Megabass Destroyer TS78X+ King of Baccarat Product Review

Rod Review

A Vibe Not Sensed Since... Megabass's Destroyer TS King of Baccarat

Date:	8/23/26
Tackle Type:	Rod
Manufacturer:	Megabass
Reviewer:	Cal

Total Score: 7.92 - GOOD

Introduction: Back a few years, around 2022, I found myself in need of a big bait stick capable of handling two rather large topwater rat baits I had acquired from Illude Bait Company's resin bait subdivision, Lunker Fighters. They were the Zombie XL two and three piece baits weighing nine and nine and a half ounces (9 & 9.5oz) respectively. I had sticks that could handle it of course, namely my Gan Craft Dead Sword R-One, but when that Enthusiast bone begins to ache, the only way to soothe it is by clicking "Buy it Now" and so this is how I came into possession with the subject of today's review : Megabass's Destroyer T.S. TS78X+ King of Baccarat.

Megabass Destroyer TS78X+ King of Baccarat Specifications
Material	Multi-wrap SLX Graphite
Length	7'-8"
Line Wt.	16-40lb
Lure Wt.	3-15oz
Pieces	One
Guides	9+tip (Fuji SiC - all double footed)
Rear Handle Length	16"
Power Rating	Xtra-Xtra-Heavy
Taper	Medium-Fast
Rod Weight	9.4oz
Origin	Made in China
MSRP	$599

Introducing Megabass's TS78X+ King of Baccarat

Background and Impressions: From what I can discern, Megabass debuted their Destroyer T.S. series in 2017. Other than saying these sticks were designed to support heavy baits, there's not much literature out there as to what the T.S. stands for. There's a tachyon shaft in some of the Destroyer P5 rods, but I'm not so sure this is the same thing. The Tachyon Shaft is designed for quick, powerful hook sets, not heavy baits.

The King of Baccarat carries with it the extreme lure rating of up to 15oz!

Nevertheless, because this series debuted in 2017, my King of Baccarat didn't see much front line duty as I never intended to write it up. Usually, after five years, a rod series is already at or near the end of its product life cycle, so why write about something readers wouldn't be able to purchase? Fast forward to the end of 2025 when I received a message asking me for a recommendation on a JDM big bait stick for really heavy baits, and I discover Destroyer T.S. is still around!

The blank features a cross weave reinforcement

So here we are. The TS78X+ King of Baccarat is short by huge bait standards measuring just seven feet, eight inches (7'-8") in length. Thing is, that's the perfect length for my boat where the longest fishing rod I can get into my locker is seven feet, nine inches (7'-9") - I think. Most big bait sticks with the King of Baccarat's lure rating (3-15oz) are a full eight feet long - like Gan Craft's Dead Sword Shaku-One. I was genuinely ecstatic when I discovered this stick and even more so once I held it in my dirty little paws. It is built with a split rear grip of EVA foam and a complete guide train double footed, double wrapped guides (Fuji SiC).

I purchased this stick several years ago with the intent of fishing this bait - Illude Bait's Lunker Fighter Zombie XL rat

Real World Tests: On the King of Baccarat's initial (and I think only) trip on the boat in 2022, shortly after purchase, I believe I paired it with my Megabass LIN Black Jungle reel. For its renewed, extended time on the water, I chose Abu Garcia's new BEAST 300. The LIN Black Jungle only gets to come out on special occasions. For this round of tests, I stripped the BEAST 300 of its supply of 20lb Izorline XXX Super CoPoly and installed supply of Sunline FX2 in 80lb and tied on an approximate twenty foot (20') leader of 30lb Varivas Absolute BBM using an Alberto knot.

Paired with Abu Garcia's '25 Beast 300

Casting: Megabass's TS78X+ is rated up to a full fifteen ounces (15oz or 425g) in lure weight. That's one ounce shy of a full pound - a full pound! Needless to say, short of a lead ball weight, I didn't have any lures to really put the King of Baccarat in crisis mode and I didn't really want to deface my precious salmon weights by installing treble hooks. Best I could do was dust off my Roman Made Mother and take a few swings. This bait weighs eleven and a third ounces (11.3oz). The baits for which I acquired this stick, the Illude Lunker Fighters Zombie Double and Triple XL "only" weigh nine and nine and a half ounces (9 & 9.5oz) respectively.

Double footed guides throughout

Unsurprisingly, the King of Baccarat handled the 11.3oz bait fine, so I decided to go the other route and see if I could effectively cast and fish a bait below the rod's lure rating. For this I chose a couple of baits from Bigbait, their Awaken, and Big Prop Wakebait weighing two and two and a quarter ounces (2 and 2.25oz) respectively.

Rear grip made from EVA foam

Turns out the TS78X+ handled these baits fine as well but I don't think I'd go below this weight threshold, or if I did, I'd use a smaller reel. The combo of Abu's Beast 300 together with the King of Baccarat is a heavy duty combo and tossing "light" baits like this takes more effort than is needed - not in the actual cast, but in grasping and holding the combo.

Simple and understated by Megabass standards

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