The Best Inshore Saltwater Fishing Rod Ever???

We just designed the BEST inshore saltwater fishing rod.
Salt Strong teamed up with Mudhole Custom Fishing Rods to bring you a new, state-of-the-art inshore fishing rod.
We tailored this rod to every inshore saltwater angler’s needs.
See the FULL blog on our fishing tips page and learn more about the NEW Custom Salt Strong rod coming to the shop: bit.ly/3L1mHQH
We’re so excited about this rod we can’t wait to get it into your hands so you can CRUSH inshore fish!!
Join the Insider Club and get the Smart Fishing Spots App for FREE: bit.ly/3AZB57b
Chapters:
0:00 - Ultimate Inshore Fishing Performance Custom Rod
1:30 - This is NOT for everybody
3:49 - Learning & Understanding MORE about Fishing Rods
5:38 - Pairing Reels with the right Rods
7:21 - Top to Bottom Overview
10:00 - Hook Keepers
11:51 - Truth behind a Split-Grip
14:34 - Adding or Taking away Weight
17:36 - Class & Ratings
19:02 - ANOTHER Rod is on its way!
20:30 - Material & Construction
24:45 - Line Resistance & Guides
26:22 - Mud Hole Rod Building
29:28 - Our Goal
30:45 - The Salt Strong Custom Rod is COMING SOON!
32:50 - Get On The Early Notification List!!!
34:35 - Mud Hole Custom Rods

[@Saltstrong]

See the FULL blog on our fishing tips page and learn more about the NEW Custom Salt Strong rod coming to the shop: bit.ly/3L1mHQH

[@redlegionnaire4692]

Salt strong I’m definitely gonna save up for one. I’m not an insider but y’all’ve given me so much knowledge, and the lures you make really work. I caught many flounder on the slam shady 2.0 and I sightcasted a 30 inch red tailing with the gold digger. Also caught a 25 casting into a school. Lures did just as good as live bait. Thank you salt strong I love y’all😁

[@Saltstrong]

Awesome! Thank you!

[@randallmiller572]

Great looking rod!! All of that R&D will make it a great casting rod that the user can fish all day! Salt Strong and Mudhole, two great companies resulting in the ultimate collaboration!!

[@Saltstrong]

Thank you for the support!

[@sammypena1042]

Can’t wait to use this rod..these guys and this club are the best!!

[@Saltstrong]

Thank you for the support! We can't wait until it is available as well!

[@pfpublius]

Falcon is made in USA an i picked up an inshore spinning rod in the $100 range. Got it as a gift for my dad but liked it so much i went & got another for myself. Excellent rod. St. Croix is also made in USA but more expensive. I wish i could buy American made reels but i don't have that kind of cheddar...so I'm squarely in the "just not Chinese" market. TBH, i started changing off Chinese gear for no reason & the overall experience has actually improved. Tighter tolerances, better precision is leading to more fish & less frustration. But hell...I'll fish with a sapling whip and grass thread if that's all i got.

[@Saltstrong]

Thanks for sharing!

[@toddsutton9807]

Looks great, can’t wait to get my hands on one 🎉

[@Saltstrong]

Thanks! We can't wait until they are available!

[@jenniferswicegood4455]

So glad to see the new Slot Machine coming soon as it sounds awesome, but would also appreciate a direct comparison with the TFO Professional as it is also excellent for the $. Keep up the good work. Paul

[@Saltstrong]

Noted! Thanks!

[@FishingLouisiana2020]

I am a fan, looking forward to more videos.

[@Saltstrong]

Thanks for the support! Be sure to subscribe to get all of videos!

[@andrewwolf4963]

I have a salt strong rod the 7’6 bull bay , it snapped the first time I used it on a schoolie rockfish no more than a pound (I think it must’ve just been damaged) and it turned me off but y’all replaced it. And then I got to test it and it’s been one hell of a rod for me catching anything from largemouth to 29in striper to a 32in bull out the surf in OBX

[@Saltstrong]

Thanks for allowing us to replace it and for the support, we appreciate it!

[@jayzee1968]

General question around the topic of care for these rods during transport.. and to be even more specific transporting them on scooter or motorcycle to fishing destination. Anything to look out for or to wrap up on your precious rods? Or just as long as they’re not hitting up against one another or hard surfaces should suffice?

[@Saltstrong]

Thanks for your question! Make sure to ask this over on the actual blog or in the Community where the coaches spend their time. The blog can be found here:bit.ly/3L1mHQH

[@RH-nc8uu]

So guessing an mhx popping blank you got exclusive use of? All the specs would help. The more a rod costs the more people want to know exactly what components they get

[@Jritchey1211]

Actually, not an MHX at all. It's truly a proprietary. MHX doesn't even make their blanks here in the USA, they are overseas imports (to the best of my knowledge). They make amazing blanks, but this rod isn't a "slap a label on" type of rod, it's been designed from scratch and after multiple prototypes being made/built/tested.

[@Saltstrong]

Justin's response below is correct as he has personally been involved in the design of this rod. Thanks Justin!

[@KD-kf4zm]

There are no redfish, snook, etc. in Utah, but I will be buying one of these anyway (once available for the outsiders) to support the brand and check out the casting distance I may get. Maybe they'd be ok for the mackinaw/lake trout or wiper/striper we have here...

[@Saltstrong]

Thanks for the support! We can't wait until it is available!

[@Stevos_HookedonRods4844]

Well explained, would of been nice to see what the action of the rod is like, how many & what size guides. Not sold yet

[@Saltstrong]

This will have what you're looking for: www.saltstrong.com/articles/the-salt-strong-slot-machine-rod-is-here/ No joke, this is the best inshore saltwater rod we've ever come across. It is an all-purpose rod designed to tackle anything you might run into!

[@Stevos_HookedonRods4844]

@@Saltstrong Thanks for that. I like the look of the setup Cheers

[@bentleylewis558]

Would love to give one a go for Salmon Twitching in Canada.

[@Saltstrong]

Thanks for the support!

[@kevincook1599]

What was your rationale for not using Fuji SIC guides? Zirconia doesn't stand up to braid well at all from most testing out on the web.

[@jkg6211]

The testing must be either wrong, or biased. Zirconium guide rings hold up extremely well against braid - Silicon Carbide inserts hold up only slightly better - very slightly - and are almost double the price. I've been building custom rods for decades, and I have used Zirconium ringed guides since they came out... and have used nothing but braid with them. I have several rods over 15 years old, and the guides still look like new. (The Titanium framed ones, anyway)

[@Saltstrong]

SiC Is rated at a 9.5 MOH (measure of hardness) and Zirconium is rated 9.0 MOH. The .5 difference in hardness is negligible when discussing abrasion resistance and longevity of material. The reason we selected Zirconium over SiC is that the Zirconium can be ground to a thinner ring thickness without failure. This provides for a weight reduction on our LZR guides.

[@jkg6211]

@@Saltstrong I had forgotten about the brittleness/fragility of SiC compared to Zirconium. Lower cost, better durability, and lighter weight... what not to love? I really like Fuji titanium framed SiC guides, but with Mudhole's current titanium alloy and Zirconium guides - they're all I've used for the last decade on all my personal rods, and everyone I've built rods for that has them has fallen in love with them too. Their LZR line are good guides.

[@andrewwolf4963]

@@jkg6211 where do you build at? Love to get one

[@jkg6211]

@@andrewwolf4963 Sorry brother... I stopped building rods since they installed my pacemaker last year. I've been battling a really bad amine reaction for several years (it's in epoxy hardener) and at my age, it just isn't worth the risk to my health. It sucks being forced to give up something you love doing...

[@larrycater-tx613]

With all that, now I want one. I just ordered a TFO. Okay, I guess I’ll wait till I catch some fish.

[@Saltstrong]

Thanks for the support! We are excited for this one!

[@scuba_steve3630]

What reels did you use when doing the rod design?

[@40s9s3]

My question also. They name a few but would like a complete list

[@Saltstrong]

Generally speaking, a 2500 sized reel is optimal for this particular rod. But not all manufacturers have the same diameter 2500 spool. To be more specific, a spool with an outer diameter of 1.75"---2" is the ideal range for the Slot Machine. Since this rod is designed for artificial lures for Inshore Fishing, we'd suggest a lightweight reel between 6-8.5oz within these spool diameter measurements for best results. The brand of the reel is not as important as these aforementioned parameters when it comes to casting distance.

[@jameskempienski]

@@Saltstrong on the item description on your website can you add a list of reels that fit those measurement parameters?

[@michaelcangimilla2888]

I fish from the beach, docks, structures and pier. Would this be good for that type of fishing?

[@Saltstrong]

For sure!!!

[@michaelross5674]

I buy blanks from mudhole.... And make custom rods for myself.... Its fun

[@Saltstrong]

Thanks! It is a fun and rewarding!

[@kencleg7721]

Carbon blanks ?

[@66zam]

This is literally all marketing. Anytime someone says “game changer” that’s a wrap for me.

[@Saltstrong]

We are sorry you feel this way, this rod is a game changer as it has been custom designed by our team. Thanks for checking it out though!

[@paulfitzpatrick6202]

So I bought this rod. The little hook near the reel that you hook your lure to when your done fishing. It is hanging out there and my braid caught on it when casting time after time. I finally bought some epoxy and applied a drop at the end closing the wire loop. Other than that it's a great rod

[@paulfitzpatrick6202]

Why they didn't make a loop to hook your lure to like most rods do tied to the rod at both ends is beyond me

[@Saltstrong]

Thank you for your question! We have a massive library of fishing tips on our website along with a search feature to let you quickly filter down to find help you're looking for, so just go to www.saltstrong.com/ and use the Search feature in the top menu. Note: If you don't see the exact answer you're looking for, just leave a comment in the post that most closely matches up with your search and one of our coaches will respond to your question... our coaches only make time to answer questions that get submitted to our website.

[@garyf4517]

Have you posted the test to see if your reel matches your rod

[@Saltstrong]

Thank you for your question! We have a massive library of fishing tips on our website along with a search feature to let you quickly filter down to find help you're looking for, so just go to www.saltstrong.com/ and use the Search feature in the top menu.

[@andrewwolf4963]

That rod looks like Fenwick and Loomis had a baby Smart move on the rings, your last Salt Strong rod is tip heavy with every reel I try whether it’s a 2500 Stradic , 2500 fuego, 3000 Ultegra, or even a 5000 Vanford or twin power. I love the look of the grey and black too

[@Saltstrong]

Like Fenwick and Loomis had a baby...lol

[@kencleg7721]

Back in the day all salt rides were just fiberglass solid blanks. West coast what’s changed ? I’ve used a ma fen wick 77 for years ?

[@Saltstrong]

Thanks for your question! Make sure to ask this over on the actual blog or in the Community where the coaches spend their time. The blog can be found here: bit.ly/3L1mHQH

[@jordanrivera142]

Would you recommend the diawa saltist MQ 3000 for this rod?

[@Saltstrong]

Great question! Make sure to ask this over on the actual blog or in the Community (www.saltstrong.com/) where the coaches spend their time. The blog can be found here: bit.ly/3L1mHQH

[@comfortablynumb9342]

I'm sure that's a very nice rod but I can't afford it. But the ones you have in the $100 range look pretty tempting. Which one do I want specifically for flounder jigging using 1/8-1/2 oz jigs? I have a bunch of Ugly Stiks now with Penn reels and I think a nicer rod that's for jigging would be better. I fish from piers, the beach, and a kayak around the Chesapeake. I use 10 lb braid and will probably put my 2000 size Fierce on it.

[@Saltstrong]

Thanks for the question. Check out the full blog on our website and post your question there. That way our team can respond back directly with a recommendation. You can find that here: bit.ly/3L1mHQH Feel free to also email our Customer Support Team at [e-mail] and they can get you a recommendation.

[@tedlarrabee9278]

Wondering how it compares to Loomis NRX MR inshore series..??

[@Saltstrong]

Thanks for the question! Please visit the full blog on our website and post your question there. That way, our team can respond directly. You can find it here: bit.ly/3L1mHQH

[@TCampbell1990]

Thought y’all were having bull bay make rods

[@Saltstrong]

We are no longer carrying the Bull Bay Rod at this time. Email us at [e-mail] if we can answer any questions! Thank you!

[@jeffpetri8177]

The rod to me is more important than the reel, but I really like nice reels also

[@Saltstrong]

Thanks for the feedback!

[@FreeUrMindz]

What is the distance from reel seat to the first guide?

[@Saltstrong]

Thanks for your question! Make sure to ask this over on the actual blog or in the Community where the coaches spend their time. The blog can be found here: www.saltstrong.com/articles/slot-machine-blank-analysis/

[@40s9s3]

What's distance from seat to first guide?

[@Saltstrong]

The answer is 23". But that's only the distance for the 1st reduction guide; the other 2 reduction guide placement, combined with their distance away from the blank itself contribute to the overall castability of the rod with specific reel sizes.

[@40s9s3]

@@Saltstrong was just curious because looked like a long way down the rod

[@8InaDay]

What blank are you using by which manufacturer?

[@Saltstrong]

It's a custom rod. Please visit the full blog on our website if you'd like more information or to post your question there for Joe to respond to. You can find that here: bit.ly/3L1mHQH

[@8InaDay]

@Salt Strong yeah I get that its a custom rod but it still was made by a manufacturer. Who would that be? How many mil mod is the rod blank? Weight of the blank? Those specifications should be available.

[@user-ey2te5vs3z]

That’s no small feature. That is a nice hook keeper. I will make one and wrap one on a few of my rods

[@drevil4454]

"tiny short buts" and rods in one sentence 🤣I can appreciate this. Must say a good-looking rod (even though it might give you a false sense) still instills a bit of confidence. Get them into the South African market. 7.6' rods are as scarce as hen's teeth over here.

[@Saltstrong]

Helping how we can!

[@MrRednexus]

Shimano Conquest hands down the best!

[@Saltstrong]

Thanks for the feedback!

[@samn4611]

Guys on custom rods it really doesn’t matter whether it’s a split grip or full because regardless when you balance out a rod your going to have to add weight into the butt section to get that great feeling so it’s mostly based on personal preference

[@Saltstrong]

Thanks for the insight!

[@samn4611]

@@Saltstrong no problem like I said there is nothing wrong with both because it’s the same process I personally am a fan of split grips on my builds it allows me to use that section of the rod for decorative wraps and decals

[@garyf4517]

Will you be offering this rod in a 7 ft version

[@Saltstrong]

We have plans to work with Mudhole on a few other rods coming soon!

[@Noone765]

Where can I buy a Slot Machine?

[@Saltstrong]

We have it on our site here: fishstrong.com/collections/saltwater-rods/products/mud-hole-custom-rod?variant=42988617400494

[@williamjones3603]

What is the warranty??? St croix-15yr, phenix- lifetime, etc

[@Saltstrong]

Email us at [e-mail] and we can provide more info. Thanks!

[@bcp5296d]

This rod looks well made, but I don't see the need for anything more expensive than my fenwick HMG or elite tech rods personally. Maybe if I start making over 200k a year like these salt strong guys :) I can't tell much difference between a $160 rod and a $350 rod personally.

[@Saltstrong]

Thanks for the watching!

[@rebornspirit1047]

Man I have an 8ft star paraflex surf rod. I hate the length of the handle, so i asked my local shop to move the reel seat down, they said its easier to just cut the butt of the rod

[@Saltstrong]

Did that fix it for you?

[@rebornspirit1047]

@@Saltstrong nope i barely use it

[@jameskempienski]

Awesome. I’m in tampa bay. Would love to see more of this series of rods. Slot machine for inshore, upper slot machine for fishing against heavy structure for snook snapper sheepshead even grouper where I need to tighten down on the drag. Then maybe a 20-40 lb rod for big grouper, tarpon, cobia, and kings. Those three would cover all of the tampa bay inshore nearshore/bay and bridges and off shore.

[@Saltstrong]

More to come! Thanks for your support!

[@garyf4517]

Is this the same rod you will get if you join the founders club?

[@Saltstrong]

Yes sir!

[@andrewwolf4963]

I feel like split grips help me detect bites better though just opinion Y’all didn’t need to sell us that hard on this rod don’t worry about defending durability those of us who buy rods over 250 bucks are psychopaths and we buy them for sensitivity usually or most commonly. Not durability. That’s why we own a few TFO tacticals off your site to throw in the truck lol But the 600 dollar rod is for us , I don’t bring my NRX when I go on the boat with buddies, I bring my IMX pro or expride or Fenwick or Avid or mojo . When I’m going by myself and bringing my scale I take my NRX GLX because I’m on a mission lol I can’t wait to order one of these

[@Saltstrong]

Thanks for the feedback and support Andrew!

[@michaelross5674]

I want to make my own just buy the parts

[@Saltstrong]

You can reach out to Mudhole directly for the info on rod building.

[@c.ljones1229]

No mention of warranty if not a lifetime.Hard to beat a Loomis Pro Green.

[@jkg6211]

If only Gary still made rods...

[@Saltstrong]

Email us at [e-mail] and we can assist you further. Thank you!

[@charlesgurnea2004]

What happened to a casting rods we all don't throw spinning reels

[@Saltstrong]

Thanks for your question! Make sure to ask this over on the actual blog or in the Community where the coaches spend their time. The blog can be found here: bit.ly/3L1mHQH

[@swampfox8030]

I use an 11 foot salmon rod. Best rod for flats fishing (NOT FROM A BOAT). I can feel my shrimp wink with that rod.

[@Saltstrong]

Thanks for sharing!

[@Floridaflyfishingproductions]

I wish smart spots app was on play store 😒

[@ericwood430]

It isn’t on any App Store. It’s a web application so it should work on most devices

[@Saltstrong]

We use a "progressive" app, it works like an “app” but is more accessible. Check this information out about and email us at [e-mail] if you have any questions! www.saltstrong.com/articles/native-apps-vs-progressive-apps/ Thank you!

[@charlesgurnea2004]

Why is all about spinning and not casting rods

[@Saltstrong]

Just what we did for this particular video.

[@redklockranch1956]

$400 rod... so much for reality.

[@Saltstrong]

If you check out our website, we have a wide variety of rods at different price points. fishstrong.com/collections/rods-1

[@paulmoss7940]

I'm sure its good, but its way too expensive.

[@Saltstrong]

Thanks for checking it out!

[@wicced1069]

Great marketing. No thx. Carbon fiber ? That’s just a reason to increase the price.

[@Saltstrong]

Thanks for checking it out!

[@DrewPrice]

Spinning only? RIP guess I'm out.

[@Saltstrong]

For now yes, we do carry bait casing and surf rods on our tackle shop fishstrong.com/collections/rods-1