The Marshal – Victory 17 Interview

Victory 17 recap, with most under $200, you get a handcrafted in the USA rod and a 15-year warranty, each different and technique specific. We want to highlight how you use the proper tool for the job, specifically regarding any of the new 17 Victory rods and and preferred technique, but also related techniques.

Tell us more about your preferred victory rod bass technique and what it means to you?

There are so many specific Victory models in my arsenal I enjoy fishing with, and it’d be too difficult for us to summarize each. Modern day bass fishing has evolved into a technical-specific pursuit, and the spinning and casting rods my boat utilized during the 2021 season brought technique-specific rod selections and their strategies with methodologies to a realm I don’t think we’ve ever experienced before.

I am enamored with the sensitivity and flex, and amazed by the power and backbone of the Marshal (VTC73MHF). Not only is it tech-specific, but universal and multi-purpose as well; traits that I need for the typical guide trip in which numerous fishing scenarios play out over the course of a day.

Best times of the year, and types of water where it excels?

On the northern Wisconsin inland lakes I guide on, many of the best smallmouth fisheries are deep structure and open water oriented. Fish roam, and associate to the lake’s underwater topography. So that leads to spending most days on the water off-shore. Casting and jigging are two of our daily strategies. Some days, both methods work. Most days, it’s one or the other.

Year-round, the Marshal is outstanding for casting small paddletails and swimbaits such as the 3.8” Strike King Rage swimmer and Keitech Swing Impact Fat. It also handles bigger 4 to 6” paddletails rigged with ½ oz. to ¾ oz. heads and weights, no problem. Its 7ft 3” length enables long casting, and flex is the shock absorbent to hook-sets from long distance.

In the jigging game, it excels in cracking the tube and covering the depths with a football jig. Another cool strategy it does well is speed-crawling the bottom with Tokyo rigs and swinging head jigs. These methods each get employed heavily during the fall season.

In addition to smallmouth, it’s a great rod choice too for largemouths, getting heavy usage on those trips. It has the necessary med. heavy weight and structural capacity of ripping and handling swim jigs through grass, punching a downsized creature bait, and the Carolina Rig worked deep.

I have my Marshal paired together with a Quantum Energy PT with 7.0;1 gear ratio, spooled with 20 lb. Cortland Masterbraid. The way I have it configured for multi-purpose use, it fishes fast and slow.

Which is your preferred Victory rod for this technique?

The Marshal (VTC73MHF)

Why is this the preferred length, power, and action?

For my smallmouth casting strategies, my personal requirement is a longer length, with a medium-heavy action at minimum. Both are criteria for the long-distance bomb-casting and search fishing methods I do on my local waters. Anything lower and lesser, it’ll be more difficult in taming the beast.

I can’t wait to also fish with its 2-inches longer brother, Max Marshal, which should be even better for long-distance casting paddletails, and Carolina rigging.

What keys are there to the patterns, and how do the rods help accomplish those tasks?

The Victory’s construction, composition and actions are an enabler of fishing execution. Even though each model in the lineup is constructed and marketed for a specific technique or bass genera in mind, it’s up to the angler and his/hers creativity to determine each rod’s application and best course of action. The multi-purpose usability of the Marshal quickly found its role and place for me. It’s my swiss army knife of a Victory rod.

Headquartered in Park Falls, Wisconsin, St. Croix has been proudly producing the “Best Rods on Earth” for nearly 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.