TULALA Masso 77XH

Regular Taper for Flexibility and Thick Wrapping for Strength: A Simple Pursuit of Power
Supervised by Takashi Adachi, who travels domestically and internationally in search of large freshwater fish using planes, cars, and even motorcycles, the short-sized folding series Masso is born.

The name Masso comes from the Italian word meaning "rock" or "boulder." Like a solid rock, it’s designed to be robust and dependable, providing a reliable companion in any situation—whether you’re using large lures or fighting big fish, the reassurance of strength is a key factor that can't be overlooked.

In the pursuit of sturdy simplicity, rather than opting for a pack rod with many joints, we chose an unconventional multi-piece design with a 130cm length to preserve the inherent strength of the rod. The series' logo features a buffalo, a symbol of power, embodying the emphasis on reliability.

130cm Collapsed Size with Grip Joint in an Unconventional 3-Piece Design
A one-piece rod, with no joints, is traditionally considered the most capable, but as you add joints, the rod’s performance tends to diminish. Multi-piece rods, like pack rods, don’t surpass the performance of one-piece rods, but they are easier to transport, freeing you from carrying long tubes, and preventing lost luggage during travel.

Fishing trips are all about balance—deciding what aspects of gear and travel you can compromise on. Through my many fishing trips, I found the limit I was willing to compromise on was a collapsed length of 130cm. This is especially important for the tip-to-belly section, which is considered the "face" of the rod. Adding joints here compromises casting weight capacity, lowers breaking strength, and negatively affects the feel of lure action.

Given these challenges, we adopted an unconventional multi-piece design that eliminates joints at the tip. The main purpose of fishing trips is to catch the fish you’ve dreamed of, and to achieve this, we prioritized a design with a 3-piece structure that emphasizes reliability and feel.

Strength of Keeping within 160cm Shipping Size
With a collapsed size of 130cm, when placed in a bazooka rod case, the total dimensions stay within 158cm, allowing for air travel on international and domestic flights. For domestic trips, using low-cost carriers (LCC), it’s often more practical to ship heavy luggage via courier service rather than carrying it through the airport. Many anglers in Japan ship their rods to their accommodations or rental car locations before traveling light.

In 2023, the standard maximum size for shipping rods domestically is 160cm. Some couriers may reject long items, and in certain cases, island shipping fees or high surcharges can make transporting long rods as expensive as buying a new one. To avoid these issues, a packed rod that stays under the 160cm limit is a practical solution.

When traveling by car, especially rental cars or small local vehicles, you won’t always have access to a rod holder. In some cases, you might need to lay the rod horizontally in the back seat of a compact car. The 130cm length has proven to be a problem-free size in these situations.

This rod is designed to handle PE line of 5 or higher and large lures weighing from 4oz to 11oz, making it ideal for targeting large fish over 20kg. Its slim, thick-wrapped regular taper construction offers stability and confidence, particularly when casting heavy big baits, working them, and battling large fish.

Superior Control and Balanced Performance

Handling large baits all day can be extremely tiring, but the Masso77 is crafted for ease of use and balanced control, helping you manage energy during long fishing sessions. While it's not the lightest rod, the 39cm rear grip helps with long casts, especially when using your pulling hand, and stays out of the way during lure action. The grip's material composition has been optimized to reduce overall weight, making it less fatiguing. The 180cm blank length is ideal for controlling heavy lures and minimizes fatigue over extended use. While longer rods may add strain, the Masso77 strikes the perfect balance between length and comfort for an entire day of casting.

The regular taper design ensures that the rod loads the weight of the lure onto the blank during casting, enhancing accuracy even with 70-80% casting power. Its flexibility also helps prevent backlash by regulating swing speed during casting, a key feature when working with heavy lures.

Casting Weight and Target Fish

This rod is specifically designed for five key movements: casting, lure action, hooking, fighting, and landing. It excels with lures in the 4oz to 11oz range, including heavy plastics and wood lures such as 6oz 120g lures like Slide Swimmer 250, 9oz 250g lures like Clash Ghost, and Gira Gira Kougeki lures up to 11oz 330g. Its minimum effective lure weight is K2F162 1.5oz 42g, making it suitable for a wide range of big baits. The rod can even handle metal lures such as spoons and vibes as light as 1oz 28g.

This versatility makes the Masso77 a reliable companion whether you're fishing domestically or abroad, targeting trophy-sized fish.

Guide Setup

The rod features 7mm SiC-S double-foot K-guides designed to handle PE line of 5 or higher with 100lb nylon leaders. The first two guides are positioned close together to prevent line tangling and reduce damage from PE line, while aiding lure action. The double-foot K-guides are used throughout the rod, ensuring strength even in extreme environments or when using 40lb nylon line.

Stiff Tip Section and Regular Taper for Advanced Action

The stiff tip section combined with the regular taper allows for precise control of line slack, a critical factor in working heavy glide baits and other large lures. The rod’s tip is designed to facilitate complex actions such as kickback, panic action, and table-turn maneuvers, making it easier to control these big lures. It’s also capable of handling the strong resistance of lipped baits without being overly reactive, making it ideal for slow retrieves.

Additionally, the stiff tip makes line angle adjustments easy during retrieves, especially important when fish strike near your feet. Even in tight spaces, the rod allows you to adjust the line slack to properly work the bait. After hooking a fish, the rod’s regular taper comes into play, flexing into a full arc to apply steady pressure on large, drag-pulling fish.

The Masso77 is built for anglers who need a rod they can rely on for big baits and big fish—a rod that stays strong through long fishing trips and offers the balance and control necessary for both the journey and the ultimate catch.