St. Croix Rod’s New 11-weight Legend X Tosses Jumbo Flies and Tames Beastly Predators
OutdoorHub 06.26.14
Pushing the fur-and-feather envelope to its limits? You bet! Fly-fishing practices have transformed tenfold over the past few years. Ripping huge articulated streamers and enormous topwater flies for gargantuan freshwater predators like muskie and pike as well as saltwater’s tarpon, tuna and striped bass is here to stay.
Also extending the limits of flinging-flies is St. Croix Rod who introduced the innovative Legend X series of fly rods at ICAST last year. Distinctive, to say the least, the Legend X is built on a sophisticated blank with a blend of unique graphite fibers, coupled with an imaginative Xtreme-Skin handle that provides exceptional comfort as well a positive grip.
And for 2015, designed specifically for feeding massive flies to monster predators, is St. Croix’s new LXF9011.4, a premium-powerful 11-weight Legend X.
“The number of anglers chasing big muskies with massive, wind resistant flies is growing, and a rod that can handle such heavyweights with efficiency and ease was needed,” said St. Croix’s Vice President of Brand Management Jeff Schluter. “The 11-weight Legend X was designed precisely for such applications.”
Like its four lighter-weight brethren, the new 11-weight scepter is crafted in Park Falls, Wisconsin. Its 9-foot 4-piece blank is hand-rolled with a multi-dynamic mix of four carbon fiber materials. The graphite foursome delivers exceptional power for casting oversized flies and enhanced strength for fighting big fish.
With super-high-modulus SCVI graphite in the lower sections (for maximum power), premium SCII graphite with the distinctive Fortified Resin System (FRS) in the tip section to create the perfect loop in your cast without the worry of the blank buckling, and high-modulus/high-strain SCV graphite throughout for strength and durability while still having a sensitive side, this heavyweight contender achieves the perfect balance of weight, power and strength – with an easy-casting action.
All Legend X blanks are manufactured using St. Croix Rod’s proprietary Integrated Poly Curve® (IPC®) tooling to produce continuous-curve tapers, and are further strengthened with St. Croix’s new Fortified Resin System (FRS) to prevent micro-buckling by keeping carbon fibers in proper alignment, which ultimately equates to rod blanks that are 33% stronger than those built with standard resins and curing methods.
Finally, all key stress points are additionally strengthened using Advanced Reinforcing Technology™ (ART™). This exotic carbon fiber material adds a level of strength (10X) with virtually no increase in blank diameter or weight. ART is also a critical part of the Legend X slim-profile ferrule design.
St. Croix’s pioneering Xtreme-Skin handle provides rigidity for improved casting power, plus it’s extremely durable, easy-to-clean and more sensitive than cork. An attractive matte-black, hard-anodized, machined aluminum reel seat is fitted with an Xtreme-Skin fighting butt with an EVA foam cap for fish-fighting comfort.
The rods are fitted with Fuji® K Series Tangle-Free stripper guides featuring Alconite rings and crush-proof REC® Recoil® snake guides. All thread wraps are protected by two coats of Flex Coat slow-cure finish for exceptional durability. Each rod comes in a rugged rod case with carrying handle and divided polypropylene liner.
Legend X rods are designed and handcrafted in Park Falls, WI and are protected by a 15-year transferable warranty backed by St. Croix Superstar Service. Retail price on the LXF9011.4 is $520.
