New St. Croix Legend Surf Rod: Tested and Approved by “Crazy” Alberto Knie

Surfcasters hunt their quarry with two feet on solid (and sometimes not-so-solid) ground, without the aid of electronics and mobility afforded to boat anglers. With the deck already stacked heavily in favor of the fish, surfcasters rely even more on their rods to reach the action, and land the big one, all while being light enough to reduce fatigue in an already physically taxing pursuit.

Few understand the challenges of pursuing trophy striped bass in the surf better than “Crazy” Alberto Knie. Don’t mistake his nickname for an insult. He earned his “Crazy Alberto” moniker through his tireless pursuit of striped bass, and other species, from land. His efforts have yielded nine 50-pound-plus surf-caught striped bass. That devotion and experience made Alberto the perfect product tester for the new St. Croix Legend Surf.

Feedback from prostaffer Crazy Alberto and other dedicated surfcasters has been essential in the development of the Legend Surf, as it is in all of St. Croix’s rods. Some of the cutting-edge features of the new Legend Surf include the high-modulus/high-strain SCIV graphite blanks and new Fuji Torzite solid-titanium frame surf guides.

“The rods are stronger and higher performing than others in the market,” reported Knie. “On top of that, the Legend Surf has gotten lighter and lighter, while at the same time stronger and better performing.”

The neoprene handle, which prevents slipping, adds to Legend Surf’s ability to subdue cow stripers. The neoprene feels more comfortable and provides better grip for power casting, too, an essential tactic for reaching schools of bass blasting baitfish beyond the sandbar.

Understanding that surfcasters, and their equipment, are regularly drenched in saltwater, the design team added non-corrosive elements to make the rod ready to fish with minimal maintenance season after season.

The new Legend Surf is overbuilt in order to withstand abuse from hardcore surfcasters and the big fish they pursue, but if for some reason there is a failure, the Legend Surf comes with a 15-year warranty.

Surfcasters throughout the Northeast can all find Legend Surf models suited to their home waters. The 10-foot, 6-inch moderate action LGSS100MM2 rod will handle everything from launching pencil poppers from the beach to slinging eels into boulderfields. The beefed-up 11-foot, medium-heavy LGSS110MHMF2 is perfect for plugging duty on the Cape Cod Canal, and it can handle throwing big plugs and rigged eels to cow bass lurking in the rocks. A 9-foot, moderate action, ¾- to 4-ounce LGSS90MM2 is deadly for stalking stripers on sand beaches with needlefish, bucktails, and minnow plugs.