St Croix Legend TBC69MLXF ?

[Dodge1]

I was looking at buying one of these rods for drop shotting and casting #5 raps and was wondering if anyone could offer some feedback.

[Mattman]

That'll be a good rod for those applications. It's not an overly beefy rod so #5's would be fine on it. The tip will be light enough to load well on the cast. And the XF action is a good one for drop shotting.


Matt Davis

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

[Dodge1]

Thanks Matt. I’ve enjoyed reading your posts over on the Tackle Tour boards but I was having the dickens on a time on getting any feedback on that particular rod; aside from D.R., who hated the one he had (“it’s just a darn noodle rod and can you believe it doesn’t even have a hook hanger”) lol. I can pick up a new one for $125.00, from a St. Croix authorized dealer, and since I value your opinion I’ll be ordering it latter today.

I’m in the process of super tuning an Abu 1601 C IAR, which I think I’ll be using for my drop shotting reel. For casting I plan on using my Pixy but only after I do one of the drag mods that ChuckE’s covered. That combo should weigh in at ~ 9 oz’s but one of these days I’m just going to have to break down and order one of your ultralight customs.

BTW, did you notice this little ditty over at the BFHP Rods/Reels board:

1. 10/16/2006 8:09:00 PM Submitted by Tom Kirkman (4.152.54.234) from NC says Shikari
I don't want to say too much - they should be the ones to make the announcement. But I don't think that Shikari will continue to be around as we have known it for the past decade or so. The new blanks will be ATC blanks, not Shikari and some models will be sourced from overseas.

I do know that a large portion, perhaps in the thousands, of the last production Shikari blanks will be for sale at the 2007 International Custom Rod Building Exposition in February. And at some tremendous bargains.

BTW, that was post # 40593

[Mattman]

$5! Wow. Who cares if it'll work for that kind of money? Pretty hard to go wrong.

But that is a pretty good blank for the applications you're looking at.

Yes. I heard a month or so ago that Shikari was purchased and the SHX would be no more. I'm not very happy about that. That is easily my favorite blank. One of the most sensitive available and not as much money as the LE. Much less the GLX.

I'm doing another rod much like the caster I did for Chuck E very shortly. Provided I can get the SHX blank. I may have to start using a Loomis IMX blank instead.

Since Loomis hasn't sent me any crappy GLX blanks I'm using them more but their selection is quite limited.




Matt Davis

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

[Walleye Willy II]

Matt,

I am fairly new to fishing walleyes (3-4 years and only 1 year tourny fishing) and was wondering about a custom built rod. If I am reading this right, I take it you build rods. I do a lot of drifting jigs with live bait-mostly crawlers but some leeches and minnows. I was wondering about getting a rod built for that application and if it would benefit me over my current rods (Cabelas XML series.) If so what king of reel would you pair one with- I use Shimmano symmtree and stadic's now. Jigs are mostly 1/4 oz. Sometimes heavier and sometimes lighter but 85% of the time 1/4's. Also what kind of money for the rod.

Scott Willis
Scottwillis3442@yahoo.com
308-647-6428

[Mattman]

Check your email Scott.


Matt Davis

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