Real World Tests: I received this Triza Hibali during the Fall of 2021 and had difficulty finding a reel with which to match. I first paired it with a Shimano Exsence, but finally Abu Garcia's Zenon spinning reels became available so I gobbled one up with the specific intent of matching it with my Triza. I spooled the Zenon with a base layer of ten pound (10lb) Soft Steel Eminent Braid topped with a leader of six pound (6lb) Soft Steel Instinct Fluorocarbon (connected with a Uni to Uni knot).

Guides are Fuji SS/SiC

Casting: If there's one power rating that's pretty universal across manufacturers with rods I've fished, it's the 0 rating. It's so universal, I can only think of two companies that actually offer it in a rod designed for black bass - G.Loomis, and of course, Megabass. When I'm presenting a sub quarter ounce bait combination in open water with six pound (6lb) test line (or leader), I just need to be able and cast that bait combo reliably. Backbone and power are all secondary. With a manufacturer suggested rating of 1/32 - 3/16 of an ounce, the Hibali does just that. Despite its "Ultra Light" rating, it loads and fires off in a cast with precision requiring only a quick flick of your wrist to make your presentation.

The Hibali's tip

Sensitivity: The other benefit of fishing a stick with this light of a power rating is sensitivity. The lower you go in rod power, the easier it is to detect bites. Couple that with benefit with a high-tech blank design like Megabass's Triangle Construction and everything is taken to a different level. The tip on the Hibali is extremely responsive communicating both visually and through touch that a fish has taken your bait.

Fig 1 : The chart above illustrates the deflection characteristics of our Megabass Triza F0-68XSTZ Hibali against the historical averages of similarly powered rods we've tested over the past twenty years

Power: When I'm fishing a drop shot on light line, I rarely swing on my sets. Instead, I simply flex my wrist to arch the rod and exert pressure on the line allowing that light wire hook to do its work. I'm always afraid that if I snap my wrist in a forceful hookset, I'm going to break that line. This strategy rarely fails me but it does require a rod with the proper taper (i.e. moderate tapers do not apply). The tip of the Hibali transitions seamlessly into the mid-section triangle for a very smooth power curve that enables these lifting sets and also affords you about as much control as you can expect from a 0 power rod.

Megabass designs each section of this rod to deliver optimal performance

Next Section: What is the Triza's Triangle Construction?