Power: Light weight rods with extra-fast tips are great sticks for
targeting smallmouth and spotted bass because these acrobatic battlers are, on average, more compact and streamlined than their larger cousins, the largemouth bass. In fact, a smallie
or spot over 5 pounds is
considered a trophy in most
waters, so using the heavier
tackle often associated with
largemouth bass fishing is
simply overkill both in
power and ability to present
properly sized lures.
Interestingly enough, anyone
who has battled either or
both of these species knows,
that pound for pound, they
can put a largemouth bass to
shame.
 |
The power curve of our Legend Elite EC68MXF
|
So while lighter rods are
preferred for their ability
to present smaller lures and
make catching more fun,
power is not something you
want to sacrifice. Thanks to St. Croix's advanced engineering, our Legend Elite EC68MXF delivered quick and smooth power ideally suited for presenting downsized baits to powerful, hard running fish. While the triple crown eluded us, we caught several two to three pound spots on our quest that had us convinced they were five pound or greater largemouth
until we had them onboard. The energy in these fish is astounding and our EC68MXF held up to the challenge time and time again providing us with solid hooksets and
exhilarating battle after battle.
 |
A very subtle but welcome detail on our LE EC68MXF was the use of a machined aluminum winding check to cap off the grip assembly.
|
Features: As touched on earlier, the simple, clean lines of our Legend Elite EC68MXF speak well to the quality behind this product. Subtle design enhancements such as a machined aluminum winding check, custom finished
reel seat, compressed cork
butt cap, and gold highlight threads are a welcome departure from the almost formula driven rod assembly features practiced by most manufacturers in
today's market. The one thing we did find odd about this rod was the placement of the hook hanger. Located on the right side of the blank, the hook hanger is a bit awkward to reach for those of us who cast with our right hands. Conversely, left handed casters will, I'm sure, find cause for celebration with this placement as they no doubt find it awkward when the hanger is on the other side of the rod. Funny how something as seemingly inane as a hook hanger can be taken for granted until such time as this.
 |
St. Croix moves
away from the
standard plastic
butt cap and
employs a
compressed cork
cap that is both
more comfortable
against your arm
and more
attractive |
Warranty: St. Croix offers a limited lifetime warranty on all their Legend Elite fishing rods. This warranty applies to the original owner of the rod only and is subject to evaluation by St. Croix as to whether the damaged rod will be repaired or replaced under this policy. In addition, rods that have become damaged due to normal wear, accident, or neglect can be replaced under this warranty at a reduced cost from regular retail. The owner is responsible for postage to and from St. Croix. This is a rather solid warranty and just what someone comes to expect from a company with the reputation of St. Croix.

|
This healthy spotted bass was great fun
landing with our Legend Elite rod.
|
Ratings:
St. Croix Legend Elite EC68MXF Ratings
(?/10)
|
Construction/Quality |
Very well crafted rod with a fine finish and high quality components. |
9.5 |
Performance |
Just what we had come to expect of the top end offering St. Croix, a light, sensitive, and strong fishing rod. |
9 |
Price |
Premium components and performance always comes at a price,
and at 300 dollars
this is a pricey St.
Croix offering. At
this level St. Croix
goes head to head
with the likes of
Loomis |
8 |
Features |
Titanium framed SiC guides, custom finished reel seat, machined aluminum winding check, clean, gap free cork - the devil is in the details and the Legend Elite has plenty |
9 |
Design (Ergonomics) |
Impeccably assembled with clean lines and finishes from butt cap to tip. Balance on this rod was excellent and actually enhanced with the addition of our Daiwa Alphas. |
9 |
Application |
With its extra fast tip, this rod shines with vertical presentation baits such as plastics and jigs. It serves well for small cranks and spinners as well, but is a little less suited for these applications because of the recovery time in the blank. An excellent all purpose rod for smallmouth and spotted bass. |
8.5 |
Total Score
|
8.83 |
Pluses and Minuses:
Plus Minus
|
J Some of the highest quality components available in any fishing rod. |
L Awkward placement of the hook keeper for right handed casters (keeper is on the right side of the blank) |
J Super clean detailing |
L Price is at a bit of a premium |
J Nice fast tip |
|
J Very light and well balanced |
|
J Solid Warranty |
|
Conclusion: It's
taken a while for this
editor to pull the trigger
on a St. Croix Legend Elite,
but I'm glad I finally did.
The clean lines and straight
forward detailing have
really grown on me since I
acquired this rod and
there's no arguing the top
end components that came
with this stick. It's
refreshing to see a US
tackle company paying such
close attention to the
assembly of their product
and making sure everything
from each drop of epoxy to
the velvety grain of the
cork are handled with care.
When we pay top dollar for a
fishing rod, we want not
only top end performance,
but attention to detail and
craftsmanship. St. Croix
definitely delivers in both
categories with their
redesigned Legend Elite
fishing rods.