The Best Musky Rod 2020 – My Top 5 Picks

Are you looking for the best musky rod?

The fishing rod might be one of the easiest pieces of equipment to try and go cheap.

It’s just a rod isn’t it?

All of us in the sport have been in that position, but going with a rod designed specifically to take on the big lures and big fish is critical.

In this article, we will take a look at five of the best muskie rods that are going to perform flawlessly for as many casts as it takes to catch that once in a lifetime musky. 

The Best Musky Rod 2020 – My Top 5 Picks

Here is a quick preview of our top 5

• St. Croix Legend Elite
• Shimano Sojurn
• St. Croix Triumph 
• St.Croix Mojo
• Tica MSNA

St. Croix Legend Elite

Features:

• Length: 8’6″
• Power Rating: Heavy
• Action Rating: Fast
• Line Weight: 40 – 80 pounds
• Lure Weight: 3 – 8 ounces
• 1 Piece

The first rod in search for the best musky rod is the St. Croix Legend Elite.

This award-winning rod features some of the highest quality graphite on the market.

This is a very high modulus that provides a lightweight rod, which is extremely beneficial with the amount of casting and retrieval used for chasing muskie.

Not only is it lightweight, but the quality of material provides a rod blank that can take the strain from lifting heavy and aggressive fish.

The patented reinforcement technology further adds to this rods durability. It’s going to take the fish of a lifetime to break the tip off this series of rods.

There are several models of rods so you can match your rod with more specific techniques that you use most often.

Lengths range from 7’6” to 9’ in length and vary from medium-heavy to extra-heavy power ratings.

All models are fast action and provide incredible hook setting power and quickness needed for muskie.

These are great rods for chasing after trophy muskie.

They are rated to throw up 10+ oz lures and have the ability to get some distance behind your throws.

They are also easy to handle from far in the water to figure eights up near the boat.

Shimano Sojurn

Features:

• Length: 7′
• Power Rating: Heavy
• Action Rating: Fast
• Line Weight: 17 – 40 pounds
• Lure Weight: 2 – 6 ounces
• 1 Piece

Next, let’s take a closer look at the Shimano Sojurn.

This is another affordable muskie rod and is a great option for those getting into the sport or more experienced anglers looking for a viable backup rod.

There are several models available for the Sojourn series that range in lengths from 7′ to 8′.

The power ratings vary from medium-heavy to extra heavy. All are fast action and single blank piece construction and provide phenomenal sensitivity.

The backbone of these rods are not as stiff as the power ratings imply, but we still think you will have no problem generating lift on big muskie.

These rods also have all of the small necessities that go into a high performing and controllable rod.

Tight locking Shimano reel seat, high-grade split-grip cork handle, sturdy aluminum oxide guides, and a multipurpose hook keeper.

The casting accuracy shines through on these rods, and they have phenomenal control on lure placement and changes in direction upon retrieval.

All are characteristics of a true muskie rod.

St. Croix Triumph

• Length: 7’6″ feet
• Line: 40lb – 80lb
• Lures: 2 ounces – 6 ounces
• Power: Heavy
• Action: Fast

Does the St. Croix Triumph have what it takes to be considered the best musky rod?

Let’s dive right in…

As one of the premier rod makers in the world, you expect a lot from rods with the St. Croix brand attached to them, and their Triumph Musky Series of casting rods do not disappoint.

You have the option for several length and power options to better fit the rod with your style of fishing.

This model is available in 7 feet 6 inches with a heavy power rating and a fast action.

These rods are designed to throw big lures and put the smackdown on wall hangers.

The premium SCII graphite used for these rods provides incredibly strong blanks that are lightweight and sensitive.

As far as casting goes, these rods can hand handle lines between 40 and 80 lbs easily and launch lures between 2 and 6oz both with distance and accuracy.

The lightness of these rods along with their balance and phenomenal grip all contribute to the ease of handling this rod brings on the water.

The control you have on the water is nearly unmatched.

While the price is a bit steeper than other muskie rods, it pays for itself on the water.

St.Croix Mojo

(Specs for the MM72MHF Model)

• Length: 7’2″
• Line: 30lb – 65lb
• Lures: 3/4 ounces – 3 ounces
• Power Rating: Medium-Heavy
• Weight: 7.4 ounces
• Action Rating: Fast

No search for the best musky rod would be complete without taking a closer look at the St.Croix Mojo Musky Fishing Rod Series.

These Mojo rods are designed to tailor to very specific fishing techniques used for muskie.

Don’t think that certain rods cannot perform exceptionally at other techniques as that is not the case at all. What this does is allow you to pick a rod that suits the techniques that you use most often.

As you can assume, the lengths and power ratings of these different models vary pretty wildly.

They range from 7’2” to 8’6” and have power ratings between medium-heavy to extra-heavy to put some lift on these large predators.

Line weights range from 30-100lbs so you have no doubt that you can rig these rods up with the proper equipment for handling trophy muskie.

Lure weights vary from rod to rod but generally fall between the ¾ to 12oz rating range.

All of the St. Croix Mojo Musky rods have a fast action taper needed for quick and powerful hooksets.

The quality SCII graphite that is used also provides a powerful but sensitive and lightweight rod that is easy to handle for hours at a time on the water.

The high-quality cork split grip gives you the perfect placement for working larger fish and the Fuji TCS trigger-style real seat gives you a comfortable hold and control of your rod and musky reel.

For a rod that performs at the level these rods do, they are extremely affordable.

Tica MSNA

Features:

• Length: 8 feet
• Line Weight: 50 pounds
• Lure Weight: 2 – 10 ounces
• Power Rating: Heavy
• Action Rating: Fast
• Weight: 10.44 ounces
• 2 pieces
• Telescopic design

Let’s conclude our search by taking a closer look at the Tica Mnsa Musky Rod.

For launching double cowgirls and other massive muskie lures, the Tica MNSA line of muskie rods gives you the options for heavy-duty fishing.

Not only can they throw heavier lures, but they maintain their accuracy and give you incredible distance.

These rods are perfect for fall trophies, and they all have the backbone to generate incredible amounts of lifting power.

There are several models available ranging from 8’ to 8’6” rods with power ratings varying between heavy and extra-heavy.

The tapers on these rod blanks feature a fast action, great for improving the hookup ratio.

These models are constructed with 30T high modulus, high-density graphite blanks that are telescopic.

There is no discernable loss of power or sensitivity with these rods, and they function as a single blank design but also have the ability to be stored and transported much more easily.

The reinforced rod tip technology helps give the rod tip more support and allows you to generate a lot of force on your hooksets without fear of breaking the tip when the muskie of your dreams is on the end of the line.

Long-distance casting with these rods are superb, and the longer models give you incredible accuracy to hit areas where you think muskie are patrolling.

Control is phenomenal, and with the length of these rods, you can change directions with only slight movements of the wrist.

Like any good muskie rod, the MNSA line features durable line guides with Fuji Hardloy guides along the length of the rod.

They also feature comfortable split-grip cork grips that give you a firm hold any just about any weather conditions.

Final Thoughts…

We have presented five-rod models that have the backbone, action, and controllability to chase after and land the fish of 10,000 casts.

While there are dozens of rods available that have the potential to be a viable muskie rod, these five have proven performance specs and are rods the most experienced of muskie fisherman rely on to search for and land these large and elusive fish.

Now it is your turn. Please share your thoughts in the comment section below. Which rod do you think is the best?