Waiting is necesary with catfish fishing. But waiting patienty does nothing if equipment doesn’t hold up on big fish. You can be in right spot with the right bait, but you still won’t catch them if your rod aren’t strong enough.
I think many people view these poles as a piece of junk that needs to be replaced every few years. Most guys use some low price graphite rod hoping it will work. If you just are catching small fish in shallow creek water then maybe this strategy is fine.
When you go after big flats and blues out deep, it don’t cut it. The fishing pole become your link to the catfish. Rod selection can make all the difference when it comes to fishing.
How to Pick the Best Catfish Pole
Why Rod Selection Matters for Big Catfish
It affect how deep you fish, what baits you use, and how you manage your line. Besides fiberglass, various composites is now available on market. Knowing which rod will work best for you avoids buying a clunky broken rod.
Choosing the Right Length and Action
Where your bait ends up depends off rod length. A short rod cast well into confined space while a long rod allow keeping the bait further off bank with the tip high. Catfish rods are typicaly found anywhere from seven to nine feet.
That’s enough length to keep the line above the water where birds won’t steal your bait, but not too long so you get tangled up with floating debris and cover. How it bend is called action. Rods with a fast action bend up towards the tip.
Rods with a slow action bend all the way to handle. Catfish can produces quick jolts of power. These jolts is absorbed well by a slow action rod as opposed to one that’s too stiff.
As the rod bends it cushions the shock. This minimize line breakage on hard runs. It also help you control the fight.
Graphite vs Fiberglass Materials
What material is used does matter. Graphite rods is light but also sensitive. They pass vibration into your hand better.
Fiberglass is tough and flexes. It won’t snap under heavy loads. Most anglers want a blend between fiberglass and graphite.
When fishing chunk bait you don’t necessarily need a rod that is ultra-sensitive. You just want some sensitivity to know when they bites lightly. You also need something that will holds up.
Determining the Correct Power Rating
The overall strength of the rod are rated by power. Light power rods is used with light line and smaller fish. Large catfish requires a medium to heavy power rod.
Blue catfish gets in excess of one-hundred pounds. Having a heavy backbone let you put continuous pressure on the fish. The rod is not so soft it bend out of control.
It is not so hard it will break your line. For all-around use, go with a medium-heavy to heavy rating. There are several good brands on the market.
Top Brands and Essential Hardware
St. Croix, Shakespeare and Umpqua dominate. St. Croix makes a very tough but also sensitive composite. Shakespeare make solid reasonably priced rods.
Umpqua has the right mix of strength and weight. All these companies has their finger on the pulse of catfish fishing. They make rods based off how catfish fight and react from the bottom.
The rod have reel seats and guides. Sturdy smooth guides are important. Friction and cheap guides will tear up line.
The reel seat should of been solid enough to secure the spinning reel. You don’t want a reel that slip and causes you to lose fish. Before buying check out the hardware.
That’s often what makes or breaks how long the rod last. How do you hold the rod? Do you put it in a rod holder?
Or do you hold the rod for instant response? If you hold the rod, a lighter graphite rod reduce fatigue. If you’re a holder then a sturdier fiberglass rod are great.
If you hold it a light graphite rod ease arm fatigue. Quality does not always equal price. Big fish will be caught on an inexpensive rod.
Budget Considerations and Testing
That doesn’t mean cheap is good. Just because something costs less don’t make it better. You can buy a decent mid-range rod that will last many years.
Don’t get the bottom-of-the-barrel rod unless you plan on losing it. Cheap rods is cheap. Many times they is poorly made.
They’ll lose guides fast. Or sometimes even crack. Spend a little more now and save some money down the road.
A good catfish pole should also be fun to fish. It should be balanced and should cast well. It should hold up on the hookset and never break.
If at all possible try it out in the store. Bend it just slightly and feel how it has action. Use what feels right.
Using the right rod make a world of difference. You will spend a lot of time sitting there. Make fishing with your equipment part of the enjoyment.
