Packed with power, St. Croix’s all-new Avid® Trek three-piece travel rods for 2021 deliver exceptionally smooth one-piece performance for global fishing forays

Park Falls, WI (July, 2020) – St. Croix raises the bar in the travel rod category with the introduction of its new Avid Trek Series. Packed with power, exceptional sensitivity and a selection of models to cover virtually any fishing scenario, these three-piece travel sticks give anglers the upper hand wherever they go.

Avid Trek travel rods combine St. Croix’s Integrated Poly Curve® (IPC®) mandrel technology with premium, high-modulus SCIII carbon fiber for smooth power, improved casting accuracy and increased sensitivity. Featuring slim-profile ferrules, they sport Sea Guide Hero Hi-Grade guides with slim zirconia rings and SS316 stainless gun smoke frames. Spinning models have Fuji® DPS reel seats with gun smoke hoods to ensure reels always stay tightly locked in place while a casting model has a Fuji® ECS reel seat with gun smoke hood. All Avid Trek rods come with a Sea Guide hook-keeper, select-grade cork handle, and two coats of Flex Coat slow cure finish for a sharp, clean and polished appearance.

“The most amazing thing about these new Avid Trek Series travel rods is that you give up nothing by bringing them along,” says Ryan Teach, Product Manager at St. Croix. “They are really solid and the combination of SCIII carbon fiber with IPC technology results in a super-smooth response. Even in the hands of an expert angler, if you disguised the ferrules, these rods would be hard to distinguish from quality one-piece models. They’re that good.”

St. Croix pro-staffer George Kunkle of Albertville, Alabama, confirms Teach’s description is spot on. “I’m really impressed,” he states. “The first thing I noticed when putting these new Avids together is that they are almost seamless. There is no play whatsoever around the ferrules. During field testing, I tried everything I could to get at least a squeak out of these rods and it wasn’t happening. I’m not normally a fan of multi-piece rods but these are a different beast. They really feel like a one-piece product.”

Kunkle experimented with some heavier models and found them great for battling everything from black bass through light muskies. “I even caught a 42-pound catfish on one and never heard a sound or felt any play where the segments came together,” he reveals.

Justin Carter of Charleston, SC, an accomplished tournament angler and St. Croix pro, recently put both medium-light and medium power Avid Trek Series rods through their paces. His review: “These rods were a home run from the first minute I held them. Right from the start there was nothing I wanted to change about them at all.”

Carter gave both rods a full workout. He started by targeting deep water sheepshead, a sensitive bite that requires a rod with enough backbone to slug it out with the tasty bottom brawlers. “I could feel the bites right through the blank,” remarked Carter, “That’s real surprising for a travel rod.”

Carter also put his Avid Trek rods up against 20-pound redfish and tempted 30-pound jack crevalle during a topwater blitz. They performed so well he slipped one into his charter boat rotation. “My clients have caught well over 1,000 fish on that rod in three months,” states Carter. “Not a single person has realized they were holding a 3-piece rod. Now, when I travel, I don’t feel like I’m sacrificing feel or action when I take an Avid Trek instead of a full-length one-piece rod. I feel as though I can go confidently and pursue anything I want, anywhere I want.”

At the other end of the spectrum, St. Croix Southeast Regional Account Manager, Randy Hamilton likes the 7’ medium and medium-heavy Avid Trek paired to a 3000 or 4000 series reel for targeting big redfish and bones. “For how light that rod is, the lifting power is impressive when you connect with a big 6- to 10-lb. fish,” he explains. “I didn’t notice these were three-piece sticks while the battles were underway. There’s not a spot in these rods where you don’t feel fully connected. I was hopping soft-plastics for reds and that combination of SCIII carbon fiber with IPC technology provided a great blend of strength and sensitivity on 20- to 30-pound class braided lines.”

Hamilton also appreciates that the tips on his Avid Trek models are light enough to throw one-quarter- and five-eight-ounce jigs. “Plus,” he adds, “the accuracy is awesome. This series is tough like our Mojo Series, but some of the weight has been engineered out so you can also throw baits for hours without getting worn out.”

Designed and handcrafted at the St. Croix Rod factory in Park Falls, Wisconsin, U.S.A., Avid Trek Series rods are available in six spinning and one casting model to handle a wide array of fishing situations. Spinning rods range in length from 6’6” to 7’6” while the casting model measures 6’6”. Each rod carries a 15-year transferable warranty backed by St. Croix Superstar Service. Retail prices range from $260 to $290.

1. CROIX AVID TREK SPINNING MODELS

• 6’6” three-piece, medium power, fast action (ATS66MF3)               $260.00
• 7’0” three-piece, medium-light power, fast action (ATS70MLF3)               $260.00
• 7’0” three-piece, medium power, fast action (ATS70MF3)               $260.00
• 7’0” three-piece, medium-heavy power, fast action (ATS70MHF3)               $280.00
• 7’6” three-piece, medium power, fast action (ATS76MF3)               $280.00
• 7’6” three-piece, medium-heavy power, fast action (ATS76MHF3)               $290.00

1. CROIX AVID TREK CASTING MODELS

• 6’6” three-piece, medium-heavy power, fast action (ATC66MHF3)               $260.00

1. CROIX AVID TREK FEATURES

• Integrated Poly Curve® (IPC®) mandrel technology.
• Premium, high-modulus SCIII carbon.
• Slim-profile ferrules.
• Sea Guide Hero Hi-Grade guides with slim zirconia rings and SS316 stainless gun smoke frames.
• Fuji® DPS reel seat with gun smoke hoods on spinning models.
• Fuji® ECS reel seat with gun smoke hoods on casting models.
• Sea Guide hook keeper.
• Select-grade cork handle.
• Two coats of Flex-Coat slow cure finish.

• 15-year transferable warranty backed by St. Croix Superstar Service.
• Incredibly light, super sensitive and durable.
• Designed and handcrafted in Park Falls, U.S.A.

From largemouth bass to light muskies in freshwater, and sheepshead to stripers, redfish, bonefish and more in the briny, St. Croix’s new Avid Trek Series provides smooth, one-piece performance without compromise for anglers on the go. New Avid Trek rods are being introduced at ICAST Online 2020, and are expected to be available for purchase at St. Croix dealers worldwide in Fall, 2020.