Game Fishing with Bent Butt Rods: Marlin, Tuna & Sharks

Originally published 13 October 2018. Updated August 2026 with current rod specifications, clearer sections and preserved fishing reports.

I used to think bent butt rods belonged almost entirely in heavy game-fishing chairs. Then we started fishing one ourselves. Years later, that rod has been used on mako and thresher sharks, yellowfin tuna, mahi mahi and marlin, as well as deepwater fishing with electric reels.

This page keeps the real fishing reports, photos, videos and customer feedback together. If you are looking for the current rod itself, see our 24kg Bent Butt Fishing Rod.

The Bent Butt Rod We Use

Our current rod is a 5 ft 6 in two-piece 24kg game rod weighing approximately 880 g, with a solid aluminium bent butt, heavy overbound guides and a roller tip. The slow, parabolic action spreads load through the rod rather than concentrating it only at the tip.

The big attraction for us is the geometry. In a fighting bucket the reel can sit lower and closer to the angler than it does with a straight butt, while in an angled rod holder the rod can sit flatter. For deep dropping, that same shape can help keep heavy line clear of the gunwale.

If you are deciding between the two styles, our separate Bent Butt vs Straight Butt Fishing Rods guide explains the trade-offs. This article is about what happened when we actually fished them.

Mako Shark at Browns Mountain

Darryl and I took advantage of a calm winter day and headed to Browns Mountain. While we were fishing, a mako appeared at the transom. With no gemfish belly strips available, four pilchards went onto a 15/0 tuna circle hook and out behind the boat.

The ratchet started its familiar accelerating click and the shark opened the fight with a crash dive.

After that it settled into a mid-water fight. The rod spent a lot of time heavily loaded, exactly the sort of situation where the lower reel position is appreciated.

After roughly 45 minutes the shark came to the surface. It had become tail-wrapped, which probably explained why it had not been jumping, and that made the final release straightforward.

Yellowfin Tuna on a Bent Butt Outfit

Nick Beehag later sent us a report from Heatons after a cubing session. He hooked a yellowfin almost immediately and fought it for more than an hour. He estimated the fish at about 1.5 m long and 50 kg.

That is the sort of real-world result we value more than a catalogue claim. A 24kg rating does not tell you what fish will be caught on a rod, but it tells you the line class the rod is designed around. The reel, line, leader, knots, drag pressure and angler still matter.

A Long Fight With a Thresher Shark

Another Browns Mountain trip produced a thresher shark after we put a gemfish belly strip out on a 13/0 hook and started a berley trail.

Ollie fought the fish for around 45 minutes before it first settled down beside the boat.

Just as we were preparing to cut the leader, the shark crash-dived and the fight started again.

After another long stretch, we eventually had to break the line over the rod. We kept the original video because it shows far more about the rod under load than a studio photograph ever could.

Striped Marlin off Wollongong

Greg Buchanan sent us another memorable report from the boat Real Therapy off Wollongong. The crew was running three of our historical 50lb bent-butt combos alongside other game outfits when Jon Grisedale hooked a striped marlin.

The fish was reported at about 90 kg. More importantly for this article, Jon had never held a game rod before and still managed a serious first marlin on the bent-butt outfit.

Mahi Mahi and More Yellowfin

The same outfits were not limited to sharks and marlin. Zac caught this mahi mahi on one, while Tony King later sent us photos from fishing wide of the Gold Coast with his 24kg bent-butt setup.

What Anglers Notice About the Bent Butt

One of our repeat customers, Russell, summed up the appeal well after owning two of the 24kg rods. He told us he found them much more enjoyable to fish with than the heavy 24kg stand-up rods he had used, particularly because of the fighting position.

That does not mean a bent butt is automatically better for every angler or boat. Rod-holder angle, reel choice, fighting style and the way you use the rod all matter. But for heavy trolling, game fishing and deep dropping, the changed geometry can be a real advantage.

Want the Current 24kg Rod?

The current Downrigger Shop rod is 5 ft 6 in, two-piece, rated to 24kg and fitted with a roller tip. The product page has the current specifications and shipping-destination options without the old prices that appeared in the original version of this article.

View the 24kg Bent Butt Fishing Rod

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