Ugly Stik Salmon Rods For Catfish

Chad, I read a magazine article where you were quoted as saying that you used Salmon/Steelhead rods for catfishing and was looking at some Ugly Stik Salmon Rods. I was wondering why you like the salmon rods for catfishing and what your opinion of the Ugly Stik Salmon Rods was and why you prefer them. The magazine article didn’t go into much detail.

I have been a fan of using salmon and steelhead rods for catfishing for a long time. A number of years ago a fellow guide turned me on to the Eagle Claw Granger X (Eagle Claw GRX)series fishing rods. The model numbers of these rods are the GRX2290, GRX2286MH and GRX22106. I used the GRX2286MH and GRX22106 rods for a long time. These are both 8’6 Medium Heavy and Medium action. It has been a number of years since I used the Eagle Claw’s and they are no longer in production.

After using these for a number of years and having increasing difficulty getting them, I started using the Berkley Lightning Rod salmon rods. I have used a number of the different Berkley models over the past few years. Most recently I have been using the Berkley LRS862MH and LRS862M. Both or 8 foot 6 since casting rods with the differentiation on model numbers being actions (M – Medium Action, MH – Medium Heavy Action).

I recently started using the Ugly Stik Salmon rods as well.

I try and keep my rods “like” in sets because I fish with large numbers at one time during certain times of the year and it makes it much easier for me to keep tracking of what is going on when all of the actions are the same. For this reason if I am changing rods I usually buy one or two and then if I decide I like them I will replace all of them with the same fishing rod.

It is pretty tough to find salmon and steelhead rods on the shelf in North Texas so I am usually restricted to ordering them online through Bass Pro Shops or another online retailer. Unless you live in an area that has Salmon/Steelhead fishing activity you will probably be limited to ordering online as well.

Ugly Stik has a number of different models I would look at including the CAS1186-2M. If you like this style fishing rod then Ugly Stik would definitely be a good option to consider.

I am going to work on an article about why I like this style of fishing rod for catfishing but until then I will give you the highlights:

• They traditionally have long handles
• They come in long lengths (8’6″) which provides casting distance and accurate and good control over catfish
• They are light and easy hold even for long periods
• The have fast sensitive tips
• They have a good strong backbone
• They are great for “box fish” and trophy fish as well

The overall reason I prefer this style of catfish rod is that they are versatile and capable of doing everything I need to do. They have a good strong backbone which makes them capable of handling big catfish but are also light and limber enough to make them excellent for fishing for blue catfish, channel catfish or even punch bait fishing. It is a one setup does it all solution.

The down side of using this style gear is they are generally priced a bit higher than a lot of the traditional catfish rods. The benefit I get from not having to have a bunch of different setups for different techniques makes the additional expense more than worth it.

Do some research and if your interested in the Ugly Stik Salmon Rods for catfishing give them a try and see how they work for you, you might just like them!

Product Link: Ugly Stik Salmon Rods at Bass Pro Shops

To get more information check out the catfish rods tutorial which covers much more information on these types of fishing rods.

You can also check out the FREE Catfish Gear 101 ebook that covers everything from selecting rods and reels to setting them up for success. Just click here to get started with the free Catfish Gear 101 eBook.