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Filling out the Arsenal - A Hands on Look at the Newest Megabass
Destroyer Rods
| Date: |
6/5/19 |
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Tackle Type: |
Rods |
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Manufacturer: |
Megabass |
| Reviewer: |
Zander |
Introduction: For many Megabass fans it is the
Destroyer Series that sets the benchmark for the company’s rod offerings, and
there is a common saying that once you fish a Destroyer it is hard to go back to
the brands more affordable offerings. Designed to deliver premium performance,
features, refinement, and even artistry, these rods are crafted for enthusiasts
that want to master particular applications. This season, in advance of ICAST,
the company introduced five new casting and spinning models designed not only
for particular applications, but also focused on actual baits in the brand’s own
lineup. We hit the water with Kenichi Iiada, Megabass America's Product
Manager, to find out more about the latest additions to the Destroyer collection.
The Megabass Destroyer Series was
first introduced in Japan in 1996, since then the series has evolved and
improved with use of the latest materials and rod building technologies
An
advantage in rod design? While Megabass is known first
and foremost for their rods, the company is somewhat unique in the bass industry
as a company that not only designs rods but also offers a complete line of
signature lures as well. Baits like the Vision 110, Pop Max, X Pod, Dark
Sleeper, and Magdraft have become so popular that anglers configure their setups
not just for applications but to specifically better fish these specific baits.
The popularity of baits like these are an advantage for Megabass rod designers
as they have additional insight into how their lures were intended to be fished,
as well as factor in the company’s future roadmap.
We hit the water with Megabass
America Product Manager, Kenichi Iiada. who worked on the design of the new
Destroyer models
While many rod manufacturers
are focusing on application specific designs Megabass has the ability to go a
step deeper. The new
Destroyer rods do exactly that, and are designed to give serious anglers that
extra edge, a noticeable performance and refinement boost over the Orochi XX
line. These new Destroyer rods not only get more application specific, they get
lure specific, for enthusiasts looking to get the very most out of their favorite
Megabass baits.
Each Destroyer rod features an
un-sanded blank and is constructed from a proprietary graphite that integrates
carbon of varying modulus into a single blank. This is what gives each Destroyer
a unique "personality" suited for individual intended application
F8-78X
“MARK48”: Designed for magdraft 8” and other mid-sized
this new rod fills a gap in the existing lineup by serving the weight range
below the existing Onager and Leviathan models which are designed for heavier
baits, and a big bait applications. The reason that Kenichi wanted to introduce
the original Onager first was to showcase the strength of the Destroyer graphite
in marketplace, even though he knew that this was somewhat of a niche market.
The Mark48 is a great option for the larger range of mid-sized applications, and
is designed to with excellent castability, and what Kenichi describes as “one of
the easiest loading characteristics available in the market and an ideal balance
between hook-set/lifting power and a smooth bend curve for swimbaits and
oversized hardbaits.”
The Mark48 is designed for mid
sized lures and fills the gap below the Onager and Leviathan models
Filling a
much-needed role as the bridge to the Onager, the Destroyer Mark48 is designed
to unlock the full potential of smaller swimbaits like the Magdraft 6” and 8”
and I-Slide 185. The 7’8” length and carefully-tuned taper is especially tuned
for imparting action to the I-Slide 185, skipping swimbaits, target casting, and
roll-casting.
The Mark48 is absolutely awesome
for fishing the Magdraft 8" swimbaits
The Mark48’s
sturdy 7’8” frame is built to drive thick-gauged hooks home with authority, and
take the fight to trophy-class fish. I noticed when fishing the rod that the
high torsional rigidity of Destroyer blank improves casting distance with
minimal effort. The rod is finished with double-wrapped, double-footed guides
for peak strength, and durability, to withstand the grueling demands of trophy
anglers.
Kenichi explained how the new
Megabass rods are designed to fill gaps in the existing lineup when it comes to
applications
F7 1/2
- 77X “BUNKER BUSTER”: If flipping and pitching 1 and
1.2oz. swing heads is your thing the new Bunker Buster may be the one to get.
While this rod is great for anglers and other that favor these applications this
rod can also launch smaller swimbaits such as Magdraft 6” and oversized
hardbaits which are below the Mark48’s range.
Like slinging 1 and 1.2oz. swing
heads? Megabass has a rod for you... mean the Bunker Buster
The Bunker
Buster was created with a faster taper targeting improved crispness, and is
positioned right between Mark48 and Valdivia which feature more traditional
tapers that are favored by American anglers.
I found that the rod has a supple and
balanced tip section, which makes the rod feel precise when imparting action on
bottom-contact offerings. This rod is built to deliver heavy bottom-contact
baits filling a gap in the current lineup where heavy jigs, heavy cover, gnarly
brush piles, flipping and light-punching are the norm.
The Bunker Buster is a F7 and
capable of working heavy jigs through the nastiest structure
F4 1/2
- 71X “OTOMAT”: Topwater anglers rejoice! The Otomat
is a new rod dedicated to topwater applications and incorporates the high
modulus fast-recovery of Destroyer blank material with a more forgiving tip
section that has been slowed down. This specially crafted rod is for anglers
that prefer a crisp feel for topwater rod cadence but want a more forgiving tip
to maximize hook-up ratios. Sound like an oxymoron? These two factors are
converse, and posed the biggest challenge as Megabass tried to optimize the
blank with the perfect blend.
The Otomat is an interesting rod
designed specifically for topwater applications
Unlike other
models in the Destroyer line, the Otomat features a slow tip section to tone
down the recovery rate of higher modulus carbon, which can at times almost seems
like it is “pulling” lures away from striking topwater targets. This unique
design improves hook-up and landing ratios while preserving the sharp
responsiveness of the blank’s mid and butt sections, powering crisp rod work for
popping and walking style baits.
The Otomat design posed an
interesting challenge, make a rod with a fast recovery and a slower tip
Next Section:
The Otomat delivers explosive action...
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