St. Croix Avid Series Inshore Rods
A lot of things have to go right for inshore saltwater anglers to score with big fish regularly. From choosing ideal baits and lures to leading a trophy prospect with the perfect cast, inshore anglers need every edge when it comes to gearing up. Given all the fantastic, recent advances in high-speed reels, braided lines, nearly invisible fluorocarbon leaders, and incredibly lifelike lure designs, the tools for tempting that fish of a lifetime – or only scoring with dinner – have never been better.
“All those advances are great,” said Captain Tom Rowland, co-host of the popular outdoors television series Saltwater Experience. “But don’t overlook the importance of your fishing rod, either. You need sticks that can present your chosen offerings naturally and from a distance while possessing the power to turn the head of a real trophy or outmuscle heavy-shouldered bottom species if you intend to give them a ride home in the cooler. You need a rod that really matches up well to the targets, presentations, and techniques of the day.”
Rowland should know. Between his television show and work as a charter skipper out of Hawks Cay Resort on Florida’s Duck Key, he crosses paths with up to 50 different species of fish on a regular basis ranging from tarpon, permit, bonefish, redfish and snook on the flats to large jacks, grouper and snapper species in deeper waters off the coast. That means dealing with a lot of different presentations across wide-ranging conditions.
St. Croix Avid Series
“I place as much importance on my fishing rods as any other piece of equipment,” Rowland said. “I need something with a sensitive and accurate tip, plenty of power, and lots of versatility. That’s why I count on St. Croix’s Avid Series Inshore Rods to get the job done. It’s a full lineup of quality spinning and casting sticks that can cover any type of fishing I’m up against.”
Designed and handcrafted in Park Falls, Wisc., Avid Series Inshore rods are engineered to provide maximum casting distance and superior fish-fighting performance across the vast inshore spectrum.
“Avid Inshore’s combination of versatility, power, casting ability and value is unmatched,” said Rowland, who uses several different Avid Inshore rods, but gravitates to the 7’ spinning models rated for 8- to 17- and 10- to 20-pound test.
“They match up best with the way I fish,” he said. “I’ll choose them for anything from inshore to offshore, from sight-casting to pulling snappers out of the mangroves. We often see the fish before we throw it to them. That means we need to make long, incredibly accurate casts that land softly. We also need our rods to have plenty of backbone to deck the powerful species we encounter daily. Avid Inshore rods strike a perfect balance. They’re not only terrific casting tools for distance and accuracy, but they’re great fish-fighting tools as well.”
Like Rowland, Captain Justin Carter puts a lot of thought into the rods he carries. A charter skipper for Redfin Charters out of Charleston, South Carolina that racks up nearly 2,000 trips per year, Carter is on the water daily, throwing everything from light jigs for speckled trout to heavy live baits for big redfish around the oyster shoals.
“I’m technical when it comes to matching a rod to a specific purpose,” Carter said. “Like a freshwater bass pro, I think it’s vital to choose the right rod to match the job. That’s why I consider Avid Series Inshore rods the battle axes of my arsenal. The 23-model lineup is incredibly diverse, and I own most of them. Whether it’s choosing a stick for speckled trout fishing in the winter with1/8-ounce jigs on 6-pound test and fluorocarbon leaders or chasing tarpon using live bait and a heavy line, there’s an Avid Inshore rod that matches and performs perfectly.”
To be sure, Carter is a big fan of longer rods, not only because they cast further, but also because their longer taper allows for a tip that’s soft enough to work light lures while still having the power throughout the rest of the rod to bully a big redfish or even a cobia.
With an 8-foot medium-heavy (VIS80MHF) Avid Inshore spinning rod, Carter can put pressure on a big fish without worrying about breaking the rod, because the stress will be spread across the entire length of the spine.
“That’s a big part of what IPC technology gives you,” he said.
The same goes for the 7’ medium power extra-fast spinning stick (VIS70MXF).
“It’s a great topwater cork rod for big redfish,” Carter said.
Still, Carter’s favorite Avid Inshore spinning rod is the 7’6” medium-light fast-action model (VIS76MLF), which he describes as “amazingly versatile.” He’ll often pair it with Seaguar Smackdown braided line on a 2500 series spinning reel and throw a Z-Man StreakZ rigged on a Z-Man Texas Eye weedless jighead.
“I can cast that rig far and accurately with my Avid,” he said. “Once that jighead comes to rest on the bottom, the bait’s soft tail floats in an upright position that looks really vulnerable. It’s an offering redfish, speckled trout and even flounder find almost impossible to resist. Once I get a fish to take that bait, the odds really shift in my favor, since I know I have a rod that can more than handle the battle. That’s a great feeling right there.”
CROIX AVID INSHORE CASTING ROD MODELS
- 7’ medium-heavy power, fast action (VIC70MHF)
- 7’ heavy power, fast action (VIC70HF)
- 7’6” medium-heavy power, fast action (VIC76MHF)
- 7’6” heavy power, fast action (VIC76HF)
- 8’ medium-heavy power, fast action (VIC80MHF)
- 8’ heavy power, fast action (VIC80HF)
CROIX AVID INSHORE SPINNING ROD MODELS
- 6’6” medium power, fast action (VIS66MF)
- 6’6” medium-heavy power, fast action (VIS66MHF)
- 7’ light power, moderate action (VIS70LM)
- 7’ medium-light power, fast action (VIS70MLF)
- 7’ Medium power, moderate action (VIS70MM)
- 7’ medium power, fast action (VIS70MF)
- 7’ medium power, extra-fast action (VIS70MXF)
- 7’ medium-heavy power, fast action (VIS70MHF)
- 7’ heavy power, fast action (VIS70HF)
- 7’6” medium-light power, fast action (VIS76MLF)
- 7’6” medium power, fast action (VIS76MF)
- 7’6” medium-heavy power, fast action (VIS76MHF)
- 7’6” heavy power, fast action (VIS76HF)
- 8’ medium-light power, fast action (VIS80MLF)
- 8’ medium power, fast action (VIS80MF)
- 8’ medium-heavy power, fast action (VIS80MHF)
- 8’ heavy power, fast action (VIS80HF)
All Avid Series Inshore rods are built on advanced, one-piece high-modulus SCIII carbon blanks for lightweight sensitivity with great durability. Each rod also incorporates St. Croix’s Integrated Poly Curve (IPC) mandrel technology, resulting in smoother actions, increased strength and even more sensitivity. They feature Kigan Master Hand Zero Tangle guides with slim, strong aluminum-oxide rings and titanium frames for ultimate protection against saltwater corrosion and smooth casting with maximum distance. Spinning models – 17 in total – have Fuji DPS reel seats, while six available casting models feature Fuji ECS or TCS reel seats; all feature stealthy gunsmoke hoods. All models carry a 15-year transferable warranty backed by St. Croix Superstar Service. Retail prices range from $240 to $300.