Bass Fishing HomeBass Fishing Forums

Go Back   BassFishin.Com Forums > Serious Conversation Only > General Bass Fishing Topics

Reply
 
Thread Tools Rate Thread Display Modes
Old 01-02-12, 01:50 PM   #1
toph427
BassFishin.Com Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location:
Posts: 7
Send a message via ICQ to toph427
Default St. Croix Rage ??

I was just wondering if anybody has used the st. Croix rage spinning rods yet. I haven't been able to find any reviews online so any input would help thanks
toph427 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-02-12, 02:45 PM   #2
Tavery5
BassFishin.Com Super Veteran
 
Tavery5's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Wichita, KS
Posts: 2,427
Default

I don't know much about the spinning rods, but I have had a chance to check out the casting version of this rod. I believe they only have like 5 models of the spinning rod, most of them being M power, I believe they have one ML and one MH so your choices are a limited at the moment.

They built the rods to fill a gap between the Mojo and the Avid line of rods. The Rage is a scaled down Avid of sorts, it uses the same SCIII blank that you find on the Avid rods, but changes the hardware/guides to PacBay Stainless Steel Micros, they weight less but the jury is out on durability with superlines. The reel seat is a PacBay Minima and the handle is a new design that uses a neoprene cover over a hard foam like core.

The rods seem a little better balanced and seem to weight a little less, could be the balance, than the comparable Avid rod, but do not feel like a high end rod overall with the cheaper guides and neoprene handle.

Don't know if any of this helps with choosing a spinning rod, but thought I would share.
__________________
They call me Ishmael
Tavery5 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-02-12, 03:08 PM   #3
Jrob78
BassFishin.Com Super Veteran
 
Jrob78's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Dallas, TX
Posts: 4,671
Default

My impression of them is about the same as Tavs. I have never fished with one but I have looked them over several times at BPS. I am not a fan of guides without ceramic rings, I wouldn't trust them not to groove with braid. In my opinion, these guides are not braid safe.

The Pac Bay Minima seat is nice but they don't trim down the threads so you are left with a good inch or more of left over thread once your reel is tightened down. Those extra threads are not comfortable and defeat the purpose of the Minima seat.

Lastly, the handle on the rod seemed really thin, it feels like it has a thinner diameter than any cork or eva grip on any production rod I have ever seen. This is more of a personal preference thing but it doesn't give you much to grab on to and it looks kind of cheap. As far as the grip material itself, it felt ok to me, just could have been designed a little better.

The blank has a nice finish on it and the rod is light and balances well. The guides and the seat are deal breakers for me. If you don't plan on using braid and can live with your hands on reel seat threads, this might not be an issue. I wouldn't buy one sight unseen though, you might not be happy with it.

Here's a pic of the reel seat threads.

[IMG][/IMG]
__________________
There are 3 kinds of people in the world…those who can count and those who can’t. HRN4L
Jrob78 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-02-12, 08:33 PM   #4
Dogmatic
BassFishin.Com Veteran Member
 
Dogmatic's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Bucks County, PA
Posts: 714
Default

No fore grips, I hate rods without fore grips, I don't know why, just to have a place to grab when fighting fish(Why does St. Croix do that with their Bass rods)? But the neoprene looks cool, but with the eyelets "unproven"(Would they really put out a rod that's not going to stand up to braid, it is St. Croix?), I'll wait for some reviews.
Dogmatic is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-02-12, 08:44 PM   #5
kennethdaysale
BassFishin.Com Super Veteran
 
kennethdaysale's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: rock hill, sc
Posts: 2,315
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dogmatic View Post
No fore grips, I hate rods without fore grips, I don't know why, just to have a place to grab when fighting fish(Why does St. Croix do that with their Bass rods)? But the neoprene looks cool, but with the eyelets "unproven"(Would they really put out a rod that's not going to stand up to braid, it is St. Croix?), I'll wait for some reviews.
Me too...helpful hint # 25 I have bought some newer high end rods without foreskins because I wanted all the other features....just wrap some Coban aroung the shaft and ta-dah!
__________________
Sometimes you gotta risk it to get the biscuit.
kennethdaysale is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-02-12, 09:11 PM   #6
bassboogieman
BassFishin.Com Super Veteran
 
bassboogieman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Parkesburg, Pa.
Posts: 3,762
Default

I hate rods WITH fore grips. None of my rods (that are in use now) have them and I instantly liked the elimination of the fore grip. Any rods having a fore grip that may still be in my possesion are in the basement, awaiting the day I decide to have my yard sale or are salt water trolling rods. IMO it's one of the most notable improvements in rod design as it relates to freshwater fishing.

It took me longer to accept split grips, but now that I've used them a couple years I wouldn't go back to full cork handles. Well that's almost 100% true as I do still have one full cork handle rod that I like it so much I just refuse to replace it. It's my frog rod and I like the solid handle for that application.

Last edited by bassboogieman; 01-02-12 at 09:18 PM.
bassboogieman is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-02-12, 09:45 PM   #7
Jrob78
BassFishin.Com Super Veteran
 
Jrob78's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Dallas, TX
Posts: 4,671
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dogmatic View Post
But the neoprene looks cool, but with the eyelets "unproven"(Would they really put out a rod that's not going to stand up to braid, it is St. Croix?), I'll wait for some reviews.
To the best of my knowledge, the Minima guides are pretty new to the market. St. Croix and G. Loomis both use Recoil guides on their top end rods. I've seen a lot of pictures of grooved Recoils. I also know that the stainless guides used on some of the early Carrot Stix (they may still use them, not sure) do groove. It isn't the braid that grooves them, it's the grit and trash that the braid picks up that does the damage. I won't use anything less than an aluminum oxide ceramic ring on any personal rod, especially one that will see braid.

Recoil guides have a big following, I know there are some guys here that love them. I'm sure most people don't have any trouble with them but I wouldn't risk it personally. In reality, the grooves in the picture probably wouldn't do any line damage. Most people probably wouldn't even notice it on their rod and to be fair, ceramic guides can be very brittle and do crack, especially if mistreated.
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	recoil1.jpg
Views:	415
Size:	45.1 KB
ID:	7454  
__________________
There are 3 kinds of people in the world…those who can count and those who can’t. HRN4L
Jrob78 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-02-12, 10:44 PM   #8
bassboogieman
BassFishin.Com Super Veteran
 
bassboogieman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Parkesburg, Pa.
Posts: 3,762
Default

I know Bryce likes the recoils. I have 4 spinning rods with the recoil guides, and I'm not certain I'd buy others. I find them noisy when used with braid, and I haven't noticed that they are a real improvement over guides with ceramic inserts other than not being prone to bending. I really liked the zircon inserts that were somewhat popular just a few years ago, but you don't seem them much any more.
bassboogieman is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-03-12, 09:52 PM   #9
Dogmatic
BassFishin.Com Veteran Member
 
Dogmatic's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Bucks County, PA
Posts: 714
Default

Funny about that pic of the Recoils, why are the grooves on the side, and after continued use wouldn't that turn into a saw blade?
Dogmatic is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-03-12, 11:59 PM   #10
bluebasser86
BassFishin.Com Veteran Member
 
bluebasser86's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Gardner, KS
Posts: 605
Default

I just bought one of the Rage spinning rods and have not had a chance to fish with it yet. First impression was how light it was, it was like holding next to nothing. I liked the overall look and feel of it but foregrip has almost some sort of "hood" that is kind of uncomfortable in my hand but I'm sure I'll figure out how to deal with it. I don't fish braid so I'm not really worried about grooving the guides, just excited to get it out and fish it! On a side note a guy on another board I frequent regualarly catches DD bass at Falcon and other south Texas lakes and fishes a lot of braid and he uses nothing but Rage rods and swears by them. Of course those are castings rods but still the same kind of guides.
bluebasser86 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-04-12, 07:07 PM   #11
wallywallace
BassFishin.Com Veteran Member
 
wallywallace's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 849
Default

i am no were near the anglers yall are, and do like the mojo and believe the avid series, but the rage seem to0 lite, i looked at a couple today, and they all had the 120 plus tag, and they felt so lite, they just were cheap feeling , idk guess i am just a noob
wallywallace is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-04-12, 07:53 PM   #12
kennethdaysale
BassFishin.Com Super Veteran
 
kennethdaysale's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: rock hill, sc
Posts: 2,315
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by wallywallace View Post
i am no were near the anglers yall are, and do like the mojo and believe the avid series, but the rage seem to0 lite, i looked at a couple today, and they all had the 120 plus tag, and they felt so lite, they just were cheap feeling , idk guess i am just a noob
wally don't beat yourself up but light is good.
__________________
Sometimes you gotta risk it to get the biscuit.
kennethdaysale is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-04-12, 08:52 PM   #13
wallywallace
BassFishin.Com Veteran Member
 
wallywallace's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 849
Default

to bad, aint lite on wallet, lol
wallywallace is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-04-12, 09:31 PM   #14
bluebasser86
BassFishin.Com Veteran Member
 
bluebasser86's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Gardner, KS
Posts: 605
Default

Where did you find the Rage rods for 120?? They're 150 anywhere I've seen them.
bluebasser86 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-05-12, 11:09 PM   #15
wallywallace
BassFishin.Com Veteran Member
 
wallywallace's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 849
Default

i was generally saying they were 120 plus, just saying rods in that catagory, think they are 145 at Bp in my neck of the woods sorry, to get ya
wallywallace is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Disclosure / Disclaimer
Before acting on the content posted, you should know that BassFishin.Com may benefit financially and otherwise from content, advertising, links or otherwise from anything you click on, read, or look at on our website. Click here to read our Disclosure Policy and Disclaimer.


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 03:38 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
© 2013 BassFishin.Com LLC