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 .

 

[poopdeck]

When I was searching for the perfect diamond for my wife’s wedding ring, no matter the cost, I was always seeing the flaws in them. Soon I was looking at diamonds I could not afford yet I was still seeing the flaws. Being in a state of wedding ring paralysis, I sought out my dad for his advice on what to do. His advice was simplistic and genius at the same time. Stop looking at the diamonds through the jewelers loupe. I did just that and saw only big beautiful flaw free diamonds that look as good today as they did 38 years ago. The moral of the story is to stop reading rod, reel, line reviews and just go fish. Once you do so you will never find a rod that you can’t cast with shear ease and joy.

I have a 6 wt St. Croix Imperial and love everything about the rod. I enjoy throwing nymphs, streamers, dries, two fly rigs, indicators and anything else with it. But then again, I’ve never met a rod that I couldn't cast with ease. I’d pair it with a Battenkill disk reel loaded with Cortland 444 in classic peach and enjoy it for the next couple decades. Pains me when it’s inferred the cost of a rod somehow gauges ability and/or experience. No rod or reel is above or below your ability, ever. I’ve never spent more than 250.00 for a rod so 200 bucks is right up my alley.

 

[krayfish2]

If you are talking the imperial USA or whatever they call it now, I do have one. I have a 10-ft 6-weight and that's the rod that I use or let people use for chucking and bobber rigs out of the boat. To me, the tip is fairly soft and the blank has a progressive profile. It's pretty easy to cast, durable and just about everyone I've handed it to immediately looks at the blank to see what it is because they like it. Used it mostly for trout but have taken it out for smallmouth as well and it does just fine. It's not a fast action power rod but a decent all-arounder that's fun to fish. It's taken a beating and hasn't broken yet. I'm 99% sure a half dozen+ guys on here have cast in from my boat