St. Croix Triumph Steelhead Rod for.....

[rapman1]

jig and float fishing? Any opinions or input? They make a 9' light power that weighs 5.4 ounces. I believe it is a moderate action as opposed to fast. Since I fish for steelhead occasionally, I thought I might get one or two and use them for both species.

[deathb4disco]

I have been saying for years that the so called "steelhead rod" is a great all-round rod.

In related news, the BASS guys dropped the 8' rod length limit from their rules. Consequently, I read a recent In-Fisherman article that mentioned how the BASS pros have discovered how good the -- wait for it -- steelhead rod is for finesse fishing.

To answer your question, yes, it would be great for float fishing. It's just a long spinning rod that works great in a lot of situations.

[rapman1]

as has been the case for years, you've always been there with a reply and some help. I really appreciate your advice and your willingness to share knowledge.

[cevans]

I have used a eagle claw blue diamond graphite for 25 yrs on various fish and it’s still going strong. (9’). It just happens to be a favorite rod to fish with. I find myself putting it in storage every time I use it for a while, but when I see it, throw it back in the boat as can’t get away from it. It’s a beater of a rod and the st. Croix has to be a better rod. Enjoy!

[wicklundrh]

Been fishing stealhead rods for all species for more than 35 years. 5.4 is a little too heavy for my liking though.

[Locator79]

I love fishing 9' steelhead noodle rods for jig and cork gill/ear fishing.

Sent from my Z983 using Tapatalk

[rapman1]

Been fishing stealhead rods for all species for more than 35 years. 5.4 is a little too heavy for my liking though.

wick, could you suggest a lighter rod? I'm open to ideas.

[wicklundrh]

I would have one custom built. I've purchased a hand full over the years (off the shelf) and all of them but one were extremely heavy.

A ton of steelhead rods in Michigan are built from fly rod blanks. AT (American Tackle) blanks are light weight and won't break the bank. 4 and 5 weight are some of the popular ones. Another really good one is North Fork Composites. All those are Gary Loomis creations and are designed on float and fly/bottom bouncing as opposed to repurposed fly rods.

The gold standard here in Michigan has been Sage. 35 years ago, a two piece 10'6" Sage blank would run aeound 200 bucks. Most shops sold them for 350.

Unfortunately today, they don't market 2 piece rods although you can still get one from them. I still have 2 older rods and a brand new blank they sent to replace one that was 30 years old and had issues. Talk about support! On the down side, a good sage blank starts around 400 and goes UP from there.

AT fly blanks and North Fork blanks would be my choice. Hope that helps you.

If interested, head over to the rod building forum. You might just get the itch for a nee hobby!

[Hanr3]

I use the St. Croix Premier series rods for Crappie, Walleye, Smallmouth, and Northern Pike. I pair them to Shimano Sedona or Sahara reels. I haven't broken a rod or reel in 15 + years. The Premier series has plenty of backbone for most fresh water species of fish. I use the ultra-lights for Crappie and the Medium Action rods for Walleye, Smallies, and Northern. I have caught 10+ pound catfish on my crappie rods. Had them rods bent over in two more times than I can count and never broke a rod or a eye. Last weekend I hooked into an Asian Carp with my Crappie rod and didn't have any trouble getting him to the boat, even with 4 lb. mono. He pulled line like crazy, but 15 minutes later he was in the boat. I hate them slimy things.

IMHO- you can't go wrong with the St. Croix lines. If you ever get the change, make the trip to the Park Falls plant and watch them build rods. they also sell factory seconds in the store for half price. You can buy everything they carry at the factory store. Great product, and most of them are made in the USA. What isn't made in the US is made in Mexico, not China.

[rapman1]

I agree with you on S.C. Premiers. I've a rack filled with them. fwiw, the Triumph I'm referring to is a 9 foot light power rod for fishing Steelhead. The closest in the Premier line is an 8 or 8.5 light power but there is definitely not enough muscle in the butt section for Steelhead. I wanted to use the rod for both panfish and Steel.