Choosing A Catfish Rod [CR EP 4]

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In this episode of Catfishing Radio I go back to expand on one of the first articles I added to Learn To Catch Catfish about choosing a catfish rod. I have been battling a cold so bear with me I kept losing my voice during the show.

I get questioned about rods and reels for catfishing all the time. I have some pretty strong opinions about this firmly believe that having the right catfish rod plays a critical role in being successful, especially when using certain catfishing techniques.

Overall the tackle companies have marketed some really heavy fishing rods to catfish anglers over the years and many anglers have a misconception that they need one of these big heavy “broomstick” fishing rods to go catfishing, and this couldn’t be further from the truth. These big heavy fishing rods certainly have a place especially when targeting trophy class blue catfish or flathead catfish but in many instances they are overkill and will actually work against you, especially when you are using techniques that require more finesse or when fishing for channel catfish.

Topics Covered In Catfishing Radio Episode 4

Graphite fishing rods for catfish and salmon and steelhead rods - I cover the specifics of the catfish rods that I use and why I use them in this show and go in depth into the details of why I prefer these rods and the advantages and disadvantages. There are some key features that you need to look for and when considering these style fishing rods. I go in depth on the advantages and disadvantages of graphite fishing rods and other salmon and steelhead fishing rods as well as some of the details about these.

A broken Ugly Stik – I recently broke an Ugly Stik (I thought this was impossible) and I covered the process of what happened when I contacted Ugly Stik about the broken fishing rod and how they responded.

The long rod advantage- The advantage of a longer fishing rod is covered in depth and exactly how this can effect your fishing and how in many instances it allows me to catch more fish than others fishing around me. While there are certain applications where a shorter setup can be beneficial I go into some of the advantages of the longer fishing rod.

A good multipurpose Ugly Stik – Next we talk about a good Ugly Stik fishing rod that is a good shorter setup for all species of catfish and is very inexpensive.

Cheap channel catfish rods – Channel catfish rods are discussed and some very inexpensive choices that you can look at if you are fishing for channel catfish only and my preference for good multispecies gear that will last for long periods of time.

Manufacturers warranties from big box stores – A little known tip about any product that has the name of a “big box” store on it like Bass Pro Shops or Cabela’s.

Broom stick rods – Information on some of the heavier e-glass models on the market today and some of the advantages and disadvantages of these and some of the different manufacturers like Ugly Stik, Team Catfish, Pro Angler, Tangling with Catfish and some of the other more popular brands.

Circle hooks and catfish rods and how the rod impacts your catch– I am a big fan of circle hooks and have become more and more dependent on them over the past four or five years for all of my catfishing for blue catfish and channel catfish. I go into detail on exactly how a fishing rod effects your ability to catch catfish with circle hooks and my side by side comparison using circle hooks with the Ugly Stik catfish rod and a salmon/steelhead rod with a softer tip. If there is only one portion of this show you listen to you need to listen to this, it could make or break your catch rates if your using circle hooks and fishing for “box fish”.

A summary of rod features to look for – What I look for in the handle length and cork versus foam, overall length, and line guides and what to look for when you want something to last. What action to look for when making a purchase exclusively for each different species and a good action for overall multispecies fishing. Ignoring the color, graphics and lure weight and some other key details.

Products Mentioned In This Episode Of Catfishing Radio

Ugly Stik Salmon/Steelhead Casting Rod –  You can also my salmon/steelhead rod review

Berkley Air IM8 Casting Rod (Rod Strength HB, length 7’9″) Berkley Salmon and Steelhead Rods

Ugly Stik Catfish Rods – You can also read my Ugly Stik catfish rod Review

Cabela’s Whuppin Stik Rods

Ugly Stik CAL1100

Daiichi Circle Hooks

Articles Mentioned In This Episode

Choosing a Catfish Rod

[box]What is your preferred catfish rod? Do you use different gear for different species of fish and techniques? Comment below and let us know what you use? If you enjoyed the show please go to iTunes and leave us a rating and a short review, and hit the “like” button below[/box]