In another thread you asked about that special St. Croix spinning rod. I loved it. Best spinning rod I ever fished with. I'm kind of embarrassed to report on it though.

Two years ago, I took it on a weeklong trip to Saskatchewan with my son, brother, and nephew. Caught pike up to 37 inches. The rod was so light, but had plenty of backbone to muscle a big fish.

You may notice that I'm speaking of the rod in past tense. That's because on the fourth day it was lost. And lost in a remarkable and stupid way.

So I catch this pike, not a whopper but decent sized, and bring it up to the side of the boat. It's flopping those wicked teeth around, the way pike do, and I can see I'm going to need the pliers--which are sitting on the seat in front of me. I stretch, holding the rod in my left hand, but can't quite reach the pliers.

The pike on the end of my line has quieted down, so I set the rod down for one second, grab the pliers, then hear a sound behind me and look just in time to see the rod and reel go flying out of the boat!

I leap out of my seat, but too late. The last I see of that rod it's being towed into the depths of the lake, just out of my reach.

Given the cost of the rod and reel, I probably should have jumped into the lake after them, but by the time I thought of it, the rod was gone. We dragged the water with lures hoping to snag the line or rod, but never saw a sign of the fish or the rod.

Thank you, but I'm afraid that rod is no longer in my possession.

Jim

Holy moley James now that’s a tale! Of course it couldn’t happen on an older back up rod.
Had the spine for big pike tho you say, and still good feel for walleyes maybe?

I might know where they can be had again and this time I’m going to grab one for myself too, just let me know.
Thanks for the report!

Osky

Wait just a minute! Oh, so you need to KNOW SOMEONE to get these special rods? I see how it is! I have a very short Fenwick that I am in love with and if I ever lost it I do believe I would cry.

Good humor, oh yeah, I’m “SOMEBODY” alright, not. Actually Fenwick carried me I think starting back around 80 or so. Then they transitioned to nearly all one piece rods and my getting on and off planes every 4-5 days with rod tubes I needed them short holding two pice rods for convenience. Now I’m with others.
Now James, well HE is somebody.

Osky

Edit to add Fenwick was second to none at one time. Great rods. I have a Fenwick spinning rod, 2 piece spinning at 10’6” I believe that is nothing but fun on smallmouth and even walleyes. Love it.

That's better than my story. Wading a local river last year. Came back to the truck with fish on the stringer. Layed everything down to pull the cooler out of the truck for putting in the fish. Put everything back in the truck (or so I thought).

Get ready to go fishing the next morning, can't find my St Croix rod. Then I remember I must have left it on the ground when pulling out the cooler. Drive right back to where I parked and gone. Some nice person picked it up and now has one of my favorite spinning rods. That one had tungsten carbide guides. They new one has ceramic,

Great story James, unfortunate, but many of us have been in that boat, so to speak. The St Croix Rod Company and factory is about 2 1/2 hours NE of me. I get to Park Falls once or twice a year. I have and use a number of their rods. Hope you can Crack for another one someday.
I also have a cherished Fenwick from 40 years ago now (when Fenwick was a reputable company and made very good rods).

Keep in mind that those St. Croix rods have a serial number I’m the blank just ahead of the handle, if you lose or break the upper half that number is needed to get a replacement end.

Osky

In recent times, St Croix Rod does not fix rods or replace sections or parts. They will accept your broken rod and offer you a new rod at a significant discount. An example was last year, I took the lower half of a MH rod that the upper half was broken in a tailgate. They would not sell me a matching upper half, but sold me a new rod (valued at about $160) for $58.

Afraid that doesn't help me, as that pike took possession of every last bit of that rod, including the serial number.

I thought about writing my tale of woe in an email to St. Croix, to see if they might offer a discounted replacement, but never did get around to it. Now, after our move to Idaho, I doubt I could find the receipt. You bet, if you know another good deal on one, I'd be interested.

Jim

That’s funny I’ve dropped a couple in taking bass off over the years . Just gives me an excuse to go buy more.

James it beats the heck out of the power car window ecenario.
I have a crazy schedule coming up here and in the far north to close the seasons but send me a pm with what rod that was and I’ll get the ball rolling on it. I don’t recall the specifics on yours but it sounds like the one I’d be wanting as well. Thanks.

Osky

I've bought a couple of their rods while in Park Falls over the years. Usually just buy their B rods that come with a one year warranty. Good rods.

On that trip I took three seven-foot three-piece St. Croix rods, the Trek, which was lost as I described. The moderate-priced Tidemaster lost its tip due to my son's carelessness.

I was left using the low-end St. Croix rod, which I'd taken as a backup. It was okay, but not the equal of the Trek in light weight and action. It didn't break on some big pike.

The Trek is quite a rod. I didn't think that much of it bare, but put a reel on it and a quarter-ounce or larger lure, and it comes alive. The only spinning rods I've fished with that was in its class are my Loomis lightweight rods. Loomis hasn't updated its spinning rods, in terms of design and materials, in at least twenty years. But they're still great rods.

I'd like to get another Trek.

Jim

Buy one, they are still for sale.

I looked up the St Croix Avid - Trek ; fishing rod because I wasn't familiar with it. Very nice rod, "what a bite" to lose one over the side like you did. I hope you can cobble on to another one somehow.
I have five St Croix rods that make fishing more enjoyable. FWIW, my Ugly Stiks work well too..

Don’t feel to bad it’s part of the game

Back when I was a kid I had a friend and we would spend almost every day fishing for carp at the dam, the day after his birthday he was eager to try out the new rod and reel he got, long about mid day we were sitting around with the rods propped on an old log and were sitting back about ten feet in the shade when his line twitched a couple of time so he got up to check and his rod literally flew through the air and disappeared into the river just as he was reacting for it

Don’t know what took off with it but it disappeared in seconds