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Picking the Right Catfish Rod

Fishing for Catfish can be fun and exciting if you choose the right catfish rod for the fish you are trying to catch. If the rod is extremely stiff and strong you take all the sport out of catching all but the biggest catfish. If the catfish rod is extremely flexible a medium sized catfish will tear it up. Catfish are great fighters which make them fun to catch but they can destroy your gear if you don’t choose correctly.

To make I better choice when buying a new catfish rod there are a few things you should know. When choosing a rod there are 3 main factors that will determine how the rod will perform in actual use.

• Action refers to where or how much of the rod will bend. With equal weight a fast action rod will start to bend more toward the tip where as a slow action rod would tend to bend over the entire length of the shaft. A medium action rod would start to bend in the middle. The action is controlled by the taper of the rod itself. A fast or short taper would make a slower action rod and a slow or long taper would make for a faster action rod.

• Power or strength is the amount of force needed to bend the rod. The thickness and type of rod material will determine this. A lot of rod manufactures and anglers get this confused with action. Most rods when marked light-action are referring to power not action. The best way to tell the power of a rod is to check the line weight ratings.

• Sensitivity is the ability to transmit vibrations from the line through the rod and to your hand. By taping lightly on the tip with your finger you should easily feel the vibrations holding the handle of a sensitive rod. The thickness and density of the rod material will make a difference. Graphite is more sensitive than fiberglass and boron is denser and more sensitive than graphite. The ferrules also make a difference; metal ferrules are far less sensitive than graphite. A one piece rod of course would be the most sensitive.

The catfish rod blank should also continue through the lenght of the grip. Single foot guides add less weight and help retain sensitivity verses a double foot guide which is heavier and must also be wrapped in two locations. Also the rod action plays a major role, fast action rods will be more sensitive than a slow action rod of the same material. Don't confuse a lighter more flexible rod with being more sensitive.

If you are new to catfishing a good inexpensive rod choice is the Shakespeare Ugly Stick. It is a medium action pole that is a favorite among catfish anglers. While this is a good catfish rod to start with you should get to know what the other rod types are capable of. You will have a lot more fun catching a 5 lb channel catfish on a medium action pole than you will on a heavy action pole. Choosing the right catfish rod will make your fishing much more fun.

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