Introduction:
There is a mystique and beauty to a Megabass rod. A simple fishing rod that is hand assembled to the highest level of precision and quality, as one would expect from a product of Japanese ethos and heritage. A simple fishing rod that has design elements that are more than just the sum of disparate practical parts leading to an end result, a Megabass rod is a piece of industrial art.
Be it a Destroyer Phase II F1-51X ‘Toothpick’ at a petite 5’1″, or a Destroyer Black Jungle FX-83XBJ ‘Double Bull’ at a lofty 8’3″, or any length, power, taper, or model in between, rest assured that the Megabass rod you hold in your hand is at the pinnacle of rod design and execution. Carefully machined, anodized lock nuts, reel seats, winding checks and other essential parts are designed and manufactured in house. So too are myriad rod blanks of exotic materials and blends that have been conjured up by the visionary of Megabass himself, Yuki Ito. Not conjured up in the flashy yet soulless plastic reflection/replication of today’s fishing products, but created with unbound imagination, crystalline focus, and a master artist’s touch. With one objective in mind. Micropterus salmoides.
Megabass is art disguised as a precision instrument of pure fishing intent. A rose for an unrequited love.
With that being said, much of the mystique behind Megabass is the fact that only in the past few years have their amazing rod lines become known to the angling public, and available for purchase here in the USA, which had been lagging behind the rest of the world in having official Megabass factory support. In the not so distant past, any Megabass rod purchase had to be made overseas and warranty claims were invalid outside of the country of sale. Any Megabass rod imported into the USA was done with the understanding that your hard earned dollars had not only bought you one of the most unique and sensitive rods in the world, but that if it broke due to a manufacturer flaw, not only you were out an amazing rod, but had no recompense from Megabass to address your concerns. That has now all changed, and the Megabass bass rod lines introduced to the USA are available with a standard factory warranty, which is a huge relief. The Orochi XX line and the upcoming Levante rod line will be the main focus of Megabass in the USA, with small, one time, limited runs of other rod lines being offered to select retailers, and the Arms rod line being available for custom order at any time.
The goal is for this series of articles (there is just way too much to cover in one post) to be the definitive guide to Megabass bass fishing rods, both US and Japanese domestic models, from Megabass’ humble inception in Yuki Ito’s garage in 1985 to the current day’s finely tuned instruments. Megabass’ sometimes confusing terminology will be explained, and over time, a master list of all Megabass rods and lineups from 1986 to today will be posted.
Bass Nasty Fishing 