Megabass Valkyrie Rods Take Flight with New Shielz Hybrid Construction

Introduction: Almost as if it was a stealth launch the Megabass Valkyrie rods are now available to domestic anglers, but just what are these rods, and how are they positioned? We spend a day on the water with Megabass Prostaffer and Big Bass hunter Oliver Ngy to fish and learn more about this new lineup of "adjustable" rods. 

Megabass's Valkyrie rods exhibit the usual attention to detail that the company is known for

Information about the Megabass Valkyrie rods is still somewhat scarce, almost as if the series is meant to be a secret to all but those that can be truly considered hardcore Megabass enthusiasts. The series was first launched in Japan and is designed for anglers that are looking for not only excellent sensitivity and power, but also improved balance and ergonomics.

The Valkyrie rods are designed to balance out well with just about any reel thanks to a unique adjustable feature, but more on that later...

What is Shielz?: Megabass has a habit of naming their material and construction technologies like kabt™ (pronounced ‘kabutoh’) for example, which is utilized in the latest Orochi XX rods and consists of metal microfiber material to improve rod lifting power, torque, lightness, and overall crispness.

The Valkyrie rods are the first lineup to make use of "Shielz," a fused material and construction that weaves both carbon fiber together with fiberglass in a multilayered and multi-axial construction.

The rods make use of a new glass and graphite material construction that Megabass has branded "Shielz"

Where did the idea for Shielz come from? Anglers may be surprised to learn that inspiration came from traditional kimono belts from ancient Japan which exhibited exceptional strength to weight ratios.

Megabass analyzed the structure and weave of these ancient kimono belts which inspired the team to create their own fiber layer of thin film which is then reinforced with 40% elongated micro glass and 60% carbon fiber all interwoven together.

The rods come armed with stainless steel SiC guides

Through rigorous testing they continued to make adjustments and ultimately achieved a construction that is Shielz today which exhibits increased crush strength of the shaft, high rigidity when it comes to twisting and bending, as well as low overall weight.

While we were on the water Oliver fished the actual Megabass iSlide 262 swimbait that he utilized to catch the 6.82 pound bass at the Lake of the Ozarks Big Bass Bash last month to win the top prize of $100,000 dollars

Freedom to Adjust: One of the biggest features in the Valkyrie series is the MAHS (Megabass Adjustable Handling System) which like the name implies allows anglers to adjust the length of the rear grip on the fly. Simply rotate to unlock the handle and adjust the length and rotate back to lock it in the desired configuration.

Oliver shows me a number of the Valkyrie rods, each designed for a specific application

The goal of the MAHS design was to not only configure handle length to personal preferences but give anglers the ability to adjust the balance point to match their chosen reels perfectly. It also enables anglers to customize their rods for the application that they are fishing at that exact moment.

Oliver makes an adjustment to the rear handle length

For example if you are looking to cover a lot of water quickly and launch searching baits the extra handle will provide additional length for long casting. For applications like pitching or punching the additional handle length will provide additional leverage. On the other end of the spectrum if you are looking at making short and accurate casts, or skipping baits, a shorter handle and more balanced outfit can potentially improve handling and casting accuracy.

The rear handle can be adjusted to great extremes, though there are maximum adjustment guidelines to maintain the integrity of the handle when leveraged