So I'm actually thinking about spending some money on a custom muskie rod. This is something I pretty much swore I would NEVER do, but apparently, I also used to say I would go muskie fishing "over my dead body" or something to that effect. I have no recollection of making this statement, but my mentor insists I said it often as little as 5 years ago.

So let's talk about custom muskie rods. Are titanium guides worth the extra money? Has anyone used syn-cork handles? It looks like a very interesting concept, but I would be hesitant to go with it without trying it first or hearing some some people that have used it? Are they worth the wait (2-5 weeks at some places) for a custom rod when you can buy something off the rack and use it right away?

I'm currently using an 8 ft MH rod for big bucktails and wondering if I would regret not going up to 9 ft if I chose an 8'6" custom?

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.