A college kid approached me this weekend and asked if I would teach him fly fishing and casting. I knew the kid and am happy to gift ahead what I have learned through the years.
He then brought out a very nice St. Croix 8 ft graphite rod that was given to him. It is a very dark blue, 2-piece, with 5/6 weight written on it along with Pro Graphite. No serial numbers could be found but it came in a very nice case and doesn’t look like it was ever fished. Couldn’t find out anything on the St. Croix website. Does anyone know how old this rod is and perhaps an estimated value. I am trying to find out this information so the kid treats it with the respect if probably deserves. Right now he just tells me he doesn’t care about the value because it was free to him. Any help would be appreciated.
We did some lawn casting yesterday and he improved quite a bit in an hour.
St. Croix Pro Graphites are fine rods. They were however near the bottom of the St. Croix line. They were in the $100-$125 range and were discontinued 2-3 years ago (by my memory which is not worth a lot). Their present value would lielyt be half their original price. Excellent rod to learn on.
I knew a few people out there would have an answer for me…thank you for your help.
I will now breath a little better knowing he isn’t learning on and abusing a $300-400 rod. I did cast it and felt very nice…but then again what do I know, I’m still using and loving my oldwhite sheakspear wonderrod…I have graphite I just like the butt on the fiberglass rod. Again thanks for the help.
I have a 9’ (5wt) St.Croix Pro Graphite and am very fond of the rod … with it’s fast action, it is my official canoe-down-the-river-popper-rod. What was real unique about this rod is that it sported an old timey full wells grip (without the so-called extended fighting butt) rather then the more now-a-days cigar grip. I cut my eye teeth with a full wells grip and I feel right at home with the rod.
I have a St Croix Pro Graphite 8’ 5wt rod that my wife bought me 6 or 7 years ago. I’ve use that rod for fishing for both trout and bluegills. I think the rod your friend has may have been made back in the late 90’s or early 2000. None the less, as has already been attested to, St Croix makes a fine rod.
Clay: You should have offered him $60 for the Thomas and Thomas and thrown in you 2nd best fly rod in the same weight, and your fly box! ~Parnelli (roll eyes/sarcastic):rolleyes:
I did one better. I gave him a rod sock and a rod tube for free for his $5 rod so that he didn’t damage it. I then took the kid to our TU fly tying class this past winter. I turned him into my fishing partner this year.
You know I see a lot of people with a whole lot of knowledge that they should share with a young guy that wants to learn. I think a mentor program for old f a r t s (this board actually edited that word) fly fisherman does us as good as it does the kids.
I used to have a St. Croix, 8 1/2’, 2 piece, 5 weight, Imperial. The Imperial was built on the same blank, and I would give up some un-used body parts to have it back. They were, and still are, GREAT sticks.
I would give up some un-used body parts to have it back.
They have the new version out but I think that one is faster than the original. I have the 7’ 3/4 imperial. It has a pretty nice, softer action. The Pro Graphite’s were one of the nicest, inexpensive, US rods made (the Reign, and Rio Santo replaced it). I had several of them. My 9wt. version was run over by a car and it still worked well… after I straightened a couple guides. lol.
Pro Graphites where nice rods. They were replaced by the Premier, then Triumph, and now Rio Santo as the least expensive rod in the St. Croix linup. I haven’t got my hands on a Rio Santo but the Pro Graphite, Premier, and Triumph rods were great for the money. I have some rods that cost four or more times as much but I still often fish my budget St Croix Rods.
The Imperial was replaced by the Reign, which was replaced by the new Imperial.
A shop that I help out at has been in business for 40 years and St. Croix is among the brands they carry. They still have a few Pro Graphites, original Imperials, and Premiers. The owner keeps them in back. Long time customers will often come in looking for replacements for older rods that they were fond of and have lost or broken. The owner may just have what they are looking for.
