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For what it's worth, I promised some comments about the St. Croix Mojo Bass series rod. I'm not a rod builder, and certainly no expert, but I've seen a few rods lately so I feel like I at least have a base for comparison. My son Daniel had a hundred bucks in Christmas money to spend and picked up one of these for 89.00 at BPS. I had the opportunity to try it out at the Bridge Tunnel last weekend. I suggested the "next generation" rod to him based on some earlier research. Unlike some companies (Powell for example) that are moving to overseas production to cut costs, St. Croix makes these right here at home with relatively good quality materials.
Daniel bought the MBC66MF which is a medium power/fast action 6'6" casting rod. When given the choice, I prefer medium power over medium-heavy for jigging stripers because I find the smaller diameter rods more sensitive. They are also more fragile, so the trade-off might not be worth it for some anglers, especially if you're throwing heavier jigs. Like their other rods, St. Croix markets the Mojo Bass toward specific techniques. According to their website, it's designed for "jerkbait-topwater." I would never use it for either purpose - stiff rods for topwater is so 2007! ;-)
On the other hand, I would certainly use this rod for jigging rockfish. I paired it with my Calcutta 200GTB baitcaster throwing 1 to 1.5 ounce jig heads with 7 or 10 inch soft plastics using 14 pound test braid. The Mojo Bass series is made with St. Croix's SCII graphite formula which I think is a couple of generations down from their higher end rods. Don't let that fool you though, they're still pretty sensitive sticks. I had no problem tuning in to the bottom in moderate CBBT currents and depths of 30-55 feet. Since most of the fish we found were suspended I also enjoyed how quickly the strike - whether a tick or a thump - was transmitted though the rod. The Mojo didn't "light-up" on the strike like some rods I've tried, but was certainly more sensitive than some off-the-rack models in the same price range.
Since my first experience with next generation technology I've vowed never again to buy a rod that weighs more than 4 ounces. This one checks in at 3.7. It seems like it fishes a little heavier than my other rods of similar weight, I'm not sure why. Even though the line guides were steadily icing over, the rod never felt brittle in the sub-20 degree temps.
On the down side, I did not feel the expected blank-to-handle weight transfer I was hoping for. Nothing like the amazing control I felt the first time I hooked up with a Carrot Stick. While fighting a 20 pound striper barely challenged the rod, I found myself wishing for more backbone when horsing-in smaller fish. I also worry that with lack of proper care the chrome plated guides won't hold up to salt water. Nevertheless, I think the rod is completely adequate and well-suited for Chesapeake Bay fishing. A St. Croix rod of this style and quality for less than a hundred bucks is a winning proposition. Look for this to be a very popular jigging stick.
Daniel bought the MBC66MF which is a medium power/fast action 6'6" casting rod. When given the choice, I prefer medium power over medium-heavy for jigging stripers because I find the smaller diameter rods more sensitive. They are also more fragile, so the trade-off might not be worth it for some anglers, especially if you're throwing heavier jigs. Like their other rods, St. Croix markets the Mojo Bass toward specific techniques. According to their website, it's designed for "jerkbait-topwater." I would never use it for either purpose - stiff rods for topwater is so 2007! ;-)
On the other hand, I would certainly use this rod for jigging rockfish. I paired it with my Calcutta 200GTB baitcaster throwing 1 to 1.5 ounce jig heads with 7 or 10 inch soft plastics using 14 pound test braid. The Mojo Bass series is made with St. Croix's SCII graphite formula which I think is a couple of generations down from their higher end rods. Don't let that fool you though, they're still pretty sensitive sticks. I had no problem tuning in to the bottom in moderate CBBT currents and depths of 30-55 feet. Since most of the fish we found were suspended I also enjoyed how quickly the strike - whether a tick or a thump - was transmitted though the rod. The Mojo didn't "light-up" on the strike like some rods I've tried, but was certainly more sensitive than some off-the-rack models in the same price range.
Since my first experience with next generation technology I've vowed never again to buy a rod that weighs more than 4 ounces. This one checks in at 3.7. It seems like it fishes a little heavier than my other rods of similar weight, I'm not sure why. Even though the line guides were steadily icing over, the rod never felt brittle in the sub-20 degree temps.
On the down side, I did not feel the expected blank-to-handle weight transfer I was hoping for. Nothing like the amazing control I felt the first time I hooked up with a Carrot Stick. While fighting a 20 pound striper barely challenged the rod, I found myself wishing for more backbone when horsing-in smaller fish. I also worry that with lack of proper care the chrome plated guides won't hold up to salt water. Nevertheless, I think the rod is completely adequate and well-suited for Chesapeake Bay fishing. A St. Croix rod of this style and quality for less than a hundred bucks is a winning proposition. Look for this to be a very popular jigging stick.
By the way the rod I built you the blank weights 2.66 oz.
