Your gear must be strong enough to catch these powerful fish when you are fishing for musky. The rod is the equipment that gets the most abuse. It’s used to catch the fish and hold them in place.
You need to ensure that your rod is strong enough to withstand even the most difficult fights. It’s not easy to land a musky, but it is almost impossible to land one with a poor rod.
We have listed a number of the top musky rods, which we believe will help anglers land more muskies. These rods are durable and can be used to catch your next trophy fish.
| Image | Rod | Power | Length | Weight | Take Action | Line Weight | Lure Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
St. Croix Premier Musky Rod | Heavy | 8 ft. | 10.2 oz | Quick | 40-80 lb | 3-8 oz |
 |
Shimano Sojourn Casting Muskie Rod | Heavy | 8 ft. | N/A | Quick | 65-100 lb | 2-10 oz |
 |
Okuma EVX Muskie Rod | Heavy | 9 ft 3 inches | 12.3 oz | Quick | 50 to 100 lb | 2-10 oz |
 |
St. Croix Mojo Musky Rod | Heavy | 8 ft. | 10.4 oz | Quick | 40-80 lb | 3-8 oz |
 |
Tica MNSA Musky Rod | Extra Heavy | 8 feet | 10.9 oz | Quick | 65 lb | 3-12 oz |
 |
Daiwa DXM Muskie Casting Rod | Heavy | 7 ft 6 inches | N/A | Quick | 30-65 lb | 2-6 oz |
Are you looking for a reel? Our buying guide and reviews will help you choose the best musky reels.
Best Musky Rod Reviews
St. Croix Premier Musky Rod –Our Choice!
Rod Power Medium-Heavy
Rod Length:8 feet
The Rod Weight 10.2 oz
Take actionQuick
Line weight:40-80 lb
Weighing Lure: 3-8 oz
Few rod manufacturers can match St. Croix’s influence in the world of musky fishing. The Premier PM80HF is the ideal musky fishing rod.
This beautiful rod measures 8 feet long and weighs only 10.2 ounces. The Premier is a powerful rod with a quick action and has the best power to catch musky.
The rod can carry 80 lb. The rod can hold 80 lb. It is highly unlikely that the Premier will not suffice in any situation.
We found one negative about the rod. It runs a little on the heavier side in terms of rod power. It would be considered heavy, which is the highest rating it has received.
The St. Croix Premier fishing rod is extremely well-built. The finest quality SCII graphite blanks are used to make this rod. The guides are made of aluminum oxide with double-plated chrome frames. This rod features a premium-grade cork handle and is highly skilled.
Pros
- Highly durable
- Perfect length
- Can hold up to 80 lb. Line
- Cast lures as heavy as 8 oz
Cons
- The rod power is slightly heavier than advertised
Shimano Sojourn Casting Muskie Rod
Rod Power Heavy
Rod Length:8 feet
The Rod WeightN/A
Take actionQuick
Line weight:65-100 lb
Weighing Lure: 2-10 oz
Shimano has created a great musky rod with his Sojourn Casting Muskie Rod. This eight-foot monster is great for novice and seasoned musky fisherman.
It can hold heavy lures and line, which is a great thing about this fish. It can hold line weights between 65 and 100, making it ideal for musky fishing. The ideal musky angler will also be able to cast and retrieve lures from 2-10 ounces. This rod is great for all types of musky fishing.
The Sojourn Shimano rod is a well-made rod. The rod is strong and durable thanks to its cork grips, aluminum-oxide guides, and graphite composite.
Although the guides are made from good material, they seem a little weak. We are confident that the rod will still be a good choice, despite this weakness.
Pros
- 8 ft length
- Line holds up to 100 lb
- Can cast large lures
- Comfortable Grips
Cons
- Guides may be weak
Okuma EVX Muskie Rod
Rod Power Heavy
Rod Length:9 ft.
The Rod Weight 12.3 oz.
Take actionQuick
Line weight:50 to 100 lb
Weighing Lure: 2-10 oz
Okuma makes many rods that are great to musky fish, but the 9-foot-3 inch EVX Muskie Rod was our favorite.
We prefer rods between 8 and 10 feet, but this Okuma is just right. You can shrink it down by using the telescopic feature. The rod’s length is a huge advantage.
This rod can handle line weights up to 50 lb. This rod can handle lures up to 10 ounces so you don’t have to worry about lugging heavy lures.
Cork grips and carbon construction feel great in the hand. The EVX is a rod that any musky angler will love.
Pros
- Lightweight
- Perfect gear ratio
- Beautiful build quality
Cons
- It is long and cumbersome
St. Croix Mojo Musky Rod
Rod Power Heavy
Rod Length:8 ft.
The Rod Weight 10.4 oz
Take actionQuick
Line weight:40 to 80 lb
Weighing Lure: 3-8 oz.
The Mojo Musky Rod is our second St. Croix. This rod’s attractive purple finish is the first thing you will notice. This rod is a real eye-catcher that stands out from other less attractive rods. If you are looking for a rod that has a classic look, this could be a problem.
You get 8 feet in length and 10.4 ounces. This is a long enough length to perform at a comfortable weight. This fast action is ideal for landing musky.
The Mojo Musky Rod can use lures weighing between 3 and 8 ounces. Although the lure capacity is lower, it’s still sufficient for most uses. Line can be used up to 40 lb. You can also use line weighing between 40 lb. and 80 lb. You have a wide range of options.
The Mojo rod is exceptionally well-made, just like all St. Croix rods. This rod is a joy to use thanks to its high-quality materials, and excellent ergonomics.
Pros
- Perfect length
- Lightweight
- A wide range of lure weights and line options
Cons
- Some people might be put off by purple color
Tica MNSA Musky Rod
Rod Power Extra Heavy
Rod Length:8 ft.
The Rod Weight 10.9 oz
Take actionQuick
Line weight:65 lb
Weighing Lure: 3-12 oz.
Tica is the less well-known brand in our roundup. The MNSA Musky Rod, despite not being well-known, is an amazing piece of equipment.
The rod measures 8 feet in length and weighs 10.9 ounces. Our only list item is the MNSA Musky Rod, which has a more powerful rod. It is definitely stiff but not too stiff that it causes you to have many problems.
The Tica MNSA’s line weight of 65 lbs is barely enough to reach the area we consider optimal. Although 65 pounds will certainly land some muskys, we recommend using 80-pound test lines. This rod can cast and retrieve lures as large as 12 ounces. This is the highest mark of all the rods that we have reviewed.
Tica MNSA Musky Rods are made from Japanese graphite. They also have a cork handle. It is very comfortable to hold and casts well.
We were surprised by the performance of Tica rods and were also impressed with its quality.
Pros
- You can use 12-ounces of bait
- Perfect length
Cons
- Only 65 lb Test line
- Extra heavy power
Daiwa DXM Muskie Casting Rod
Rod Power Heavy
Rod Length:7 ft. 6in.
The Rod WeightN/A
Take actionQuick
Line weight:30-65 lb
Weighing Lure: 2-6 oz.
Our last rod is the Daiwa DXM Muskie Casting Rod. Daiwa is a well-known fishing brand, and this rod exudes that same quality we have come to expect.
Although the rod measures seven-and-a half feet in length, it is still quite capable. A sub-8-foot rod is sufficient, even though we prefer a longer rod for fishing for musky.
You can hold 65 lb. The ability to hold 65 lb. of test line allows you to catch most musky without difficulty. If you want to use a larger lure, however, it may be a problem as your ability to handle 6 ounce lures is limited.
The overall durability of the Daiwa DXM Rod is excellent. It’s great for catching trophy fish and just having fun on the water.
Pros
- Very well constructed
Cons
- Short at 7 ft. 6 in.
- You can only use bait that weighs 6 oz
- Only 65 lb. Line
Our Pick: The St. Croix Premier Musky Rod
Here, the St. Croix Premier Musky rod won. It does almost everything well, with the only thing that we found lacking is stiffness. The Premier is our favourite option for musky fishing because it has no extra stiffness.
All of the rods are extremely capable with only a few minor issues. We wouldn’t recommend the Daiwa DXM Muskie Casting Rod as strongly as we would. It doesn’t meet our criteria for musky fishing. It’s not a terrible rod, but it isn’t the best for fishing aggressive, large fish.
The St. Croix Premier is a highly recommended product. It is the best quality, has the best feel and overall performance available on the market.
Grab your rod and get out on the water. You will find muskies waiting for you!
How to Choose a Musky rod
We all know that certain fishing rods are not durable enough to catch a musky without causing hardware failure. Nothing is worse than hooking into a large fish and then watching your rod snap and bend, leaving you with broken dreams.
When deciding which rods are best for catching musky, we consider certain criteria. Below are the criteria we used to determine which rods were best for catching musky.
Rod Power
You should pay close attention to the rod’s power when choosing a fishing rod. Some anglers may refer to rod power “backbone” as it is used to describe the lifting power of a fishing rod. This is important for catching large fish such as musky and you will need to ensure that the rod has the right strength.
The line weight you can use is directly related to rod power. The line test that you can use will depend on how powerful your rod is. A higher power rod is required because musky anglers will use higher test lines.
As you can see, a rod’s power ranges from extremely light to very heavy with six additional categories in-between. You won’t want your rod to be below the medium-heavy level when fishing for musky. This will ensure that your rod is strong enough for the line you are using.
Rod Length
A majority of musky fishermen use a rod between 7 1/2 and 9 feet long. This could be a surprise if you are switching from smaller fish to catch.
To cast large baits and deal with the aggressive nature of fish, you will need a long rod length. You will have a great fishing experience with the right rod power and length.
A rod length of 8 feet is our “sweet spot” for fishing for musky. This rod is much more manageable than a 9-foot rod. It allows you to cast large lures with great strength and length.
Take Action
Rod action refers to the amount of bend at the rod’s tip when pressure is applied. You can use the following designations to measure rod action: extra fast, medium, slow, and fast. The rod will bend further if the action is faster.
A musky rod’s best action is in the fast area. This is where you can set a hook in the musky lip and fight the monster into the net.
Line Weight
A rod that can handle at least 65 lb is required. To fish for musky, you will need to test your line. This is the minimum amount of line you should use. You’ll need a rod that can handle such a strong line.
Ideal is a rod that can hold 80+ lb. We have found this to be the best weight line for musky fishing. This is in line with our previous recommendation that you choose a rod with a higher medium-heavy power.
You may hear amazing stories about people landing 50-pound muskys on 6 lb. These are the exceptions, people who caught a musky on a smaller line. Never try to catch muskies using less than the best gear.
Lure Weight
The sheer size of the lures that you will be using to musky fish is what makes it different from other freshwater fishing. These lures are massive! These things are monstrous!
A musky lure can be as heavy as 8 ounces so your musky rod must be strong. A rod not designed for this purpose can be easily destroyed by casting such a large lure.
Durability
Durability is the most important factor in selecting a musky rod. It is important to consider the construction and the materials used in making the rod.
It is not a good idea to spend your hard-earned cash on a rod that looks perfect, only to have it fall apart when a musky bites your line. A rod made from high-quality materials must be strong enough to withstand the abuse and still catch fish after fish.
Last Thoughts
There are many factors to consider when buying a musky rod. We have compiled a list of the top musky rods available, as well as the reasons why they made it onto our list.
Let’s look at the candidates and make your final decision!