after my trip this year (trip report to follow in the next few days), i had a bit of extra cash set aside that was quickly spent at gander on my way home (dont tell the wife!). i was looking at new rods, just kinda putzing around. i normally bring a baitcaster for trolling, sometimes 2, and then a jig rod. my jig rods are all light action and either really short or really long. my baitcasters are 6ft to 6'6". i was meandering through gander and saw that st croix had a $15 rebate on select models. i have a st croix legend elite muskie rod(refurbished) that i really like, so i played around with the ones on rebate. my brother has a nice st croix 7 ft spinning medium action one he uses for trolling. i picked up one of the triumph series rods (st croixs budget/value series) and i was super impressed. it was so light, so sensitive, so nice, i got a 7ft, medium action, fast tip, 2 piece, that way i can troll and jig all on the same rod! plus, it fills the niche rod i didnt have

Spoons sink though and are good for dragging the bottom to find that rod that did not.

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Rod companies have tightened up a bit on their "here'e a new one, no questions asked" of years ago. Loomis now charges $100 for a replacement (no questions asked  ). But that is not to say that the competition between companies does put some pressure on them to try and make you happy.

As for Cabelas I would be down there in a heartbeat. It's not like you slammed the rod into your car door or something.........Very nice pic BTW, nice marking on the fish.

Speaking of return policies >REI has a no questions asked on gear return if you are unsatisfied for any reason. That can lead to quite a bit of abuse. I gave my pal and his kid a MSR Taj 3 man tent for a Quetico trip with repeated instructions to check the fly for leaks as I had not used it in close to a decade. After the night from hell in which the tent leaked like a sieve he returned it to REI recounting his disaster. They gave him full credit for another tent. Crazytown!

Maui Jim sunglasses will put new lenses into your glasses for $60 after their 2 year warranty has expired. Keep them in to much heat for to long and they will delaminate  . 

MT - you said they were all graphite. I think someone said the same thing recently. Didn't seem right but who knows? I'm not a gearhead like many of you so I asked this time.

Here's a picture of my last (current) outfit with an average bass for scale. (You need to Login or Register to view media files and links)

Broke that rod on a snag 10 yrs later. Now it seems Cabelas offers a 25 year warranty on that XML. As I watched a yard of tip go under following the line I knew it was my own damn fault as I've seen that same visual (+6") before....

I bought another just like it since I liked that rod a lot and it was my mistake. Are you guys saying I can take it back and they will give me a new one? I still have all three pieces! I thought of asking if I could purchase only the half that broke but like I said, it was my own damn fault and being a dick about things isn't how I was brought up.

Think what you want, rolled my boat once and some nitwit "helped" my stuff into the water.

You twice contested my comment that Loomis rods float going so far as to call Loomis (kinda weird if you ask me) and in essence calling me a fibber. Can't let that stand so we go your way and try to politely take the gloves off (or shall we say the light sabers on  ).

I had tried to steer the conversation towards a bit of humor if you remember correctly.

In any event yes I do have more high end fishing stuff than a man of my meager means should have but the point being, and as I have already attempted to make, that it is more fun IMO to fish with quality gear.

And I will repeat my previous stance that IMO the best value for an exceptional quality rod at a good price is St. Croix and not Loomis.

But I agree........I would prefer not to use my light saber to have to deflect cheap shots. Hopefully the stories provided were at least mildly interesting as the biggest miscue is to be boring (which I do try and avoid).

Hopefully the dustup is over and we can go back to talking about what you refer to as "catfish rods". One thing is certain, the catfish rods are all but indestructible which reminds me of another story........did I ever tell you about the time my canoe partner broke BOTH his rods in the little beaver pond leading to Jeff? Well it happened this way.............

My point was, Obi Wan has a knack at dropping his light saber at inopportune times.  You seem to drop your gear in the water quite a bit.

Also, it sounds like you have a lot of very high end gear...good for you.  You should start your own topic. 
This topic began with a question about purchasing a decent fishing rod, suitable for a canoe trip and turned into a few bogus stories about extremely high end gear that floats and some Cuban guy.  So I ask, who is the sniper here?

db wrote on May 26^th, 2013 at 6:31am:


Don't be silly......the spool, side plates (other than a stainless outer ring) and housing are all graphite making the Newells tops in lightweight and corrosion resistance. A common mistake amongst the Newell crowd is to not lubricate the gears in their reels.

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Thanks Pascanell for the Obi Wan reference. Certainly one of the "good guys" and on the right team. I like talking fishing and am transparent here.......how about you? Or do we have just another sharpshooter who hides behind a rock waiting for an opportunity for a snide remark?

mastertangler wrote on May 25^th, 2013 at 6:12pm:

Seriously? The gears and bearings and everything? What do they recommend for lubricant or don't they need any?

You are the Obi Wan of fishing....Have you ever fished without dumping all your gear in the water?

I have another story which shows both sides of the floating rod scenario.......

I took my sisters hippie dope smoking boyfriend on the Detroit river for a day of smallmouth fishing. I generally lay my rods on my rod lockers along the side of the boat. Well this genius rears back for a cast, snags one of my loomis bass outfits and launches it into the river,

The vision presented to me was quite surreal. Directly in front of me, in the water and sinking, was my rod and reel. I acted very quickly and set the loomis in my hand down and reached out to grab the fast disappearing rod. Unfortunately it was just out of reach of my outstretched hand. I committed and went in after it. On the way over I kicked my other rod in the water and broke my pouch containing my keys, wallet and money clip off on the gunnel.

I managed to grab the original rod and as I was getting right side up I felt the other rod bump against my arm and I grabbed it with my other hand. At the time I couldn't figure out where the other rod had come from and thought I was grabbing the other half of a 2 piece rod. It was only later did I figure out that I must have kicked in the other rod on my way over.

I surfaced with a rod in each hand and my pouch hanging loose on the gunnel. The whole thing was surreal and I would of given quite a chunk of cash to have had a video of the whole sorry episode. I was fortunate that I got everything back.

So you are at least partially correct Pascanell.........not all Loomis rods float (but some certainly do!)