I've been buying a few 90's St. Croix fly blanks from a relatively large supply that have been in storage for many years. I've built two for family use, and several more donated to San Diego Fly Fishers for their annual conservation fund raiser. Presently there are two I'm intrigued by, but totally unfamiliar with. The model designation is GFT 8' 4 and 8'6" 5, and evidently rolled in the early to mid 90's. I'm curious to know if any of you may know the GFT's specifications: Action? Slow, Fast, Medium? Overall quality? For many years I've considered the price/quality equation of the St. Croix fly rods and blanks to be one of the best. But so far, the GFT is a mystery to me. Please advise.
Thanks, Jack

I used to sell those in my fly shop. Good blanks and rods, medium fast actions in a lower to mid-range carbon material. If I recall most of the finished rods built on these blanks came in at $99 to $130 or so. The "T" was for Travel if I recall correctly. They were easy to cast rods but did not have the speed of the upper range St. Croix rods from the same time period, such as the Legend and similar.

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St Croix had a line of fly rods in that price range in the early to mid 90s labeled "Imperial Graphite". I still have a four piece 9' 8/9 weight with the designation IFT9080. Definitely not a fast action, but a very nice smallmouth rod for throwing weightier nymphs. FWIW, originally they were sold with aluminum travel tubes, but by the mid 90s they came with cordura covered PVC tubes. As I recall, the price point was around $140.

From ghoulies and ghosties,
and long leggedy beasties,
and things that go bump in the night,
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