Rod choice

[thommie]

I was thanking of getting some knew rods,and was wondering what the rod tips were like on the BERKLEY "E-CAT", and the QUANTUM BIGCAT ?
I do a lot of defrent kinds of fishing so i need a versutal rod!

[Seanstone]

I own 2 Quantum Bigcats and they are great for big fish, but I wouldn't call them versatile. I wouldn't target fish under 20lbs with them.

The big cats have double seated fiji eyes with inserts...... which is a downfall for most other catfish rods. I spoke with others about their experience with big cats and I have yet to hear about anyone having problems with the inserts so I bought two of them. The tip is fairly stiff but for a rod with this much backbone its hard to find a truly fast action tip. I have had some fish around 10 pounds load them.

Here's a pic of one of the big cat's double seated eyes. They are very stout and you won't have to worry about bending/smashing them in the boat or in the back of the truck.


I have had dozens of catfish rods and the most versatile of them would have to be the 7' MH ugly stick catfish series ugly stiks. They have a really fast action tip, and a moderate mount of backbone. I have landed a blue cat and a flathead over 30 pounds on them. They are great channel cat rods too, sensitive enough to see a small channel pick at a bait. They too have fiji eyes with inserts as well.

Another good option would be a 7' M shakesphere ugly stik tiger. They have solid stainless steel eyes and are fairly sensitive. And they have a ton of backbone.

For a ton of money St. Croix makes a few musky rods that make for good rods too.

[thommie]

Right know I'm fishin 3 of the ugly cats! And like them!

[Seanstone]

I have spent the last 3 years trying to find a rod as sensitive as the ugly cats, but with an additional 1-2 feet in length and slightly more backbone. I haven't found one. I still use the ugly cats more often than I use my other rods. Got them paired with abu 6500 c3's. Best set up I have for all around fishing. Good luck in your search. Let me know if you find one you like better.

[abudoc]

I will have to 2nd. seanstone, for an all round versatile rod it is hard to beat a white cat.

[banksidebandit]

I have a musky rod that I use a lot for catfishing. It's a Shimano something. It's a good in between rod that I end up using a lot. You can catch channels with it and still feels like it has a good backbone for big Flats, but I have yet to catch anything big on it except a few logs. I have a Quantum Big Cat that I really like but it's not good for channels. St. Croix has some nice musky rods that would be good versitale catfish poles but they are pricey.

[katfish]

Thommie
No rod serves well for all purposes. This is one reason for
the wide variety of rods offerred. The best advise I can
offer is to determine your needs and choose the rod that
best fits those needs.

Many of us have rods we use as fishing situations change.
I shudder to think of being forced to use only one rod in
every situation. Most folks would not be happy with my
favorite rigs for flathead. But they fit my particular style
and tactics.

[thommie]

I do a lot of live bait fishin, as most flatheaders do. I like a lot of tip action .

[Smoothkip]

You run J hooks or circles for flatheads?

[thommie]

Both but mostly circies,and if im usinga j style hook its Gam Big River.

[Smoothkip]

I was just curious, Running circles it's always nice to have a rod with a little softer tip to allow it to load up. To catch big flatheads though you def need some power behind it!

[thommie]

i like to be able to see what my bait is doin in the water,and plus i thank we have alot of lite bitting fish on our strech of the river.

[Skyline1506]

big cats are the stuff dreams are made of

[thommie]

O YEAH!!

[anthonyrobinette]

i like the cat fight rods from bottomdewellers seem to do a great job