PARK FALLS, WIS. – Introduced at the 2024 Bassmaster Classic, St. Croix’s all-new PHYSYX Series of multispecies freshwater rods are conceived and designed to help anglers physically execute their mental gameplan. Put simply, PHYSYX exists to elevate the angling experience by increasing angler control in every physical action.

PHYSYX is a master of matter, motion, energy, and force on the water because its unique materials and designs converge to manifest a better machine. SCIV+ hybrid carbon fiber blanks, titanium guides, and anthropometric design combine to produce an evolved lever and conductor of energy. A molded carbon fiber TRIGON handle, DYNAMIX reel seat, and rear trigger afford bionic-level control, balance, tactile feedback, and maximum comfort.

Delivered to anglers' hands August 1, three all-new 6'3" and 6'6" spinning models with 100%-tubular, hybrid carbon fiber, extra-fast and fast action blanks– purpose-engineered and handcrafted to execute popular minnow-shaking techniques – expand the PHYSYX Series to 28 rods for 2025.

MINNOW SHAKERS

Tech-Forward & Technique-Specific

What’s 2.5 to 5 inches long and weighs 1/16 to 1/2 ounce? One of the hottest lure types on tour – whether it’s a Rapala CrushCity Freeloader Pintail or Mooch Minnow, Big Bite Baits Scentsation Slim Minnow, Z-Man Scented Jerk ShadZ, Deps Sakamata Shad, Yamamoto Scope Shad, Strike King Z-Too, or something similar that none of us have even seen yet; these jig-and-plastic minnow combinations are dominating competitive bass fishing at all levels.

“St. Croix exists to design and handcraft rods that give all anglers the upper hand,” says St. Croix Brand manager, Ryan Teach. “Whether you have $30,000 of electronics on your boat or no boat at all doesn’t matter to us. What matters here in Park Falls is making sure we’re offering the best tools for any job on the water. And when it comes to shaking a jig and minnow, there’s no finer tool available than these three new PHYSYX spinning rods.”

The Ninja in the group is PHXS63MLXF, a 6’3” medium-light power, extra fast spinning rod rated for 6 to 20-pound line and 1/16 to 3/8-ounce lures. “This is the close-to-medium range rod in the series optimized for incredibly accurate casts with lighter, smaller-profile jig-and-plastic combinations,” says Teach. “It’s slightly heavier twin – the PHXS63MXF – is the sniper. It retains the agile 6’3” length and highly accurate extra-fast tip but steps up the power to medium in order to handle jighead-minnow rigs up to half an ounce. The final specialist in the group is the new PHYS66MLF, a longer-range assassin that handles a wide range of ultra-popular jig-and-minnow weights between 1/8 and 3/8 ounce. The PHYS66MLF is the choice for increased casting distance, or for anyone who prefers to shake on a slightly longer rod.”

Aside from their technique-optimized lengths, powers, and actions, Teach says two standout features make these rods excel in their intended purpose.

“The first is the rear-trigger design on the new TRIGON Carbon handles,” Teach says. “I’m not sure what we’re going to do about it yet, but after fishing PHYSYX rods, just about all of our anglers have told us they don’t want to go back to a rod without a rear trigger. There’s a word for your body’s ability to sense movement, action, and location; it’s called proprioception, and the rear-trigger design on PHYSYX rods simply gives casters an additional physical reference point that their brains and muscles can use to execute casts with increased and repeatable accuracy.”

Teach says the second standout feature that helps these PHYSYX jig-and-minnow rods perform better in their intended purpose – just like every other rod in the PHYSYX Series – is their SCIV+ hybrid carbon fiber blanks.

“We really don’t talk about it enough,” he says. “The SCIV+ layups for each of these models are completely distinct. Our designers remove heavier SCIV material and replace it with lighter and stiffer SCVI material at key locations along the length of every blank to optimize both flex characteristics and balance to perfectly support intended techniques. Plus, our IPC tooling and TET blank layups allow us to create these fast and extra-fast tubular carbon actions without any glass inserts in the tips, which is the common practice in the industry. Our design and manufacturing capacity to accomplish this is a really big deal because that transition to glass that can give a rod a really fast tip also comes at a cost... because it creates both a weak spot and a dead spot in the blank.”

Leaning on the PHXS66MLF's medium-light, fast-action, 100% tubular hybrid carbon fiber blank.

Combine those exotic, one-off hybrid-carbon tubular blank designs with titanium guide trains and the new molded carbon fiber TRIGON handles and new carbon fiber reel seats which transmit energy like no other St. Croix handle design before, and you end up with rods that really do feel like an extension of your own body.

NEW St. Croix PHYSYX Minnow Shaker Spinning Models

• PHXS63MLXF – 6’3”, medium-light power, extra-fast action, spinning / Retail $345
• PHXS63MXF – 6’3”, medium power, extra-fast action, spinning / Retail $350
• PHXS66MLF – 6’6”, medium-light power, fast action, spinning / Retail $355


St. Croix PHYSYX Series Features

• 17 casting models and 11 spinning models optimized for high-performance freshwater presentations
• Next-generation technique-specific hybrid carbon fiber SCIV+ blanks
• Technique-specific iAct (SCIV+ and linear S-Glass) hybrid blanks on select reaction-bait casting models
• Fortified Resin System (FRS) technology
• Advanced Reinforcing TechnologyTM (ARTTM)
• Integrated Poly Curve® (IPC®) mandrel technology
• Taper Enhancement Technology (TET) blank design
• Ultra-durable, rigid titanium guides with silicon carbide rings
• Anthropometrics-driven split-grip St. Croix TRIGON molded carbon fiber handles with high-tactile TPU accents and molded carbon fiber DYNAMIX reel seats for dramatically increased comfort, control, and energy transmission
• Precision-machined aluminum reel seat nut
• Model-specific hook keepers
• 15-year transferable warranty backed by St. Croix Superstar Service
• Designed and handcrafted in Park Falls, Wisconsin, U.S.A. for anglers worldwide
• Retail price $345 to $415


PHYSYX isn’t for everyone. It’s for anglers who demand every advantage a fishing rod can deliver in today’s most effective freshwater techniques and presentations. Experience the all-new PHYSYX Minnow Shaker rods in the Freshwater Rod category of the 2024 ICAST New Product Showcase, at ICAST On the Water, and in the St. Croix Booth (#2223) at ICAST 2024. New PHXS63MLXF, PHXS63MXF, and PHXS66MLF models will be available for purchase at St. Croix dealers worldwide and online at stcroixrods.com on August 1, 2024.

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About St. Croix Rod
Headquartered in Park Falls, Wisconsin, St. Croix has been proudly crafting the “Best Rods on Earth” for 75 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®, Imperial®, Triumph® and Mojo, St. Croix is revered by all types of anglers from around the world.