I really thought I would never own one....

nofearengineer · 01-07-10, 09:55 PM

but I actually broke down and bought a $400 rod...for $240. Which is still too damned much money for a fishing rod, but what the heck...you only live once.

My St. Croix Legend Extreme XC76MHMF arrived today. I always love the feeling an 8' cardboard tube on your doorstep gives you when you arrive home from work. It brings back the way you felt as a kid when you came out on Christmas morning and saw all of those presents under the tree.

While I am not sure the guy selling it was 100% honest...I am pretty much blown away by this rod. He advertised it as "new", but there are a couple of tiny superficial scratches on the rod; you have to hold the rod up at the right angle to see them. I'm not sure if this thing was a blem, he fished it a couple of times, or it just got scratched up on the store shelf by customers handling it. It is an amazing rod for the price, nonetheless.

The first thing I notice when I pick it up is how much it doesn't weigh. At 4.8 ounces, it's lighter than most of the ultralight spinning rods I've owned in my life. And this thing is 7 and a half feet long. Technology is good.

I'm not sure how well it translates to detecting fish bites, but I always like to take a rod and place the tip on a speaker and see how low I can turn the volume down and still feel the vibrations in the handle. Maybe I'm just getting hard of hearing in my old age, but I could feel some of the "noise" with my hands that I could barely make out with my ears.

I'm going to pair this thing up with a Revo Premier for a total weight of less than 12 ounces.

The next thing I did was check out the REC Recoil guides. You can literally bend these things over with your thumb, and they spring right back into place. I don't plan on bending them any more now, at least on purpose.

It seems to be a bit more stiff than my Mojo Bass MB76MHMF, and the action seems just a smidgin faster. I get the serious feeling that if I jerk on a big ol' sow in the weeds with this rod, she's comin' out. Major backbone.

This purchase is just going to make the next 10 weeks harder. Who knows...maybe February will turn nice on us, and I'll have to do some late Winter fishing with it. I don't actually have what I would call a deep jigging rod, but I think this rod would work in a pinch rather well. When Spring gets here, I am definitely going to use this rod for what it was meant for...pitching. Also as an open water spinnerbait rod.

TN_Bassin · 01-07-10, 10:56 PM

Congratulations, I am in the market for a rod for my new Revo Premier myself. I hope I get a deal at least half as good as yours.

That is an awesome rod, I haven't used one myself but I hear great things about them.
Those REC guides are neat too. I wonder how long they keep their low memory?

I do sort of the same thing to test the sensitivity of my rods before I buy them. I have a buddy stand in place and I shove the tip into his adams apple and I have him grunt.

Bender · 01-07-10, 11:21 PM

I'm sure you will love that rod and what a great price! I really like the Recoil guides and they have held up for me very well. Some guys don't like them because they are noisy, especially with braid. I find the only time they are really noisy is when I have a fish on, and that is a very sweet noise.

bassboogieman · 01-07-10, 11:25 PM

That's one hell of a rod. If I wasn't so sold on my Kistler rods, my rod locker would be full of the St. Croix Legends. It was a very tough decision a few short years ago when I decided to move up to a "premium" rod. I used a couple of each for a couple of weeks before deciding upon the Kistler - mainly due to a wider selection of rod lengths and actions in both casting and spinning rods. I think you'll really like the recoil guides, I have them on my LTX rods. Never have to worry about loosing an insert again. LOL!

MallenManson · 01-07-10, 11:54 PM

Congrats nofear, sounds like one sweet rod. And you hit the nail on the head about finding the tube on the porch. When I came home to find my HMGs waitin for me a few weeks back, I just started grinnin.

islandbass · 01-08-10, 04:58 AM

Sweet deal! Please post a review when you get a chance. What reel to you plan to match it with?

BigBassin144 · 01-08-10, 09:23 AM

Awesome deal nofear!

Don't forget to give us a review when winter's over.

BB

jasonfish320 · 01-08-10, 03:02 PM

For that kind of $$ I would have bought another GRANDT rod..I can honestly say they are by far the best rod I have ever fished with, superlight, superstrong, great cust.service and they build to suit... and no I am not getting paid to say this...just a fantastic rod company!

paul · 01-08-10, 03:35 PM

congrats on your new rod. sounds like it'll be awesome. obviously you are severely dedicated/addicted/ obsessed.

honestly i don't think i've ever paid $240 for any rod and reel i have - put together.

a lot of the stuff i have probably would have been expensive, but i live close to a gander mtn. store that has some INSANE sales/deals seemingly every time i'm there. i'm talkin' shimano crucials for 59-79 bucks. pfleuger summit reels for 100. not sure how this place stays in business, but i ain't askin' any questions.

good luck with the new rod man. wanna hear a review.

nofearengineer · 01-08-10, 03:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by paul

obviously you are severely dedicated/addicted/ obsessed.

Absolutely!!!

Unfortunately, not very talented.

But I'm workin' on it.

MallenManson · 01-08-10, 05:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nofearengineer

Absolutely!!!

Unfortunately, not very talented.

But I'm workin' on it.

I hear you cut a mean rug though

nofearengineer · 01-08-10, 06:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MallenManson

I hear you cut a mean rug though

I don't know about cutting any rugs, but I do like trmming carpets.

MallenManson · 01-08-10, 06:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nofearengineer

I don't know about cutting any rugs, but I do like trmming carpets.

LMAO! I prefer 'em pre-trimmed, that way I'm not blamed for any nicks or scrapes

bassinbob · 01-08-10, 10:37 PM

Nofear I have a Legend Tournament and it's a great rod so I can invision all the pleasure you will get from your Extreme. Now if you ever get tired using it I have some antique Mitchell 300"s and Ugly stix's to trade.

keithdog · 01-09-10, 12:06 PM

Thats going to be one hell of an outfit Nofear! A couple very miner scratches is certainly worth it. After this weeks weather, I don't think either of us are going to the lake any time soon. But I certainly do understand your desire! It's already been a long winter.

Bassboss · 01-09-10, 12:44 PM

Nice buy nofear! Sounds like an insane rod!

Make sure to NOT give a review, that way I won't want to spend that much on a rod!

jk, please post one!

01-07-10, 09:55 PM	#1
nofearengineer BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Southwest IN Posts: 5,630	I really thought I would never own one.... but I actually broke down and bought a $400 rod...for $240. Which is still too damned much money for a fishing rod, but what the heck...you only live once. My St. Croix Legend Extreme XC76MHMF arrived today. I always love the feeling an 8' cardboard tube on your doorstep gives you when you arrive home from work. It brings back the way you felt as a kid when you came out on Christmas morning and saw all of those presents under the tree. While I am not sure the guy selling it was 100% honest...I am pretty much blown away by this rod. He advertised it as "new", but there are a couple of tiny superficial scratches on the rod; you have to hold the rod up at the right angle to see them. I'm not sure if this thing was a blem, he fished it a couple of times, or it just got scratched up on the store shelf by customers handling it. It is an amazing rod for the price, nonetheless. The first thing I notice when I pick it up is how much it doesn't weigh. At 4.8 ounces, it's lighter than most of the ultralight spinning rods I've owned in my life. And this thing is 7 and a half feet long. Technology is good. I'm not sure how well it translates to detecting fish bites, but I always like to take a rod and place the tip on a speaker and see how low I can turn the volume down and still feel the vibrations in the handle. Maybe I'm just getting hard of hearing in my old age, but I could feel some of the "noise" with my hands that I could barely make out with my ears. I'm going to pair this thing up with a Revo Premier for a total weight of less than 12 ounces. The next thing I did was check out the REC Recoil guides. You can literally bend these things over with your thumb, and they spring right back into place. I don't plan on bending them any more now, at least on purpose. It seems to be a bit more stiff than my Mojo Bass MB76MHMF, and the action seems just a smidgin faster. I get the serious feeling that if I jerk on a big ol' sow in the weeds with this rod, she's comin' out. Major backbone. This purchase is just going to make the next 10 weeks harder. Who knows...maybe February will turn nice on us, and I'll have to do some late Winter fishing with it. I don't actually have what I would call a deep jigging rod, but I think this rod would work in a pinch rather well. When Spring gets here, I am definitely going to use this rod for what it was meant for...pitching. Also as an open water spinnerbait rod. __________________ Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing it is not fish they are after.

01-07-10, 10:56 PM	#2
TN_Bassin BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Bon Aqua,TN Posts: 1,013	Congratulations, I am in the market for a rod for my new Revo Premier myself. I hope I get a deal at least half as good as yours. That is an awesome rod, I haven't used one myself but I hear great things about them. Those REC guides are neat too. I wonder how long they keep their low memory? I do sort of the same thing to test the sensitivity of my rods before I buy them. I have a buddy stand in place and I shove the tip into his adams apple and I have him grunt. __________________ Other anglers are tough, but the fish are the real competition.

01-07-10, 11:54 PM	#5
MallenManson BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Beulah, Michigan Posts: 6,431	Congrats nofear, sounds like one sweet rod. And you hit the nail on the head about finding the tube on the porch. When I came home to find my HMGs waitin for me a few weeks back, I just started grinnin. __________________ Bass fear me. Women pepperspray me.....

01-08-10, 04:58 AM	#6
islandbass BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: WA State Posts: 1,783	Sweet deal! Please post a review when you get a chance. What reel to you plan to match it with? __________________ ARX "If people concentrated on the really important things in life, there'd be a shortage of fishing poles." Doug Larson (Shimano 2005 Reel Catalog)

01-08-10, 09:23 AM	#7
BigBassin144 BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Toledo, Ohio Posts: 9,463	Awesome deal nofear! Don't forget to give us a review when winter's over. BB __________________ As of June 14, 2014 the members of the BF.com forum have moved to basschat.yuku.com!

01-07-10, 11:21 PM	#3
Bender BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Brighton, MI Posts: 2,414	I'm sure you will love that rod and what a great price! I really like the Recoil guides and they have held up for me very well. Some guys don't like them because they are noisy, especially with braid. I find the only time they are really noisy is when I have a fish on, and that is a very sweet noise.

01-07-10, 11:25 PM	#4
bassboogieman BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Parkesburg, Pa. Posts: 3,762	That's one hell of a rod. If I wasn't so sold on my Kistler rods, my rod locker would be full of the St. Croix Legends. It was a very tough decision a few short years ago when I decided to move up to a "premium" rod. I used a couple of each for a couple of weeks before deciding upon the Kistler - mainly due to a wider selection of rod lengths and actions in both casting and spinning rods. I think you'll really like the recoil guides, I have them on my LTX rods. Never have to worry about loosing an insert again. LOL!

01-08-10, 03:02 PM	#8
jasonfish320 BassFishin.Com Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: MAINEIAC Posts: 585	For that kind of $$ I would have bought another GRANDT rod..I can honestly say they are by far the best rod I have ever fished with, superlight, superstrong, great cust.service and they build to suit... and no I am not getting paid to say this...just a fantastic rod company! __________________ "If at first you don't succeed; have another beer"

01-08-10, 03:35 PM	#9
paul BassFishin.Com Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: TN Posts: 16	congrats on your new rod. sounds like it'll be awesome. obviously you are severely dedicated/addicted/ obsessed. honestly i don't think i've ever paid $240 for any rod and reel i have - put together. a lot of the stuff i have probably would have been expensive, but i live close to a gander mtn. store that has some INSANE sales/deals seemingly every time i'm there. i'm talkin' shimano crucials for 59-79 bucks. pfleuger summit reels for 100. not sure how this place stays in business, but i ain't askin' any questions. good luck with the new rod man. wanna hear a review. __________________ second best fisherman in my family.

01-08-10, 10:37 PM	#14
bassinbob BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Pitts. Pa. Posts: 3,801	Nofear I have a Legend Tournament and it's a great rod so I can invision all the pleasure you will get from your Extreme. Now if you ever get tired using it I have some antique Mitchell 300"s and Ugly stix's to trade. __________________ you can have my fishin rod when ya take it from my cold dead hands

01-09-10, 12:06 PM	#15
keithdog BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: IN Posts: 8,308	Thats going to be one hell of an outfit Nofear! A couple very miner scratches is certainly worth it. After this weeks weather, I don't think either of us are going to the lake any time soon. But I certainly do understand your desire! It's already been a long winter.

01-09-10, 12:44 PM	#16
Bassboss BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Shawano, WI Posts: 7,761	Nice buy nofear! Sounds like an insane rod! Make sure to NOT give a review, that way I won't want to spend that much on a rod! jk, please post one! __________________ If you can't fix it with heavy squats or fish oil, you're probably going to die.

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