Spare the Rod......and Lose the Fish!

I am often asked "What is the 'best' rod to use?",They can be cast gently, and/or flipped, making
for this or that.them a good choice for using dough or prepared
'Best' is a relative term. There are many differentbaits, so as not to sling the bait off the hook. For
types that will get the job done, so a lot of itshore fishing in still to moderate moving water, I
comes down to what you prefer using. So all Iprefer an 8' Medium Action Ugly Stick Big Water
can do is give you my opinions of what I think isspinning rod. The extra length comes in handy
the best type for a given situation.when shore fishing.
Catfishing covers a lot of territory, only part ofFor larger Channel Catfish and Blues from a boat,
which involves rods. And what would work bestI prefer the Eagle Claw GRX Series. I know,
for Channel Catfish from the bank, would be closeyou're gonna say "But those are Salmon and
to useless for trophy Blue Catfish or FlatheadsSteelhead Rods!". That may be the case, but they
from a boat. When selecting a rod, bear in mindare also ideal for larger catfish from a boat. They
that even if you are fishing for Channel Cats inare tough and durable, have a nice long handle for
the 1-5 lb. range, there is always the chance thatheaving fish when necesary, and have a good,
you will hook into a monster Blue or Flathead. I'llheavy backbone to make heaving large fish
go from smallest and simplest to large to make itpossible.
easy to understand the entire scope.They also have a faster action than most of the
At the bottom end of the spectrum, we haveheavier rods designed for catfish, making it easier
Bullheads, usually caught from shore. For theseto detect a hit when not using a bait clicker. The
fun little guys, nothing more than a cane pole andfaster action is also easier on live-bait when
a can of worms is needed. I've passed many ancasting.
afternoon pulling in these tasty tidbits. What theyFor larger catfish in the 20-40 lb. range from
lack in size, they make up for by being both easyshore. in both still and fast water, I prefer a 12'
to catch and delicious. While the world recordHeavy Action Ugly Stick Big Water Casting Rod.
Bullhead was around 8 lbs., most of them you willThey are tough enough to handle the biggest
catch will be under a pound.freshwater fish under the most demanding
If you want to get more technical, almost anyconditions. Your muscles will fail before this rod
ultralight or light action rod will do. You can evendoes! It is also my preferred rod for Gar,
fly-fish for them. I am partial to the ZebcoSturgeon (where legal) and Medium saltwater
Micro-Spin series, but to get the best of bothspecies.
worlds between cane-pole fishing, and ultralightFor the true behemoths of the catfish world in
spinning, try a crappie pole in the 12' length. I useexcess of 40 lbs., my choice hands-down is
B & Ms models alot for small to medium fishCabelas King Cat E-Glass rods in the 9' length.
from shore.These are the premium rods for large fish. They
For channel catfish in the 1-15 lb. range, I prefer ahave double-footed, double-wrapped and sealed
6' 9"' Ugly Stick Medium Action Tiger Lite rod.ceramic guides, so they won't come loose when
They are short enough to be easy to handle andfighting a large fish.
cast from a boat, and have a good strongThey have stainless-steel hoods on the reel seats,
backbone for heaving catfish out of cover ifso your reel stays on the rod no matter what.
needed. They are also incredibly tough. They areThey have the backbone and durability to handle
light enough to hold comfortably and have a longanything you might hook into, up to small
handle for leverage. The medium action issubmarines! With the proper reel, line and leader,
sensitive enough to detect the sometimes-shythere is nothing these rods couldn't handle.
bite of Channel Cats.