Those familiar with my blog know that I love St. Croix rods, so much so that I’m now investing some time to go through and review the entire lineup (or, at least the models I own). If you’ve been thinking about buying a St. Croix Premier Spinning or Casting rod, keep on reading. I’ll tell you why I think they’re one of the most versatile tools in your rod box.
Is the St. Croix Premier a Good Fishing Rod?
The St. Croix Premier lineup is what I’d consider their “entry level American-made” offering. There are certainly rods (such as the Triumph and Mojo series) that are more “entry level” but these are manufactured elsewhere. These rods feature SCII graphite, which is solid but comparable to what the lower-end St. Croix’s have, and then feature some additions such as upgraded reel seats and line guides.
I probably should have been up front by saying that no St. Croix is truly an “entry level” rod. It’s basically like calling the base model Cadillac an “entry level” vehicle. So, any St. Croix you purchase is going to be a good one.
The Premier lineup have cork handles and dark rod blanks which I find aesthetically pleasing as I’m not really one for flashy rods. They hold up well and as we’ll see have a decent warranty.
All in all, the St. Croix Premier rods are keepers. The main reason being its versatility. Let’s take a moment to discuss that in detail:
Versatility
I am convinced that there is no rod model more versatile than the St. Croix Premier. Its versatility comes primarily from its wide ranger of models. The St. Croix Premier has more available models than any other in St. Croix’s lineup. As of writing, their website claims 38 spinning models and 30 casting models.
It would create a needless wall of text to list every type offered, but I did want to touch on a few specific models to showcase just how versatile this rod lineup truly is.
St. Croix Premier Spinning Rods of Note
The following four rods give you a pretty good idea of just what you can accomplish with the St. Croix Premier spinning rod lineup.
Perfect Panfish Rods
The smallest spinning rod offered by St. Croix in their Premier line is a 4’6″ Ultra Light Power, Moderate Action noodle that would make an exceptional panfish rod as well as a great Christmas gift for any young anglers in your life. Personally, I’d go with the 5′ model as you’ll get a few more years out of it.
In all fairness, however, if you’re buying a fishing rod for a small child and they haven’t yet shown an aptitude for and love of fishing, don’t pony up the cash for one of the St. Croix’s. Read my article on the much more affordable Ugly Stik Elite and buy one of those instead. Alternately, you could read my article on the best fishing rods for kids where I discuss a few other St. Croix models I personally prefer for children over the Premier.
My Son’s First Spinnerbait Rod
Shortly before the pandemic hit I had a little money burning a hole in my pocket and took my son off to the local tackle shop to see what we might find. He was four years old at the time, but as those of you who follow this blog have seen, he’s a good angler.
We picked up a 6′ Medium Power, Fast Action St. Croix Premier spinning rod. This is small enough for him to handle well, but long and stout enough to toss spinnerbaits. While most will tell you that you really want a Medium-Heavy power for a spinnerbait rod, St. Croix rods run a little on the heavy side with their power, and a medium does just fine for throwing 3/8 ounce spinnerbaits and other lures.
My son loves this rod and we’d certainly recommend it. It is lightweight but high quality and the perfect size for those children who are still small. He’s managed to catch some decent bass on it so far, and I can’t wait to get him up to Lake Champlain for a pickerel or pike. You can pick up your own right at this link with confidence. Go ahead and pick one up and then leave a comment about how much you love it!
The All-Arounder
If you want to treat yourself to an American-made fishing rod that is of high-quality, but not ridiculously expensive, it would be hard to beat the St. Croix Premier Medium-Heavy Power, Fast Action rod in either spinning or casting models.
This is a good all-around option that will allow you to throw most lures successfully. It’s great for (really, designed for) spinnerbaits and plastic worms and could be used with jigs well enough. While a little too powerful for my liking, it can handle crankbaits and top water lures fairly well too.
A Spinning Rod that Can Handle Frogs
The reason I bought my first St. Croix Premier spinning rod was because I wanted a spinning rod that could be used effectively for throwing frogs. As any frog fisherman will tell you, this technique requires specialized equipment that isn’t that easy to find in a spinning rod setup (at least not with bass tackle).
The 7′ St. Croix Premier Heavy Power, Fast Action rod is what I purchased for my wife and other guests to use when I take them frog fishing. If they aren’t comfortable with baitcasters and prefer a spinning rod, this gives them enough power to drag largemouth bass out of a pile of slop. You will need to pair it with a reel that can handle heavy braid, but the rod itself will not let you down.
It’s very challenging to find a non-Musky, freshwater spinning rod that can handle these lures, and the fact that St. Croix offers one is a testament to the versatility of the St. Croix Premier lineup.
As an aside, this same rod does a great job as a catfish rod or for tossing out any type of heavy lure or sinker. You can pick one up here though this link is for a two-piece rod. This is an added plus if you’re just starting out and fishing from the back of your car, and if you’re throwing frogs, any slight reduction in sensitivity a two-piece offers will be negligible.
Where are St. Croix Premier Rods Made?
As mentioned above, you will be happy to note that the St. Croix Premier lineup is designed and handcrafted in Park Falls, Wisconsin. Thus, purchasing one of these rods means supporting an American business and American workers which is all the more important during these trying times. Consider heading over to Amazon and buying one now.
Do St. Croix Premier Rods Come With A Warranty?
The St. Croix Premier lineup comes with a five year warranty backed by St. Croix Superstar Service. You can read all about the company’s great warranty at their website.
I would like to share a little personal experience regarding the warranty that St. Croix Rods offers. While I’ve generally found their products to be free of defects, years ago I did purchase a road that had a significant chip in one of the line guides, which was fraying my line and causing me to lose some lures.
I was worried because it’s the kind of issue that a company could easily say I created, however I got absolutely no pushback from the company. I followed their warranty program and had my rod repaired and returned to me quickly.
In all honesty, it was probably the sort of issue I could have fixed myself with some epoxy, but it was early on to my buying days with the company, and I wanted give them a chance to fix things and make things right. I was so impressed by the quick turnaround and lack of any pushback that it made me a lifelong customer and advocate.
What Reels Pair Well With a St. Croix Premier?
I’m a huge fan of pairing Pflueger reels with my St. Croix rods and have written a large article all about why here. I match my St. Croix Premiers with a Pflueger President spinning reel in various sizes and recommend that you do as well. They pair up and balance well and can handle most anything you throw at them.
Conclusions
The St. Croix Premier lineup is an American-made, versatile rod lineup that has a model for anything and everything you’d ever dream of. It is less expensive than some of the company’s flagship offerings, but at a higher price point than their true entry level models, which sets it up as somewhat “middle of the road” and therefore a good balance between performance and price.
I’d recommend this line to anyone who wants to start building a high-quality rod box with classic, subdued colors and looks.
Remember, if the price of a new model is too much for you, I have an entire article about how to buy used rods with confidence that can help you pick a few of these up on eBay with piece of mind.
I hope this article was helpful. If it was, you might consider purchasing my book, Fishing with Kids: A Parent’s Guide, as it is filled with other tips to help you enjoy this great sport.
Have a great day for fishing,
John Paxton
