math it was going to be around $120 can to go through the whole warranty and shipping process or just order a new tip section for $35 Us ($42can) delivered to my door.

I love their rods but its hard to stand behind a company that conducts business like that.

Dean2 · #3 04-23-2019, 12:23 AM

They are great rods for feel but they do blowup. Seems like 4 to 6 years old they grenade. Never had a newer one than that break. Their warranty is absolute crap. If you are tournament fishing and the feel the performance is worth the price for 4 or 5 years use, decent buy but G-Loomis is as good a rod and their warranty is great. Plus their rods don't blow up. Have broke a couple that were my fault and I told them that, Loomis still fixed them no charge and no shipping costs to me.

oilngas · #4 04-23-2019, 08:13 AM

I had a St. Croix blow up in the rear rod holder on an average Crawling wally. Picked it out of the holder and had 7 laterally split pieces in hand.

The warranty experience was, as other have said about $125 US to get it replaced, in 2 months, with a $125 US rod. I went that route as I like the blown up rod a lot, but it seems to me I made the wrong decision. I did not get the same rod it return, as it had been discontinued.

Loomis all the way now.

Buckhead · #5 04-23-2019, 08:24 AM

I've been using St. Croix Legend Tournament Walleye rods for about 8 years under all conditions and do not treat them gently. I've caught around 50 walleyes that exceeded 32 inches and many hundreds from there down. I have never had a rod "blow up".
I like the feel so that's what I buy.
Rods and reels are probably the cheapest item you can buy that's connected with fishing. Just calculate the cost of running a boat on a per hour basis and you might be scared into staying home.
Just buy what you like.

ddddd05 · #6 04-23-2019, 10:40 AM

I have owned 5 St.Croix rods. One of them busted last year in the but section. It was a Rio Santo fly rod (entry level). It was close to 10 years old. I own three Triumph spinning rods and a Imperial fly rod.

I bought a non St.Croix rod for the first time last year. A Douglas fly fishing rod. Check out the Douglas rods for fun.

RavYak · #7 04-23-2019, 02:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dean2

They are great rods for feel but they do blowup. Seems like 4 to 6 years old they grenade. Never had a newer one than that break. Their warranty is absolute crap. If you are tournament fishing and the feel the performance is worth the price for 4 or 5 years use, decent buy but G-Loomis is as good a rod and their warranty is great. Plus their rods don't blow up. Have broke a couple that were my fault and I told them that, Loomis still fixed them no charge and no shipping costs to me.

That would be a rare situation. Definitely not normally no fee with Loomis.

G Loomis has the expedited program if it is your fault. You pay a certain amount(depends on rod model) and they ship you out a new rod no questions asked.

Jawjacker · #8 04-23-2019, 07:14 PM

Thanks for the input guys. i ended up buying the G Loomis IMX WALLEYE VERTICAL JIG in a one piece 6'3" 6-12 lb . St Croix as good as they look and feel seem to be a ticking time bomb.

Kurt505 · #9 04-23-2019, 08:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jawjacker

Thanks for the input guys. i ended up buying the G Loomis IMX WALLEYE VERTICAL JIG in a one piece 6'3" 6-12 lb . St Croix as good as they look and feel seem to be a ticking time bomb.

I can’t speak as to the ticking time bomb, but I’ve got 6 G. Loomis rods, none of their high end rods but I’ve got 2 IMX, a walleye series, a GL2, and 2 E6X’s and they all are great rods, I’m sure you’ll be more than happy with it.

The only other rod I have that I’d say is as good or maybe even better is a Shimano Crucial that’s about 12 or 15 years old. It’s not like the new Crucial and came with a lifetime warranty.

EZM · #10 04-23-2019, 08:50 PM

I have about a dozen St.Croix rods and have used them for years. A few different weights and series.

Never had one break that wasn't my fault.

I guess a good old ugly stick or a 2x4 (the feel is about the same) is in order for you boys with the exploding rods.

Buckhead · #11 04-23-2019, 09:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EZM

I have about a dozen St.Croix rods and have used them for years. A few different weights and series.

Never had one break that wasn't my fault.

I guess a good old ugly stick or a 2x4 (the feel is about the same) is in order for you boys with the exploding rods.

Or maybe they just need a reel that has a drag that actually works.

cube · #12 04-24-2019, 08:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RavYak

That would be a rare situation. Definitely not normally no fee with Loomis.

G Loomis has the expedited program if it is your fault. You pay a certain amount(depends on rod model) and they ship you out a new rod no questions asked.

Pretty sure St. Croix has the same type of warranty mentioned here.

When I was deciding between St. Croix and G. Loomis I was lucky enough to get to demo both at the same time. Both felt great and hooked a similar number of fish but the St. Croix landed more walleye. I chalked that up to the St. Croix being a bit stiffer, even though both were rated the same. Certainly for the same rating the St. Croix had a faster tip.

Just curious for those that had rods blow up on them, did you always keep your rods in the/a rod sock like they came with. I know carbon fiber can certainly fail when scratched or bruised, just look at hockey sticks today. They can look perfectly fine but a small amount of damage can lead to a catastrophic failure.

EZM · #13 04-24-2019, 12:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cube

Pretty sure St. Croix has the same type of warranty mentioned here.

When I was deciding between St. Croix and G. Loomis I was lucky enough to get to demo both at the same time. Both felt great and hooked a similar number of fish but the St. Croix landed more walleye. I chalked that up to the St. Croix being a bit stiffer, even though both were rated the same. Certainly for the same rating the St. Croix had a faster tip.

Just curious for those that had rods blow up on them, did you always keep your rods in the/a rod sock like they came with. I know carbon fiber can certainly fail when scratched or bruised, just look at hockey sticks today. They can look perfectly fine but a small amount of damage can lead to a catastrophic failure.

The higher end St.Croix rods are no questions asked exchange - not sure about the entry level stuff. The 2 times I've used warranty, both times my fault, were no charge to me except shipping in one case.

Jawjacker · #14 04-25-2019, 10:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jawjacker

Thanks for the input guys. i ended up buying the G Loomis IMX WALLEYE VERTICAL JIG in a one piece 6'3" 6-12 lb . St Croix as good as they look and feel seem to be a ticking time bomb.

Well after reading more on this thread I bought a second rod. I got the St. Croix Legend Tournament Walleye Spinning Rod in a medium light 1 piece. Can never have enough rods

Thanks for all the input guys

Kokaneeranger · #15 04-26-2019, 11:54 AM

I bought the exact same rod earlier this year, I'm sure we'll enjoy them for years to come.

Zuludog · #16 04-29-2019, 11:24 AM

Just used the warranty on a rod. $40 CDN to send them the old rod and $65 USD to get it sent back with a new tip section. The lady who does warranty said that I would be getting a new rod so they needed both sections. Then a.week later a guy calls me and says that they are only replacing the top piece and it's $30 for the piece and $35 for shipping (or vice versa). He says that I didn't need to send in the pieces at all.😡

I will try G Loomis next time. The rod is nice though.

Jawjacker · #17 04-29-2019, 12:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zuludog

Just used the warranty on a rod. $40 CDN to send them the old rod and $65 USD to get it sent back with a new tip section. The lady who does warranty said that I would be getting a new rod so they needed both sections. Then a.week later a guy calls me and says that they are only replacing the top piece and it's $30 for the piece and $35 for shipping (or vice versa). He says that I didn't need to send in the pieces at all.😡

I will try G Loomis next time. The rod is nice though.

Sorry brother that sucks. From my experiences and research G Loomis has the better of the two warranty programs. St Croix rods are nice though .

ghostguy6 · #18 04-29-2019, 01:10 PM

Quote:

Zuludog

Just used the warranty on a rod. $40 CDN to send them the old rod and $65 USD to get it sent back with a new tip section. The lady who does warranty said that I would be getting a new rod so they needed both sections. Then a.week later a guy calls me and says that they are only replacing the top piece and it's $30 for the piece and $35 for shipping (or vice versa). He says that I didn't need to send in the pieces at all.😡

And if you had just ordered the new rod section it would have been $35 US shipped. This is why I can no longer stand behind St. Croix's products. They are nice rods but when it is cheaper to buy new pieces than use the warranty it defeats the purpose of a warranty at all.

Dean2 · #19 04-29-2019, 02:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ghostguy6

And if you had just ordered the new rod section it would have been $35 US shipped. This is why I can no longer stand behind St. Croix's products. They are nice rods but when it is cheaper to buy new pieces than use the warranty it defeats the purpose of a warranty at all.

My experience is the same with St Croix. Good rod, absolute crap customer service and warranty.