St. Croix :: Fly Fishing Rods :: Imperial Fly

Even though I have a collection of far more expensive rods (including Winstons), I simply love this rod for its look and its performance. I'd call the action fast; but the tip action comes into play beautifully at a casting distance of 30 feet. On NM's San Juan River, this is my dry fly rod of choice.

Have had the 9ft 5 wt 4 piece rod for over a year now and it performs great, especially considering the price. Made in North American. Excellent at short and mid distance casting (up to about 60 ft). My kids use it because it's easy to cast and they have yet to break it. Do yourself a favor and check it out. You won't be disappointed. Easy warranty program and great value for the dollar.

Want to have some fun catching trout in small mountain streams? Well, this is the rod for you. Match it with an ultralight reel without drag and the fight is on. From feisty 6 inch natives to bulldog hatchery released brood mares, this rod can deliver the joy. It will bend itself in half without breaking and make every fish feel like a trophy. Landed an almost 7 pound monster without killing her from fatigue and whooped out loud while catching 9 inch rainbow jumpers that felt like 2 pounders. Only drawback is that ultrafast action makes it difficult to throw a fly very far and rollcasting requires more speed and effort to be effective. Definitely a rod for small waters.

I bought the 4 piece 9' 5 weight, and I must say, its a huge upgrade from my first rod. The action is much faster and it has good bend. I am able to cast much further now and the fit and finish is very nice! I personally really like the burgandy finish, and I think it looks really nice out in the sun. The rod is very light too and I added a ross flystart reel and it seems to be a well balanced combo. Oh and the rod case that comes with it is very nice to have too!

Sorry for the long review, but there are a few important things to know before buying this rod. I purchased the I906.4 as a general trout rod to use in just about any trout fishing situation. When I finally had the rod together, there were some pros, and definite cons, that I noticed.
Pros:
This is a very light rod, with the kind of quality and craftsmanship that you would expect from a company with a reputation like St. Croix. It does have a soft tip and is quite responsive. The alignment dots make putting it together a breeze. This rod has enough power for large rivers and lakes, even with a stiff wind.
Cons:
I understand that fast action rods are popular, but even with the soft tip, if feels a little too stiff throughout the entire length of the rod. It was too much power to be considered a true all-purpose trout rod.
The reel seat is small/thin. While its length is good for most reels, its thickness is not. I could not get any of my existing reels to fit, and I had trouble finding a reel that could fit this rod when I asked about this in my local fly shop. I did find one, but it cost more than the rod itself.
If your looking for a general trout rod, spend the extra $80 for the Avid. The workmanship is good, the mod./fast action is better for an all-purpose rod, and the reel seat is more forgiving.

I have owned my St. Croix Imperial since I was sixteen years old, I'm now 31. I can't say enough for the durability of this rod. Ive dropped it, fell on it, slammed the tip against rocks more times than I can count and it keeps on going. I have a 7 foot 3/4 weight with cork and rings reel seat. The only problem I have with the rod is the action is a little stiff for the line weight.

The 6' 2wt rod is perfect for 6"-12" trout and grayling. Anything over 14" feels like a steelhead on this little thing! This rod is made for small streams, and 40' is about the casting limit. It has a moderate action, not fast. The fly size has an upper limit of about 14, and is perfect for casting a size 18 midge on a 7x tippet. When getting a reel for this rod, remember that anything over 3.5 oz with line is too heavy for this rod. A Dennison or White River Classic UL reel balance perfectly. The reels that come with the combo's are much too heavy for this rod. Cortland''s Clear Creek line in WF2F is a great match. If only they made this rod in a 1 wt!

I have the Imperial in the 8' 6" 3wt , I used this baby on the Middle Patuxent in Howard County,Md. I fished for about five hours after work, this lil' rod is sweet.I caught two rainbows up to 12''' and four suckers one about 18" on 5x tippet and didn''t break of once, didn''t get tired of casting even after doing 16 hours,and could have kept going but I had another appointment. I used the blue sky ultra-light furled leader with a 3 wt triangle taper floating line by Lee Wulff. This set up was perfect.

I tested the 9' 6 weight and while the rod was very well built and lightweight, it was a bit stiff for the recommended line weight. I don't think this would protect tippet very well and it lacked serious line feel. I recommend this product still because of its quality and the fact it would make a great streamer rod.

I have the 9'4 wt Imperial. This is a top notch rod and you don't have to take out a loan to own one! I have fished this rod several times and have yet to be disappointed. Excellent casting and especially fine feel and handling ability when landing a fish. Definitely another quality product from St Croix.