PARK FALLS, Wisc. (February 15, 2021) – Bass anglers experience diverse victories, some of which are shared by all. One such collective win is the injection of millions of new and reactivated anglers into our sport, largely created by last year’s pandemic. Yet another comes in the form of today’s much-anticipated announcement of St. Croix’s all-new Victory Series of bass rods.
Most, however, are much more personal.
Voices of Victory
Retired U.S. Special Forces Green Beret Greg Stube spent most of his adult life in service of our country, fighting – at great personal sacrifice – to defend the unique freedoms all Americans enjoy. Stube says he wouldn’t trade those 23 years. “My greatest victory has been to serve America as a guardian of freedom in the Armed Forces and to return home alive, able to enjoy the fruits of liberty,” he says. “But I can’t say that professional victory weighs more in my mind and in my heart than the personal victory I feel now when I’m fishing. Like many, fishing is my passion, and it’s become even more satisfying and valuable, because it’s a symbol of everything our active and retired service men and women have fought and sacrificed for. At this time in my life, going after big fish, feeling the fight, and then watching them swim away; that’s my victory.”
Victory for Anglers
Regardless of their experience or expertise, every bass angler has goals. For some – like American hero Greg Stube – those goals center on the simple pleasures of hunting, fooling and releasing bass. Others who rely on catching bass to earn a paycheck often have more specific goals. “Our all-new Victory Series recognizes this and exists to help anglers achieve those personal goals and earn their victories, whatever they may be,” says St. Croix CEO, Scott Forristall, who points out that the Victory Series was conceived as a family of high-performance fishing tools that appeal to anglers at all levels. “This is a comprehensive, American-made bass series that delivers new levels of performance in a mid-level price range of $180-$260,” Forristall states. “These exciting new rods are helping us fulfill our promise to anglers by delivering an even greater choice of tools… crafted right here in Park Falls, they combine all our current technologies with a brand new material to give any bass angler distinct advantages on the water at an exceptional price.”
Victory rods – among the lightest and most-durable St. Croix rods ever – are crafted with an all-new material known as SCIII+, a hybrid of St. Croix’s advanced SCIII carbon and exotic SCVI carbon. “In itself, SCIII is an exceptional material for building fishing rods,” says St. Croix Product Manager, Ryan Teach. “It’s a high-modulus high-strain carbon fiber that produces sensitive and lightweight rods with excellent durability, and can be found in our Avid, latest-generation Mojo Bass, Mojo Musky and other popular St. Croix rod series. SCVI is a super high-modulus high-strain carbon fiber that’s too stiff to be used as a primary material, but can be efficiently combined in selective amounts and strategic locations with other materials – SCIII in this case – to add power while reducing overall weight. At the same time, durability and performance are further enhanced with our ARTTM (Advanced Reinforcing Technology), FRS (Fortified Resin System), TET (Taper Enhancement Technology) and IPC® (Integrated Poly Curve) technologies. These new technique-specific bass rods truly have it all, at a price that’s accessible for a wide variety of anglers. ”
While lightweight performance and extreme durability are hallmarks across the entirety of this new series, Teach says the construction of each technique-specific model is customized to excel in its intended use. “The exact amount and location of SCVI material is optimized on each rod in the series. Each one is different and unique,” he says. “For the angler, that means each rod has the right power exactly where it’s needed, with a correctly balanced tip that supports the desired technique while minimizing rod torque. And it isn’t just the blanks that are unique,” Teach continues. ”Handles, guide spacing, and even hook-keeper designs are customized and optimized on each of these rods.”
St. Croix Victory Series Features
- Super high-modulus hybrid carbon fiber SCIII+ blanks matched with Fortified Resin System (FRS) technology offering maximum power and strength with a significantly reduced blank weight
- Integrated Poly Curve® (IPC®) mandrel technology
- Taper Enhancement Technology (TET) blank design provides curved patterns for improved action with increased sensitivity
- Fuji® Concept “O” guides with deep press inserts
- Fuji® SK2 reel seat on casting models with comfort centric complimenting componentry
- Fuji® VSS real seat on spinning models with comfort centric complimenting componentry
- Fuji® KDPS reel seat nut on spinning and casting models with thread covering hood
- Split-grip, super-grade cork handles customized per model
- Full-grip material combination handle on select models
- Model-specific hook keepers selectively placed per technique
- Single coat sealer on blank with slow cure finish
- Two coats of Flex-Coat slow cure finish on guides
- 15-year transferable warranty backed by St. Croix Superstar Service
Designed and handcrafted in Park Falls, U.S.A. for bass anglers worldwide.
Eight versatile, one-piece Victory spinning and casting models will be available to anglers next month on or about March 19. An additional 17 Victory models will round out the series later this year.
St. Croix Victory Series Models
- Lite-Weight / VTS610MLXF – 6’10” Medium-Light Power, Extra-Fast Action Spinning – $180
- Finesse / VTS71MF – 7’1” Medium Power, Fast Action Spinning – $190
- Max-Tactical / VTS73MXF – 7’3” Medium Power, Extra-Fast Action Spinning – $200
- The Grunt / VTC71MHF – 7’1” Medium-Heavy Power, Fast Action Casting – $190
- Power Target Cranker / VTC72MHM – 7’2” Medium-Heavy Power, Moderate Action Casting – $190
- Full Contact Finesse / VTC73XHF – 7’3” Extra-Heavy Power, Fast Action Casting – $200
- The Marshal / VTC73MHF – 7’3” Medium-Heavy Power, Fast Action Casting – $200
- Full Contact / VTC74HF – 7’4” Heavy Power, Fast Action Casting – $200
Whether you’re a tournament angler competing at the highest level, a passionate recreational basser, or anything in between, St. Croix’s all-new Victory Series of high-performance American-made technique-specific bass rods are poised bring you more wins. Whatever that means to you, know that St. Croix will be celebrating all of it right there with you. Because we only win when you do.
Look for all-new St. Croix Victory rods at St. Croix dealers and online beginning March 19.