I am ready to upgrade several rods. Looking for information regarding the Cumara rods and the Legend Tournament rods. Has any used either or both of these rods? Thoughts????

You know which one I use... I like the Cumara a lot!

Cumara also.

Thanx guys, I shoulda known who to call first!!!

OWN 14 ST. CROIX RODS

I've got both & they're great rods.
The Cumara gets the nod:
better sensitivity, comfort & how can you beat an over the counter warranty!

I love my 6'8" MH Cumara. Got it at Lake Fork Marina. Super light and sensitive, but still has good backbone. Get them before the price increase goes into effect.

Love the Cumara, but I've never owned a St. Croix so can't say anything good or bad about St. Croix.

5'6" Walmart Red Rhino.

I got that beat. I own at least 30 St. Croixs.

Four of the older green Legend Elites.

Two of the full cork Legend Tournaments.

Three Avid fly rods.
&
Over 20 Avids.

All of the above are American made. The Shimanos are from China.

I own other brands of rods than St. Croix, but other than a Falcon Lowrider Outtasight, a G Loomis GLX 7'5" Senko rod, and a modified Gary Yamamoto spinning rod. I don't use the others very much at all.

TFP

Those Avid's are great.

I put both in my hands at BPS last week and the cumara was noticably lighter. I actually had the Avid, Cumara and the new blue St croix with te split grip. The blue St Croix was the heaviest in weight. The avid was very close to the weight of the cumara. With an over the counter return policy that makes the shimano higher up on my list.

But for you I would just take pinesdabber up on the Red rhino from Wal-mart. No sense in putting money into fishing when you dont go...

Actually, if you get the same length, power, action etc. the Avids are in fact HEAVIER than the Legend Tournaments. The reason that the Legend Tournaments FELT heavier is because the lack of rear cork adversely affects the balance of these rods.

Rod design is always a trade off. Longer handles help keep a rod balanced, but add to the weight of a rod. If you have a rod with a relatively short skeletal handle the rod will inevitably be 'nose-heavy' and have poor balance.

Basically we're stuck with:

1. A short handled rod that is well balanced, but weighs more.

2. A long handled rod that is well balanced, and is well balanced.

3. A short handled rod that is weighs less, and has poorer balance.

Depending on your style, preferences, and taste one of these three choices will generally be you preference.

Me, I prefer option 1.

TFP

A split grip rod with a reel on it is far from nose heavy. When the reel is added, the difference in the balance point is minimal. My most balanced full grip rod and least balanced split grip rod have a balance point less than 1/2" apart. The full grip rod also has a reel that is 3 ozs heavier. When I switched out to the same light reel for the full grip rod, there was no detectable difference in balance point between the 2.

Balance is much less of a concern for most applications than actual weight, though some in the rod industry would try to convince you differently. On applications with a high rod tip like T rig, jig or weightless plastic, a very very small percentage of the rod's tip weight wants to rotate the rod. Nearly all the weight is pushing straight down. On steady retrieve or stop and go retrieve presentations where your tip is lower, the rotational pull of the unbalanced rod is imperceptible. With the 2 rods I used above, the more balanced setup has 50% more measured tip weight do to the heavier overall rod and reel. Elimination of weight should be your goal and not balance.

Your much better off going lighter, all other things equal. You also get the added sensitivity from having less weight.

More later....

TFP

You are KILLING me!!!!!!! But thanks for the input, keep it coming guys.

Cumara