AVID ICE ANGLERS: GET YOUR MOJO WORKING AND MAKE YOUR SEASON LEGENDARY
Mojo Ice, Avid® Ice, and Legend® Black Ice Series deliver St. Croix performance, versatility, and value in any ice fishing situation
Park Falls, WI (October 29, 2019) – The feeling’s in the air and on the wind. Recent weather patterns have hardwater fanatics and casual ice anglers alike thinking about the rapidly approaching ice fishing season. Now is the time to start getting organized for the upcoming rush to frozen waters; augers need tuned and sharpened, tackle must be organized, and last season’s fishing line requires replacement. Part and parcel of these gear maintenance and preparation activities, this is also the perfect time to start thinking about new ice rods.
St. Croix Rod designs and builds fishing rods that dutifully and beautifully serve every angling pursuit, including dozens of ice fishing models across four distinct series. Covering panfish to lake trout, St. Croix offers ice rod models with varying lengths, powers and blank materials that deliver pride and performance to any ice angler.
Get Your Mojo Working
Featuring St. Croix’s proprietary custom reel seat and split-grip handle, the Mojo Ice series consists of 13 models suited for any fishing style or technique. These precision-tapered, solid carbon blanks are equipped with stainless-steel guides in sizes designed to prevent freeze up so you can keep working your mojo in any conditions. Mojo Ice models retail between $50 and $60.
ST. CROIX MOJO ICE FEATURES
- Precision-taper solid carbon (SC material) blank provides superior performance
- Premium split-grip cork/EVA handle
- Custom reel seat ideal for all techniques
- Sea Guide lightweight stainless-steel guides
- 1-year warranty backed by St. Croix Superstar Service
- Designed in Park Falls and handcrafted in Fresnillo, Mexico
A biologist by day, Kenora, Ontario-based ice fishing pro Josh Peacock is an enthusiastic fan of the Mojo Ice series, choosing the rods for his frequent lake trout and whitefish forays in Ontario’s storied Sunset Country. “My favorite is actually the MIRC34H,” says Peacock, referring to the 34” heavy power casting model – the heavyweight of the Mojo Ice lineup – which he employs for the hefty lake trout his area is known for. “It has the perfect amount of backbone for ripping four- and five-inch white tubes. I also like the 34” medium-heavy model (MIRC34MH), which I use when our big whitefish go on the smelt feed,” Peacock continues. “We get them on lake trout jigs and ripping three- and four-inch spoons. The whitefish actually have soft mouths, so the medium-heavy has the right amount of power for that. It’s pretty cool when you find four-to-six-pound whitefish eating smelt. They hit like lake trout!”
Peacock also regularly reaches for the 28” medium-light Mojo Ice rod (MIR28ML) when targeting crappies around the islands on Lake of the Woods and other waters. “It’s a really popular rod up here for crappies, but it’s a great choice for walleyes and even stocked lake trout, too” he notes. “It fishes a 1/8-oz. spoon really well and is a very versatile rod. Anglers love the blank-through reel seat as well.”
Avid Ice Rods for Avid Anglers
The popular Avid Ice series consists of six Avid Ice Jigging rods designed for walleye and four Avid Ice Glass rods for panfish applications. Rods retail for between $60 and $70.
Created specifically for jigging walleye, Avid Ice Jigging rods features Kigan stripper guides and lightweight, low-profile running guides. Constructed with precision-taper solid carbon (SC material) blanks and super-sensitive carbon handles, 27”-36” Avid Ice Jigging Rods deliver absolute control and sensitivity.
Avid Ice Glass models are designed specifically for panfish. Constructed with an Xtreme-Flex solid glass (SG material) blank, high-visibility tip and super-sensitive carbon handle for superior performance, these 18”-34” rods excel in any panfish application.
ST. CROIX AVID ICE JIGGING & AVID ICE GLASS FEATURES
- Jigging rods for walleye feature precision-taper solid carbon (SC material) blanks
- Glass rods for panfish feature Xtreme-Flex solid glass (SG material) blanks with high-vis tips
- Super-sensitive carbon handle
- Kigan stripper guide with lightweight low-profile running guides
- 1-year warranty backed by St. Croix Superstar Service
- Designed and handcrafted in Park Falls, U.S.A. (with foreign and domestic materials)
Michigan-based St. Croix ice pro Chuck Mason has competed in ice fishing tournaments from New York to Montana. He carries a multitude of St. Croix ice rods on the tournament trail, but says the Avid Ice Jigging models are his favorites.
“Basically, I have my ice rods sized by the shanty I’m using. So, if I’m using my one-man Clam shanty I’m fishing with the 27-inch. And if I’m using the small two-man shack I’m fishing the 30-inch. I use the longer 36-inch Avid Ice jigging rods when I can get my big shack out onto the bay here on Lake Erie, and I’ll also use the 36” models if I’m fishing outside,” says Mason, who prefers the medium power rods paired with 8- to 10-pound test on Daiwa reels for walleye.
“Their action is great, and they’re designed to handle some pretty big fish,” Mason continues. “The Avid Ice Jigging rods have what I would consider more of an extra-fast tip. It’s a stiffer rod compared to the Mojo Ice. They’re ideal in the situations I regularly find myself in while tournament fishing walleyes in open water. As soon as I start lifting ,I immediately feel anything that’s there. There’s no play or slop in these rods. Their sensitivity and power are perfectly matched for walleyes. I just love ‘em.”
Make the Season Legendary
St. CroixLegend® Black Ice rods feature the patented, built-in strike indicator system developed by Greg “The Prowler” Wilczynski. A medalist in world ice fishing competitions, Greg spent years refining his invention. The result is a super-finesse coil spring bobber system that’s much more sensitive than any other type of indicator, helping anglers see even the most subtle bump or strike well before it can be felt. St. Croix’s strike indicator system is adjustable to accommodate different lure sizes. To make the bobber more sensitive, push the spring forward so it extends farther out through the grommet. To make it less sensitive for heavier lures, simply push it back in.
Featuring precision-taper solid carbon blanks and unique Sea Guide NPS integral reel seat handles, seven different 24” and 30” Legend Black Ice models are available, retailing between $75 and $80.
ST. CROIX LEGEND BLACK ICE FEATURES
- Super-finesse high-tension stainless-steel strike indicator
- Fully adjustable and interchangeable spring indicator system
- Precision-taper solid carbon (SC material) blank provides superior performance
- Sea Guide NPS reel seat
- Pac Bay Minima guides
- 1-year warranty backed by St. Croix Superstar Service
- Designed in Park Falls, U.S.A. (with foreign and domestic materials)
“I’ve had two seasons using Legend Black Ice rods and the performance has been phenomenal,” offers Peacock. “They’re definitely my favorite crappie sticks. I prefer the light and medium-light power models (LBI24L, LBI30L, LBI24ML and LBI30ML). Of those, I’m usually using the 30-inchers. I use them with a small tungsten jigs and 4-pound test,” he says. “On the Lake of the Woods and a lot of these back lakes you hook into random pike and walleyes, so you really get to see what the rods are made of. Legend Black Ice rods definitely do the job. Often times we’re fishing 35 to 40 feet deep and it’s cold weather, so there’s a lot of stretch to your line. That’s one reason why the strike indicator system is so awesome; they’re just so sensitive. A lot of time the crappies will swim up with the jig and you can see that on the spring bobber well before you could ever feel anything.”
While you can exchange strike indicators on the rods for varying levels of tension from light to heavy, Peacock has been using the stock indicators that come on the various rods and has been thrilled with their performance. For him, that means the orange-tipped spring bobber with light tension, perfect for his frequent crappie forays.
Parting Words
Don’t get caught fishing the same old, outdated gear this winter. Whether you’re chasing predators or looking forward to dialing in epic panfish bites, consider St. Croix’s proven Mojo Ice, Avid Ice, and Legend Black Ice series. You’ll find rods suited to exactly how you fish, no matter the whens, wheres or hows. And after all, that’s precisely St. Croix’s mission—to provide every angler the upper hand.
About St. Croix Rod
Headquartered in Park Falls, Wisconsin, St. Croix has been proudly producing the “Best Rods on Earth” for over 70 years. Combining state-of-the-art manufacturing processes with skilled craftsmanship, St. Croix is the only major producer to still build rods entirely from design through manufacturing. The company remains family-owned and operates duplicate manufacturing facilities in Park Falls and Fresnillo, Mexico. With popular trademarked series such as Legend®, Legend Xtreme®, Avid®, Premier®, Tidemaster®, Imperial®, Triumph® and Mojo, St. Croix is revered by all types of anglers from around the world.