Best review I’ve seen on this rod. I’m finally making real upgrades with my gear and picked this rod up a week ago. One session in and I can see the difference with pricier gear. I’m in MD, but fish FL once a year or so. I’ll be subbing.
I broke way too many Mojo’s this season in ways that shouldn’t have compromised them. After a few sessions with the Victory Marshall I’m satisfied, much more power in the backbone and the tip isn’t floppy like the one on the Mojo Bass. Honestly feels more sturdy than my Dobyns 735c even though that rod should be more powerful given the specs.
St. Croix makes a quality rod. I am personally not a fan of split grips and appreciated the honest review and not neglecting to call out the shortcomings of the handle ergonomics. Look forward to seeing how the rod performs for you in future videos.
Thanks for the great review. In checking on the specs on St Croix’s website it is nice to see how much lighter they are than the Mojo. As a guy with shoulder issues it helps having lighter and well balanced poles. 4.5 hours of driving for me to go fishing so when I go I try to fish all day. Lighter poles with good balance make a difference for me. Again, thanks for the review.
Recently picked up one of these spinning 7’1” m/f rods paired with a Stradic ci4+. I will agree the grip is long but I’ve learned to change my grip and keep my whole hand in front of the reel rather than what I’m accustomed to splitting the reel between my pinky and ring finger. Vet comfortable to fish like that. Really great rod all around. Very sensitive. Great review!
I have 2 mojo bass baitcasters the 7'1" MH and a 7'1 M and i love them so i bought a mojo bass spining but i didn't like it. I just returned my mojo bass 6'8" medium spinning for the sole purpose that the threads on thr bottom of my hands were extremely uncomfortable and i can put electrical tape but i shouldn't have to do that. The rod i replaced wit with is a G-loomis e6x shakyhead 6'10" medium and its super comfortable but i haven't used it cant wait to hit the water. Im pairing it with my badass shimano vanford 3000
I was going to buy the Mojo Yac. Rod but handle was heavier so I went with the cork I also have the Victory in 7ft 1in Full Contact love that rod lure weight is 3/8 to 11/4 extra fast it's a casting rod!!!! I think they got it right
Nomad Good Review on the new Victory Rod 👍🏻 as I was debating on picking up one of these too but, the one negative I would say about this rod as you stated too are the, Cheaper Fuji Concept ('O') Guides that they cut some corners to put on this rod to same money as imho, I'am wondering why they didn't just make this rod at a little more higher price point around ($220-$225) and put on a Better (Fuji K-Frame Alconite) or even the newer (Fuji K-Frame Fazlite) Tangle Free Guide are better than what's on there now and this rod would be even better pretty much perfect imo just my .02 cents here that's all.
Agreed. I think they were really shooting for a $200 and under rod. I don't know much about marketing, but I think buyers are way more likely to pay $190 for a rod than $230. That is even if the extra couple dollars would be well worth it. I feel the same way when I see someone buy a BassX. Just spend the extra $30-40 and get a Mojo Bass.
@@joed2497 Only fished it once, but I think the guides were fine for those. Tough to tell though with so many variables. I'd say this rod is more sensitive than a Mojo Bass and Avid, but that's probably due to the blank. I would love to fish this blank with different guides to be able to compare.
I have 12 stcroix rods all all legend series except two which are eyecon series. The thing that has been a pet peeve of mine over years of late fall early spring walleye fishing is their terrible choice of grips for cold weather fishing. The eyecon and now victory series at the only ones that have a nice bulk of cork with no exposed metal that comes on direct contact with the hand while holding the rod. I don’t get why most of the high end croix rods are set up with bass style grips. In my opinion they try to hard and the outcome is an overall too fancy grip majority of the time.
Valid points. I suppose I'm a bit spoiled here in South Florida. The coldest weather I fished this past year was in the low 70s lol Have you tried the Avid X? Same handle as the Victory, just put on backwards. It has a nice thick piece of cork as well.
@@TheFishingNomad I haven’t tried the avid simple because I have so many ultra sensitive rods I would be hard for me to turn back now lol. My most fished rods are a legend elite 7’ MLF and legend extreme 6’10” MLXF. IMO they are hands down some of the most sensitive walleye rods on the market. I didn’t mention it in my first comment but I like your style of review vid, your not just sitting in your basement talking about something. You put it to the test in front of a camera. 👍
I would say yes. I have the Mojo Bass which is SCIII and this rod is more sensitive than it. I'm not sure if the Premier has a 5 or 15 year warranty, but if it's 5, then the Victory should be a no-brainer.
I personally like the handle, my hands are extremely small so I can fit all 4 fingers infront of the reel and have my index finger on the blank, it might be uncomfortable for people with normal hands lol
Thank you for the review. I think you are probably the 1st reviewer of these new series. I am a big fan of St. Croix and I only purchase very, very sensitive rods. I have Legend Tournament and I think they are sensitive. I noticed you have an Extreme, how would you compare Victory's sensitivity with the Extreme?
The Xtremes are definitely more sensitive. It's tough to say because this is an objective measure being measured subjectively. If I had to rate them only on sensitivity I'd give the Mojo a 4/10, the Avid a 5/10, the Victory a 6/10, and the Xtremes an 8/10 or something like that. There is a clear difference between the Xtremes and the Victory. The Legend Tournament is one series I haven't fished so I don't know how these will compare to those.
I purchased a victory casting rod "the marshal" an I'm not really impressed! I own several avid x rods an a legend elite an they are far more sensitive than the victory I just purchased. Just my opinion though.
Definitely better. It's tough to tell you how much better using an objective measure, but it is definitely more sensitive than the new generation Mojo Bass.
Nice video....I also hate foam on a grip. I fish a St. Croix Legend Tournament Bass (LTB) in quite a few models in both spinning and casting. I think the LTB rod blows the mojo, victory and avid x completely out of the water and I have all of them. I live in Wisconsin so get to go to St. Croix factory store at least once per year. Keep up the videos. Consider getting a better mic for your setup. I like the rode mics. That my only minor gripe. Keep it up. Cheers and tight lines.
The LTB is a series I've never fished, but really want to. I've always been curious how it compares to a Mojo and a Legend Xtreme. Now also curious how it compares to the Victory. Thank you for watching and for the advice. I'll keep that in mind. Tight lines.
@@TheFishingNomad I don't know if it does, it just feels more comfortable.Im not sure a split grip is more sensitive. A rod doesn't have to be the lightest to be more sensitive than a Lighter rod. The Legend Elite full grips are very slim, there comfortable. What do you think about those no real seat Tennessee handles - I had a 7 ft phenix trout rod like that a couple of years ago.
Better is an objective term, but you're using it subjectively. If you like foam more than cork, that's fine, but you can't say it's better. I never said cork was better, just that I like it more than foam. Also, if you seal your cork like I do it still looks, feels, and acts, brand new years later.
Best review I’ve seen on this rod. I’m finally making real upgrades with my gear and picked this rod up a week ago. One session in and I can see the difference with pricier gear. I’m in MD, but fish FL once a year or so. I’ll be subbing.
Thanks. It's a solid rod. I don't fish it as much anymore, but it's definitely a great rod.
I broke way too many Mojo’s this season in ways that shouldn’t have compromised them. After a few sessions with the Victory Marshall I’m satisfied, much more power in the backbone and the tip isn’t floppy like the one on the Mojo Bass. Honestly feels more sturdy than my Dobyns 735c even though that rod should be more powerful given the specs.
Thanks for this overview. Great looking rod and the longer handle is exactly what I want.
Thank you. Glad I could help. It really is a nice rod.
St. Croix makes a quality rod. I am personally not a fan of split grips and appreciated the honest review and not neglecting to call out the shortcomings of the handle ergonomics. Look forward to seeing how the rod performs for you in future videos.
Thank you.
Your right full cork is better. I fish the Avid for trout and also Legend Elite - these are the most sensitive rods on earth, even though Avid
Thanks for the great review. In checking on the specs on St Croix’s website it is nice to see how much lighter they are than the Mojo. As a guy with shoulder issues it helps having lighter and well balanced poles. 4.5 hours of driving for me to go fishing so when I go I try to fish all day. Lighter poles with good balance make a difference for me. Again, thanks for the review.
Thank you. Definitely lighter and I think it fishes even lighter than it is, if that makes sense.
@@TheFishingNomad Yep I think that’s because as you pointed out the balance on it looks like it’s really pretty good
Recently picked up one of these spinning 7’1” m/f rods paired with a Stradic ci4+. I will agree the grip is long but I’ve learned to change my grip and keep my whole hand in front of the reel rather than what I’m accustomed to splitting the reel between my pinky and ring finger. Vet comfortable to fish like that. Really great rod all around. Very sensitive. Great review!
Thanks for the comment. Hope you enjoy the rod.
Love St Croix rods. Have 4, 2 spin, 2 casting. Broke a brand new rod. They sent me a brand new for $25!
I have yet to need to use their warranty service, but after all the good things I've heard about it, I have peace of mind with it.
Thank you for an informative review. Hope you have a great weekend!
Thank you. Same to you.
I use the Victory as my every day, after work bank fishing rods and splurge on the G Loomis Conquest when hitting the lake.
That's not a bad option at all. This is a solid all around beater.
Nice review, very helpful, thanks.
Thank you.
I have 2 mojo bass baitcasters the 7'1" MH and a 7'1 M and i love them so i bought a mojo bass spining but i didn't like it. I just returned my mojo bass 6'8" medium spinning for the sole purpose that the threads on thr bottom of my hands were extremely uncomfortable and i can put electrical tape but i shouldn't have to do that. The rod i replaced wit with is a G-loomis e6x shakyhead 6'10" medium and its super comfortable but i haven't used it cant wait to hit the water. Im pairing it with my badass shimano vanford 3000
Yeah those threads can get annoying if you fish for a couple hours. Glad you found something you like though.
I was going to buy the Mojo Yac. Rod but handle was heavier so I went with the cork I also have the Victory in 7ft 1in Full Contact love that rod lure weight is 3/8 to 11/4 extra fast it's a casting rod!!!! I think they got it right
Yeah after fishing this for nearly two years now, I still think it's great.
Nomad Good Review on the new Victory Rod 👍🏻 as I was debating on picking up one of these too but, the one negative I would say about this rod as you stated too are the, Cheaper Fuji Concept ('O') Guides that they cut some corners to put on this rod to same money as imho, I'am wondering why they didn't just make this rod at a little more higher price point around ($220-$225) and put on a Better (Fuji K-Frame Alconite) or even the newer (Fuji K-Frame Fazlite) Tangle Free Guide are better than what's on there now and this rod would be even better pretty much perfect imo just my .02 cents here that's all.
Agreed. I think they were really shooting for a $200 and under rod. I don't know much about marketing, but I think buyers are way more likely to pay $190 for a rod than $230. That is even if the extra couple dollars would be well worth it. I feel the same way when I see someone buy a BassX. Just spend the extra $30-40 and get a Mojo Bass.
@@TheFishingNomad Yes sure I agree too
About the those Concept ('O') Guides, how would you say there were towards the Senitivity and Casting abilities if the Rod?
@@joed2497 Only fished it once, but I think the guides were fine for those. Tough to tell though with so many variables. I'd say this rod is more sensitive than a Mojo Bass and Avid, but that's probably due to the blank. I would love to fish this blank with different guides to be able to compare.
I've had 2 mojobass and both snapped at the tip. very brittle. I'm hoping that is not the case for the Victory line.
The Victory series has ART and I believe FRS as well so it should hold up better.
I have 12 stcroix rods all all legend series except two which are eyecon series. The thing that has been a pet peeve of mine over years of late fall early spring walleye fishing is their terrible choice of grips for cold weather fishing. The eyecon and now victory series at the only ones that have a nice bulk of cork with no exposed metal that comes on direct contact with the hand while holding the rod. I don’t get why most of the high end croix rods are set up with bass style grips. In my opinion they try to hard and the outcome is an overall too fancy grip majority of the time.
Valid points. I suppose I'm a bit spoiled here in South Florida. The coldest weather I fished this past year was in the low 70s lol Have you tried the Avid X? Same handle as the Victory, just put on backwards. It has a nice thick piece of cork as well.
@@TheFishingNomad I haven’t tried the avid simple because I have so many ultra sensitive rods I would be hard for me to turn back now lol. My most fished rods are a legend elite 7’ MLF and legend extreme 6’10” MLXF. IMO they are hands down some of the most sensitive walleye rods on the market. I didn’t mention it in my first comment but I like your style of review vid, your not just sitting in your basement talking about something. You put it to the test in front of a camera. 👍
I typically use the USA made Premier series which is SCII blank....Is the Victory worth the extra $30-$40 with the SCIII+?
I would say yes. I have the Mojo Bass which is SCIII and this rod is more sensitive than it. I'm not sure if the Premier has a 5 or 15 year warranty, but if it's 5, then the Victory should be a no-brainer.
Cool vid
Thank you.
I personally like the handle, my hands are extremely small so I can fit all 4 fingers infront of the reel and have my index finger on the blank, it might be uncomfortable for people with normal hands lol
Yeah that was more of a personal preference. It's a great rod, but I like the way the Mojo Bass feels in hand.
Love s c rods but knot split handle
Everyone's different. That's one of the things I love about them.
Thank you for the review. I think you are probably the 1st reviewer of these new series. I am a big fan of St. Croix and I only purchase very, very sensitive rods. I have Legend Tournament and I think they are sensitive. I noticed you have an Extreme, how would you compare Victory's sensitivity with the Extreme?
The Xtremes are definitely more sensitive. It's tough to say because this is an objective measure being measured subjectively. If I had to rate them only on sensitivity I'd give the Mojo a 4/10, the Avid a 5/10, the Victory a 6/10, and the Xtremes an 8/10 or something like that. There is a clear difference between the Xtremes and the Victory. The Legend Tournament is one series I haven't fished so I don't know how these will compare to those.
I purchased a victory casting rod "the marshal" an I'm not really impressed! I own several avid x rods an a legend elite an they are far more sensitive than the victory I just purchased. Just my opinion though.
How would rate the sensitivity to the mojo bass with sc3
Definitely better. It's tough to tell you how much better using an objective measure, but it is definitely more sensitive than the new generation Mojo Bass.
Nice video....I also hate foam on a grip. I fish a St. Croix Legend Tournament Bass (LTB) in quite a few models in both spinning and casting. I think the LTB rod blows the mojo, victory and avid x completely out of the water and I have all of them. I live in Wisconsin so get to go to St. Croix factory store at least once per year. Keep up the videos. Consider getting a better mic for your setup. I like the rode mics. That my only minor gripe. Keep it up. Cheers and tight lines.
The LTB is a series I've never fished, but really want to. I've always been curious how it compares to a Mojo and a Legend Xtreme. Now also curious how it compares to the Victory. Thank you for watching and for the advice. I'll keep that in mind. Tight lines.
Legend tournaments are $400+ rods. They better blow $100-200 rods out of the water lol
@@alexmurphy3005 I’ll be honest the LTB are not better by much. The victory is a very solid rod.
full cork handle is better. I fish the Avid for trout and also Legend Elite - these are the most sensitive rods on earth, even the Avid
How does a full cork handle translate to better sensitivity?
@@TheFishingNomad I don't know if it does, it just feels more comfortable.Im not sure a split grip is more sensitive. A rod doesn't have to be the lightest to be more sensitive than a Lighter rod. The Legend Elite full grips are very slim, there comfortable. What do you think about those no real seat Tennessee handles - I had a 7 ft phenix trout rod like that a couple of years ago.
Cork breaks over time. Foam is better.
Better is an objective term, but you're using it subjectively. If you like foam more than cork, that's fine, but you can't say it's better. I never said cork was better, just that I like it more than foam. Also, if you seal your cork like I do it still looks, feels, and acts, brand new years later.