If there is one thing you should invest in when you are serious about catching fish, it is a great fishing rod. The importance of a quality fishing rod cannot be overstated. From the ability to feel every tug and nibble to being able to bring fish in without a problem, a quality rod simply makes you a better and more efficient fisherman.
Travel and versatility are of paramount importance to many people and having a rod that does both just makes sense. With so many rods on the market, it can be hard to choose one. That is where the St. Croix Triumph Travel spinning rod really shines. Built for versatility and portability, this is a rod you will want for yourself.
It can be hard to catch anything unless you have a rod built for sensitivity and durability. Knowing this, you can use this particular rod for everything. You can catch crappie, bluegill, bass, catfish, and even bigger fish with it. It even has the added perk of being able to carry it with you easily in your car.
In this St. Croix Triumph Travel rod review, we will go over the features and what you will get for your investment if you decide to add one to your fish-catching arsenal.
==> Click Here To See Customer Reviews Of The St. Croix Triumph <==
Product Overview:
This great travel rod is made by St. Croix, a leader in fishing rods. St Croix is generally known for their quality rods already and this travel model is no different. This rod comes in two lengths, a 6′ and a 6’6″. Four models are offered, each with a different power class and a fast action. The only 6′ model comes in the light power class.
All of the others are 6’6″ and come equipped with a power class of medium-light, medium, and medium-heavy respectively. The fast action means the rod is stiffer than other actions and this means it will bend near the top third of the blank. This is essential for bringing in bigger fish and pulling fish out of cover.
It’s designed to be used primarily as a freshwater rod for panfish, bass, catfish, trout, perch, walleye, and smaller pike species. It excels in ultralight crappie fishing and creek fishing for trout. Also, the main factor to consider for this rod is not only what it can land. It can handle most freshwater species.
It is a rod that is a couple of times more portable than many others. Every single model is a four-piece rod which equates to unmatched portability when you want to carry it with you. Aside from this, every rod comes with a padded nylon soft carry case to keep it in while you travel. It’s easy to take with you in a car, boat, or simply in hand on a hike.
Design and Build Quality:
This rod is a carbon fiber-based rod. It does not use graphite in its construction. That means the sensitivity on the rod is a little bit less than it would be if it were graphite. The truth about travel rods is that carbon fiber creates a stiffer yet more durable blank. All of this means you will get a slightly less sensitive but much more versatile setup. You will trade a fraction of a percent of sensitivity to make the rod much more resilient and reliable. Still, it excels at landing big fish and small fish alike because of that fast action.
As far as the weight of the rod, it does a good job of being heavy enough where you can feel bites but it’s not so light that it feels unbalanced in the hand. Overall, it is a great rod that feels nice to hold and best of all is that your hands won’t get tired when you cast it. Every model also boasts impeccable line guides. These Sea Guide Atlas Performance slim aluminum-oxide guides provide smooth casting and unmatched performance coupled with unmatched corrosion resistance for tough fishing days.
They also completely skipped over the more affordable EVA foam handles. Each rod is outfitted with a 100% pure cork handle which feels better in the palm, weighs less, makes the rod more balanced, and provides much more sensitivity in the palm and fingers. The industry standard is that pure cork handles are often a sign of quality materials used in the construction process. Having cork means that you can still feel those light bites in your hand even when the carbon fiber blank cannot pick them up.
Performance:
Overall, the rod works very well. It works great for most freshwater fish. Many have found success using it for trout when fishing in streams as well as for reeling in bigger bass, bluegill, perch, and crappie. It lends itself very well to live bait fishing and catching smaller channel catfish. It is a great rod for fishing fishing lures around the one-ounce mark and this can be adjusted based on which model you decide to get. You will love that it has the ability to make consistent, long, accurate, and smooth casts without much effort.
I found that this rod is best for casting crankbaits and jigging but I would imagine that it would work very well for trolling too. Because it is a spinning rod, it’s naturally going to have all of the advantages one may find when using a spinning rod over a baitcaster. This means it will naturally be better at casting lighter lures further than a baitcaster would and overall, its just going to catch you more fish because it’s easier to use and harder to mess up. When you go up to the largest model, expect it to hold its own against big bass and catfish.
Durability:
As far as durability goes, this rod holds up well over many years when well taken care of. If you properly store it in the box it comes in whenever you are not using it, it will last a very long time. Big fish can be handled easily as long as the rod power is correct. Because of its construction, it can break if it hooks into a huge fish not meant for its power class.
If you use the right power class for the fish you want to catch, this isn’t an issue. Besides, if anything does break, St. Croix offers a gold star warranty. This means they will replace any rod for any reason as long as the damage is not on the tip. If the tip is the only thing damaged, it will be what the warranty covers to repair.
This warranty also allows the one submitting the damage claim for another rod model in the same series if they so choose.
Pros:
- Multiple lengths and power classes to choose from
- Can catch almost any species of fish
- Versatile for almost every fishing technique
- Extremely portable four-piece rod with carry case
- Can fit in a car, boat, backpack, or anywhere else
Cons:
- The rod takes a little time to put together
Maintenance and Care:
In order to maintain the pristine nature of this rod for the long term, it is imperative that you always remember to clean this rod well when you are done using it. Having the four pieces and a carry case means that the rod should always be kept clean so it can be stored properly and without damage.
Thankfully, it isn’t difficult. The best way to maintain it is to use a mild soap and warm water on the rod blank. After a good wipe-down, don’t forget that all of the connector holes need to be as clean as possible.
Always make sure that you remove any grass, dirt, water, and debris from the carry case and the rod itself before storing it inside. It’s best to leave the case with the rod inside on a flat surface although not mandatory. Take care to be nice to the hinges on the case and don’t force it closed. If you follow these guidelines, the rod will easily last decades.
Price and Value:
Comparatively, the St. Croix Triumph Travel spinning rod’s performance is on par with even the best spinning rods available on the market today. For what you get, it really is worth the investment. Usually, a good spinning rod of tournament quality can cost upwards of $300 and still provide a very similar performance to this one.
While it is not technically a tournament rod by definition, I would say that it is pretty darn close. About as close as you could get without making the jump. I love how you can use it for almost any fishing technique for most species of fish. It’s also half the price. Most of all though, this rod has something very few if any rods have.
Quality and portability. Sure, other rods can be portable but usually there is a lack of performance or fewer options for customization. The rods that are amazing and high-performing generally don’t have the portability aspect.
This rod fills the niche where it will give you a great rod for an affordable price and with the added bonus of being able to fit it in a car trunk or suitcase. I have not seen many rods do this today in the same way this one has. As far as performance goes, it rivals some of the best rods on the market for certain conditions and the fact that it is a spinning rod makes it easy for a beginner to use.
Conclusion: St. Croix Triumph Travel Rod Is Amazing
To conclude, I have to say the St. Croix Triumph Travel rod is simply one of the best investments an angler with limited space can make. This isn’t some telescopic rod blank nonsense either. The rod really is a pleasure to use, you can use it for darn near anything and it does a lot of things well.
If I had only one gripe, it would be that having four pieces takes a bit of time to put together before you fish. Other than that though, it is awesome. It costs essentially half the price of what rods of similar performance do. This is the perfect gift to give somebody who is a freshwater angler serious about fishing but only wants one rod due to a limited amount of space.
I used to be one of those people. I still am. My place has way too many fishing rods but I still find myself only taking one with me most days because they are just not easy to carry. I love how this rod fixes that.
My Rating: 4.5/5 Stars
Does the St. Croix Triumph Travel spinning rod provide you with enough elite-level performance on the water while also being portable enough to take anywhere? That remains to be seen. It largely depends on what you want in a fishing rod, how much you fish, and how easily you want to carry it. Click here if you are interested in trying one out for yourself.