Looking at Some of the Best Rods for Muskie Fishing

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How to Choose a Great Rod for Muskie Fishing

For freshwater anglers, perhaps no game fish is more exciting and elusive than the muskie. You can call it “The King of the Lake,” “The Fish of 10,000 Casts,” or whatever you may choose, but if you’ve never caught a muskie, you don’t know what you’re missing!

For those of you who have, you know exactly what I’m talking about!

I was fortunate enough to land my first muskie at a young age over twenty years ago. To this day, I love fishing for just about anything that will bite, but there’s nothing that compares to the thrill of pulling one of these lake monsters in.

If you haven’t ventured into the world of predator hunting, you might be wondering where to find the best rods for muskie fishing. Heck, you might even be trying to figure out how to catch a muskie.

For absolute beginners, I recommend you check out our introductory guide to muskie fishing made easy… sort of before making any purchases. This will give you a very brief and basic understanding of what a muskie is, when and where to find them, how to catch them, and some general “do’s and dont’s” to consider when fishing for muskie.

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If you’re ready to grab a new rod or are simply browsing for different models, though, here are some of the top muskie rods on the market today.

Some of the Best Muskie Fishing Rods on the Market

Bass Pro Shops Graphite Series Muskie Casting Rod

The Bass Pro Shops Graphite Series Muskie Casting Rod makes for a very nice entry rod for the novice angler or even an experienced fisherman who is looking to transition into catching Northern Pike or Muskie.

This rod also allows for an angler to venture into the world of muskie without breaking the bank. Fishing is expensive enough, which can prevent many seasoned anglers from deviating from the species they know and are accustomed to. Bass Pro Shop’s Graphite Series accounts for this, offering both a solid and reliable product at an affordable price.

This rod series is made from an RT1 graphite blank, stainless steel guides, aluminum oxide inserts, graphite reel seats and a cork handle.

St. Croix Premier Series Musky Rod

For anglers who are looking to buy a solid first rod from one of the industry’s most reputable brand, or for those maybe just looking for an upgrade for an entry-level model, the St. Croix Premier Series Musky Rod has you covered.

This particular St. Croix model comes in lengths from 7′ to 8’6″ with power ranges from heavy to extra heavy.

Like most St. Croix products on the market, you will find a very nice, handcrafted rod made from lightweight graphite blanks, aluminum oxide guides, FUJI graphite reel seats and a quality cork handle.

St. Croix Mojo Musky Trolling Rod

Trolling is and has been my preferred method when muskie fishing for over two decades so I may be slightly biased when it comes to this next selection. If you have the means and the patience to troll, this is a must-have rod to add to your arsenal.

The St. Croix Mojo Musky Trolling Rod, while not only a great trolling rod, also won’t wreck your wallet.

The rod is made with high quality products, including graphite S-glass blanks, Sea Guide stainless steel guides, double coated flex coat, Fuji DPS Reel Seats and ends with EVA Handles.

Fenwick Elite Tech Predator Casting Rod

Unlike the previous entries on this list, Fenwick is a brand many anglers aren’t terribly familiar with. Unfortunately, a lack of familiarity with a brand and its products sometimes leads people to avoid trying them out.

When it comes to the Fenwick Elite Tech Predator Casting Rod, the product is sure to not disappoint.

Built to bring in the big boys while achieving a durable and light weight finished product, these rods are made with stainless steel guides, TAC handle and Carboloy tip top.

Give this brand a try and you might find that it holds up — or even surpasses, depending on your personal taste and style — some of the more popular companies’ products.

Abu Garcia Veritas Toro Series Casting Rod

Abu Garcia is one of the biggest names in fishing, and for good reason — they make a range of top-notch products, with a history of producing excellent rods and reels.

If you are looking for a reliable rig, we recommend pairing the Abu Garcia Veritas Toro Series Casting Rod with a Revo Inshore Baitcast Reel or Revo Beast Baitcast Reel for a great combination.

A well built piece of equipment that comes in at a very reasonable price, the Veritas Toro is made with 30-ton graphite SubLayer Armor, stainless steel guides, zirconium inserts, EVA split grips and Fuji reel seats.

Cabela’s Predator Musky Spinning Rod

Since Bass Pro Shops absorbed Cabela’s in 2017, lots of folks seem to forget that the latter still has some quality products on the market. If you want to catch muskie, then Cabela’s Predator Musky Spinning Rod certainly fits that description.

This rod is made specifically for predatory fish, so being heavy-duty while not compromising castability makes this a strong additional to any muskie fishing toolkit. Its made up with fast action IM8 blanks, Fuji stainless steel guides, aluminum oxide inserts, Pac Bay Tip Top, Fuji reel seats and Winn Grips.

Ugly Stik GX2 Casting Rod

If you’ve fished for any reasonable length of time, you’ve probably owned (or at least fished with) an Ugly Stik at some point. Using one is also a right-of-passage.

While many experienced anglers tend gravitate toward more specialized (and often more expensive) rods, the Ugly Stik GX2 Casting Rod is probably the most affordable option available that is still capable of delivering consistent results.

A well constructed and reliable choice for an introduction to muskie fishing, this rod is priced accordingly. The GX2 features Ugly Tech Construction, graphite and fiberglass blank, Ugly Tuff Guides, one piece stainless steel inserts and Ugly Stik’s Classic Clear Tip.

St. Croix Legend Elite Musky Casting Rod

We’ve seen a couple St. Croix rods on this list so far, but we would be lying if we said all muskie rods are created equal.

We would also be lying if we said all muskie rods were priced equally.

For those who are truly serious about their muskie hunting and want a premium, top-of-the-line rod, look no further than this St. Croix Legend Elite Musky Casting Rod. There is an old saying that “you get what you pay for,” and with this rod — whose company boasts itself as making the “Best Rods on Earth,” you may get just that.

This rod is chalk full of industry-standard design and materials. The Legend Elite features Advanced Reinforcing Technologies, high strain graphite with FRS, Fuji Torzite guides with titanium frames, Fuji PLS-LD palming reel seat, super-grade cork handles and comes with a manufacturer’s lifetime limited warranty.

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