Cat Fish Rod

Started by sharkman, August 10, 2018, 06:14:22 PM

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sharkman

What makes a catfish rod a catfish rod? Is it the action?

festus

Usually they have a soft tip and made of fiberglass.  Most are rated as MH.  The lighter ones usually throw up 3-4 oz.  Some of the bigger ones are rated for up to a half pound or much more.

Rivverrat

#2
You could ask several cat men that question & the answers given would vary a bit.

But most would mention a soft tip. This point has been preached & teached by seemingly every person authoring an article on catching catfish.

The soft tip it is said, is needed so the predominantly used
circle hook can work right.... My personal thoughts regarding this are... One could load that up behind tractor drive about & watch the grass get green.

Also being that a high percentage of cartmen fish their rods in a holder, forked stick etc. the soft tip clearly signals a bite.

Two days in a row seldom go by that I'm not wetting a line specifically for catfish. I've found most rods on shelves for catfish are extremely cheap & poorly made while not working well at all

With the exception of St. Croix's  Classic Cat that's no longer made. Far better in my opinion than their present MoJo Cat.

I learned years ago to not lean to hard on what the experts say. I find the best way that works out for me.

While I have heavier, my thoughts are the best, all around benchmark cat rods are made by United Composites.
The 8' Tilefish & the CE version of their Wahoo are with out peer. They both will do well with 40 - 60 line used for cats.

With a good reel both of these rods will toss both light & heavier live & cut baits while having very different actions between them

Find me at the river & if not sleeping one of these rods will more than likely be in my hands every minute I'm awake.

What's a catfish rod?

It's a rod that fits your use, the water you fish  & the specific catfish your after best
       
                                    ... Jeff


sharkman

Thanks for the answers. I really like the action on the rods even though I only fish saltwater. Local tackle shop has a berkley ecat I am thinking about buying. Think would pair with penn 850ss

Rivverrat

The E Cats get great reviews. I know they are very durable.

Benni3

Light gear is very fun,,,,but big cats go for logs and rocks,,,,hang up city >:( for them you need bigger gear  ;) 30wt and up ;D

MarkT

I've caught 20# and 30# cats on a Shimano Convergence 70mh rated 12-25 fishing 12#. I've caught a tonnage of Calico Bass on the same rod.  
When I was your age Pluto was a planet!

Rivverrat

#7
Quote from: MarkT on August 11, 2018, 03:05:58 PM
I've caught 20# and 30# cats on a Shimano Convergence 70mh rated 12-25 fishing 12#. I've caught a tonnage of Calico Bass on the same rod.  

  Mark, the Shimano Convergance is a good rod at a great price. A lot of people could & would  be happy with it for cats.  

 Just wish to pass some of my thoughts. These are based on what I've learned over the years on what has worked best for me regarding gear exclusively for cats.  For the biggest cats in the piece of water I'm fishing

Most any rod that will handle 15 - 20 lb. line will work for catfish in a lot of instances. A lot of gear that I wouldn't consider using will work just fine for most people.

While I do fish for other species, please understand I am completely devoted to catching catfish.... to the point that some might say there is something amiss or completely wrong with me & you know, I'm alright with that.

My lightest rod for cats, my small creek rod is a St. Croix MoJo Bass rated for 14 - 30 line & 4 oz. weight. This is a  very specific rod for certain situations. On the other end of spectrum my heavier rods are 7' CP Platinums & 8' Raptors both rated for for up to 80 lb. line with the Raptor surpassing that line class for my purpose.

My rods that take up the middle are important. These are lite weight, keep in your hands all day rods. All the rods taking up this portion of my gear will fish 40 - 50 line perfectly. My most favored ones will do 60 line well.
The middle of this spectrum is important because in most cases I'm not undergunned. These rods do well tossing a 1 oz. sinker & bait or will lob out weight & bait close to 1 lb. Very versatile setups, that will handle most any catfish that swims in North America in most water fished.

Limited to one rod for Cats it would be from this middle group. Specifically the CE Wahoo or an 8" Tilefish.

Thing is most of you full fledged salt water fellers have more than one of these rods that I just described. Never,  EVER  cheat your self out of a reason to buy another combo. However most everyone on this site has more than one rod that could easily work well for cats of any size & do it better than any off the shelf rod made for this fish... Jeff


xjchad

Thank you for all of your insight Jeff!
I haven't spent much time targeting catfish, but when I have I've loved it!  I don't know why, but to me it feels similar to when I'm fishing for sharks on the beach.
I wish I had some good catfish waters close to me so I could target them more!
Husband, Father, Fisherman

MarkT

I've been fishing for cats in a lake Mission Viejo without structure other than weeds. The gear I've used probably wouldn't do well in a river with downed trees, current, etc. The best cat out of my lake was over 70#, LMB over 19#, before golden algae infected the lake and pretty much killed everything.
When I was your age Pluto was a planet!

Rivverrat

#10
Mark, I'm sorry to hear of the algae bloom on the lake.  Also no need for you to ever explain your particular use of gear.  I knew what was up when you spoke of the rod & size fish you caught.

Some here will benefit your explaining why the lighter gear worked for you. However I know for certain you are an experienced hand & always value your input... Jeff

Rivverrat

Quote from: Benni3 on August 11, 2018, 03:59:14 AM
Light gear is very fun,,,,but big cats go for logs and rocks,,,,hang up city >:( for them you need bigger gear  ;) 30wt and up ;D

You might try making shorter cast with a rod that loads up quick & a reel thats happy fishing 20 lbs. & more of drag. That Torque spinner you have fits this perfect. A float & circle hook can at times work great in this situation also.  The longest rod you can manage at this drag range will be a big benefit also.

In snaggy areas I try use enough leader that mono will still remain on the reel after my longest cast so I can cut it & not the more expensive braid.

If your hooking them you can catch them. Sometimes we just need a different method than being used. Please let me know if you come up with something that works out well for you... Jeff 

Benni3



You might try making shorter cast with a rod that loads up quick & a reel thats happy fishing 20 lbs. & more of drag. That Torque spinner you have fits this perfect. A float & circle hook can at times work great in this situation also.  The longest rod you can manage at this drag range will be a big benefit also.

In snaggy areas I try use enough leader that mono will still remain on the reel after my longest cast so I can cut it & not the more expensive braid.

If your hooking them you can catch them. Sometimes we just need a different method than being used. Please let me know if you come up with something that works out well for you... Jeff 
[/quote]we use 8lb on 2 rods very fun,,,but the other 2 rods 15lb mono and 30 braid,,,, and got hung up time and time again when the cat comes back at us to his nest,,,sometimes the line doesn't break and we pull up other people's gear hooks liter :D smart fish ;D

steelfish

Quote from: MarkT on August 12, 2018, 03:27:51 AM
I've been fishing for cats in a lake Mission Viejo without structure other than weeds. The gear I've used probably wouldn't do well in a river with downed trees, current, etc. The best cat out of my lake was over 70#, LMB over 19#, before golden algae infected the lake and pretty much killed everything.

did I read this right?

LMB over 19#? that some serious monster bass

The Baja Guy

MarkT

#14
Yes, Lake Mission Viejo was considered a trophy lake.  All those monsters ended up dead after the golden algae pretty much wiped the lake out.  They have it under control and have restocked with bluegill/sunfish, catfish, crappie, LMB and tilapia.  They stock with a lot of trout in the winter time.  Stocking trout in the winter in bass lakes is how they get so big in California.  It'll be decades before it gets back to where it was.

"On April 1, 2006 George Coniglio caught a 19 lbs 12 oz largemouth bass. As of 2006, it ranked 13th largest catch all-time nationwide. The fish measured 28 inches long with a 26-inch girth. Mr. Coniglio also set a new IGFA "All-Tackle Length" Largemouth Bass was caught in Lake Mission Viejo on May 15, 2015. The Bass was 65 cm. long, (2 feet 1½inches), 4 cm. longer than the previous record."
When I was your age Pluto was a planet!