There doesn't seem to be a great deal of objective information about these rods, at least not that I could find. Mostly marketing spin and obscure references. With that in mind, I've set out to give one of these sticks an unbiased review and general thrashing. It's a work in progress...
I've heard references to the Lacrosse rods but found very little usable information about them. Given the opportunity to test one, I opted for their 7'0" 2-weight model.
While there are numerous applications for the fast action rods that currently dominate the market, for a delicate presentation on small streams I find the full to mid-flex actions superior in all respects. This is, of course, a personal opinion. When I read the LaCrosse rods featured an IM-7 full-flex blank, I felt it would be in my best interest to at least try them. With a price substantially less than $100, I didn't expect a great deal going in. Following are the initial photos of this little rod along with my thoughts and perceptions.
The rod comes in a nicely finished rod tube, black in color, and silk screened with the LaCrosse logo. A protective sleeve is also included. The cork grip is shrink-wrapped and pasted with the inevitable "Made In China" sticker and bar code.
The blank appears little different to my eye than any other. It's wispy, but not to the point of concern for its well-being in a fight. This rod has the "al dente" feel I've come to appreciate in a dry fly rod for small streams.
The grinding of the cork is acceptably smooth for this price point and properly filled, although the quality of the cork is hardly top-shelf. The reel seat is nicely done. Well-fitted to the blank with the aluminum parts appearing well-machined and nicely deburred. I'm a trained machinist with over twenty years experience and have no complaints regarding the metal finishing on this particular rod.
So far, I find it to be an impressive rod for this price point. In the next installment, we'll set it up with reel and line and see how it feels during the cast.