TackleTour First Look : Megabass 2017 Destroyer Lineup Fishing Rods

First Look (Part2)

Megabass's Destroyer Series Goes USDM - Part 2

Date:	6/24/17
Tackle Type:	Rods
Manufacturer:	Megabass of America
Reviewer:	Cal

Introduction: In our last article, we took a look at the first four rods in Megabass of America's new 2017 Destroyer lineup and promised a look at the next four models built for more serious, prime time fishing. We're talking jigs, flipping and punching, frogging, and yes, swimbaits. Not your run of the mill two to four ounce baits, but real swimbaits weighing in excess of six ounces on up to eight. Here we go.

Ready for Day 2 of our First Look into Megabass's 2017 Destroyer lineup? Let's go!

F6-71X FMJ (Full Metal Jacket): The F6-71X FMJ is probably the most mysterious stick in the lineup simply for its initials. What does FMJ stand for? Inside sources tell us "Full Metal Jacket" but rest assured there will be more creative interpretations as time lets on. We came up with a few but none that are safe for publication.

Introducing the F6-71 FMJ (Full Metal Jacket).

F6-71X FMJ Quick Spec
Length	7'-1"
Line Wt.	10-25lb
Lure Wt.	3/8-1 1/4oz
Rear Handle Length	10.5"
Power Rating	Xtra Heavy
Taper	Fast
Rod Weight	4.5oz
Balance Point to midline of reel seat	8"
MSRP	$399.99

The FMJ lines up quite nicely with one of our very favorite Megabass sticks, the Orochi X4 Destruction.

The FMJ's handle design is similar to the previous rods, but this time, it's all cork and not a mix of cork and EVA foam.

The FMJ is a seven foot, one inch (7'-1") stick with a big time, heavy cover rating and built with the primary purpose of helping you get that jig and pull a fish back out of the nastiest cover you dare pitch into. So of course, what do I do in our first look but use it as a frog rod.

Rigged and ready to go with a 2013 Shimano Metanium.

Temperatures were approaching one hundred degrees on the day we took these sticks out on the water, so I matched the FMJ up with a 2013 Shimano Metanium spooled with braided line and tied on a Molix SuperNato Beetle to see if I could coax some bass out of heavy cover.

That tip is very responsive in pitches and casts, but we need more time on the water with this one to determine if it's as special as the F6-72X4 Destruction.

It handled that situation with ease. This could be a sleeper frog rod for those who prefer shorter lengths for casting under docks and overhanging trees. To get a sense of the rod's tip in pitching situations, I let out some line, grabbed the frog with my left hand and swung the bait out just above the water's surface. The FMJ is a fine pitching rod too which of course bodes well for those who will use it for the purpose for which it was designed - fishing jigs.

One thing is certain, it's a great stick for tossing Molix's SuperNato Beetle!

F7-76X Valvidia: Ironically, this next stick, the F7-76 Valvidia was designed for throwing frogs on long casts over matted vegetation. That seven foot, six inch (7'-6") length is intended to give you leverage to bomb a frog over and beyond vast stretches of matted vegetation.

Introducing the F7-76 Valvidia.

F7-76X Valvidia Quick Spec
Length	7'-6"
Line Wt.	10-25lb
Lure Wt.	3/8-1 1/2oz
Rear Handle Length	10.75"
Power Rating	XXtra Heavy
Taper	Extra-Fast
Rod Weight	5.3oz
Balance Point to midline of reel seat	8"
MSRP	$399.99

The Valvidia feels like a flipping stick because of its length and inherent power, but thanks to a really nice tip, this stick is so much more.

The Valvidia shares a similar handle design to that of the FMJ.

But another topwater bait I like to fish with rods as long as the Valvidia is a buzzbait. So I paired the Valvidia with my Shimano Metanium MGL spooled with 10lb Sunline Supernatural and tied on a Custom Lures Unlimited BZB8T as a challenge to see if this stick could handle such a light (3/8oz) and non-aerodynamic bait.

The Valvidia's taper is extra fast and its tip is super easy to actuate.

Well handle it the Valvidia did and then some. Don't let the rod's spec and length fool you, like it did us, into thinking it's a flipping stick. Thanks to a super light tip, this stick is so much more and I can easily see how it was built to launch a frog beyond the next patch of hydrilla. Heck, it did so with a much less aerodynamic buzzbait.

Paired with a Shimano Metanium MGL and ready for a first look.

Thanks to its length, I was easily able to lift the buzzbait to the surface of the water after each cast and confidently work it back to the boat. I even got a fish to cooperate on an explosive hit where the rod's long length really helped on the hookset enabling me to land the fish for a photo op. Add this one to my personal list of Destroyers I need more time with.

The Valvidia is a beast of a topwater rod.

Next Section: Drop the Warhammer!