HOW IT’S MADE

Rod HANDLES

St. Croix delivers the Best Rods on Earth by combining angler-driven research and development, industry-leading design an innovation gained from 75 years of experience, the highest-quality materials, passionate and precise craftsmanship from people who care, and the most advanced rod-manufacturing facilities in the world. All of these things contribute to the pride and satisfaction you feel when you fish one of our rods, but we never assume that’s enough. 

Handle design is a key factor is fishing-rod design. While a rod’s blank – its materials, length, power, and action – forms the foundation for how it will perform, its handle dictates how the angler will interface with the rod and, ultimately, experience that performance. 

Being an angler-driven company, St. Croix is constantly leveraging angler feedback. Our deep and diverse angling staff – from professional guides and tournament anglers to hardcore fishing-lifestyle enthusiasts – is one of our most valuable resources. We rely heavily on these and other anglers to help increase our understanding of the nuances of how each of our rods are used in various techniques and presentations. This helps or Product and Engineering Teams design handles that maximize both comfort and performance.

Handle Materials

St. Croix uses a variety of handle materials from traditional premium cork and premium EVA, to ultra-durable agglomerated cork, cork composite, carbon fiber, and other proprietary materials like Xtreme-Skin. Many of our handle designs combine these materials. These proven materials are specified on different rod models depending on how and where the subject rods will be used. Comfort, durability, energy transmission, and a rod’s target price point are a few of the primary factors that guide these decisions.

Handle Design 

Handle design – its form, dimensions, proportions, and how it blends with the reel seat and blank – is largely dictated by angler trends, meaning how a specific rod will be used. 

“Handle design on a new rod starts with a product brief for that particular rod series,” says St. Croix Engineering Supervisor, Gavin Falk. “We’re looking at what the rod is and how it will be used, then investigating things like how anglers position their hands when using those techniques. The product brief also considers the price point we want the new rod series to sell at. These factors help us decide the basic handle-design parameters, as well as our options for materials. We come up with preliminary designs and then start testing those designs through production.”

Falk says in-house 3-D printing technology has significantly evolved St. Croix’s handle-design capabilities. “Once we have a preliminary design, we can print a grip the same day it is modeled,” he says. “We build test rods with those 3-D-printed grips and let our team of beta testers fish them. We take their feedback concerning functionality and aesthetics and can quickly make adjustments. We check specs, refine designs, confirm fit with reel seats, then 3-D print the next versions. Once the design has been confirmed, we design accent pieces and build versions with the actual materials. Those designs are then re-tested and confirmed in the field. We repeat the process until everything is finalized.”

The handle-design process results in detailed engineering drawings for each specific rod model. Those documents also specify the materials, and procedures – order of operations, gluing, the use of any arboring materials, etc. – for assembling the handles onto the rods on the manufacturing floor. “We source our various handle materials from a handful of trusted suppliers from around the world,” Falk says. “These are relationships we’ve worked very hard to build and maintain. Whether it’s cork, carbon fiber, or another material, everything is provided to our demanding specifications, so we know exactly what we’re getting.”

From the proprietary Xtreme Skin handles found on Legend Xtreme and Legend Xtreme Inshore and the carbon handles on our various Onchor models, to our GRASP-equipped handles on Legend Tournament Musky and select bass-fishing swimbait models, St. Croix is continually innovating handle design for the benefit of anglers. Combining materials – like premium cork, premium EVA, and soft rubber gimble butt caps on select inshore spinning models – is another way that we’re pushing the limits of rod-handle design to better support the ways anglers fish. Additionally, new materials like St. Croix’s agglomerated cork used on Skandic Ice and new Avid Inshore rods deliver all the benefits of traditional cork but with greatly increased durability.

“Xtreme Skin is designed not only for angler comfort, but also for maximum energy transmission,” Falk says. “Similarly, the carbon handles on select Onchor Salmon and Steelhead models are very lightweight and durable but are also easy to keep clean and come in and out of rod holders easily by design,” he adds. “GRASP helps anglers fish longer by minimizing wrist fatigue during physically demanding presentations like musky fishing or while casting heavy swimbaits. And we’re seeing how our new ultra-durable agglomerated cork material keeps handles looking and fishing like new in demanding environments like those experienced during inshore saltwater and ice fishing.”

Introducing TRIGON

St. Croix also carefully considers ergonomics. Ergonomics is a science focused on the study of “human fit” through what’s known as anthropometric data – the various measurements of the human body. In the case of St. Croix’s handle program, the latest example of ergonomic design comes in the form of an all-new TRIGON handle and accompanying Dynamix reel seat, carefully conceived to improve angler control while decreasing fatigue and discomfort.

“Our unique TRIGON handle recognizes that the human hand does not form a circle when closed, so we’re no longer limiting our handle designs to cylindrical forms,” says St. Croix Brand Manager, Ryan Teach. “TRIGON features a curved, triangular profile with a rounded inner apex and a flattened top curve to better fit the human hand. The results are a more comfortable grip so anglers can fish longer while exercising increased control to maximize power and accuracy.”

Teach adds that St. Croix’s use of the word ergonomic in its description the TRIGON handle is both valid and earned. “TRIGON’s design is based on actual anthropometric data of the human hand,” he says. “We went to one of the foremost experts in the field to make sure we got it right.”

St. Croix engineers partnered with renown industrial designer, Paul Richardson of Rise Creative, over the past two years to perfect the TRIGON handle design and accompanying Dynamix reel seat. “TRIGON’s inner apex – the triangular point on the lower part of the grip promotes greater hand-to-blank alignment for dramatically improved control,” Richardson says. “Meanwhile, the flattened top curve of TRIGON creates greater hand comfort, which ultimately reduces fatigue and supports longer, more comfortable fishing. And the design’s benefits are further increased in the way of control when the angler moves his or her thumb to the flattened top curve. The accompanying Dynamix reel seat has been specifically designed to fully support TRIGON’s benefits by meshing perfectly with its unique profiles.”

“In order to accomplish the aggressive design dimensional points in the TRIGON design, traditional cork forming could not be used,” Teach says. “In addition to being ultra durable, agglomerated cork is completely customizable and represented the ideal material to support TRIGON’s complex dimensional specifications.”

Think of TRIGON as a bionic extension of yourself – the ultimate interface between an angler and their most important tool. The new TRIGON handle and Dynamix reel seat will be introduced this month at ICAST 2023 on St. Croix’s popular Mojo Bass Series, which has been updated, refreshed, and expanded for 2024. New Mojo Bass TRIGON rods will be available to anglers at St. Croix dealers worldwide beginning August 1.

Get Your Net’s Worth

By Jay Anglin

from The Fishing Wire

Spinning gear or Casting gear? Live bait or artificial? Walk a stream bank or launch a boat in a lake? These are common considerations before venturing out fishing for the day.

With so many landing net options it’s important to choose the ideal combination of hoop size, net depth and handle length for a given fishing scenario. Frabill offers a variety of styles to fit any situation including the immensely popular Conservation Series Nets which have become standard equipment for many professional guides.

One decision many fishermen tend to take for granted is net selection. This lack of forethought often leads to frustration as cheapo landing nets regularly fail when hoops break, net bags tear and handles bend. Murphy’s Law states the big letdown will more than likely occur when that once-in-a-lifetime fish is hooked. The best way to avoid such misfortune is to get serious about what net you bring along.

Yes, selecting the perfect net requires some research, but the study is stress-free.

The chosen one

It’s easy to talk yourself out of a high-quality net when the price tag shows triple digits before the dot. While not breaking the bank is important for most of us, it’s the long run you need to be looking at. Generally, you’ll likely be spending more money by replacing lesser models regularly that have failed miserably.

Take a look at the best nets that fit your needs and then budget for them. Hoop size, net material, handle length and the quality of the components that hold it all together are of the utmost importance.

Generally speaking, hoop size and net depth are dictated by what species are targeted. While many anglers prefer smaller nets because they are less cumbersome, a good rule of thumb is to go bigger than you think you will need. It’s also important to take into account other species you may encounter while fishing. If you mostly pursue bass and walleye, for example, but occasionally run into large northern pike, a net with a deeper bag and larger hoop that can accommodate longer fish is a great choice.

When selecting the proper net, going bigger is always better than going small. Big fish require big nets, don’t skimp on size. Photo by Dawn Kazokas

While many fishermen prefer smaller nets because they are less cumbersome – a good rule of thumb is to go bigger rather than smaller. It’s no surprise that big fish fit into larger nets much easier, but an added benefit of a larger net bag is smaller fish tend to be calm when they are comfortable in a roomy net. This is especially true when the net bag is lowered into the water which permits fish to revive without being handled. Many catch and release anglers and guides use a net with a tangle-free bag deep enough to allow fish to remain in the water. Fish can easily be unhooked and then released by allowing them to swim freely from the open net. Or, if you’re taking a few photos, the fish can be quickly lifted from the net, refreshed and ready for a quick release.

The Spin

The character of the fish you catch is another consideration as some species can be troublesome. If you’ve ever dealt with a huge king salmon sporting a mouth full of treble hooks while it flops wildly on the deck of a crowded boat, you know how much of a problem this can be. This holds true for pike and muskie anglers, as well as saltwater anglers who regularly deal with ornery species that are notorious for twisting and spinning after being netted. Not only can this potentially injure a fish that was intended to be released, there is usually significant tangling of hooks into the netting and possible impalement to the person performing the removal.

Guiding light

Like many guides, a high-performance net is a must for Wisconsin captain and guide Pat Kalmerton. The Lake Michigan and inland lake veteran’s favorite nets by far are Frabill’s line of Conservation Series Nets.

“The Conservation Series features a flat, linear bottom, which supports the weight of the fish and prevents them from rolling,” he states. “The rubber-coated netting is easy on the fish and it’s much easier to remove hooks from. These nets definitely make my job easier. Frankly, I can’t imagine using anything else.

When big fish are on the line anglers need a pro-grade net to finish the job. Net failure should be the least of your worries. Photo by Author/Jay Anglin

“Also, the Pow’R Lok yoke on the Frabill Conservation Series is lightweight, yet, heavy duty – they are incredibly reliable,” Kalmerton added. “The handle design is nifty too. Round net handles can be difficult to hang on to with cold or wet hands. Frabill solved that problem by using an ergonomic heavy-duty aluminum handle that has grooves along the length of it that keep water off your hands so you can maintain a better grip. And trust me, if you’re lifting big fish out of the water non-stop during a hot bite, you need all the help you can get.”

If small spaces are a consideration, nets that have ability to collapse are much easier to fit in the busy confines of a fishing boat. The handles of the Frabill Power Stow Net line not only contract, but the hoop can be folded up. This is especially advantageous and certainly worth every penny when fishing from smaller boats.

On the other hand, some net models, such as the Frabill Conservation Series mentioned earlier, also offer telescoping handles, which provides increased range while netting fish. This is particularly important for anglers fishing from larger boats or an elevated position such as a break-wall or jetty. The longer handle is a huge asset when attempting to land large-bodied, speedy species such as salmon and steelhead, or any fish of trophy proportions that represent a greater challenge during the netting process.

Shore and wading anglers who regularly fish solo, conversely, may want to stick with nets that have shorter handles, which makes it easier to land fish by yourself.

Got the scoop?

The bottom-line is, choose your net wisely. Look for ones that feature the best design and reliable materials, as well the perfect combination of size and features that will most-assuredly improve landing success rates. A net that’s properly matched to the size of fish is especially valuable.

They may cost a bit more, but they are definitely worth the investment.

from The Fishing Wire and Sunline

The dreaded backlash in a baitcast spool can end the use of that reel very quickly. Whether it is an errant cast into the wind, or a skip cast that didn’t go as planned, a bad backlash can require a scissors to get you up and operational again. This video quickly shows you how to dial in a baitcast reel, to help you prevent this from happening. No matter how good you are, that errant cast still happens to even top-level tour pros. Protecting your line while removing a backlash will help your fluorocarbon last longer and prevent critical break offs.

Anglers choosing to use fluorocarbon line with a baitcaster reel may experience backlashes or loops in their lines during use. Those errant casts cause the spool to overrun and that creates loops, kinks, and tangles in your line. Those overruns can cause a kink in the line when they occur or when an angler is working to remove them. You pull on the line when it is stuck, and a kink is created in the line in that spot. Those kinks can damage your fluorocarbon line and lead to failure later during your usage of that reel and line. The more kinks you cause in your line the more damage you are doing to it and the more likely it is that your line will break when casting or during hooksets.

You take the kink like the one above out of your line and it may seem ok, but the damage is often done by then. Sunline has 15+ employees that work in their R&D Department and they spend their days studying line and factors that impact the performance of line. The Sunline R&D team studied the impact that kinks can have on the performance of fluorocarbon line on a bait cast reel.

Below you can see a cross section image of two lines when viewed under an electron microscope. Line A is a normal fluorocarbon line that you can see has no defects. Line B shows an image of the same line where it had been kinked. You will see in image B that micro cracks are now visible inside the line at the spot where it was kinked. Those micro cracks weaken the line and lower the overall performance of the line.

These lines were also tested for straight breaking strength before and after the kink. The line that had been kinked showed a measurable decrease in breaking strength. The micro cracks from the kink had caused the line to break at a 5% lower strength on average after repeated testing. More kinks are only going to continue to weaken the line causing it to fail below the rated level. This can often be seen when fluorocarbon line unexpectedly breaks in the spool on a cast. The kinks from backlashes in your spool have weakened it, so that it breaks inside the spool on a random cast.

The line damage from kinks is also magnified on powerful hooksets where higher stress is placed on the line, and it breaks at the weakest point.

Having your reel dialed in with optimum settings for that lure and technique is the best way to avoid backlashes. No matter what, backlashes and tangles happen when using baitcast reels, just make sure to remove the tangles as carefully as possible to avoid any kinks in the line which will decrease the breaking strength.

Seaguar Pro Staff Help Eliminate the Confusion Associated with Fishing Fluoro Leaders Louisville, KY – One subject many anglers wrestle with has to do with optimal use of fluorocarbon leaders. There’s when to use leaders, length choices, the best knots to use to attach them to main line, as well as which presentations benefit most from their use. In an attempt to reduce the frequent head scratching we’ve talked with some of Seaguar’s staff of bass pros who share the nuances of their fluorocarbon leader use. Their shared knowledge will no doubt help you in your use of fluorocarbon leaders this season, alleviating much of the confusion that can accompany the topic. Seaguar pro Brandon Palaniuk When asked what’s the typical fluorocarbon length he uses, bass pro Brandon Palaniuk responded, “My fluorocarbon leader is typically between 10 and 12 feet long. I don’t have an exact measurement for it, but rather make sure that my knot is in my reel and then I make two more revelations with the reel and cut the leader next to the reel after it travels through the guides and back down the rod.” With regard to technique, Palaniuk keeps the fluorocarbon length the same for each technique. He says the length of the rod may vary slightly or he will potentially go longer for extremely clear water like lakes or reservoirs with greater than 20 feet of visibility. In terms of the type and test of his preferred fluorocarbon, Palaniuk prefers 6-10 lb. Seaguar Tatsu for his leader material. He says the deciding factor for which pound test will be the type or amount of cover he’s fishing around. Greg Vinson Greg Vinson prefers six to 20 feet leaders depending on “water clarity, depth and technique.” He continues: “For weightless rigs like twitching Netbait T-Macs, flukes or wacky rigs I like to use a 6 to 10 foot Seaguar Tatsu fluorocarbon leader. That helps to get the most sensitivity but more importantly helps to get a solid hookset, which can be a challenge with weightless rigs, especially when the hook is Texposed, like a fluke. But I will also use a shorter leader with heavier fluorocarbon like 10 to 15 pound test. And in deeper, clear water I prefer a longer 20 foot leader for drop shotting, vertical rigs (Damiki), and especially when casting a finesse swimbait to suspended fish. Sometimes I feel that the leader-main line connection passing through a group of suspended fish can be a turn off if it’s too close to the bait, especially in clear water and heavily pressured waters. That’s when a 20 foot leader really excels. Although the leader is long, the braid on the spool lessens the amount of overall stretch and absorbs the line twist after hours of dropping or casting.” John Garret John Garret says his preferred go-to leader length when fishing the stained waters in the southern states is usually about six feet of Seaguar Tatsu 8 lb. fluorocarbon. What he likes about that length is the leader knot is not in your guides when you cast and in most water conditions it’s enough that fish do not see your braid. “This length also allows for the maximum hook driving power which is a big key when throwing a spinning rod and fishing shakey heads, weightless worms, small lures with treble hooks, and casting drop shot rigs.” However, if he’s fishing clear northern waters or dropping directly down on fish Garret will up his fluorocarbon leader length to 15 feet depending on how deep and clear he’s fishing. “That still gives you plenty of fluorocarbon leader that the fish don’t see your braided line. And the majority of the time you’re fishing deep clear water you’re using a smaller size wire hook, so you do don’t need as much hook driving power. You have a little more give from the leader length.” Matt Lee Bass pro Matt Lee’s typical fluorocarbon leader length is about 10 feet or 8 lb. Seaguar Tatsu fluorocarbon. He says that length typically keeps the Albright Knot out of the spool to prevent the knot from catching a rod guide when casting. However, he sometimes ups the length of the Seaguar Tatsu fluorocarbon he uses in southern stained waters on lakes with greater visibility, going as long as 20 feet with 8 lb. and switching to an FG knot to connect to his main line braid. “There are some situations when I might go up to 10 lb. Tatsu, but I don’t ever need to go heavier than that.” About Seaguar Fishing Lines As the inventor of fluorocarbon fishing lines in 1971, Seaguar has played a prominent role in the advancement of technologies to improve the performance of lines and leader material for both fresh and salt water anglers. Seaguar is the only manufacturer of fluorocarbon fishing lines that produces its own resins and controls the manufacturing process from start to finished product. Today, Seaguar is the #1 brand of fluorocarbon lines and offers a full spectrum of premium products including fluorocarbon mainlines and leader material, fly tippet and leaders, 8-strand and 16-strand braid and monofilament fishing lines.