Catfish Rod

[RRmaniac]

I am looking at buying another spinning rod for catfish. I am trying to stay at around $30 or under. I know Scheels has their crazy cat and Cabelas has their king kat. They both have lifetime warranties I believe. I am planning on fishing the Red River from both boat and the bank. Anyone have any experience with either of these rods or something else in the price range? Also what length? M or MH?

 

[Migrator Man]

Get one of those berkley glow rods. Perfect for night fishing if you need it. Get the 9' and you can also use it for paddle fishing. For the reel go with a Cabelas salt water metal series . Spoil her up with 80# power pro and your set!

- - - Updated - - -

Cabelas king cats are a good catfish rod. Never had an issue with mine after all the abuse I put it through.

 

[muzzyhunter]

I have a pair of each 8'mh king kats and 8'mh glowsticks, I dont get out alot but have been very happy with both, it would be tough to pick one over the other, but maybe abit of an edge to the glowstick for night fishing.I also have a 10' king kat for paddlefish also works very well!

 

[Auggie]

Get one of those berkley glow rods. Perfect for night fishing if you need it. Get the 9' and you can also use it for paddle fishing. For the reel go with a Cabelas salt water metal series . Spoil her up with 80# power pro and your set!

- - - Updated - - -

Cabelas king cats are a good catfish rod. Never had an issue with mine after all the abuse I put it through.

That's what Back Water Eddy swore by for kitty rods.

 

[Migrator Man]

That's what Back Water Eddy swore by for kitty rods.

He was truly one of the kings of the red. I prob learned his ways passed from fellow fisherman to fisherman.

 

[livininavandownbytheriver]

If you fish circle hooks then I would go fish an 8 foot medium. The lighter rod seems to bend a lot better to make the hook set in the fish's mouth. I did not like anything heavier. 80 pound power pro is overkill too. Go with something around 40 in braid. The water in the river has a lot of sediment that makes the coating on braid wear away really quickly. If you go too heavy then it always seems to fray supper easy and the end of the line is never a clean cut. It likes fishing with yarn. The cabelas salt striker reels are awesome though!! Go for those. The shitty plastic ones are definitely something to stay away from, and the salt strikers are solid metal with a good drag system. I have the ones with the bait runner feature and they are awesome. Plus, with a reel like that and the drag system it has, you should not need that big of line. 30-40 pound braid will do.

 

[Captainbrad]

Most rods are good these days. Some are better than others. Get a 7'6" and you are probably ok. I could write a whole book on the subject if I knew how you wanted to fish specifically but for a few days on the water and with the budget given any of those will work.

 

[Duckslayer100]

Really like my King Cat rods. Put some stout Power Pro on them and rip sunken stumps right out of the muck. They're awesome.

 

[Bri-guy]

I have 3 Ugly Stick cat rods and really like them. I have been using the large Abu Garcia reels you can get at WalMart for around $25. They are really great. Salt Striker reels are great too. I run 65lb power pro and have never had any fraying issues and never lost a fish due to line breaking.

 

[wby257]

I have 3 Ugly Stick cat rods and really like them. I have been using the large Abu Garcia reels you can get at WalMart for around $25. They are really great. Salt Striker reels are great too. I run 65lb power pro and have never had any fraying issues and never lost a fish due to line breaking.

Yes the MH Ugly sticks are good rods. I have the Abu Garcia 6500 and 6000 on mine and they are real good Catfish rigs.

 

[Migrator Man]

Anyone doing any catfishing tourneys down in grand forks this summer? I really need to get down ther and feed my catfishing itch!

I have never had a problem with fraying line on 80# power pro or 30# fire line. I also use the Big gamy circle hooks and tend to haus them in without giving much drag to prevent any hang ups in snags. Never had a fish break off in either type of line. Braided line is a must!

 

[bigcatpike]

I wouldn't say that braided line is a must at least in the drayton stretch. I use 25 lb Berkeley big game in that high vis yellow color. I have had fish take me into snags when I am literally fishing in them and haven't lost one yet. (obviously retie afterwards, but I have had times where I let 3 to 4 fish over 15 lbs take me into snags without retying and was still fine) x2 on the big gamakatsu hooks, they work great especially in the 8/0 size