Fig 1 : The chart above illustrates the deflection characteristics of our Legit Designs Wild Side WSC68XXH-5 Big Bait Special against the historical averages of similarly powered rods we've tested over the past twenty years

Like those short, powerful tuna sticks, the WSC68XXH-5 is built to muscle your catch to the boat or bank, so you need to be sure your drag is set appropriately or risk pulling those hooks out of the fish's mouth.

Make no mistake about it, this is a short, stout stick

Design & Ergonomics: Legit Design's WSC68XXH-5 breaks down into five individual pieces that when wrapped in its neoprene carrying case is small enough to fit in a carry-on sized piece of luggage. That's the big advantage with this stick. For this convenience, there is a sacrifice in overall length, but once assembled, it's a pretty capable little rod and honestly, quite suitable for species like Peacock Bass where you're using semi-large lures and ripping them in the water with forceful down strokes to entice bites. A sub-seven foot rod is standard fare for these pursuits.

This stick is ideal for ripping wood choppers like this KLures Peacock Ripper

Guides are all SS/SiC by Fuji (all double footed)

For throwing big baits in pursuit of less exotic species like largemouth bass, the WSC68XXH-5 works, but another six inches in length would really help. It could use that extra length in the rear handle, but if you're staying around 3 ounces or less in lure weight, it's manageable. The rod's weight and balance are not ideal for a stick of its length either, but most of that can be overlooked given the convenience of its five-piece construction.

Unlike its larger sibling, the WSC75XH, this travel variant of the "Big Bait Special" features a cut away reel seat

Nishine Lure Works's new Albino 110F is like a mini-chopper bait made for bass. Despite its more conventional size and weight, it's fun and easy to throw on this travel sized Big Bait Special

Speaking of convenience, one of my favorite features on this rod is something I cannot understand is not more common on multi-piece sticks and that is alignment arrows or dots to help you line the pieces up correctly during assembly. Sure, you can accomplish this by looking down the rod at the guides, but that back and forth strategy is not as quick and effective as having actual markers to align as you slide the pieces together. Sticks that have these markers are an indication to me that the manufacturer has thought the process through.

Detailing at the reel seat hood is very clean

Finding a groove with these smaller topwater rats like Cl8Bait's Water Vole

Price & Applications: The Wild Side WSC68XXH-5 Big Bait Special retails for $374, right around the same price as its non-travel configured siblings and is built with a solid array of components. Some manufacturers up the price and downgrade the components on their travel sticks, but Legit Designs keeps it all within the same range. While this model is suited for large, heavy lures, there are other models including a more "Search for One," multi-purpose model (WSC68M-5), and a medium light spinning too (WSS610ML-5). The latter two rods feature a split rear grip design.

The Wild Side WSC68XXH-5 Big Bait Special retails for $374

Conclusion: Fishing rods that break down into two or three pieces are one thing, but true travel sticks that break down small enough to fit into your carry on luggage are another. There just are not very many options out there. Usually, with sticks like this, regardless of the number of pieces they break down into, you have to make some sacrifices, whether that sacrifice is the level of components, cost of the rod, something else, or a combination of factors, it's just not common to find a travel worthy, multi-piece option of the same stick a manufacturer offers in a non-travel package.

Sticks built for real travel are a rare commodity and Legit Designs gets it right with their Wild Side WSC68XXH-5 Big Bait Special

There is a sacrifice made with the WSC68XXH-5 when compared to its non-travel variant, the WSC75XH, and that's overall length. However, depending on the species you intend to pursue, this stick's shorter length can be an advantage. Case in point, when fishing in the Amazon. This stick feels custom tailored to throw and work big, topwater, wood choppers in pursuit of those powerful, ferocious, and exquisitely exotic species. If you're looking for a rod to throw in the trunk of your car, honestly, a two piece stick would be more convenient and less of a hassle to assemble. But two piece sticks still require special accommodations on an airplane. Sticks built for real travel are a rare commodity and Legit Designs gets it right with their Wild Side WSC68XXH-5 Big Bait Special.

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