Here are some to consider: A centrifugal brake to control backlash, a non-slip handle, or even a stainless steel finish. Other catfish rod and reel setups come with extended warranties or are constructed out of premium-grade materials. You can even find combos that have double coatings that are UV rays-resistant, making your rod and reel setup even more durable and long-lasting.
Not sure where you should start? Here are our picks for the best all-round combos on the market today. Regardless of the size of the fish you are trying to reel in, you will be well-equipped with this durable combo.
Offering the ideal combination of durability, lightweight build, and ease of use, the Ugly Stik rod weighs a total of 1. The rod measures 7 foot and is a medium weight. It is constructed with a graphite core that is encased in fiberglass wraps. This unique combination of materials lends the rod sensitivity without compromising on strength and stiffness.
In fact, many Ugly Stik users claim that you can bend these rods in complete circles without them snapping! It has a spinning reel that allows for easy casting, even when casting long distances.
Backlash is rare. The rod breaks down, making it easy to take with you on the road or into the woods. It even comes with its own fishing line to help you get started. Another well-known creator of the best catfish rod and reel set up combos is Abu Garcia.
This particular combo is an excellent choice for fishermen of all backgrounds. In addition, this reel has a patented Carbon Matrix drag system that gives you all the drag you need, exactly when you want it. It has a four-pin centrifugal brake that applies consistent pressure to allow you to cast precisely, too. Once you find a body of water that holds catfish, seek out deeper holes and pockets to target. Catfish also like structure so be sure to cast your bait near submerged logs, brush piles, boulders, and other features that a catfish might call home.
Then, it's a game of sitting and waiting, but don't get too comfortable, because if you used the tips we shared today, you'll be getting bites in no time!
Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Notify me of new posts by email. However, if you're in the market for a catfish-specific setup, here are a few pointers to consider when selecting a catfish rod: Medium to medium-heavy action rod — This provides plenty of backbone to fight even the largest catfish.
If you're fishing really big water and need to cast extra far, consider using an 8 or 9-foot rod. Spinning reel — By far the most versatile reel style, spinning reels work great for catfishing and are easy to learn how to use. A good spinning reel for catfish should be sized to match your rod and hold at least yards of line. Monofilament or braided line — When in doubt, go with monofilament line in 20 to pound test.
Monofilament has a slight stretch which many hardcore catfish anglers feel helps get a catfish to commit to taking a bait. Berkley Big Game is great monofilament line for the money.
Braided line is also a good choice for catfish and is often preferred by more advanced anglers for the opposite reason as monofilament — it doesn't stretch which leads to a stronger hook set. Plus, the thinner diameter of braided line allows you to spool your reel with more line or increase the breaking strength without sacrificing line yardage.
Here's how to tie the sliding sinker rig: After stringing up your rod, take a sliding weight and slip it onto the main line coming off the reel. These handles come wrapped with cordage that has become popular in recent years. Outside of fishing rod, you find paracord being used on knife handles and a variety of other uses. The paracord fishing rod handles provide several benefits.
The downside of paracord handles is there are small grooves throughout the rod handles and they cake up with slime and gunk during use. Paracord handle fishing rods for channel catfish anglers who use prepared baits are a bad fit. I tried one and it was horrible. That smell transferred to my hands every time I touched the rod and was almost unbearable.
You may have limited options based on the rod length and other features you prefer. Just spend some time handling and fishing with a variety of handle types and see what your personal preference is. The long handles commonly associated with a catfish rod are like that for a reason.
Take bass fishing, for example, a ten-pound fish is a big fish and not something people catch on a regular basis. There are some techniques you might use where you might be casting all day or fishing in tight spaces, especially for channel catfish. For channel catfish with these techniques, a shorter fishing rod with a shorter handle is a great fit and is actually preferred.
The long fishing rod handles on catfish rods are like this for a few reasons but the biggest reason is leverage. Just as longer fishing rods offer you more leverage and control over large fish longer handles do the same. There is a huge difference in the ease and ability to land a large catfish with a short fishing rod and a long fishing rod. The difference between a 6-foot rod and a 7-foot rod is night and day different, longer rods are easier and more powerful.
Rod handles are no different. Once you use a longer handle and a longer rod for catfish you quickly understand the advantage. The bottom line is that you need to understand why the handles are so long on most catfish rods, how the length of the handle impacts your abilities, and make an informed decision when purchasing.
The longer handles on catfish rods also give you the ability to handle the rod in a variety of manners, like tucking the fishing rod under your arm. Reel seats need to be heavy, durable, and capable of taking abuse if a big catfish latches on to the line.
Bright colors like yellow, green, and orange are frequently used and some manufacturers even add glow in the dark tips to the bright colors so the rods will be visible at night. The importance of this varies among anglers so this is a feature you simply have to evaluate on your own.
Color has never been important to me. As long as I can see the end of the fishing rod well, I could care less what color it is. You can also use a black light to enable you to see the rod tips in the dark instead of chemical light sticks. Color and cosmetics are a matter of personal preference. Appearance, color, or any cosmetic features should always come last when choosing catfish rods. This is often done because of bad or misguided information from others. Buy a few fishing rods at most and give them a try and then see where it takes you.
The absolute best approach is to find others you can fish with and use their gear and see how it suits you and then make your buying decisions from there if possible. Fishing rods are like anything else and you can go to all extremes when buying a rod and you can quickly spend a LOT of money. The best advice I can give you is to get a few rod and reel combos, get them set up and start fishing.
Spend some time on the water and start fishing and more importantly catching fish. Channel catfish rods vary greatly based on which size channel catfish you plan to target.
There are very few water bodies in the United States that consistently produce trophy class channel catfish and in most instances, lighter freshwater fishing gear is more than enough for catching channel cats. That being said, pound for pound channel catfish fight harder than any other species of catfish so if there are big ones swimming in your home waters, be prepared.
Every single technique I use for channel catfish involves holding the fishing rod because I target quantity over quality when it comes to channel catfish. I use what I refer to as finesse fishing techniques using a product I called the Secret Catfish Rig to help detect what is an often ultra-light bite of channel catfish.
Anglers targeting smaller channel catfish can do a lot with graphite freshwater fishing rods like those used for bass and other light freshwater fishing. The trend in recent years has been for anglers to buy bigger, beefier fishing rods for fishing for trophy-class fish. These are rods commonly marketed towards catfish anglers and usually made of e-glass fiberglass because of the strength and durability.
You might also be disappointed with the performance of the rods as many are truly like pulling in a fish with a broomstick. The Ugly Stik Tiger Rod is the rod that always comes to mind as I see anglers suggest it often for catfish. If you plan on staying in one place or have the need to target areas far from shore then the different gear is in order. Successful shore fishing from one location usually involves making long casts to get baits far from the shore and is done through using longer fishing rods, often as long as twelve-foot.
Talk about trying to drill a hole with a hammer. Custom Catfish Rods. Custom catfish rods became people years ago because of the lack of suitable cat models from major fishing tackle retailers. The other reason for custom builds is cosmetics as you can pick your own colors, wraps, and other features making each one exactly as you want it. You can hire a local rod builder to make one for you, use some of the popular custom catfish rod builders listed below.
In the end, the best catfish rod for you is going to depend on many things including:. From there you can narrow down your search to the right length, weight, action, power, and features for your techniques, preferences, and approach. If you plan to fish solely for a smaller one to three-pound channel catfish and never intend to catch anything larger then the rod might be heavier than needed for some anglers. For those looking for a good general-purpose catfish rod capable of doing everything they need, this is an excellent fit.
You can view the full chart of rod models here. We loved the CAL Ugly Stik rod but it was phased out with the release of the GX2 series rods and these are the closest match though not an exact match.
Here are our suggested products for fishing for blues, channels, and flatheads of all sizes. These are rods that you can use for catfish of all sizes and using a variety of techniques.
Again, these suggestions are only based on products we have used and tested. This is the rod I personally designed and developed. The tip of the Ugly Stik Catfish Rod is a little stiff for fishing with circle hooks, especially for small and medium-sized cats. The bigger issue is the line guides that are not the greatest. Learning how to pattern and locate catfish is the bigger goal.
Catfish are one of the most desired fishing fish in North America. Catfish are well-known for their ability to thrive in a range of waterways and circumstances, grow to amazing sizes, and are well-managed by fisheries and wildlife biologists. Catfish fishing provides fishermen with a number of alternatives, including numerous proven methods, baits, and gear. Catfish are difficult fighters, particularly when hooked on the finish of a fishing line.
Fishers pursue catfish for both sport and food, as they are excellent as sport fish and table food. Like any type of fishing, it is important that we have excellent fishing equipment to be able to capture catfish in the most comfortable and efficient way, mainly because they are strong fish with great resistance.
Talking about all the elements that make up fishing equipment could be an excessively long topic for which we will only focus on this occasion to talk about the rod and reel setups. Freshwater catfish rarely do this, but it is certainly conceivable with giant ones.
When you purchase or order one, it is recommended that you check out several different versions in a fishing shop. It is essential that you choose the rod and feel it to know if it adapts well to your hand.
It should feel good in your hand and permit smooth movement. A long handle made of a durable material like EVA or cork foam is ideal for rods.
It will also feature indentations to make it more comfortable for your fingers.