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Favorite rods

Chris Haley

By Chris Haley
in Walleye Fishing-Perch

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My favorite rods are the St. Croix Avid Series.
I have quite a few, but the ones I use most are:
6'3" Med extra fast tip for verical jigging
6'0 Med lite Fast for pitching lite jigs
6'6" Med fast for casting heavier jigs.
For rigging I normally use the 6'6" Med Lite with a softer tip.
The avids are my favorite rods. I do have some of them G. loopis's and just can't get used to them as I did with the Croixs.

My other favorite rod is a 6'6" Med fast lightnig Rod. When sensitivity is not an issue this is my rod of choice. These rods are fairly cheap too. In fact, the reel was 3 times what the rod was. Plus they make for nice boat rods when you don't want cetain people handling your expensive setups.

Does any have any of the Legend elite rods, and how much better are they to fish with than the avids?
mw

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ccarlson Proficient

ccarlson

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My all around favorite spinning rod is the Loomis PR 8400 in the IMX model. Many people are unaware of the great walleye fishing features these PR series loomis rods have. If I had to live with one rod, that would be it.

I was clued into the PR series, which stands for Popping Rod and not even intended as a walleye rigging rod, by a couple friends of mine that guide in the Brainerd area. I prefer it over the walleye series and sjr's that I have tried. The story that I heard is that Marv Koep had received one by mistake on a loomis order and liked it so much, he switched to them.

The PR 8400 is 7' long with a good backbone but a moderately fast tip.

The next one I would get in a spinning rod is the same rod with the next lightest tip. It is the PR 840 (notice the tip is rated at a 0 rather than a 00). This is a tremendous leech rod from what I have seen and is the next one I hope to get.

I know many don't like the loomis rods because they don't think they are worth it and I can see their point. You can catch a lot of fish on a less expensive rod but if you enjoy it and don't mind spending the extra money this PR 8400 is a great little rod.

I also like the Shimano Compre rods which are a lot less $.

ccarlson

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fishlakeman Community Regular

fishlakeman

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I haven't used them on the water, but I think the legend elites are over priced. They are better than the avids though. They are feather light and very sensitive, but for $290, I would go with a G-Loomis GLX. The GLX is definetely a better rod with costing about 15 bucks more. Overall the avids are the best value. They are excellent rods with a moderate price.

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Try Too Fish Community Regular

Try Too Fish

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I don't think legend elites are over priced when compared with other top end rods.
With the life time warranty and SUPER sensitivity and the light weight it is my favorite jigging rod

------------------
Try Too Fish
Forced Too Work!!:)

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IceHawk Mentor

IceHawk

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Here is what I use for my walleye arsenal:
Jigging-(shallow water) 6 ft med-light
Jigging-(deep water) 6-6 med
Rigging-7 ft med light
crankbaits-6-6 med hvy
Bottom bouncers-7 ft med hvy
slip bobbers-7 ft med light
I use baitcaster on my cranking and bottom bouncer setups, spinning reel on the others. I use alot of St croix and Falcon Rods

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Chris Haley Mentor

Chris Haley

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The reason I posted this was to see if guys had stumbled accross any rods that they like that were not intended for walleye. Like I got an 8ft light action steel head rod that I love for rigging, because during guiding I can stay out away from clients lines and also the longer softer rod really helps in taking up slack before the hookset and throughout.

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Guest

Guest

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I used to have a 8.5 foot 5 wt. fly rod that I used for trout. One day I decided to give up on the trout due to the lack of trout streams around brainerd.
So I cut the guides and handle off, put a spinning handle and guides on it and used it for just about everything until I finally broke it. I do have an identical blank at home, but just have'nt had time to wrap it. It might be a good project for killing time in the fish house this winter.
wp

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Guido Collaborator

Guido

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I'm looking to get a baitcaster for 'eyes. I've been looking at a 7 footer medium action.

I will be trolling lindys and spinners, and in the fall use heavy jigs.

I like the baitcaster because of the lack of fatigue fishing all day ( anyone else notice this?)

Anyway, everyone's input would help my decision.

------------------
1...2...bam got him

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Scoot Grand Master

Scoot

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A couple of things- Loomis has gone progressively downhill in both backing their rods and providing a quality product in the past several years. Since they were bought out, most of the custom rod makers have had many, many qualms about their product and their willingness to back it up. However, I still have a few old Loomis's and think they're sweet.

Today, I think it'd be tough to not give St. Croix a good, hard look. Nice rods and backed up by the company 100%.

If anyone's interested, my dad can make a customized rod for you with any (and I do mean any) blank you can find in a store. Any St. Croix, Loomis, or whatever blank you're looking for- get the blank number from the store and give him a call. He'll get you the same rod, with better guides, your choice of color on the windings, your choice of handle (cork, wood, woven fiberglass, elk horn, etc), reel seat, your name, feather inlay, whatever... he can almost always get you the rod for the same or a better price than you'll find the plane-Jane version of in most stores (he doesn't mark up 150% like most of the major manufacturers.) Lots of very satisfied customers on this site- me, Ed Carlson, Northlander, huntnfish, MJCatfish, RoscoeP, and others. I'm still waiting to hear back from Rick on his review of a laker ice rod my dad made him. Let me know if anyone is interested and I'll give you contact info. He's also making some SWEET ice rods for walleyes- solid carbon St. Croix blanks with woven fiberglass handles- man are they nice.
Scoot

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Guido Collaborator

Guido

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Scoot- thanks for the tips. I'll definitely keep that in mind, although if I am going to pay the big bucks I need some agreement if it breaks.

Thanks again...so rule out Loomis, and look at St. Croix?

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Scoot Grand Master

Scoot

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Guido,

That's my bias. Loomis made a great product for many years, but things seem to have changed pretty dramatically. I'd go St. Croix, but some people will disagree. However, literally hundreds of custom rod makers on the forums my dad frequents feel similar to me- Loomis is overpriced, not as good as they used to be, and they don't back up their product like they used to.

As far as having an agreement that your rod is covered if it breaks, my dad's policy is the same as most reputable stores- if the stores can get the rod manufacturer to replace the blank, they take it back and replace it no questions asked. My dad's policy is the exact same.
Scoot

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Guido Collaborator

Guido

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Looked at some St.Croix's over the weekend. Still don't know. I want a long, more finesse style baitcaster rig for fishing for walleyes.

If im pullin spinners with 1/8 ounce to 1/2 ounce sinkers, do I want a Low modulus rod for better detection of strikes, or high modulus. Id also like to troll medium cranks with the rod too, and heck toss jigs with it as well.

I've pretty much narrowed it down to a minimum of 6'8 and at tops a 8 footer. Any opinions on length?

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