Culture

Our History, Craftsmanship & Passion

Continually Making History

Facilities

Whether your rod was made at our Park Falls, Wisconsin headquarters, or if it comes from our state-of-the-art factory in Fresnillo, Mexico, you can rest assured that your St. Croix rod was handcrafted, from start-to-finish, by passionate and talented members of the St. Croix team.

Park Falls, WI

usa factory and factory store

St. Croix’s facility in Park Falls, Wisconsin manufactures our Legend, Avid, Mojo and other rod series. If you are in northern Wisconsin, be sure to sign up for a facility tour, or stop in to purchase your favorite rod right off the factory floor in our retail store.

FRESNILLO, MEXICO

FACTORY OVERSEEN DIRECTLY BY ST. CROIX TEAM

Our newest manufacturing plant is a state-of-the-art factory in Fresnillo, Mexico. St. Croix’s vertical manufacturing ensures that every rod is produced start-to-finish right there on the premises, including the awared winning Mojo series. Just like in the U.S., there is no outsourcing and everything is made using the most advanced materials, with the same high-tech machinery.

History

Unique to the fishing rod industry, St. Croix has complete control over the sourcing, manufacturing and craftsmanship that go into building our rods. Whether it takes place at our headquarters in Park Falls, Wisconsin – or our state-of-the-art factory in Fresnillo, Mexico – each rod is a product of the passion and attention to detail of the talented people who make them.

1st Multi-Section Bamboo Fishing Pole

It all started with a simple need—finding an easier way to transport long fishing poles. Following a business brainstorming session, founding brothers Bob and Bill Johnson created the first multi-section bamboo fishing pole. This seemingly simple innovation launched both a new product and a company that would continue to lead the industry.

INTRODUCING FIBERGLASS

Lightweight and flexible, fiberglass quickly became the replacement for bamboo. St. Croix was quick to pioneer this new material and began developing new models for specific species and environments. In just one year St. Croix would have 24 models for salmon/steelhead alone.

TRAVEL RODS

Getting rods to water remained a primary angler challenge. To solve this, St. Croix introduced a series of Whip-Out and Flip-Out rods. These multi-section, telescopic rods extended up to 20 feet, but easily collapsed for storage and transport. They remained a favorite for the next 40 years before newer options would later replace them. For fly fishermen, St. Croix introduced the 978-3, a collapsible rod that carefully balanced quality, convenience and price. These high-performance rods disassembled into three sections and included a travel tube for just $15.

1st ULTRA-LIGHT ROD

Remember the 8100-L? Not many do. As the great-grandfather of a flourishing family of St. Croix Ultra-Lights, it was built in four lengths with a Tennessee handle for hands and reel. The line-up ranged in weight from 3-1/2 oz. for the 78” model to just 2-1/4 oz. for the 48” version. Not bad for fiberglass and 1950’s technology.

TRIPLE FIBER CONTENT

An ultra-thin glass cloth blended with superior phenolic resins and an exquisite nylon elastomer allowed St. Croix to introduce the Imperial “XL” product line. Included was the first full-length (6’) spinning rod to weigh under two ounces.

ENTER THE SCHLUTER ERA

After many early successes, St. Croix began to lose direction and struggle financially. Local business leaders approached Park Falls entrepreneur Gordon Schluter with an opportunity to invest into the company. Gordon accepted and began to rebuild the St. Croix brand and business.

FEARLESS & FERRULE-S

With an emphasis on engineering and streamlining manufacturing, St. Croix introduced the Ferrule-s (pronounced “ferrule-less”) fit. This provided a more secure assembly, reduced opportunity for metal components to deteriorate and simply generated a better performing rod.

ALL GRAPHITE

St. Croix continued to push engineering milestones by introducing an all-graphite rod. Known as the Imperial Graphite, this breakthrough led the way to the hundreds of graphite models currently in St. Croix’s lineup.

CUSTOM SURF RODS

Teaming up with renowned surf fishing legend Ben Doerr, St. Croix created a complete series of extreme-performance surf rods. Designed to achieve maximum casting distances and accuracy, along with specifically designed graphite blanks and cork tape handles, the Ben Doerr Surf System quickly gained a national following.

IPC TOOLING TECHNOLOGY

St. Croix engineers continue to innovate with the introduction of integrated poly curves® tooling technology on the mandrel design. IPC® eliminates transitional points in the blank, creating rods with smoother actions, increased strength and greater sensitivity.

10x THE STRENGTH

Advanced Reinforcing Technology™ represents the latest innovation created by St. Croix engineers. An exotic carbon fiber material, ART™ prevents ovaling and adds that adds 10X the strength to a rod blank without increasing blank diameter or weight.

FINDING OUR MOJO

St. Croix not only pushed the limits of performance, but also pushed to inspire and involve more anglers. The introduction of the Mojo Bass created a whole new category of high-performance and high-value bass rods and quickly became the company’s most successful product launch.

TET & FRS TECHNOLIGIES ARE BORN

St. Croix introduces FRS (Fortified Resign System) & TET (Taper Enhancement Technology), further advancing the best blanks on earth.

BEST IN SHOW

Demonstrating their value, St. Croix continues to win awards for their products at the iCAST industry show.
2012 | Legend Xtreme wins best freshwater rod & Legend Inshore wins best saltwater rod
2013 | Legend Xtreme Inshore wins best saltwater rod
2015 | Re-designed Avid Inshore wins best saltwater rod and Mojo Bass Fly wins best fly
2016 | Legend Glass wins best freshwater rod
2017 | Re-designed Legend Glass wins best freshwater rod and Legend Tournament Inshore wins best saltwater rod

The St. Croix story has evolved over 70 years and our path has taken many different twists and turns, with some being more successful than others. But our occasional missteps have never defined us. How we have responded to them most certainly has. With a gritty determination, St. Croix built the most advanced fishing rod facility in the world and with it, a world-class brand that has earned the respect and admiration of anglers around the planet. Fishing takes us to all sorts of places we might otherwise never see. Park Falls, Wisconsin, is one of those places. Out-of-state plates usually belong to folks who know it's home to the St. Croix Rod Company. Their pilgrimage takes them up to this remote hamlet of North Country to see where IPC® technology was first conceived and refined. To stand near the place where St. Croix aligns the latest advances in technology with time-honored handcrafting techniques to build some of the finest fishing tools available. In Park Falls, they also find what might be the only rod company that employs engineers to work alongside rod designers. And, finally, these mighty pilgrims find themselves aligned with the soul of fishing by simply breathing the same air that fuels the hand-assembly of nearly every St. Croix rod. Milestones 1948 1st Multi-Section Bamboo Fishing Pole: How it all started! St. Croix Rod Company was founded when the Johnson brothers applied innovative thinking to the vexing problem of transporting long poles. Bamboo fishing gear is no longer a part of St. Croix, but innovative thinking has remained the cornerstone. 1955 Dedicated Salmon/Steelhead Rods: The replacement of bamboo with fiberglass was seen by St. Croix engineers as an exceptional opportunity. Rods dedicated to increase success when fishing for specific species or in unique environments (such as the rolling surf) were soon coming off the production line. In 1955 St. Croix had only two salmon/steelhead models but there would be twenty-four by the following year. 1956 "Whip-Out" telescopic, tubular, fiberglass rods: Simplistic by comparison, St. Croix Whip-Out and, later, Flip-Out rods were cherished by generations of fishermen and women. Whip-Outs and Flip-Outs collapsed for storage and transport but extended to as long as twenty feet, depending on model, when it came time to fish. Originally marketed in 1956, multi-section, telescopic rods were last seen in St. Croix catalogs in 1993; a phenomenally long run in the world of manufacturing fishing rods. 1956 Fly Travel Rod: 3-piece: Long ago, St. Croix appreciated the need for fly rods in travel models. Introduced in 1956, the 978-3 personified another St. Croix tradition; the balance of quality, convenience and price, when it loaded and cast well, disassembled into three sections and listed for just $15.00. And that included a cloth sack and rigid tube. By the way, use D, HDH or HCH line if you have a 978-3. 1957 Color Impregnated Glass: Color bonded into and not painted on the fiberglass of a fishing rod may not sound like a big deal but it was indicative of the extra effort common in St. Croix products from the beginning. Management has always felt that our rods needed to be a source of pride for you and us beyond the showroom. 1957 Dedicated Musky Rods: Available in 4'6", 5' and 5'6", the Premier® Model 200 was intended specifically for musky hunters of the day. Made of solid fiberglass for the stoutest of freshwater fish, old-timers dug into their wallets for $14.95 to hit the water with one of these bruisers. The number of muskies caught proves the Model 200 was worth it. 1957 1st Ultra-Light Rod: Remember the 8100-L? Not many do, but it was the great-granddaddy of a flourishing family of St. Croix ultra-lights. Built in four lengths with a Tennessee handle for hands and reel, rods ranged in weight from 3-1/2 oz. for the 78" model to just 2-1/4 oz. for the 48" version. Not bad for fiberglass and 1950s technology, even if we say so ourselves. 1959 Ice Rod/Reel Combo: For decades fishermen of the frozen north have looked to St. Croix for ice fishing needs. The first "combo" consisted of a 40", solid glass, Model 40-C mounted with a #66 casting reel secured on a spin/cast, offset handle. A dollar was a dollar back then and a 40-CR (reel included) retailed for only $3.60. 1961 Triple-Fiber Content: An ultra-thin glass cloth blended with superior phenolic resins and an exquisite nylon elastomer allowed St. Croix to introduce the Imperial "XL" line of casting, spin/cast, spinning and fly rods. Included was the 7080-XXL, the first full-length (6') spinning rod to weigh under two ounces. 1963 Micro-Cell Foam-Filled Tubular Fiberglass: Readily recognizable by the 14K gold-plated guides, it was what was inside St. Croix Magna-Flex spinning, spin/cast and fly rods that truly set them apart. Filled with a urethane foam, flex strength was increased by more than 25% while impact resistance experienced at least a 50% gain, with little increase in weight. Each rod was packaged in a padded, steel rod-reinforced case for just $50.00. 1966 EFT (Extra-Fast Taper): Coping with the muscle applied on one end by the angler and the other by an obstinate fish, St. Croix rod engineers developed the Extra-Fast Taper (EFT) concept. Employing a design that encouraged a progressive flexing action from end to end, EFT was but one step in a continual study of rod behavior and improvement. 1970 Rhino-Flex Action: The introduction of the Criterion Series of St. Croix rods brought with it another adjustment in rod design. Each advancement in material, every revelation in rod research, enabled mechanical engineers to tweak St. Croix rods for state-of-the-art performance. 1979 Ferrule-S: Handmade metallic ferrules for bamboo rods gave birth to St. Croix Rod Company over thirty years ago. Over time bamboo had gradually given way to fiberglass and now it was time for the old-fashioned ferrules to follow. Known as Ferrule-S (pronounced "ferrule-less"), this latest innovation provided a more secure fit, removed the opportunity for metal components to deteriorate, and streamlined the manufacturing process. Molding the ferrules on precision steel mandrels made sense. And better rods. 1983 100% Graphite: Destined to replace fiberglass for a variety of reasons, St. Croix brought graphite to angling in the 4300 Series. Known as Imperial Graphite, they led the way for hundreds of graphite models in St. Croix's current lineup. 1991 Custom Surf Rods: St. Croix teamed up with renowned surf fishing legend Ben Doerr to create a complete series of extreme-performance surf rods designed to achieve maximum casting distance and accuracy. Featuring specially designed graphite blanks and cork tape handles, the Ben Doerr Surf System was launched and quickly gained a national following. 1999 SCIV, SCIII, SCII Graphite: "The finest graphite and resin systems the world has to offer. Each material is ours alone" reads the 1999 St. Croix catalog. Still in use today with continous improvements, these exceptional St. Croix materials have brought countless hours of fishing pleasure to anglers the world over. 2000 SCV Graphite With Carbon-Matte Scrim: Reaching new heights of performance, St. Croix introduces SCV Graphite with Carbon-Matte Scrim. This exotic material combines our high-modulus / high-strain graphite with an advanced carbon-matte scrim resulting in lighter, more sensitive rods. Introduced in the all-new Legend Elite series. 2000 IPC® Tooling Technology: St. Croix engineers innovate mandrel design with the introduction of Integrated Poly Curve® (IPC®) tooling technology. IPC eliminates transitional points in the blank creating rods with smoother actions, increased strength and greater sensitivity. 2005 ART™ (Advanced Reinforcing Technology™): ART™ represents the latest innovation created by St. Croix engineers. ART is an exotic carbon fiber material that adds a magnitude (10X) of strength to a rod blank with virtually no increase in blank diameter or weight and is featured in select St. Croix series including Legend Elite and Legend Tournament Bass/Walleye/Musky. 2009 Mojo Bass: St. Croix introduces the mojo era with the launch of all-new Mojo Bass creating a new category of high-performance, high-value bass rods. Mojo Bass is an instant hit with bass anglers accross the country and becomes St. Croix's most successful product launch to date. 2012 ICAST Best of Show: St. Croix wins two awards at the 2012 ICAST trade show in July. Legend Xtreme wins Best Freshwater Rod and Legend Inshore takes Best Saltwater Rod honors. The redesigned Legend Xtreme is equipped with our innovative Xtreme-Skin handle. 2013 FRS & TET: FRS (Fortified Resin System) & TET (Taper Enhancement Technology): St. Croix introduces FRS and TET blank technologies further advancing the best blanks on earth. 2013 ICAST Best of Show: St. Croix wins Best Saltwater Rod at the 2013 ICAST trade show in July with all-new Legend Xtreme Inshore rods. 2015 ICAST Best of Show: St. Croix picks up two ICAST trade show awards in July. Redesigned Avid Inshore took Best Saltwater Rod and all-new Mojo Bass Fly earns Best Fly Rod honors. 2016 ICAST Best of Show: St. Croix wins two awards at the 2016 ICAST trade show - Best Fly Rod with the new Sole Fly rod and the new Legend Glass wins Best Freshwater Rod. St. Croix's Early History St. Croix's history reads as the straight definition of hard work and determination. In 1948, co-founders Bob and Bill Johnson, both avid fishermen, decided to construct and sell landing nets. Their quality nets (complete with cedar handles, ash hoops, and hand-sewn netting) proved too costly for most sportsmen. A brainstorming session saved the then fledgling company. Perusing a display of cane fishing poles, the brothers decided to modify them to make them portable. They cut the poles into three shorter lengths and fitted them with brass ferrules. A local hardware merchant immediately ordered 500 rods, and the St. Croix Rod Company was born. Brother Doug Johnson and cousin John Olson joined the new venture. It is not clear how they decided upon the company name, but since the St. Croix River bordered their stomping grounds of Minnesota and Wisconsin, it is surmised that this was how the namesake was chosen. Efforts turned to expanding the product line and improving production equipment. Olson, an expert machinist, built much of the equipment that was used for many years. Originally based in Unity, Wisconsin, the busy company soon needed to open a second plant in the nearby community of Loyal. Within the first year the payroll grew from eight employees to 90. A summertime fishing trip in 1953 introduced the St. Croix's owners to the Park Falls area. Once again St. Croix needed room to expand and the Park Falls Area Industrial Development Corporation courted the owners with friendliness and attractive incentives. The company celebrated its grand opening in Park Falls in November of 1954. Over the years, there were a variety of goods manufactured that were essential to the development and success of the company. Solid and tubular rod blanks were sold to other companies such as Zebco and Water King. Private brand rods were created for Orvis, L.L. Bean, Cabela's, South Bend, Cortland and many others. Sundry items such as Department of Natural Resources shocking rods and landing nets, pool cues and marine antennas all contributed to the company's longevity. The Schluter Family Legacy In 1960 a group of businessmen from Park Falls invested in St. Croix. The company was struggling financially and needed more capital to invest in growth. Key to this change was one of the new owners: Mr. Gordon Schluter, proprietor of the local radio station and an astute businessman. The sales program was in a state of regression. To help rebuild sales, Schluter moved his family and took on the responsibility of Western Sales Manager in Boulder, Colorado. By 1965, he was back in his beloved Park Falls as the newly appointed Chief Executive Officer. In 1967, the revitalized company was sold to Schaper Manufacturing of Minneapolis. Schluter stayed on for a year as CEO and then moved his family to New Mexico. Products such as reels imported from Japan and leaders, hooks and lures from Hong Kong were added to the product line. During the early 1970s, sales seemed to increase quickly; however, much of the accumulated volume was due to under pricing to maintain a competitive edge. Low-priced foreign markets and higher costs at home left St. Croix in serious trouble by the mid 1970s. Schaper management decided to close the doors at the end of 1977. Once again, the Park Falls community leaders rallied together. They contacted Gordon Schluter in New Mexico and urged him to see if Schaper would sell the troubled company. Schluter and two partners, Norman and Leonard Hoefferle, ended up buying the company. Schluter noted: "We had put a lot into that company over the years. A lot of heart. Thinking about moving back and driving past a boarded-up building really bothered me." At this time, St. Croix remained the only major manufacturer of rods left in the United States. With Schluter at the helm, the decision was made to discontinue the terminal tackle business and to direct all efforts toward manufacturing quality fishing rods for which the company was best known. In the early 1980s Gordon purchased the ownership interest from the Hoefferles. Son Paul Schluter was hired as St. Croix's first employee sales representative. Paul remarks: "When I started working, things were pretty desperate. During my first week in the field, I realized our product line was outdated and we'd have to make some significant changes. Our rod designs were outdated and we were about five years behind the times in materials. We were late getting into graphite from fiberglass." Their rebirth can be credited to dogged hard work and determination. They began improving the quality of the products and sourcing new components. A large private-label contract with Zebco boosted their efforts. The company's survival is largely credited to Gordon Schluter's dedication, but other family members have become equally wrapped up in the St. Croix legacy. Paul recalls, "Getting the Zebco contract helped rescue the company but a lot of hard work went into it. I remember in spring of 1984 we were close to missing a delivery date with them so we rented a U-Haul truck and drove 24 hours straight to Tulsa to get one of their first shipments delivered on time." Paul's brother, Jeff, joined the family business in 1984 as a St. Croix factory sales representative in the upper Midwest. Jeff was met with a sense of nostalgia about St. Croix rods, but little interest from retail store buyers. Equipped with the newly redesigned Premier series rod (originally introduced in 1964 as a tubular fiberglass rod, it was re-introduced in 1984 as a graphite rod), the gifted salesman increased sales 15 times over between 1984 and 1990. He was promoted to Vice President of Sales and Marketing and continues to focus on advertising and working closely with the design team in the development of new products. Brother David Schluter joined St. Croix in 1992. He completely redesigned the shop and restructured the management information systems. He was also integral in implementing an incentive program that rewarded employees for their efforts to help accomplish company goals. David is now Vice President of Manufacturing. Sister Pam Schluter Smylie is not involved in the daily operations of the company, but is essential when it comes to organizing special events. She initiated the efforts to commemorate the company's 50th anniversary in 1998. In January of 1990 the four younger Schluters bought the company from Gordon. They continue to honor his deep sense of commitment and dedication to deliver top-quality products for fishing enthusiasts. Today, St. Croix is recognized throughout the world as a pioneer in the development of high performance fishing rods.