Catfish U catfishing rods section.

This section of Catfish U is to allow our fellow catfishermen, catfisherwomen, and fishermen a chance to buy some quality fishing rods at discount prices.

We are working aggressively with companies to bring our members the best deals possible on catfishing rods.  We will be adding links to companies, banners, and other forms of deals from different companies that will offer Catfish U members the best of best deals possible on fishing rods.

Whatever your rod brand, whether it be Abu Garcia, Daiwa, Shimano, Quantum, Penn, Mitchell, St. Croix, Lamiglas, G Loomis, Cabela’s, Fenwick, Eagle Claw, Berkley, Bass Pro, Shakespeare,  pretty much any fishing rods from Abu Garcia to Zebco and any catfish rods in between, these companies have them all. 

What type of catfish rod do you need?

Depending on what type of catfish you are targeting and what type of water you are on will greatly affect how you choose your catfish rod.  While catfishing, your presentation will also affect your style of catfish rod. 

Drifting for blues or channel catfish.

If you are drifting for blue or channel catfish, you want to have a longer, 7 to 8.5 foot catfish rod, so that you don't get hung up as much and the pole doesn't slam back and forth while in the rod holder. 

River fishing for catfish.

If you are setting up in a river your style of catfish rod will depend on the current.  Do you need 4 ounces to keep your bait in place?  If so, you can get away with a medium to medium heavy catfish rod.  Do you require more than 6 to 8 ounces of weight to keep your bait in place?  If so, you may need a heavy action catfish rod. 

Anchored up on a lake catfishing.

If you are anchored up catfishing on a lake then you can usually get away with using a medium to medium heavy action catfish rod.  If you are targeting flathead catfish anchored up on a lake and fishing vertically then you want a catfish rod that has a very limber rod tip.  If not, the flathead can feel a stiff rod tip and spit the bait back out.

Catfishing from the bank.

If your style is to sit in the shade and catfish you will need a long catfish rod.  If you have a longer rod, anywhere from 9 foot to 12 to 13 foot, you can reach out and touch those better catfish holes.  The longer rod allows you to cast farther out.

And then there is the debate over fiberglass versus E Glass rods.  We will cover that catfish rod debate later.

So before you go out and buy the "latest and greatest" catfish rod that everyone is saying is the best rod ever, think about what type of catfish you target and how you target those catfish.  This could save you money by making sure you by the best type of catfish rod for you and your catfishing style.

Let us know what type of catfishing you do and what type of rod you use doing it!

Continue to scroll down to see a list of companies offering the best prices on catfish / catfishing rods!

Click HERE for a breakdown of the components of a catfish rod ...

 

Cabela's Shops has a full line of rods including Shakespeare® Ugly Stik® Catfish Casting Rods, Cabela's Shops® CatMaxx™ CTX Series Casting Rods, Quantum® Bill Dance River Catfish Rod and Reel Combo, Shakespeare® Ugly Stik® Catfish Trigger Rods, Shakespeare® Ugly Stik® Catfish Spinning Rod, Cabela's Shops® Power Plus™ Trophy Class Trigger Rods - and many other rods for catfishing. Visit Cabela's and do a search for catfish or visit their fishing rod section ... click on the Cabela's banner below

Boater's World Shops has a full line of rods including Shakespeare® Ugly Stik® Catfish Casting Rods, Boater's World Shops® CatMaxx™ CTX Series Casting Rods, Quantum® Bill Dance River Catfish Rod and Reel Combo, Shakespeare® Ugly Stik® Catfish Trigger Rods, Shakespeare® Ugly Stik® Catfish Spinning Rod, Boater's World Shops® Power Plus™ Trophy Class Trigger Rods - and many other rods for catfishing. Visit Boater's World and do a search for catfish or visit their fishing rod section ... click on the Boater's World banner below

West Marine Shops has a full line of rods including Shakespeare® Ugly Stik® Catfish Casting Rods, West Marine Shops® CatMaxx™ CTX Series Casting Rods, Quantum® Bill Dance River Catfish Rod and Reel Combo, Shakespeare® Ugly Stik® Catfish Trigger Rods, Shakespeare® Ugly Stik® Catfish Spinning Rod, West Marine Shops® Power Plus™ Trophy Class Trigger Rods - and many other rods for catfishing. Visit West Marine and do a search for catfish or visit their fishing rod section ... click on the West Marine banner below

Or do a search for catfish rods using eBay ...

Or search the internet for catfish rods using the search bar below ...

Ugly Stik® Catfish Rods

Medium heavy actions in casting and spinning models.

Great for long casts and fighting big cats.

Comfortable EVA handles for all-day and all-night fishing.

Ugly Stik® rods

Ugly Stik Clear Tip® design for guaranteed strength and sensitivity.

All Ugly Stik rods feature blank-through-handle construction for added strength and sensitivity.

Durable and lightweight "Ugly TuffTM" EVA grips. Spinning models have an EVA insert on top of reel seat for added comfort.

Graphite twist-lock reel seats are standard on most models.

Ugly Stik Classic models feature conventional reel seats with cushioned stainless steel hoods on spinning models.

Guides feature black stainless steel frames and aluminum oxide inserts.

Ugly Stik Classic models feature double-footed, chrome-plated stainless steel wire frame guides with aluminum oxide inserts.

Ferruless design on two-piece models for the strength and feel of a one-piece rod.

Over 40 actions to choose from for all freshwater fishing applications.

Exclusive 70 day / 7 year warranty.

Ugly Stik® Tiger

Howald ProcessTM Double-BuiltTM blank featuring E-Glass outer construction and graphite core.

Blank-through-handle construction for added strength and sensitivity.

Graphite Fuji® reel seats with stainless steel cushioned hoods.

Heavy-duty stainless steel reinforced guides and tip tops.

Durable, fighting length EVA grips.

Rods feature fast action tips and strong, reinforced fighting butts.

Great live bait rod for large catfish, stripers, and bigwater game fish.

Exclusive "Ugly Back" 60-day/5-year limited warranty.

Two basic types of rods dominate fishing - baitcasting and spinning. The selection of either is driven by the choice of reel, and that is driven by specific techniques as well as targeted species. The species of fish that you are going to target will have a major impact on the selection process. For larger species, many anglers prefer the baitcasting option.

Baitcasting rods are designed with the reel seated on the top, above a trigger grip that improves an angler's ability to maintain control during casting as well as fighting a fish. This feature is particularly effective when hands are wet or slippery from handling fish.

Line guides
The line guides on a baitcasting rod are aligned in a slightly descending size from butt to tip, on the top of the rod blank. The diameter of line guides for this type of rod is not as large as those used on spinning rods, because the line pays out more evenly. Generally, the number of guides is based on the length and flexibility of the rod blank, with more guides being used on rods that flex more dramatically.

The insert of line guides is made of various materials such as plastic, metal and ceramics, which vary in their hardness as well as cost. Plastic anchors the lower end of the quality scale, ceramic guides are top quality, but many anglers will argue that RECOIL® nickel-titanium guides cap off the pinnacle. Since the quality of a rod's guides affects both casting distance as well as being a critical part of any battle, choose a rod with quality guides. When fishing the new braided or super lines, ceramic guides are the best choice, since they are most resistant to wear. In addition to the material of the inner surface that touches the line, improvements to the metals that support the eyelet have also been dramatic.

RECOIL® guides are made from a special nickel-titanium alloy with unique physical properties that does not require plating, cannot corrode in any environment, and returns or "recoils" to its original shape after repeated deformations. This special metal is not used just on the frame, but the entire guide is made of nickel titanium and it's just as durable as ceramics with a lot more advantages. A significant advantage over guides with ceramic inserts would be increased sensitivity because there isn't any material to deaden vibrations. Without direct contact between you and the fish, even the slightest tick is transmitted directly up through the rod to hands that are waiting for the hookset.

Fuji's® Concept guide is also an excellent choice. Its Alconite ring material produces a thinner, lighter weight guide that improves the smoothness of line travel during casting and retrieving.

Action
A rod's action describes the way a rod will perform when both casting and reeling in a fish, and is categorized in general terms such as fast, moderate or medium and slow. A fast-action rod bends mostly in the top 1/3 of the rod's length. Moderate- or medium-action rods bend further down the rod's length; typically through its midsection. A slow-action rod bends throughout the entire length of the rod, down to the handle. A rod's action also relates to the size and weight of lures that are being fished. With smaller lures, a medium action will be more effective in achieving maximum casting distance, since the more limber rod will have a greater flex and develop more kinetic energy.

Fast-action rods provide a quick hookset for techniques such as jigging. A moderate action works well for casting middleweight crankbaits and slow-action rods work well for long gentle casts when fishing live bait. Naturally, there a many more applications and techniques that each of these actions would be suitable for, but a critical issue is always going to be personal preference.

Power
Power is relative to the fight and rods are generally classed into Ultra-Light, Light, Medium-Heavy and Heavy, with smaller fish calling for the lesser power of an Ultra-Light or Light, and larger fish falling to the stiffer end of the spectrum, Medium-Heavy or Heavy.

Blank materials
The majority of quality rods today are made of graphite, fiberglass or a combination of these two materials. Historically, graphite was on the fragile side, bruising easily; however, the process of refinement that graphite has enjoyed in the past 10 years is pretty impressive. Graphite is the ultimate for flexibility and fighting power, as well as the most sensitivity for feeling delicate nibbles and subtle takes.

In essence, graphite used in rod construction is simply a carbon fiber that is engineered to have structural properties ideal for flexing and resistance to pressure when flexed. Both the quality of the bonding agent and the amount of graphite used in the blend has a bearing on the finished product. The system of rating graphite's tensile strength is calculated by measuring how much it is elongated when a few million pounds of pressure per square inch are applied. Graphite with a higher modulus rating indicates that it will not elongate or stretch as much. Elongation, or elasticity allows a rod to bend and spring back.

Graphite's modulus of elasticity, or resistance to bending, is indicated in terms such as 24 million modulus, 35 million modulus and so on. The higher the number, the stronger the rod will be for its weight, but this increased strength also allows manufacturers to make rods with a smaller diameter that weighs less. IM6 rods have a modulus rating of 40 million. Graphite rods range from 33- to 64-million modulus, while fiberglass rods have a modulus of six to 13 million. The higher the modulus, the greater the tendency toward brittleness, and many rods incorporate a number of modulus to offset this characteristic.

Fiberglass rods are more durable but less sensitive, and usually heavier than a graphite blank of the same diameter, length and action. However, fiberglass rods do have their place. Boat rods used for large fish and heavier applications that do not require casting or sensitivity are ideal for this more durable material. Fiberglass is also an ideal option for a youngster just learning to use a baitcaster.

Composites of these two materials produce rods that are lightweight, powerful and sensitive, but not as much as a pure blend of either material alone.

I've discussed the various elements that make up a rod, but what makes the difference between a rod that sells for $30 and one that goes for $300? It is possible to find rods with the same graphite composition selling for drastically different prices. The quality of the resin, cork and reel seat used is a critical issue when it comes to price as well as performance, so don't hang your hat on modulus alone.

Handle/Grip
The design and materials in the handle and grip of a rod can determine the level of comfort you enjoy at the end of a long day of fishing. A pistol grip is the shortest type of grip and is usually contoured to fit the shape of the angler's hand. Materials can be either composites or cork mounted on a metal frame with a trigger to improve control. For two-handed casting and more leverage in a fight, the extended length of the rear grip is an advantage.

Cork and EVA foam are the two most common materials used for the handle, and the highest quality cork is imported from Portugal. EVA foam is more resistant to stains, changes in temperature and the most durable material over time.

Reel seat
If you've had the misfortune of owning a rod with a reel seat that seemed to work loose just at the most inopportune times, you know how important it is to have a quality seat. After all, this is the place where the reel is attached to the rod, and the stress of a fight applies a lot of torque to this component. A good reel seat should accept all of the major brands of reels and fit snugly when tightened.

Reel seats with a portion of the blank exposed are the latest innovation in rods. By placing a finger on this exposed blank you'll be able to detect even the most delicate bite.

Catfish U

Catfish U Googlin'

Catfish U Guide Spotlight

All Catfish Guides