Remember Drew, is it the brand name that's going to catch you the fish? Maybe it's the sensitivity of the brand name or series of the rod. Or is it the power band on how you cast? Drift/spoon/spinner fish? The way the rod loads as the line gets stretched with a fish at the end of your line. I've fished almost every rod out there.... I bet you if you put the St. Croix avid 96mh next to a comparable Shimoomis steelhead series like the 9'8" 8-15 you probably couldn't tell the difference.

I'm not trying to argue what rod is the best, because in the long run it's all within you're personal preference....I'm just saying a factory loomis is a cheap rod with cheap as components! Same with Lamiglas! I can almost bet you that the St. Croix Avid 96mh is comparable to the Shamoomis steelhead series 9'8" 8-17 feel wise, but component wise???? St. Croix all the way holmeslice! Tho the St. Croix has a far superior warranty! Look at the expedite services on the companies these days! $100 Shamoomis $70 Lamiglass $60 St. Croix. Two winters ago fishin with Seastrike and Tyee Dog on the Hoh, we ended up playing chicken with a smart car sized rock and I ended up playing human pinball with Tyee Dog and the avid... Well the avid got crushed at the top section, obviously on user defect. I took the rod to OE, gave them $10 got the the rod back in 5 weeks from St. Croix NO QUESTIONS ASKED!

Drew, if I fished any rod being Original Loomis, Shamoomis, Lamiglas, St. Croix, Rainshadow, Sage, Allstar, Okuma, as much as I fish my XMG "rods" they would probably break just as much.... Graphite gets weak over time.... You know why I keep going to my XMG selection? Because the rod selection to size and weight are the BEST on the market! Not to mention that they're far more sensitive than any Shamoomis steelhead series, and LIGHTER! Also far CHEAPER!

And I'll say it again! And again! If I fished a steelhead series as hard as I my XMG customs they would be breaking as much if not more often!