Offshore Rod Recipes for Sailfish & Pelagic Prizes

Dec 23, 2021

By Chris Adams

Offshore Rod Recipes for Sailfish & Pelagic Prizes

When headed offshore for big game the right gear is a huge part of the puzzle. Make the most of your days on the water by having custom rods built from blanks specifically designed for the job. Find out what it takes to build an offshore rod to battle the fastest fish in the ocean and more!

Fishing Rods Built for Big Saltwater Species

Before heading offshore, there are moments you can’t help but dream up.

For many anglers, the thrill of fishing offshore is a rush. But it can be the ultimate test of the mind and your equipment.

Once you’re in the blue water and the teasers are out, the scene in the prop wash can quickly change from calm and quiet, to a nervous bait fish and a fantastic fish exploding from the water in an instant.

Moments like this can be rare. Moments when you are literally connected to a prized sportfish that’s screaming drag and tail walking to the horizon.

Moments that come down to the fishing rod in your hand.

But as rod builders, we approach these battles with added confidence because we built our rod, from the butt to the tip, for this moment!

The Top 4 MHX Rods for Sailfish & More

Success in these moments are a mixture of chance and preparation. As a rod builder, no one is more prepared. You are familiar and confident in every aspect of that rod.

When your rods are ready and your tackle is prepped, all that awaits is your moment on the water. While fishing offshore, never allow the downtime lull you to sleep because when that moment strikes, you and your custom rod need to be ready.

We organized this arsenal of Offshore Rod Recipes tough enough for any pelagic challenge to help you select the right rod blanks and components to make the most of your moments.

Add these Rod Recipes to Your Offshore Wishlist:

1. The Versatile L904-MHX Inshore Spinning Rod Going Offshore

Although this #L904-MHX is categorized in the inshore series, but we promise it packs the punch to handle offshore fishing as well.

At a length of 7’6″ this L904 has a strategic moderate-fast action and a boosted medium-heavy power to keep fish pinned and keep you in control of the fight, especially against the aggressive saltwater species.

Whether fishing live bait, or pulling plugs, jerk baits, and swim baits, this L904 rod blank builds a great fishing rod to catch’em all!

Starting with an EVA handle setup typically meant for an inshore rod, this L904 rod uses the EVA mated with a composite cork butt cap because it will spend time in a rod holder and against your body while fighting big fish. With this EVA and butt cap, it is durable enough to handle abuse but comfortable so you can lean into fish without having to use a fighting belt.

Plus, we upgraded the reel seat to an all aluminum CRB Vented Seat that can handle anything from snook, barracuda, and bonito, to even dolphin and sailfish.

This rod also features a brilliant pop of color between the metallic blue threadwork matching the vents in the reel seat along with the clean finish of the white blank.

Watch the L904-MHX Fishing Rod Recipe:

Inshore Fishing Rod Goes Big! Mud Hole CUSTOM ROD RECIPES Light Saltwater L904-MHX from Mud Hole Custom Tackle™ on Vimeo.

Learn the L904-MHX Rod Recipe below:

2. The FP937-MHX Spinning Rod for Pitching & Bump Trolling Live Bait

You may have fished this MHX rod blank as a notorious bass snatcher, but believe it or not – The FP937 has the power and the perfect moderate-fast action for sailfish and more exciting saltwater species!

This is a rod blank pulling double duty in the Flippin’ and Pitchin’ series and in the offshore fishing battalion because it has the precise rod specs and performance to do it.

The #FP937-MHX is usually reserved for close quarters combat in heavy cover, however, the same specs that make it a stud in freshwater translate perfectly to the demands of pitching and bump trolling live bait offshore.

For example, the 7’9” FP937 has a strategically designed taper and specific modulus that helps engineer this model into a Mod-Fast Action, XX-Heavy Power all-around beast of a fishing rod. When you’re pitching live baits, like cigar minnows or threadfins, it’s nice to know you can carefully pitch that bait out to keep them lively and more likely to get eaten.

As circle hooks have become the standard with live bait offshore, the Mod-Fast Action is key for sweeping the rod to the side and allowing the parabolic bend and length of the rod to go to work hooking the fish.

In a custom touch, this FP937 build features slim vertical jigging grips on the handle that allow you to keep a firm, comfortable grip on the rod even when prized sportfish peel off drag and take you for a ride.

Watch the FP937-MHX Fishing Rod Recipe:

FP937 SAILFISH_Rod Recipe from Mud Hole Custom Tackle™ on Vimeo.

Learn the FP937-MHX Saltwater Rod Recipe below:

Trust us, this rod will fight to turn the heads of the ocean’s fastest sailfish and bring ‘em boat side!

3. The Spiral Wrap 7’0” SW70MH Nearshore Saltwater Rod

The #SW70MH-MHX Saltwater Rod Blank is a Mod-Fast Action, Medium-Heavy Power blank that has led MHX in the heavy saltwater and offshore fishing communities for years.

This blank is always our choice for an all-around longer trolling rod, especially when bump trolling live baits. With its longer length and power, this rod is one of the most versatile models from the MHX Saltwater Series!

Although we built the SW70MH for a conventional reel, we understand the torque that aggressive saltwater can impose on a fishing rod. This torque can translate into twisting of the rod in hand. This twist can lead to extra fatigue as you are having to fight the fish and fight the rod at the same time.

In the spirit of building custom rods, we decided to spiral wrap, or acid wrap the guide train to help handle this type of torque and fight the fish as if it was a spinning rod all along.

Watch the SW70MH-MHX Fishing Rod Recipe:

SW70MH Spiral Wrap_Rod Recipe from Mud Hole Custom Tackle™ on Vimeo.

Learn the SW70MH-MHX Rod Recipe below:

Now this build is ready to tame billfish, mahi, kingfish, cobia, and so much more!

4. The Power Tip PTSW84M-MHX Conventional Saltwater Rod

This custom MHX Power Tip Saltwater Fishing Rod is built to land big game offshore and is a real head turner. The engineers at MHX Rod Blanks put together a combination of graphite and incorporated a glass tip, which allows the Power Tips easily outwork other trolling and live bait options to keep you hooked up and in control.

Catch sailfish, kingfish, dolphin, and more on this awesome custom saltwater rod!

We went all out on this power tip rod recipe. It features some incredible custom options, including a super grade cork fore grip not seen on factory built saltwater rods.

Not to mention, the electric metallic blue thread work throughout and top tier rod components to match… This is one custom rod that fishes as beautiful as it looks.

Watch the PTSW84M-MHX Fishing Rod Recipe:

PTSW84M_MHX_Rod Recipe from Mud Hole Custom Tackle™ on Vimeo.

Follow all our Offshore Rod Recipes and use all the knowledge provided above to tailor your high-performance saltwater rods to your fishing demands.

Rod building is more than a hobby, it adds another level of preparation that takes anglers from wishing they had better equipment, to fishing confidently with rods built to succeed in the moment.

Check out these rod recipes in action on Mud Hole TV!

Mud Hole TV: Flippin for Sailfish

Mud Hole TV: Flippin' for Sailfish | Custom MHX Rods Take on the Ocean's Fastest Fish | Stuart, FL from Mud Hole Custom Tackle™ on Vimeo.

The Mud Hole Team heads down to South Florida with a boatload of custom rods in search of sailfish, kingfish, and more exciting saltwater species. Find out what fishing rods we recommend and see how they hold up against these legendary species offshore!

It’s time to put our MHX Saltwater Rod Blanks and a few more favorites to the ultimate test. Join us on Mud Hole TV to witness how each fishing rod recipe built in the Mud Hole workshop performs in sport fishing’s most legendary location… Stuart, Florida!

The mission of Mud Hole TV is to bring the rewards of rod building to the masses. Not only by teaching you how to build your own custom rods, but also by going out and catching fish with the very rods we built to do it.

Make the most of the rods you bring for big game by discovering what rod blanks and components are quintessential offshore.

Learn what it takes to build an offshore fishing rod capable of catching the fastest fish in the ocean… and more!