Hatch Mag Reviews the Big Game Musky Models

Team Redington July 01, 2026

Musky fly anglers have long had to choose between mass-market rods that can't handle the punishment of sinking lines and heavy flies, or seeking out small-batch and custom builders who actually understand the game. Redington's new Big Game 11- and 12-weight rods — designed with musky attributes rarely seen outside boutique shops — set out to close that gap.

Guide and longtime musky specialist Matt Reilly spent months putting both rods through real fishing conditions to find out whether they're serious tools or just well-marketed hype. His verdict: these aren't simply two sizes of the same rod, but two distinct tools built for where musky fly fishing is headed next.

Reilly, a fly fishing guide and freelance writer based in southwest Virginia's musky country, published his experience with the 11- and 12-weight Big Game musky rods in a detailed review at Hatch Magazine this June.

His full review can be found at the link at the bottom of this post, but a few excerpts from his piece will give you a sense of his impression of our new musky sticks...

"To risk sounding dramatic, the ability of these two rods combined may be the biggest step forward that a major rod manufacturer has taken in the musky space in quite some time, and does well to consider where the sport of fly fishing for musky and its techniques are today, and where they’re headed in the future."
"These rods excite me as a musky fly angler and a participant in the fly fishing industry, as it seems to mark the reaching of a critical mass in fly fishing for musky... Redington has done well to hit a couple of sweet spots, creating two different musky fishing tools and setting a bar that’s long been due for major fly rod manufacturers."

Read Matt's full review at Hatch Magazine here and learn more about him at Matt Reilly Fly Fishing.

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