St. Croix Fishing Rods Make for a Great Gift: One-Piece or Travel Rod - How To Decide

A St. Croix one-piece is a great fishing rod, a three piece travel rod can save the day. Which do you get?

Putting it right where they are. / photo provided by St. Croix

I love fishing a one-piece spinning rod. It's not always practical to transport, but when the situation allows, I'll take advantage of the opportunity every time.

The Pleasure of fishing a One-Piece Rod

My St. Croix Legend Tournament Inshore Spinning Rod is a pure joy to fish, it really is. I'll fish it over any other rod in my collection if I don't have to use a two-piece because of transport issues. I live in Charleston, SC, so I fish mine for Redfish mostly. My go to is to work a soft plastic in and around oyster beds. You match this rod with braided line, and the sensitivity is like having sonar in your hands.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by St. Croix Rods (@stcroixrods)

What's so great about a one-piece fishing rod?

Sensitivity and feel. A one-piece rod provides a more continuous flow of energy from the tip to the handle because there are no breaks or segments in the carbon fiber material. Add to this the fact that St. Croix only uses the highest quality materials and Integrated Poly Curve technology, you've got an absolute diamond of a rod.

Walk quietly and carry a big stick. / photo provided by St. Croix

Experience the Benefits

If you live close to a body of water, or transport isn't an issue, I highly recommend experiencing the quality of a one-piece fishing rod, and so far, St. Croix has been the best I've fished.

The Best Fishermen Adjust to the Situation

With all that said about the pleasures of fishing a one-piece rod, let me continue with when a St. Croix three-piece rod is the way to go.

The Wind Has Ruined Many a Fishing Trip

I travel a lot to fly fishing destinations. It just so happens that some of the best locations to fly fish are also some of the windiest: the tropics, Patagonia, Alaska, the Montauk surf. Great fishing seems to happen in areas of intense weather. I've had days where I would be shut down from casting a fly rod because of the wind blowing too hard. I don't want to lose a day of fishing when I'm paying top dollar for every day I'm there.

A travel rod makes getting to your destination a lot easier. / photo provided by St. Croix

Think of a Travel Rod as Insurance

This is where a quality travel spinning rod is worth its weight in gold. Last year, I had a day in the Bahamas where me and a buddy were blown off the flats because of intense wind. We made an effort of it, but at some point, we were just looking foolish. Experience, and a glance at my weather app the night before, motivated me to bring my St. Croix Avid Trek travel rod for exactly what was playing out. Our guide drove me to a rocky beach on the Atlantic side, and on the first cast I hooked into a large Jack Crevalle. The roughed-up surf was full of them. It wasn't the bonefish that we were after, but an angry Jack is a handful and tons of fun. It beat sitting in the lodge looking out a window. Have a travel spinning rod as a back up. Think of it as fishing insurance.

Packs down small. / photo provided by St. Croix

Why St. Croix

St. Croix has been making rods since 1948, and their product is one of the best on the market. First and foremost, their rods are made in the USA. It is a family-owned operation located in Park Falls, Wisconsin. The rods are handcrafted right there in Wisconsin by locals who have fishing in their DNA. The company focuses on attention to details, proprietary technologies, and high end components. The quality and care is evident when you take the rod out and fish it. KB

“The gods do not deduct from man’s allotted span the hours spent in fishing.” - Herbert Hoover

---

The gear reviewed in this article was provided to me at no cost for evaluation. The views and assessments presented are my own.