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Posts: 25
| Long time bass fisherman here. I’ve always had muskies near me but was too consumed with fishing for bass 99% of the time. But I’d really like to try fishing for them. Been doing a ton of reading through all of those older threads.
I’ll be fishing mostly east coast shallow rocky rivers like the Susquehanna, James and the New River.
Right now, I will probably be doing all of my fishing from the bank. I love throwing topwaters and jerkbaits. For bass, I would typically work these lures with a 6’6 rod and jerk the rod straight downwards. That’s most effective for myself. I’ve never really liked doing a side ways jerk or pull.
One other thought. I’ve fished swimbaits for a long time. I really don’t think I want to fish lures heavier than 4 or 5 oz for hours on hours anymore. I think I will probably stick to 1 1/2 oz. to 4.5 oz lures.
I’m wondering if maybe a St. Croix Premier 7’ or 7’6 MH or H rod would be a good all around rod for this type of fishing i’ll do? Not sure if the MH would be too soft to drive those walk the dog topwaters properly. The St. Croix The Jerk rod sounds like an awfully nice rod and if I was fishing from a boat maybe I would go for this rod but I feel it would be too long for bank fishing.
Very interested in the Shimano Skixx Rods but at 8’ these rods may be too long for me too.
Hard to order this rod sight unseen since there aren’t any stores within 2-3 hours of me that stock a good assortment of musky rods.
Thanks!!! Appreciate all of the suggestions. |
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Posts: 38
| I fish from shore. I have used rods from 7'6'' to 9'0''. I primarily use 8'6" for everything. Tackle industry/ vexan inshore rods are nice rod. |
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Posts: 1311
| I use a 7' Premiere heavy, for my walk the dogs, and love it. I don't fish rivers much, but the ones I have fished, are fairly small, and have a lot of trees and brush, and am usually happy that I don't have a longer rod. The heavy action still has enough flex to throw pretty small stuff. |
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Posts: 25
| Thanks Buckeye. I’ve read a lot about those TI rods and I’ve always liked fast action rods. I’m not sure the moderate action of TI rods would work for me, especially ordering one sight unseen. I also have a Phenix USB 800H at 8’ and 2-8 oz that I can go to for a bunch of baits. I am not crazy about fishing with rods over 8’. Tried that a few times and I always go back to 8’ and under rods. Less wear and tear on my body too especially when casting big baits for hours.
Tcesox, appreciate it. Maybe the 7’ St. Croix H rod would be a good one to start with. |
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Posts: 224
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota | You would be surprised once you start using a 9’+ rod and get the hang of it how it actually makes casting big baits a whole lot easier. You don’t cast musky lures like your bass fishing, it’s more of an overhand arch motion and it really doesn’t take much effort. I would also recommend against using your swimbait rods for true musky lures. Although they will work you are going to notice that it is harder to properly work a bait and harder to set the hooks. For smaller baits a swimbait rod is perfect, I get more use out of my swimbait rods than any of my other rods probably. When I have shore fished rivers I haven’t had much of an issue with long rods, but rod length is really up to the individual. If you are wading than you will not have as effective figure eights with a shorter rod but it’s not the end of the world. If you are just getting into it then I would recommend taking a few trips with a swimbait rod and just throw big bass baits. A 6.8-7.8 keitech, a 3/4-1oz lipless, a small bucktail/ oversized bass Spinnerbait and a 130-190 whopper plopped will catch as many musky as pretty much any real musky lures especially in a smaller river. Get some 100lbs floro and give it a shot. If you do end up getting a skixx than let me know what it’s like I really want to try one. Oh yea and get some 65-80lbs braid on that swimbait rod if you don’t already |
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Posts: 20230
Location: oswego, il | For rod length and bank fishing it will come down to how much room will you have to cast? Trees, ect in the way. The less amount of space the shorter the rod. A MH or a H action will work. |
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Posts: 25
| Ogandrews - 3/16/2020 9:57 PM
You would be surprised once you start using a 9’+ rod and get the hang of it how it actually makes casting big baits a whole lot easier. You don’t cast musky lures like your bass fishing, it’s more of an overhand arch motion and it really doesn’t take much effort. I would also recommend against using your swimbait rods for true musky lures. Although they will work you are going to notice that it is harder to properly work a bait and harder to set the hooks. For smaller baits a swimbait rod is perfect, I get more use out of my swimbait rods than any of my other rods probably. When I have shore fished rivers I haven’t had much of an issue with long rods, but rod length is really up to the individual. If you are wading than you will not have as effective figure eights with a shorter rod but it’s not the end of the world. If you are just getting into it then I would recommend taking a few trips with a swimbait rod and just throw big bass baits. A 6.8-7.8 keitech, a 3/4-1oz lipless, a small bucktail/ oversized bass Spinnerbait and a 130-190 whopper plopped will catch as many musky as pretty much any real musky lures especially in a smaller river. Get some 100lbs floro and give it a shot. If you do end up getting a skixx than let me know what it’s like I really want to try one. Oh yea and get some 65-80lbs braid on that swimbait rod if you don’t already
Thanks. Appreciate the advice! I have some of those baits you mentioned and I also have a few musky lures on order right now. I’ve always been a topwater junkie and for that reason I think I am leaning forward to the 7’ St. Croix Premier H rod to start with. It should make a nice and light combo with a Tranx 300 and 65 lb Sufix 832. If it doesn’t work out, I’m sure I can sell the rod and get something else or maybe it’ll just be the start of a small collection of musky gear.
I’ll come back and post my thoughts about the Skixx Rods after I see them. Might be a while though since PA just announced a 2 week shut down of all non essential businesses. |
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Posts: 4053
Location: Land of the Musky | If you have the room (no trees) go for the Tackle Industries TI 10ft or even a 10'6" MH, XH or XXH.... You will love this rod. I have surf guys on the West and East coast use them a lot to get their baits out there... Guys down in Texas use them for pier fishing for sharks.
You can also get it now for 20% off with code: MNMUSKY when you check out.
Here they are:
https://tackleindustries.com/shop/musky_pike_bass_walleye_crappie_fi...
Enjoy,
James |
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Posts: 25
| Tackle Industries - 3/17/2020 3:22 PM
If you have the room (no trees ) go for the Tackle Industries TI 10ft or even a 10'6" MH, XH or XXH.... You will love this rod. I have surf guys on the West and East coast use them a lot to get their baits out there... Guys down in Texas use them for pier fishing for sharks.
You can also get it now for 20% off with code: MNMUSKY when you check out.
Here they are:
https://tackleindustries.com/shop/musky_pike_bass_walleye_crappie_fi...
Enjoy,
James
Thanks. Those rods sound pretty cool. I’m sure they work awesome for a bunch of people. Will have to try to make it to a Musky expo or one of the shops that have your rods in stock one of those days. |
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Posts: 762
| St. Croix has been making the Premier Line for over 30 years. I bought my first Premier back in 1991, and now own 6 different models. Great rods, great product. Kdawg |
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Posts: 36
| I fish mainly small creeks and rivers here in WV from boat and the bank. For me an 8 ft rod heavy works best throwing a large variety of musky baits up to mag dawgs. 1 suggestion I would go with the 400 tranx I believe the spool capacity is the only difference between the 400 and 300. Good luck the James and New rivers are awesome waters I have fished them both Welcome to the obsession |
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Posts: 25
| Thanks for the cool comments. Wanted to post an update.
Got out for a couple of hours this evening with my current musky set up. Shimano Teramar 8’ MH (cork handles model) with a Tranx 300 and #65 Sufix 832. Short 2’ leader of #80 Seaguar Premier and a Poe’s Giant Jackpot. Side note. I have gotten a couple of 25 lb Yellowfin on this exact set up so I figure it should be able to handle a typical river Muskie! 
So this is actually a pretty cool topwater set up. I was bombing that Jackpot way out there and working it easily back in. Maybe I don’t need a new rod as much as I thought I did.
However, I am meeting a friend soon to look at a St. Croix 76H he will be able to give me a really good deal on. I’ll need to see how much that rod speaks to me.
Wishing all of you the best in these serious times we have going on. Fishing is always good.
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Posts: 25
| Well, I ended up getting the Premier PM76HF. It felt really light and well balanced, and that I liked. But I was also surprised at how quickly the rod shut off instead of sort of loading up which is what I think I’ve become used to fishing similar rated rods in the salt for Bluefin. The newer rods load up beautifully. I think this rod blank is slightly older and probably designed differently. It’s a very nice rod nonetheless. St. Croix Premiers have never let me down.
I could not pass up the great deal I got on this rod and i’ll have fun fishing it with topwaters and other musky baits for a while I’m sure. |
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Posts: 31
| youll be real happy with that setup. i use a 7'6" MH with 300 lexas from shore and the canoe quite a bite for tops, floating minnows and some jerks and was going to suggest something in that neighborhood. with you specializing in tops and jerks, leaning heaving was a good idea |
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