Well, I'm new to Muskie fishing, but have been fishing pike for a long time. What would be a good starter rod for me?? Thanx.

I too am hoping to try some Muskie fishing next year and as such I picked up a Gander Mountain Advantage Muskie rod, 7' MH when it was on sale

for $30, regularly $50.  I have not used it yet. Seemed like a decent rod for the price, especially since I don't know how much Muskie fishing I'll actually do. 2 year warranty is a good plus. I plan to pare it with a Abu Garcia Ambassadeur 5600.  I notice Gander Mountain also has their own

Guide Series Pike rod.  Runs about $70.00 but is on sale at 25% off as are all GM rods right now.

MN Basser,

St. Croix makes excellent muskie rods. A Premier series would be a great starter.

If you are going to buy one all-purpose rod, the 7'6" MH is hard to beat. It's ratings are 3/4-3 oz, and 20-50lb line.

If you plan on getting a couple rods, a second, shorter, heavier rod for jerkbaits would be the ticket. Croix has a 6'3" and a 6'9" in an XH power.

The Avid series also has a 6'9" in a H power.

If the price isn't an issue, check out the Avids and the new Legend Tournament muskie rods. The LT's look SWEET.

If you go on the website, look up the LT's. They are listed as technique specific, and the description of each rod will give you a good idea as to what rods (length and power) will best suit the applications you plan on using most, and which wouldn't. It will take all the guess work outta the way for you.

I have a Shimano Convergence Musky Rod. It is 7 foot and, handles up to 3 ounces and 50 pound line. My dad has a Rapala Musky Rod, it is only six foot, but it handles 5 ounces and 50 pound line. Over these two, I would choose the Rapala, it was between 30 and 40 $.

St. Croix Musky Rods are Awesome!

St.croix ones are excellent ,but on a budget the Shimano compre musky rods are nice.

I might be able to get a deal on a Fig Rig rod. Any experience with these??

ok you need a starter muskie rod ..... get the fig rig ... there not bad from what i hear ,,, and im in muskiee and pike country ..... the guy i talked to said the st croix rods where sweet ,,,, however he also had the fig rigs on his boat ... he said bang for the buck the fig rig was the way to go .... he also said he wouldent trade his croix rods for nothing .... so i geuss its a how you take it thing ....  at any rate the fig rig is more than what your lookin for ... ive seen them here in local shopps for 60 bucks .... they didnt look bad at all ....

i use st.croix premier and avid ,both good rods. sensitivity is not an issue in muskie fishing (unless you jig or live bait) so a high end rod is not really necessary but is lighter and will allow you to fish with less fatigue. if your budget allows for only one rod go with heavy tip so you can work jerkbaits effectively (they can be very heavy). a longer rod will also allow you to figure 8 easier if you have following fish and provides a little give when the fish is close to the boat or shore on a short line to prevent from ripping out the hooks or snapping the line. i highly recomend reading the complete guide to musky hunting by jim saric and steve heiting. great book.  

The only rod Muskie rod I have ever used was a St. Croix Avid ??66MHF.  At first it was like fishing with a pool cue but once a fish was on, this rod manhandled the big o muskie with ease.

The only rod Muskie rod I have ever used was a St. Croix Avid ??66MHF. At first it was like fishing with a pool cue but once a fish was on, this rod manhandled the big o muskie with ease.

Yea, those shorter muskie rods are pretty stiff, but they are great for winching skis out of shallow cover, ripping jerks, or chuggin monster topwaters.