St. Croix is rolling out its second major rod series since the rodmaker announced its “return” to fly fishing scarcely over two years ago. Like its award-winning EVOS series, a fast-action performer built for demanding saltwater and freshwater conditions, the Wisconsin-based rodmaker’s newest series is built using MITO functionalized graphene, a technology exclusive to St. Croix. Unlike the high-octane Evos however, St. Croix’s new TECHNICA fly rods are built with a moderate action reminiscent of deep-flexing fly rods of yesteryear, but with modern technology and taper designs that St. Croix is touting as offering dry fly anglers the best of all worlds.
“The best way to describe TECHNICA’s action is balanced,” says Tom Larimer, St. Croix Brand Manager. “Simply put, a softer lower-end and mid-section stores energy and produces a smooth-loading, soulful in-hand feel while helping the caster make efficient mends and protect light tippets and small flies. Higher up on the second and tip sections, the taper maintains the perfect amount of stiffness for picking up long lengths of line when recasting, sniper hook sets on long, downstream dry fly feeds, and fast tip recovery for turning over long leaders in the wind.”
According to St. Croix, their ability to build rods using MITO technology allows them to design rods they otherwise couldn’t — and offer fishing tools with fewer compromises. And, as Larimer added, it also produces rods that perform a bit differently than one might expect.
“We learned a lot about the rod-performance attributes of MITO Graphene with the three-year development of EVOS, released last year,” Larimer said. “So, when we began the job of designing TECHNICA, we knew we could bend the rules of traditional moderate-action design.”
It’s those design advantages that, according to St. Croix, allowed them to build a dry-fly focused rod that brings together the best aspects of slow-to-moderate action rods with the advantages of medium-to-fast action rods.
As Larimer explained, “When viewed on a deflection board, TECHNICA appears to be a very soft rod. But MITO Graphene greatly impacts how the rod casts. The addition of functionalized graphene to our established SCVI, SCIV, and SCII carbon fiber matrix increases rod recovery by 20% ... the overall result is a blank that possesses all the feel, finesse, and tippet protection of a moderate-flexing rod, with the speed and power of a medium-fast action.”
By no means is St. Croix the first rod maker to sing the praises of would-be game-changing technology. Whether MITO graphene is the difference maker St. Croix believes it is remains to be seen. But with one award-winning MITO-based rod series under its belt and heaps of early positive feedback swelling around the just-released TECHNICA, there’s plenty of reason to pay attention to the fly rods coming out of Park Falls, Wisconsin these days.
The new St. Croix TECHNICA fly rod series features six models ranging from 3-weight to 5-weight. Available immediately from St. Croix authorized dealers. MSRP $975.
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