Muskie setup

I'm looking to add another rod/reel combo. I currently have a St. Croix Premier Graphite 6 1/2 ft MH rod with a Abu Garcia 6500-C3 reel. I've been following the interest in longer rods (8 1/2 ft) with fast tips to throw big baits (double cowgirls, regular bulldawgs)and reels with faster retrieve to burn bucktails. The C3 has a 5.3:1 ratio with 25.5 in retrieve per turn with 15 lbs. max drag.

Any personal experiences on the above theories would be appreciated as well as suggestions for a second setup, brand & models included.

The combo you have is a good set up for jerk baits and walk the dog top water baits like a jackpot. I use longer rods for other baits. I have several Shimano Muskie reels and really like them. They are more expensive but hold up well. I have them cleaned and lubed every other year. You need a extra heavy rod for large baits like Bull Dawgs and Medussas. Rod and reel combos are tools and you need different tools for different jobs.