Surf's Up in Orlando!
St. Croix’s new Avid® Surf series provides custom-level performance without compromise
Park Falls, WI – Here’s the rod hardcore surfcasters have been waiting to get their hands on. St. Croix’s stealthy, upgraded Avid® Surf rods raise the game up and down the coast for everything from bass and blues to bull reds, snook and even tarpon.
Simply put, these are serious surf rods, designed for serious surfcasters looking to beach serious fish. Whether heaving heavy baits from the beaches of Cape Hatteras, casting 3-ounce bottle plugs for Montauk stripers, or trying to steer a crazed tarpon away from bridge pilings in the Florida Keys, these super strong, extremely versatile sticks can handle any challenge surf fishing presents.
Avid Surf rods combine St. Croix’s Integrated Poly Curve® (IPC®) mandrel technology with premium, high-modulus SCIII carbon for exceptional strength, smooth power and increased sensitivity. They also sport Fuji® K-Series KW tangle-free guides with Alconite® rings and Corrosion Control™ frame treatment for superior casting distance and improved corrosion protection. The Fuji® DPS Deluxe reel seat with Back Stop™ lock nut and matte grey hoods ensures the reel stays locked in place, while a custom cork tape handle with machined trim pieces provides a sure, comfortable and resilient grip.
“St. Croix polled elite surfcasters to see what they really wanted and addressed every issue with these new entries,” says surf fishing expert and St. Croix pro-staff member, Alberto Knie. The new charcoal gray color instantly marks these rods as stealthy and serious. When I’m out in the surf – often on the graveyard shift – I want to disappear, not stand out. And I want a rod that will put up with the elements as well as I do. These new Avids pass the test in every way, shape and form. The two lightest spinning rods are one-piece construction. The rest are two-piece rods that give one-piece performance – and they all have a 15-year transferrable warranty. That’s crazy for a rod which will see nothing but abuse!”
Knie is especially impressed by the combination of smooth-casting ability and outright power these rods possess. “In a lot of places, you need to deliver heavy payloads far off the beach, and after testing these rods for over a year, there’s no doubt they’re up to task,” he states. “They have the length, strength and leverage to overpower a cow striper, ‘snookzilla’ or even the silver king itself when these trophies plow for structure or make a last-ditch run right in the wash. These new Avids have the look, feel and ability of a high-end custom-designed rod at a great price for surf rats looking to jump to the next level.”
Gavin Falk, Engineering Supervisor at St. Croix’s Park Falls, WI factory, noted these new Avid Series surf rods have been upgraded with corrosion control guide frames and a new and improved ART (advanced reinforcing technology) that yields increased tensile strength, allows the use of slim profile rod ferrules and increases the overall strength of the entire butt section of the rod.
“That’s a real positive upgrade when it comes to hauling back on a trophy fish in need of a direction change,” says Falk. “These rods have impressive power from butt to tip. With their combination of strength, versatility and casting ability, I expect they’ll quickly become a must-have commodity all surf anglers will want to explore.”
Designed and handcrafted at the St. Croix Rod factory in Park Falls, U.S.A., Avid Surf series rods are available in seven spinning and three casting models to handle any surf fishing duty. Spinning rods range in length from 7’ to 12’, while casting choices run 10’ to 12’. Each rod carries a 15-year transferable warranty backed by St. Croix Superstar Service.
ST. CROIX AVID SURF SPINNING MODELS
- 7’ one-piece, medium power, fast action (VSS70MF)
- 8’ one-piece, medium power, moderate-fast action (VSS80MMF)
- 9’ two-piece, medium power, moderate-fast action (VSS90MMF2)
- 9’6” two-piece, medium-heavy power, fast action (VSS96MHF2)
- 10’ two-piece, medium power, fast action (VSS10MF2)
- 11’ two-piece, medium-heavy power, fast action (VSS110MHF2)
- 12’ two-piece, heavy power, moderate-fast action (VSS12HMF2)
ST. CROIX AVID SURF CASTING MODELS
- 10’ two-piece, medium power, fast action (VSC100MF2)
- 11’ two-piece, medium-heavy power, fast action (VSC110MHF2)
- 12’ two-piece, heavy power, moderate-fast action (VSC120HMF2)
From bass and blues in the Northeast to big drum in the Mid-Atlantic and the outright bruisers of the Southern Coast, St. Croix’s new Avid Surf rods offer hard-fishing surf rats the unique opportunity to step up to custom-level performance at a reasonable price that comes without compromise. Retail prices range from $250 to $420.
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