PARK FALLS, WI – Esox lucius – the northern pike – is found in freshwater throughout the northern hemisphere, in addition to the brackish waters of the Baltic Sea.
One of the main freshwater predator species pursued by anglers worldwide, the pike reaches proportions in Europe and Asia similar to or even greater than the American muskellunge. Specimens approaching 150 cm (59 in) long and weighing over 28 kg (63 lb) have been recorded.
The presentations of pike are as varied as the habitats the species occupies and the forage it hunts. Mostly piscivorous, pike eagerly devour hard and soft baits that imitate fish in various sizes, including those that imitate their own species, but they are not afraid to wrap their formidable teeth in anything else that looks like food, including mammals, birds, and reptiles.
As a result, pike anglers need fishing rod and reel combos capable of casting a wide variety of baits aimed at different parts of the water column. Since pike are generally ambush predators, the various structures they settle on often require precision casting. Once the cast is made, the rods need to offer a wide backbone to drive big hooks home and keep the powerful pike in place, away from the structure.
Expanding on the mission to provide all anglers with the best rods on Earth® in any situation, St. Croix Rod announces the immediate availability of the new Legend Tournament Pike Series: six technique-specific casting rods designed and handcrafted with St. Croix’s state-of-the-art technologies, latest materials, and task-specific components and ergonomics to deliver uncompromising pike-hunting performance to elite anglers worldwide.
All-new Pike Legend Tournament
The New Legend Tournament Pike Series rods build on the 74-year history of St. Croix by combining proprietary materials, technologies, and uncompromising workmanship, as well as its significant experience and capabilities in the design and manufacture of powerful, high-performance rods for large freshwater predators.
They feature new generation hybrid SCIV+ carbon fiber woods and incorporate the best technologies and premium components from St. Croix.
The brand director of St. Croix’s Ryan Teach says the Legend Tournament Pike project has been six years in the making, stressing that it’s pike rods, not muskie rods. “Given St. Croix’s reputation and expertise in the musky realm, it would be easy for anglers to assume that the new Legend Tournament Pike Series consists of rebranded musky rods simply made in metric rather than imperial units, but nothing could be further from the truth,” says Teach.
We want anglers to know and clearly understand that these rods were developed in collaboration with dedicated pike anglers, not walleye anglers. Yes, some of our musky, saltwater, and even bass swimbait knowledge and technologies were applicable, but there are key differences in baits, tackle and the fish themselves, not to mention the specific preferences of pike fishermen.
We spoke to these anglers and drew on their specific knowledge and experience on the water. Over several years, we developed rod prototypes, put them in the hands of these experts, listened to what they had to say about them, and made continuous adjustments, improvements, and refinements. The result is an internationally focused range of pike designed for the specific needs of international pike anglers.
SCIV+ Carbon
Lightweight rods that don’t sacrifice power mean pike anglers can make more casts, fish longer with less fatigue, stay in the zone longer and have more success.
The Legend Tournament Pike rods are constructed with technically optimized SCIV+ woods, which are a hybrid of SCIV and SCVI carbon materials. In itself, SCIV is a high tensile high modulus carbon fiber material that produces extremely light and responsive rods.
SCVI is an exotic super high modulus high tension carbon fiber material that adds power with minimal weight. The two materials are combined in different proportions and locations in each specific Legend Tournament Pike model to optimize the performance of the intended technique.
Integrated Polycurve (IPC)
Legend Tournament Pike IPC blanks are rolled on mandrels with a continuous taper. This elimination of transition points means more uniform wall thicknesses from tip to butt, and ultimately rods with smoother actions, greater strength, and greater sensitivity, all of which are of significant benefit to anglers of spades
Advanced Reinforcement Technology (ART)
Strength and durability are paramount in a pike rod. Legend Tournament Pike rods feature ART, an exotic carbon fiber material that adds 10X magnitude strength with virtually no increase in diameter or blank weight. ART significantly improves hoop strength and prevents it from warping or “ovaling” under the severe loads that occur when casting heavy baits and delivering powerful hook sets.
Fortified Resin System (FRS)
Like other big, powerful fish, pike will expose and exploit any weak link in your tackle. Legend Tournament Pike rods feature super fortified resin combined with state-of-the-art computer operated curing ovens that manage all stages of the critical curing cycle. This keeps the carbon fibers in proper alignment and prevents microbuckling that could otherwise create weak spots.
New features of the tournament of legends of St. Croix Pike
• New generation CARBON FIBER SCIV+ hybrid blanks
• Fortified Resin System (FRS) technology.
• Advanced Reinforcing TechnologyTM (ARTTM)
• Integrated Poly Curve® (IPC®) mandrel technology
• Stainless steel guides without wraps with Alconite® rings
• Comfortable reel seat with precision machined aluminum locking nut
• Split-grip high-grade cork handles customized by model
• 15-year transferable warranty with St. service support. Croix Superstar
• Designed and handcrafted in Park Falls, USA for pike anglers worldwide
• Retail price between 340 and 430 USD
Precision designed and crafted for optimal performance in all categories helping to give pike anglers the best position on the water, the new Legend Tournament Pike rods are light, sharp, and comfortable in the hand, accurate, without compromise and resistant, and durable, and are offered in six technique specific models to authoritatively cover any spades presentation.
They are handcrafted with love in Park Falls, Wisconsin, USA, with a 15-year transferable warranty backed by St. Croix Superstar Service and are available to anglers at dealers in St. Croix worldwide and online at stcroixrods.com right now.
About St. Croix Rod
Based in Park Falls, Wis., St. Croix has been proudly producing the “Best Canes on Earth” for almost 75 years. Combining state-of-the-art manufacturing processes with expert craftsmanship, St. Croix is the only major producer that still builds rods completely from design to manufacture. The company remains family-owned and operates duplicate manufacturing facilities in Park Falls and Fresnillo, Mexico. With series from popular brands such as Legend®, Legend Xtreme®, Victory Avid®, Premier®, RIFT, Imperial®, Triumph® and Mojo, St. Croix is revered by all types of anglers around the world.