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Posts: 70
| I've been looking at getting some bigger bucktails (like the 13/0 10/0 detonator by musky mayhem), but I wasn't sure when it would be good to throw them or if my rod/reel could handle them (a shimano tranx 401 hg on a chaos tackle xh SWAT assault stick). |
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Posts: 165
| I really like to throw big blades when night fishing. I also like to use them when working deeper weeds and im not burning bucktails. You can slow them down and get them deeper that way. Your set up should work fine. Most people prefer a lower geared real with bigger blades. But I have thrown some big blades on high geared reals just fine. If you were looking to burn the bigger blades it will pull pretty hard with a high speed real but its definitely a tactic you can still do. |
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Posts: 408
Location: MN | I throw them all season in MN and Canada at any time I would consider a bucktail. I use Tranx 400hg, don't really find it to be a problem, but a slower reel will be easier. The SWAT should work too. |
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Posts: 2276
Location: Chisholm, MN | I’ve had pretty good luck with the 400hg throwing big blades but I would consider a lower gear ratio unless using a tranx 500. It will handle them for a while but it will definitely wear that reel out. |
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Posts: 1183
| If you use a reel what does not have the pulling power it will wear you out, and you can lob big baits with a lighter rod but again it's hard on our body. As we get old things compound. |
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Posts: 733
| chuckski - 12/6/2023 10:45 AM
If you use a reel what does not have the pulling power it will wear you out, and you can lob big baits with a lighter rod but again it's hard on our body. As we get old things compound. Sucks, but true. On certain par three's I would be able to reach with a seven iron, I now need to use a five. Kdawg |
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Posts: 60
| I use a chaos XXH with a tranx 500, and 12s are no problem. If I had to choose, though, I would use a heavier rod instead of a lighter one because figure 8's can be painful. |
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Posts: 1200
Location: Walker, MN | I use a Tranx 400HG and a low gear both for big blades. Either gets the job done, I wish there was one in the middle. The lower gear will hold up better, just have to move your hand a bit faster. I agree that a stiffer rod (XXH typically) is better for figure 8ing big blades, gets to be like mixing concrete after 8-10 hours. |
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Posts: 1184
| Not only are figure 8s harder with a softer rod, but simply reeling in, is. Not only are you pulling the blades through the water, but you are also putting the bend in the rod, so you are adding to the force on the reel and your arm. |
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Posts: 70
| TCESOX - 12/11/2023 5:40 PM
Not only are figure 8s harder with a softer rod, but simply reeling in, is. Not only are you pulling the blades through the water, but you are also putting the bend in the rod, so you are adding to the force on the reel and your arm.
I can cast them no problem, I can reel them just fine, figure 8s are questionable. I can't see or justify buying a whole new rod just to throw larger bucktails, though. |
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Posts: 8719
| I'd rather buy a dedicated big blade combo now than a new shoulder down the road. Just sayin'... |
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Posts: 408
Location: MN | You shouldn't be fighting the rod during the retrieve - point the rod at the bait and let the reel do the work. That's also generally the best position to start your hookset in. Figure 8s can be a little harder with more flex, yes, but "new shoulder" level might be a bit dramatic.
The rod he asked about is rated for 3-10 oz lures. It'll be able to cast them just fine and has enough backbone for hooksets. It will certainly work for limited use, and if it turns out to be an issue and he really wants a dedicated setup that's easier boatside, that can be added later. |
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Posts: 480
Location: NW WI | Yes u can do it, no it's not "ideal".Go for it, your not gunna break anything. Agreed on big blades=slower and lower. Another big blade option I like is the Bait Rigs Esox Cobra Willow Beast. Not sure what's going on with them though. I checked some out in store this summer and the older ones back of the rack have much thicker gauge blades like mine, newer ones much thinner. Went to their site to drop a link here and I'm not finding anything other than ebay. Maybe I'm not looking right. Those were double 11 willows, fricken cabbage buzzsaws with those heavy willows, they deployed waaaaaay out, maybe 45-60ish degrees from the main wire. Much further than average single willows.
Alternatively Sasquatch makes a double 10 willow, can't say I own one. But did yall know that Sasquatch has ALOT on their home page? They got some cranks,glides, and double 6 bass/pike bucktails. I never knew they did I guess. |
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Posts: 70
| nar160 - 12/11/2023 10:20 PM
You shouldn't be fighting the rod during the retrieve - point the rod at the bait and let the reel do the work. That's also generally the best position to start your hookset in. Figure 8s can be a little harder with more flex, yes, but "new shoulder" level might be a bit dramatic.
The rod he asked about is rated for 3-10 oz lures. It'll be able to cast them just fine and has enough backbone for hooksets. It will certainly work for limited use, and if it turns out to be an issue and he really wants a dedicated setup that's easier boatside, that can be added later.
That was going to be my other question. If a rod has the back bone to do a figure 8 with double 12s or 10/13s, then I don't know if it can cast them because of how stiff the backbone is. Perhaps once I finish engineering school I might be able to think of something that could do that. |
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Posts: 70
| 7.62xJay - 12/11/2023 11:45 PM
Yes u can do it, no it's not "ideal".Go for it, your not gunna break anything. Agreed on big blades=slower and lower. Another big blade option I like is the Bait Rigs Esox Cobra Willow Beast. Not sure what's going on with them though. I checked some out in store this summer and the older ones back of the rack have much thicker gauge blades like mine, newer ones much thinner. Went to their site to drop a link here and I'm not finding anything other than ebay. Maybe I'm not looking right. Those were double 11 willows, fricken cabbage buzzsaws with those heavy willows, they deployed waaaaaay out, maybe 45-60ish degrees from the main wire. Much further than average single willows.
Alternatively Sasquatch makes a double 10 willow, can't say I own one. But did yall know that Sasquatch has ALOT on their home page? They got some cranks,glides, and double 6 bass/pike bucktails. I never knew they did I guess.
I just found a willow beast on ebay, when would you want to throw willow blades vs colorado/indiana? |
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Posts: 408
Location: MN | PennsylvaniaMuskie - 12/13/2023 10:29 AM
That was going to be my other question. If a rod has the back bone to do a figure 8 with double 12s or 10/13s, then I don't know if it can cast them because of how stiff the backbone is. Perhaps once I finish engineering school I might be able to think of something that could do that.
Don't overthink it. Most muskie rods rated XH or XXH can both cast and figure 8 big blades. There are minor tradeoffs when you trend in either direction. It would have to be extremely stiff to not get loaded at all by a 4-5 oz. lure. |
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