St. Croix took home the trophy for the 2017 ICAST, winning the “Best of Show” with the St. Croix Legend Tournament Inshore.
If you are a serious angler on the weekend or are working your way up through the tournament ranks, you will be pleased to know that St. Croix has been listening to feedback from its loyal owners and has produced this amazing new inshore rod.
While the St. Croix Legend Tournament Inshore is not an inexpensive rod, with a retail price starting at $279.99, there is a lot of technology and quality manufacturing packed into this rod.
With technologies such as ART and IPC to deliver a stronger and more sensitive rod along with High-modulus/high-strain SVIC graphite for superior strength and durability, the Legend Tournament Inshore is a rod that should not be overlooked when you are shopping for the next addition to your fishing arsenal.
St. Croix finishes the rod with high-quality Fuji reel seats and Kigan guides and then seals the entire rod with two layers of Flex Coat to keep the saltwater from corroding your investment.
The St. Croix Legend Tournament Inshore is available in 3 casting and seven spinning models. As a brand new addition to the St. Croix family of inshore rods, I think it is one of the best they have offered.
Features
Advanced Reinforcing Technology (ART)
St. Croix ART technology increases the integrity of the hoop strength of the rod by a magnitude of 10x. This is achieved by ART’s proprietary carbon fiber material that adds strength without adding weight or bulk to the diameter of the rod.
It simply means that when you have a heavy hook set or are fighting a heavy fish, the rod blank will not deform or “oval” under the additional pressure. (see image below)
Integrated Poly Curve (IPC) tooling technology
St. Croix IPC technology is concerned with how the rod blank is manufactured. In a traditional rod blank, you have very distinct transition points between the different sections of the rod, each with a different diameter.
With IPC, St. Croix can manufacture a rod blank that has a very uniform wall thickness from the butt to the tip. This means to you as a fisherman that you get a rod with an amazing amount of sensitivity, smoother action, and superior strength.
High-modulus/high-strain SCIV graphite with FRS
St. Croix FRS manufacturing technology uses a combination of fortified resin with specialized curing ovens to ensure that the carbon fibers are aligned during the entire curing process.
Curing a rod is like aging a wine – it takes just the right amount of time to get the perfect result. To achieve this, curing ovens are computer-controlled. This process means you will get a rod that consistently tests around 33% stronger than a rod built with standard resins and curing processes.
Fuji TVS (spinning) PST (casting) blank-touch reel seat with built-in hood
The TVS reel seat is designed with a special hood to fit the hand much better, and with the V-shaped grip, the reel is less likely to move from side to side when casting.
The PST reel seat or Palm Trigger Seat is designed for comfort and performance, especially for low-profile bait casters. In both of these reel seats, the cutaway design allows the hand to have direct contact with the rod blank, thus transferring the feeling of the rod’s action to the fisherman.
Super-grade cork handle
The Legend Tournament Inshore spinning and casting rods have flawless top-of-the-line super-grade cork handles. This means you will not experience any handle flaking over time.
Kigan Master Hand Zero Tangle guides
Most inshore anglers will be using braided lines these days, and with that comes added pressure on the guides and the increased chance of the line getting fouled. The Kigan Master Hand Guides address this problem by manufacturing a single piece where the line can not wedge between the guide legs and the ring frame.
Kigan titanium hook-keeper
The attention to detail at every level makes a St. Croix rod what it is, which is why they use a titanium hook that will not rust under saltwater conditions.
Two coats of Flex-Coat slow-cure finish
Once all the components have been assembled, St. Croix brings it all together and finishes the rod with two layers of the Flex Coat slow-cure finish.
Flex Coat is an epoxy finish used to seal the rod wraps to a point where you can not see the wrapping material. This provides a clean look and added durability.
15-year transferable warranty backed by St. Croix Superstar Service
St. Croix has stood behind its rods regarding defects or workmanship for 15 years. It is nice to know that when you invest in a St. Croix rod, they stand behind it.
Features at a Glance
- Advanced Reinforcing Technology (ART)
- Integrated Poly Curve (IPC) tooling technology
- High-modulus/high-strain SCIV graphite with FRS
- Fuji TVS (spinning) PST (casting) blank-touch reel seat with built-in hood
- Super-grade cork handle
- Kigan Master Hand Zero Tangle guides
- Kigan titanium hook-keeper
- Corrosion-proof wind check
- Two coats of Flex-Coat slow-cure finish
- 15-year transferable warranty backed by St. Croix Superstar Service
As an avid inshore fisherman, I love to use gear that allows me to feel every bit of the fishing experience. From casting a small lure or live bait to a lurking big red or snook to feeling a 14″ sea trout take what’s on the other end of my line, I love to feel it all.
Once the fish is on the other end of the line, the rush of the fight comes. Did I mention I love light tackle? The St. Croix Legend Tournament Inshore is designed to deliver you an extremely sensitive rod that, at the same time, is strong enough to handle your larger bull reds, small tarpon, and even a hard-fighting 36″ snook.
When we were testing the rod at the ICAST “On The Water” event, I was amazed at how the rod tip vibrated as I retrieved my lure. When casting, the rod loads up nicely and allows you to place your lure precisely.
The overall weight and balance of this rod feel simply amazing. I can not wait to get one on the water for an extended and thorough trial. Currently, the anticipated date of availability is November 2017.
The St. Croix Legend Tournament Inshore Spinning rod comes in 7 models from a 7″ Medium Light Fast Action for light lures of 1/8th to 1/2 oz. up to the 8′ Heavy Fast Action, which can handle 3/4 – 3 oz lures.
The St. Croix Legend Tournament Inshore Casting rod comes in 3 models from a 7″ Medium Fast Action for your lures of 3/8th to 3/4 oz. up to the 8′ Heavy Fast Action, which can handle 3/4 – 3 oz lures.
Pros
- Construction / Design
- Sensitivity
- Strength
- Weight
Cons
- At a higher price point; however, you get what you pay for in this case, and it is not a con.
Alternatives
If you want to spend a few dollars less, I recommend you check out the St. Croix Mojo Inshore. It’s my favorite go-to-rod, which costs about half the price. However, it is not in the same class.
Still staying in the St. Croix family would be the St. Croix Avid Inshore, which won “Best Saltwater Rod” at the 2015 ICAST. The primary difference between the Avid and the Legend Tournament Inshore will be using the SC IV vs. the SC III graphite material and the reel handles.
The Avid will fall between the Mojo and the Legend from a price perspective.
The third rod I would have you look at would be the G Loomis E6X rod, which is an excellent mid-range rod. The price point of the E6X starts at $179, and for me, it fishes very much like its big brother, the G Loomis NRX, which is a $600+ rod.
In Conclusion
Every year, the quality of the rods that are available due to new designs, materials, and manufacturing processes gets better and better. As a fisherman, you want to feel like the rod is an extension of your body, not just a tool.
The Sensitivity of the St. Croix Legend Tournament Inshore is better than anything I have ever had the opportunity to use. While my time with the rod was very limited, as there were only a handful of prototypes, I can honestly say that it was like no other rod I had used before.
I know that I will be upgrading from my St. Croix Mojo Inshore later in the year when the Legend Tournament Inshore will be available to the general public sometime in November 2017. I love my Mojo, but it is not even in the same class as the Legend Tournament Inshore.
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