Anyone have direct experience with the RX8+ and SCV in the 4wt blanks, either 8'6" or 9'0"? The specs are very similar but no CCS for any of them. Just want to see how they compare in fishing and casting at "San Juan" distances. The Batson has tad higher MSRP but is it actually a better blank?

Also wonder how the SCIV and RX7+ compare in the 4wt blanks since they are very similar as well.

if you care about such issues, the St. Croix is made in America. Which one is better? Probably come down to personal preference but makes my decision pretty easy.

... also the RX8+ and RX7+ are made in the U.S., nut the question of Marc went more into the direction of the casting behaviour if I did not get him completely wrong.


Rgds,
Ole

Robert , The RX8+ are also made in America . The decision just got harder . Marc do a search on RX8+ I really think you will like what you find out

Robert

Marc, I haven't built an RX8+ yet but I have a factory St. Croix E864.4 (5F864.4 blank) which CCs at 5.8/73. I submitted the data to the database but it just hasn't shown up on there yet. With the soft tip, you can definitely use a 4wt. line on it and get it to load for medium to long range. I will probably use it mostly with a 5 or even 6 line and can easily imagine this rod becoming my personal favorite all-around freshwater rod, especially once I get the chance to slice off the wire guides and put on some Fuji ceramics. It is a fantastic casting rod.

I like the sc hands down thats my opinion, I use it here in fla though for long casts to big fish so wt is much higher.

haven't built on a RX8+ yet but i do have to say i really really like the sciv's and scv's. the sciv's i enjoy more for stream type fishing and the scv's i enjoy more for big water fishing, as they are real cannons. sciv's have enough reserve power to punch a cast if need be, but soft enough to delicately throw to the shorter distances. the scv's I really use on lakes where wind is the norm and booming out long casts are needed.

one thing on the sciv's and scv's, ya gotta be careful with epoxy, as the finish on them is somewhat succeptable to isopropyl alcohol which i use to clean off excess epoxy. you can do a bit of cleaning with it, but don't get too overzealous.

I have heard a rumor that the RX8+ are SCV's without the coating that St. Croix puts on their own rods. The thing I've got with RX8+'s is that they're more expensive for me to buy than SCV's. I would think that the RX8+'s are lighter than an SCV because there is no paint or what ever it is that St. Croix puts on their rods.

AC
FishinFreaks
Rogers, MN

Aaron that post should get the bees swarming!

I thought it was "common knowledge" that the RX8's were made OEM by St. Croix for Batson? I've heard that for quite a few people for quite some time? I don't see what the big deal is, obviously if all Batson blanks are being made overseas, except for this one series, it doesnt' take a brain surgeon to figure out they are being made by one of the few US blank Manu's, and when you look at the specs.....what's the big "Secret"?

Batson = RX8+864-4 = Tip 4.5 Butt:0.325 4 weight 1.45 oz
St. Croix = 5F864.4 = Tip 4 Butt: .325 weight 1.4
Lami = doesnt' do 8'6 4pc fly rods, and all their fly rods in 9' are over .4Od at teh butt
SAge = 486-4 SLT = Tip: 3.5 Butt: .325 wt = 1 3/16oz...or 1.19oz
486-4 VT2 = Tip: 3.5 Butt: .355 wt = 1 3/8 or 1.38
486-4 Z-AXIS = Tip: 3.5 Butt: .330 wt = 1 3/16 1.19oz

Exactly right Billy. I haven't even heard any rumours but just assumed based on the specs, price, US made status, and description that they are made by St. Croix. Seems highly likely to me. And I certainly don't expect either St. Croix or Batson to come on here and comment yes or no on the matter. That is not how OEM arrangements work.

I know from experience that St. Croix has excellent customer service and response time. A king salmon once stole the tip of a St. Croix 3-piece fly rod (long story) and I couldn't get it back. I called St.Croix and although the rod was out of production for some time they hunted around in inventory and promptly mailed me a new tip section for a nominal fee. Customer service is an often overlooked factor - until it is needed.

One thing to watch, even if they are made by St. Croix they could be made to different specs. We have that alot in the auto industry, Dee Zee makes running boards for Ford but they are made with heavier gauge steel and a different tube design than you can get directly from Dee Zee.

Marc,
Take a closer look at the CCS data site. Three postings were made for RX8+ fly rods (two under blanks, one under fly rods) and if you look at the power ratings, you'll see a pattern exists.

Jeff

Steve kind of answered the question for me. The fact he will use a 5 or 6 on it most of the time is all I needed to hear about the SCV to tell me it is not what we are looking for in a 4wt right now.

I was more wondering if they have the same AA etc......... because the RX8+ I saw in the CCS data were 68 to 70..... but the SCV were from 67 to 75 area.

What we are looking for is a fairly fast action and light weight 9' USA blank that will cast 4wt line from 25' to 70'. We already have the mod-med fast feel covered with the SigV 9' 4wt, and are not really interested in the FT............. so the RX8+ sounds like what we are looking for, but its hard to find anyone who has actually built and fished the 4wts and published a review.

Marc, I see someone (Kim Colby) has entered data for the 5F904.4 and that one measured 5.0/68, so not as powerful or as fast as the 5F864.4 I have. As you can see in the CCS database, the blanks of a given designated line wt. within the same series are often wide ranging in their power and action. Still, like you say, no entries for 4wt. RX8+ rods to compare it to. Also, reread my post. My rod with its soft tip does load with a 4wt. at the distances you describe 25-70ft. However, I use nymphs and streamers a lot and also my max. range in actual fishing rarely exceeds 50 so I will probably use a 5wt. most of the time and even a 6 if I'm rollcasting nymphs on a narrow stream with a short line. I would describe it as a great all-around 4-6wt. rod. Sounds like you are looking for more like a 3-5wt., where the 4 hits the sweetspot in most situations. For me, that's my old 2pc. 4F864 (3.9/72) but that has sadly been discontinued and the new SCIV 4pc. is nothing like it. Good luck. Hopefully more people will chime in with RX8+ 4wt. experience.

Yep Steve, that is pretty much what we are looking for right now. The Batson guys went and "updated" their blank specs last year, and in the process upped the tip specs a size to 4.5 when 4.0 will work 99% of time..........and they changed the weight specs too and now they show the 9' 4wt weighs more than the 9' 6wt blanks and I just cannot see how that can possibly be.

I guess I will try to find a deal on a 9' 4wt RX8+ to test out and go from there.

Steve Kartalia Wrote:
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> As you can see in the CCS database, the blanks of a given designated line wt. within the same series
> are often wide ranging in their power and action.

Steve - do you think this is an effect of the blanks, or having different peopel take the measurements? You pretty much have to assume the other person is measuring them exactly the same as you, or the ratings are hard to compare. No?

I have found St. Croix to be both good service and too me of great impotence they are honest. Honesty goes a long way in the business world and i am interested in if anyone else feels the same way. SC gets my business based on honesty as well as a quality product and customer service.

Billy V, it is probably some of both but I think that since the CCS is so easy to do it is mostly real inherent variation in the blanks. I know I have measured several samples of the same exact model and gotten quite a range and that's all with the same tester - me.

Billy B, yes I have great respect for St. Croix quality and service and agree that honesty is vital. But, I don't personally know of examples of dishonesty on anyone's part so I can't really use that as a point of comparison. Both Batson and St. Croix seem full of honest folks as near as I can tell. If I am ever dealt with dishonestly, I try to make it the last time I deal with that particular person/company.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/11/2007 03:56PM by Steve Kartalia.