Which Rod to Purchase

[walleyes4me]

Going to buy a St. Croix Avid rod for walleye, Lindy/Roach rigs. I'm considering a 7' medium light fast tip or 7'6" medium light extra fast tip. Which does everyone feel would be the best rod?


Thank you

[Mattman]

I'd suggest the ML.

I really don't like St. Croix's L and UL powers. The taper on those rods change from a nice quick tip to good mid and great butt (on the ML's and up) to much more moderate action rod. Great for Panfish, not so great for Walleye/Bass work.




Matt Davis

Better to have and not need than to need and not have!

Otterods - High performance hand crafted fishing rods.

[Skis]

I would personally go with the 7' rod. The extra fast tip on the 7'6" is too light for lindy rigging, in my opinion.+

[REW]

Of the two rods mentioned; I would certainly go with the 7'ml for the same reasons already mentioned.

However, another rod to consider - simply because of its relativly excellent action - and that is the Premier 6'6" ml.

This particular rod, simply has it all together for an excellent Lindy rig rod. Not too stiff, not too soft, not too fast, not too slow.

Remember, Lindy rigging is a visual, as well as tactile type fishing. i.e. much of lindy rigging has to do with observing the bend of the rod tip - in addition to feeling for the distinctive tap tap of a light biting walleye.

There is a trade off in rods, thier action, and stiffness. As a person goes up in the price of the rods; the sensitivity tends to go up, but the actual rod tends to get more stiff; because of the type of material going into the rod.

Thus, some high end rods that are extremely senstitive; also tend to be a bit on the stiff side; for a light biting walleye on a lindy rig, which shouldn't feel any resistance from the rod, before slack is given to the fish.

Many times; it is very difficult to "feel" the action and test the "fishability" of a rod - without actually being on the water and catching fish.

In your particular case; see if you can go fishing with a few buddies who happen to have the rods that you are thinking about buying. Fish with each of them in the style that you are going to fish. Then, you will be able to draw your own conclusions.

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Having said that - for a fishing style, which demands the ultimate in sensitivity and light weight - with no requirement for feeding line; as is the case for jigging. Then, there is no question that the Avid, or in particulr the Legend rod in the medium light will be a great great rod to fish with. In this case, you want a very light rod - to avoid fatigue, but a rod with supreme sensitivity, and you will be making instant hook sets; as soon as you feel the fish.

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Another upcoming rod company is the Rogue rod company out of Oregon.
One of the main rod designers of this company is from G. Loomis; who left after Shimany bought out Loomis. Rogue is making a very fine rod; at a price of about 1/2 that of the comparable Loomis. Again, they make rods in all types, lengths and actions. If you get a chance; fish with one of their rods; in the correct action and let us know what you think.

Take care
REW

[REW]

On the same vein, of my previous post. Many of the very best Lindy rigging rods; are based on steel head blanks, which tend to have a slow action. These are rods where the bulk of the bend is in the upper 1/2 of the rod; as opposed to a fast action rod, where the bulk of the bend is in the upper 1/3 or an extra fast action rod, where the bulk of the bend is in the upper 1/4 of the rod.

As I posted earlier, lindy rigging is as much a visual type fishing; as tactile, a long slow action rod; can still give excellent tactile feel; but will give supreme visual strike indication, with little feel being fed back to the biting fish.

Try a Lamiglas 7 1/2 foot or 8 foot light action steel head rod, and you will see what I mean.

Take care
REW

[Pat Nagle]

How long are the snell you are using? I can tell you from personal experience that the 7'6" ml is a spectacular Riggin rod. THe extra 6 inches allows you some room for error on pick up but in no way affects teh performacne through hook set and landing the fish.
THe 76 was designed specifically for rigging. THe soft tip basically works as a shock absorber between your line/ rod tip and the fish and its senses. As you load the rod up on hook set you will notice that the blank actually graduate from extra fast to fast to moderate. On hook set the extra fast 6" on the tip disappears into a fast action(top1/3 of the rod loads allowing for a more crisp hookset). once you have it loaded on hookset and you begin to bear down on the fish you will notice the blanks action generate back to about the 1/2 point way of the blank. A moderate action rod is necessary in the rigging aplication because you have some much potential for slop with snells and different weight and styles of sinkers. It is absolutely mandatory that you keep pressure on the fisha and a moderate action(picture a tradisitonal fly rod) is very effective. The problem with a truely moderate action rod is that you lose the power at hook set.
In my mind if you can travel with the extra 6" and rig a lot go with the 76 you will love it!

[Mattman]

Ooops, misread. Thought you were looking at 7' L and 7'6" ML.

Either ML would work well. However I would prefer the 7'6". I use a 7'6" Loomis for my rigging and prefer that length. If you plan to pull double duty with the rod for jigging or other applications, you may want the 7'.



Matt Davis

Better to have and not need than to need and not have!

Otterods - High performance hand crafted fishing rods.

[St. Croix]

Do yourself a favor and check out the new Walleye Tournament series. I just picked up a new 7.5 foot live bait rigging rod and it is great. Very light and really sensitive. They have two new rods for rigging, one they call a lindy rigging rod that is 7 foot and the 7.5 footer. The 7 is for lighter rigging. Both great rods, you will like what you see. Doug

[walleyes4me]

I Checked the St.Croix website and didn't find a walleye tournment series rods.

[St. Croix]

These rods are brand new. They are in the new catolag. I am sure they will be on the web site soon. I put the new Legend Tournament Live Bait rod to work this past week and it is the best Lindy rigging rod I have used, better than my old HSR9000, 7 foot Series one or any custom lindy rod I have used. Doug

[LILMANDANGLLO]

DONT BE HELLBENT ON ST.CROIX, CHECK OUT ROUGE {LOOMIS SIBLING} IF CONSIDERING LOOMIS,KISTLER HELIUM LTA OR DEFINITLEY LAMIGLASS. STILL CANT FIND IT CALL A CUSTOM GUY YOU WERE ALREADY GONNA SPEND 180 BONES ON A PRODUCTION PIECE. WHATS ANOTHER 100 ON SOMETHING YOULL HAVE FOREVER. AND YER KIDS MIGHT FIGHT OVER

[REW]

I have to 2nd your commments on both the Rogue and the Lamiglas rods.
In the last few years; I have built several of the 6'6" pro series lamiglas rods; and have found them to be really excellent jig sticks.

I was looking for a lighter action rod; and built a 6'6" rogue rod this spring. For pitching a 1/16th to 1/8th oz jig -- I have never found a more sensitive rod, or enjoyable rod to use.

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As the previous post suggested - there are some really excellent rods and blanks on the market that don't have either a St. Croix nor a Loomis name on them. Check some of them out; and you may be plesantly suprised.

Take care
REW

[walleyes4me]

Who sells the Rouge Rods?

[Bill Sloneker]

If you have an interest in Rogue or questions please email me at bill@advancesales.net or call me at 763-536-3977. I am the rep in Minnesota and will be glad to answer you questions about the rods or dealers.
Thanks
Bill Sloneker

[tracker18]

I've all three rods on the boat the 76 stcroix 76 lamiglass and a 76 loomis all three are great rods the stcroix has the softest tip of the three but has as much strengh in the butt as the rest Fred

[Burr ND]

Not too well known, but I like the Gapen 7'6" ML one piece casting rod. Performs like the others are describing - like it very well for rigging. The Graphite reel seat makes this rod very sensitive with a soft tip for superlines. Pretty reasonable as well.

https://ssl10.securedata.net/gapen/rods.html#casting

[Steve(IL)]

REW - Rogue rods have been around for years. It's my understanding no dealer in MN or WI will sign on because people are so committed to St. Croix and to a much lesser degree Loomis. My IMX and GLX have been collecting dust for years.

[OOC]

Steve(Il),thanks for introducing me to Rogue rods.My Loomis' and St.Croixs have all been demoted to "dead rods." My favorite is still the IM700 Lamiglas for which all never find a duplicate.

[Bill Sloneker]

As the Rogue rep in Minnesota,we do have several dealers, just not the "biggie" stores. We also have a direct sales program which has gotten the rods in many satisfied hands.
Bill