# Why I Will Never Buy Another St Croix Product



## H2O Mellon (Apr 5, 2004)

Why I will never buy another St Croix Rod product.

Just some background: I have sold numerous St Croix Rods, especially while working @ All About Sports. St Croix was the 1st rod I would suggest.Over the years I have owned just over 20 St Croix rods to the best that I can recall. It may sound like a lot, but remember I could get them for as much as 50% sometimes.

Last week I heard from a fellow catfishermen that St Croix opened up a retail store at the factory. This store sells refurbished rods, factory 2nd's, etc...I called the store up & asked if they had any Classic Cat casting rods left.Luckily they had 3. This should make any catfisherman drool. I had two previous Classic Cats, but had to sell them. I wanted to order 2 of them. The store emp told me that they can not place over the phone orders for the refurbished rods. I begged him & explained my situation, I was sin Ohio, they are in Wisconsin. Finally he told me that sometimes they do allow the over the phone sale of them, but I had to jump through some hoops. I was so happy. Now I know this second part is going to sound strange, but here goes: He told me that I had to contact a local businessman such as a police officer, postal inspector, etc.... & if that person agreed to come to the retail store & vouch for me, saying that I do indeed want the rods then they would allow me to pay via credit card & would ship the rods. GREAT, I was thinking, "Who on earth is going to do this, it just sounds plain goofy". Well, I called the Park Falls, WI Chamber of Commerce. I spoke to a secretary, she laughed (so did I). She said that she has never heard of anything like that, but she gave me the name & phone number to the police & postal service. I called the post office & spoke to the backup postal inspector. To my freaking amazement, he knew what I was talking about. He said he had to go there & vouch for a guy from Florida not too long ago. He said it was one way that St Croix made sure tackle shops were not buying their refurbs & making profits on them. The man said that he would go across town & vouch for me at the store! I called the store back & told them what was going to happen. The store guy & I got talking more, he told me that one reason they had to have someone vouch for their stuff is that because the rods are NON-RETURNABLE. Okay, to be honest I was a little worried, but knew the darn near perfect service I've gotten form St Croix in the past, so I was not too paranoid about it. (this was last Thursday) 

TODAY 11/9/05 6:45PM. 
I come home to find the big rod carton on my porch. I got the kids in from the Jeep & fed them all. The whole time it's killing me because I am to break open the rods! Well around 7:10PM, I finally open the carton. This will forever be known as the "Ut-Oh" in my fishing life. I pull two nice St Croix Classic Cat Rods out of the carton, two nice SPINNING ST Croix Classic Cat Rods out of the carton. Holly crap I spent $220 on two Spinning Rods. As of this second I don't even own a spinning reel anymore than isn't a Silstar Tiny Ultra Light. I can not return these rods, yet I have no freakin use for them. I suppose I could give one to Flathunter & keep one for myself & we can use them for carp fishing, but that's about it. They can not be returned. They can not refund my money. I am so mad typing this, I want to take violent action out on St Croix. 

So has anyone been looking for St Croix Spinning Classic Cat Rods?


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## Whaler (Nov 16, 2004)

St Croix are overpriced anyway and there are plenty of other rods out there just as good for a lot less money.


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## rockbass (Apr 16, 2004)

If you specifically asked them for casting rods, I think they should deal with it and let you return the rods. It is their mistake if you asked for casting rods and not spinning rods. They should allow it since they made the mistake. If not, I say screw them on the next rod purchase. I woul at least call them to see what they might do. Maybe if you tell them what you asked for and what they sent, they will fix the problem.

I know if I ordered something from a store and they screwed it up, I would be all over them if they did not fix it.


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## H2O Mellon (Apr 5, 2004)

well the problem is that the other guy saw the rids & everything, as odd as it sounds, its ture. Here is what is printed on the receipt they sent w/ the rods:

"To sell a phone customer an item from the store. SECOND OR BLEM RODS MAY NOT BE SOLD VIA PHONE ORDERS. However, if the caller can have someone stop in the store to verify the purchase and look at the rod, we may then ship the rod"


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## RiverRat (Apr 5, 2004)

Man...that SUCKS!!!!

I cant believe they even made SPINNING rods in that model...who in thier right mind would fish for flatheads with spinning gear???

Dude that sucks..maybe you can have a rod builder take off those goofy spinning eyelets and put ya on a nice set of baitcaster ones???

Scott


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## rockbass (Apr 16, 2004)

Bryan, did you try calling them to tell them they sent the wrong rods? I still think even though they are non refundable, that they should do something since they screwed it up............I mean if you bought a brand new rod, wouldn't they fix the screw up?


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## H2O Mellon (Apr 5, 2004)

I just gave one rod to Flathunter for Christmas, so I may grab a small Baitrunner for the lighter action one & use it for carping. The 7" is much too light of action for cats at leat how/where I fish.


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## ARGEE (Apr 5, 2004)

Why Not The Local Preist?wouldnt He Do?oh Now I Remember Why..no One Trusts Them Anymore Cause They Like To Prey On Little Kids


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## captnroger (Apr 5, 2004)

seems like a simple mistake - have you even tried to call them before posting such a message here? If you explain the situation calmly and politely, they'll likely take them back, especially after the lengths you went through to obtain them.


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## misfit (Apr 5, 2004)

i'm with others.if you specifically ordered casting rods,i see no reason why they wouldn't fix the problem if you communicated with them.

not to sidetrack the thread,but it already was by this this...............


> who in thier right mind would fish for flatheads with spinning gear???


 who says anyone has to be in their right mind to fish for flahjeads anyway?  
i sure don't claim to be of sound mind,but maybe that's why my PB flathead(50lbs.)was caught on a spinning rig   
oh,and the infamous fishnasty(not of sound mind either)caught a few on the same rig,LOL


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## RiverRat (Apr 5, 2004)

Rick, i guess you can catch them on any combo from a LAKE...but not from the Scioto river...lol.

Scott


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## BuckeyeFishinNut (Feb 8, 2005)

Hey BB,

You can always pick up a cheap baitrunner off of Ebay and have yourself a nice channel cat rod/carp rod.

Jake


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## misfit (Apr 5, 2004)

i can catch them anywhere,on anything  
i've caught my next biggest,and many more RIVER fish,on gear twice your age and half your size
now that's lightweight


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## DaleM (Apr 5, 2004)

misfit said:


> i can catch them anywhere,on anything
> i've caught my next biggest,and many more RIVER fish,on gear twice your age and half your size
> now that's lightweight


 Yes Rick that is true but you are O L D ! But you are right, I have also caught many big cats ( a few years ago  ) on cheaper, light weight tackle. Hell, when I was a kid they didn't have all this fancy tackle.


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## H2O Mellon (Apr 5, 2004)

To sum up a couple diff calls, the 1st person said no on the returns of reburbished rods, the 2nd said he didnt thik there was a problem if they were exchanged for something else but he wasnt sure (Ahh... Just the answer I was looking for: I Don't Know), they have no casting rods in the Classic Cat, of corse the 2nd guy recommended an Inshore Casting rod, but they are 100&#37; graphite & most are only rated for 5/8 ounce. (Yes both matter, no matter what some people say. Try casting an 8-10 oz sinker from one of those rods) I am batting a zero. So I've decided to eat it. This will be a carp rod. I have found this to be a lesson learned: I will double check all the details & for now will make sure I use my local shops that I am fimilar with when ordering rods that are not in stock.


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## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

Hey Mellon., now that you got all these new rods, you better let your wanna be mentoring Jr catman in on buying some of those old rods youll be replacing.

   

Seriously, bummer on the deal but that is why the local mom and pop shops are a way better way to go so you can still get the customer service that they provide.

We gotta get out at least one more time!!! Let me know when..Im hitting the OR on Saturday morning for whites and Hybrids, maybe for a few hrs on Sunday we could hit the playground since its fishable at high water

Salmonid


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## H2O Mellon (Apr 5, 2004)

I'd like to hit the GMR sometime 2morrow then again on Sunday. Just let me know your schedule.


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## NitroFishing5 (Feb 1, 2008)

I've never had a problem with St.Croix... I also go a substancial discount from them, received my rods fast and if there was ever a problem i sent it back and got a new one within 2 weeks. Why on earth someone would spend $110 per rod for a refurbished rod i have no idea. I'd NEVER buy a refurbished rod. Maybe im just picky but I want to be the first to hold and use the rod other than the person/people who made it, just for the fact that you have no idea what was wrong with it that made it a refurbished rod. But I also don't feel that 1 strike and you're out. Sell them if you dont want them, you'll probably get more than what you paid for them. But I don't disown St.Croix for one mistake, everyone is human, it happens.


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## H2O Mellon (Apr 5, 2004)

NitroFishing5 said:


> I've never had a problem with St.Croix... I also go a substancial discount from them, received my rods fast and if there was ever a problem i sent it back and got a new one within 2 weeks. Why on earth someone would spend $110 per rod for a refurbished rod i have no idea. I'd NEVER buy a refurbished rod. Maybe im just picky but I want to be the first to hold and use the rod other than the person/people who made it, just for the fact that you have no idea what was wrong with it that made it a refurbished rod. But I also don't feel that 1 strike and you're out. Sell them if you dont want them, you'll probably get more than what you paid for them. But I don't disown St.Croix for one mistake, everyone is human, it happens.


Check the date out of the original postm, things have changed since then. I was pizzed when I wrote that, but thinks eventually got better. Besides, I just bought 3 St Croix rods recently. I was bent out of shape when this happened, but I did eventually get a calla bout it. If I'm not mistaken someone appoligized for the screw up. That made me happy. 

FYI: I spoke to a St Croix Pro Team mbr on Sunday, they do still make the blank that was for the Med-Heavy Classic Cats. It's been regeared towards Musky fishermen, but the blank is the same. They are $20 higher now than they used to be. I think I paid $180 for the one I got the other day.


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## 1catdaddy1 (Jan 29, 2007)

I have a 8" heavy cat classic(bought by an ex!) best thing I got out of her. nice rods,but good luck with your situation.


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