hey i would like everyones input on there favorite muskie/pike rod and reel combos and it they prefer baitcasters or spinning (i rarely troll for muskies/pike) i'm looking for a new rod and want people inputs. Walleye Fisher

i have a med. rod with a mitchell accent reel on it. works great fer me. also depending on the time of year i use my stealhead rod-- a 9' noodle rod to toss rapalas/husky jerks-- it works great in the early spring just after the ice goes out and the fish are shallow.

just a couple of rods i use....oh ya my reels are all open face spinning reels.

thanks for the info MR. Bill.

i am using a st.croix 7'11" one pcs, mojo bass, heavy power,with a shimano calcutta 200B with 30lbs power pro...for pike/and lite musky lures....and have a okuma muskie rod,evx-c-861h   8'6" with 65lbs power pro line and a shimano calcutta 400B for the big lures...don't like spinning reels for  casting heavy line and lures..and one piece rods are a pain in a small boat or truck but are much stronger,so i am putting up with them...lol.

A couple of rods I use are one a 7' MH spinning ugly stik with a Mitchell spidercast reel with 20lb spiderwire on it. The second is a 6' MH (musky rod) baitcaster ugly stik with a Pete Mania reel spooled with 40lb spiderwire. Both these rods and reels have performed great. Here in NY you are aloud to fish with 2 rods at the same time. So I put live bait on the baitcaster then use the other to cast my favorite lures.
Lifemember and Bushwacker SMF upstate NY

Casting Reels | In-Fisherman

Bruce's Midwest Musky Fishing Site - Beginner's Setup

Take a kid fishing "http://www.takemefishing.org/fishing/overview"

My favorite set up is my 7ft MH Fenwick with a 6:4:1 Johnny Morris gold edition reel. The line i use varies but i really like the 30lbs 832 sufix braid

Elk River Custom Rod in 8 ft medium heavy with a Abu Revo Toro 60. Great rod and reel for both bucktails and medium and smaller crank and jerkbaits. I sold all my fig rig and st croixs last year to get up the money to buy Elk River Custom Rods. They are out of Phillips WI.

Mojo Musky and a Calcutta 400B with 100lb braid.

dont u think 100lbs a lil over kill?

No, it's a lot of overkill! Tom

Overkill perhaps, but most musky hunters use 80lb at least so as not to tire the fish out and help them live to be caught another day.

Don't a lot bass tourney fisherman use 30 lb braid for fish at are around 5-8lb where for muskies its 100lb braid for fish that are 30 t0 50 lbs  seems to average out about the same.

I just use my 7' H XML rod with Stradic 4000 reels with 50#-65# braids.  My dedicated rod is a St. Croix Legend Tournament Muskie rod at 7'3" "Downsizer" with a Shimano Calcutta Conquest 400 with Trinidad 14 "power" handle spooled with 80# Sufix Performance Braid.  Since I'm really just a spinning reel guy.  I also have a 8'6" St. Croix Surf rod with a Stradic 6000 reel spooled with 80# Stren Super Braid.  The Stren 80# has snapped on me twice already, so I will eventually respool with something else.

The thing about heavier braids like 80#-100# is not just for the weight of the fish, but when they thrash and do death gator rolls. It's the need for the shock strength. You'll be surprised at how easy it is to break 65# braid with a quick snap vs a slow pull. Personally for me, it's so I don't lose the lure.  Plus I don't have to worry about line dig'n on the spool.

I am kind of old school on the rod, I still like the shorter, stout " Broomstick " rods. I use a 6'9" XH power, fast action St. Croix Premiere Musky rod and a Diawa Millionaire classic reel with 80 pound test Cortland Spectron or Cortland Masterbraid superbraids, both use Spectra fiber and are made in the U.S.A.. I almost always use the solid wire leaders 100+ pound test with ball bearing swivels and very heavy snaps.

I have a mh abu garcia vendetta with a johnny morris 7:1 with power pro 50 pound test u dont that hevy stuff my first muskie was on a 6'6 ugly stick medium 10 pound test

im using a gandermountain rod with 100 lb power pro, and a shimano calcutta 400A, no 100 lb is not overkill...........

It all boils down to what you plan to cast . you may want three or more different rods with different actions and powers example top waters walk the dog style you may want a short rod ,
one for spinner baits and cranks , one for heavier cranks , one for the big stuff like bulldogs , same with reals you may want one for fishing cranks and one for burning double cow girls.

In response to the guys who asked about the heavy braid use, they're not being used exclusively for the lb. test rating. Another priority is the diameter. Ever put 20 or 30lb. braid on a baitcaster? Its thin diameter(6 to 8lb. mono) digs into the spool when a big fish pulls. 80 to 100lb. braid has a diameter equal to 20 to 30lb. mono...perfect for muskies!