surf rods?

[rcbbracing]

I know I have heard of a few of you guys using surf rods for flathead fishing...my gf recently bought me some used catfish gear off Craigslist for Christmas...one of the items is a ten ft two piece graphite tica tc2 heavy action rod rated for 2-8oz lure...I'm not a fan of rods that long and especially not a fan of two piece rods...only info I can find online is these rods definitely aren't cheap...looking like around $80 used and up to $160 new...hate to not use a gift but kinda not sure of the catfishing application...thanks for any info guys...

[Seanstone]

Here are my opinions:
We use surf rods when we want to launch baits from the bank. For example hitting the main creek channel in a lake from a point on the bank, getting near a a spillway where you aren't allowed to be physically, etc. Most of the time we only throw cut bait for channels and blues, simply because live baits don't fare well with long casts.

Don't be hesitant to use 2 piece rods. Most people claim they will spin on the hook set, or that they break near the joint. I have used 2 piece rods for a while now and I've never had any problems. Most rod failures are the users fault. Drags are made to slip, but sometimes people thumb the spool which can casue rod failure. Line wraps near the tip of your pole can cost you a tip on a hookset. Eyes are bent and broken due to lack of maintenance. People often think they can lift a 5 pound channel out of the water, and rods snap.

Length of the rod also plays a factor in fights. A longer rod is good for hook sets and casting, but they give the fish the advantage in the fight. It gives the fish more leverage making it harder to land quickly. Which can be bad if your trying to pull one away from a snag.

[Skyline1506]

well said sean.

i have 2 12 ft beefsticks and 2 9ft king cat supremes for the same things that sean stated

i am also not a fan of 2piece rods, but like sean said most of the time the reason they break is user error. biggest problem i have seen is people not getting them the whole way together. make sure they are fully seated at the joint or there will be a pocket that is just sleeve with no rod and will be a really really weak spot.

[Blackhorse]

I'm not sure how you will like them for flathead fishing, they will cast a lot futher then shorter rods and a lot of guys use 10' to 14' for bank fishing. I build a lot of 10' rods for guys that drift, they use them as "dead sticks" they go straight off the side of the boat and makes the spread a lot wider. I use 2 all the time, personaly I like shorter rods than that but it works!

[Catfishrollo]

I have used surf rods for along time as well for certain applications as Sean stated. They def. have their advantages for certain situations. Esp. for long hooksets! Even if you don't plan on launching livebaits from the bank, you can use the boat to drop baits in desired locations at long distances from where you are setting up from the bank. I have sold most of mine off, but still keep a 12' with a Shimano baitrunner reel that I do use here and there for situations like this. Never bad to have options in rod lengths/actions and reels for different ways you might need to fish that day or night. Very good info. guys!!! Thanks for sharing and Goodluck. ... rollo

[rcbbracing]

Thanks for the in information guys! Think I feel a lot better about it now...and Sean I did have a new two piece rod break on the hookset once flathead fishing at clendening... I am 98% sure I had it together well but u can never be positive I guess... my fault or not I haven't ran one since and that's been prolly four years now...I'll give it a shot and I really like the idea of launching from the bank towards the lake channel...prolly end up running it with cut bait tho I'm sure it's overkill for any channel cat I'm gonna find..thanks again for the info guys

[Seanstone]

Just curious....what kind of rod was it? Where did it break? I have broke two rods in the past few years. One, I lifted a 7a pound channel up a cliff, and snap. It broke near the tip. The other I broke on a hook set, on a two pound channel....no kidding, and it broke at the tip. Best I can guess is that the line got twisted around the top eye.

[rcbbracing]

It was an Abu Garcia rod...I ordered a combo and they were out of seven and eight foot one piece rods and I didn't wanna wait and pay extra shipping on the order when it came in so took the eight foot two piece heavy action...I had a slender ten inch bait on but don't remember if it was a sucker or what...the fish felt nice but am not one of those people who call the weight and exaggerate never seeing the fish...but positive it wasn't a two lber lol...the rod was paired with a 7000I with fifty lb test...but as u said the drag should've taken the abuse not the rod...so I dunno if it was a rod defect or what...reviews i had read on the rod after it happened lead me to believe maybe it was the rods fault cause most people didn't have good things to say though none commented on the breaking at the joint...guess I will never know...definitely a discouraging event that has scared me away from two piece rods tho!

[Seanstone]

Can't say I blame you. It sure sounds like the rods fault, but like I said all of my rod failures were completley my fault. Other than that I have never had a problem with 2 piece rods.

[Smoothkip]

Sean no wonder it broke! I've seen you set a hook! Lol, just messing with ya.

[Seanstone]

Lol.