Mike Bucca
Heavy-duty swimbait casting rods designed with Mike Bucca for large Bull Shad swimbaits
A signature collaboration between Dobyns and lure designer Mike Bucca (creator of the Bull Shad swimbait series), the MB Bull Shad casting rods are purpose-engineered for large swimbaits in the 6–11 inch range and similarly sized jointed hard baits and glide baits. Target angler is a big-bait bass specialist who throws heavy, jointed lures requiring a rod that can lob weight, maintain contact during slow retrieves, and set hooks on soft takes through large trebles.
Blanks are ultra-sensitive high-modulus graphite with Kevlar wrapping for torsional stiffness, the same platform as the Dobyns swimbait lineup. Action is described as fast but on the slower side of fast, which is intentional: too-fast tip action can snatch trebles out of soft bites on jointed baits. Sea Guide XO guide system keeps weight low and durability high. Full EVA foam handle is standard across Dobyns swimbait rods. Fuji reel seat provides a secure lock for heavy reels.
Both models are casting only. Two models, both 8'3": MB835SB at MH power (1–5 oz, 15–30 lb) and MB836SB at H power (2–8 oz, 20–40 lb). The models differ lure range, the MH handles mid-size Bull Shads and multi-jointed glide baits; the H handles the largest Bull Shads and full-size heavy swimbaits. Rod length is identical, so the choice is purely about lure weight.
Shaded band: the spread of the lineup's 2 models, as percentile rank among same-type rods. Solid line = series median · dashed ring = catalog median.
- Models
- 2 casting
- Length
- 8'3" 2.50 m
- Power
- MH–H
- Action
- F
- Line
- 15–40 lb
- Lure
- 1–8 oz 28–227 g
- List price
- $229.99
- Released
- 2021
Rods in this series
2 models| Save | Model | Length | Power | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MB836SB | 8'3" | H | Buy on Amazon | |
| MB835SB | 8'3" | MH | Buy on Amazon |
Model notes
All 2 modelsBuilt for the full-size Bull Shad, 9–11 inch models, and other large-format swimbaits. The 20–40 lb line range indicates this is braided-line territory with a heavy fluorocarbon leader. The 8 oz ceiling covers virtually all production swimbaits.
Handles the 6–8 inch Bull Shad range and similarly sized glide baits. The MH power provides enough load for sustained slow retrieves without fatiguing the blank. The 1 oz floor makes this unsuitable for mid-size swimbaits under 1 oz.