St. Croix Imperial made in USA

[Mwo10mwo]

Hey Everyone,

I have the opportunity to pick up a new St. Croix imperial rod for around 200 bucks. I could either get a 9ft 5wt or a 9ft 6wt. As of now, I currently have a 9ft 5wt Orvis encounter rod. The rod is definitely better than me at this point, but I was wondering if anyone has had any experience with the St. Croix Imperial and if the deal I can get it for is too good to pass up! I have read some good reviews on the old ones, but the new ones seem to have minimal reviews.

Thanks!

-Michael

 

[wildtrout2]

I have a 2019 St. Croix Imperial 7'3wt that I love! It cost $260 then, they're about $400 now. Jump on that opportunity!

 

[Forestfishin]

I’m certainly no rod expert but have an early 2000s Pro Graphite 4 wt that is still the rod that gets used the most over 2 Orvis Clearwaters fwiw. It was their entry level rod at the time. Sounds like a good deal

 

[tomgamber]

Hon6wt. It's a nice rod. You'll have more range if you already have a 5wt

 

[Cougarbaby]

I have a 2 piece pro graphite 9 ft 8 wt that is my go to steelhead rod absolutely a good stick love using it, I picked it up for a 50 dollar bill at a yard sale.

 

[RLeep2]

I have the U.S. made 9' 5 wgt. Imperial, new sometime in the mid aughts (2006 or so). I like it, but was never head over heels for it. It is a little faster than my other 905, an older Vermont-built Diamondback which I like better. I generally don't care all that much for faster action rods, probably a function of the time I came up in the sport. Either St. Croix for $200 sounds like a decent deal to me though..

 

[Mwo10mwo]

I guess my main concern about the rod is 1. Will I see a large difference between this rod and my encounter? 2. How does this rod compare to something like the Clearwater. Everyone loves the clearwater but it seems people are not in love with this rod! Maybe it is due to the price of the St. Croix normally being more. 3. Is it unreasonable to have a 5wt and a 6wt? I fish mainly for trout, but I did want to get more into throwing streamers.

 

[Vtsalmon]

I have a 9’ 5wt imperial that I have had since 2012 . It has served me well and landed many of fish over 20 “ and landed many of land locks , but I have never really been super excited about it , it seems to be on the faster side for my likings but that’s all I had and could afford at the time . I liked the rod a lot better overlined with a 6wt . Now it sits in my closet because I have other rods that cast and fish better for me . I only fish 6wts now I feel a 6wt is the best all around rod it will do it all . Nymphs , dries , streamers , and has a little more backbone than a 5wt and better for big flies and windy conditions and there really isn’t a difference in what the rod weighs compared to a 5wt . The imperial has been a tough rod and held up well .