Catfish are a diverse species of fish that live in both fresh and saltwater, either inland or on the coast. Catfish get their name from their signature cat-like whiskers, and they can make a tasty meal for a hungry fisherman. But catching one is easier said than done. Catfish are resilient, strong, and stubborn. A fisherman needs a lot of power, skill, and patience to reel one in, and having the best catfish rod can undoubtedly improve your hunting techniques.
With a fierce battle ahead, the best catfish rod can help give you the advantage to win. Other fishing rods won’t have the strength to resist the strong pull of a catfish and will likely have features that don’t quite suit catfishing. Instead, catfish poles have been redesigned to improve features like length, material, and power to ensure you reel in a winning catch.
OUR TOP PICK
UglyStik GX2 Casting
- Stand Out Features - Why We Love It
- Redesigned with new features that improve performance and durability
- Durably UglyTech construction uses fiberglass and graphite
- Materials are lightweight and virtually unbreakable
- Ideal for rugged fishing excursions
- Solid piece Ugly Tuff guides
- Line moves freely and is never caught
- Better power and sensitivity
- Comfortable EVA grips
Weight: 2.8 pounds
Material: Graphite, fiberglass
Pieces: 1 piece and 2 pieces available
Length: Available in 5’6”, 6’, 6’6”, 7’, and 7’6”
Grips: EVA
Color: Black
EDITORS CHOICE
KastKing S-Glass
- Stand Out Features - Why We Love It
- Linear construction is ideal for catching big fish
- Constructed of 100% S-glass
- Enhanced strength and lifting power
- Uncompromising performance and durability
- Stainless steel double-foot guides keep your fishing line in place
- Stainless steel is long lasting
- Reinforced nylon reel seats never break
- Power trigger for better leverage
- Cross wrapped EVA handles for comfortability
- Bright orange strike tip for low light conditions
Weight: 3.8 pounds
Material: S-glass, stainless steel
Variation: Left/right handed
Max Drag: 17.64
Gear Ratio: 7.0:1/5.3:1
Ball Bearing: 11 + 1
IPT: 28-21
Line Capacity: 1p/195, 12/165, 14/125
Pieces: 1 piece
Length: 7’0”
Grips: EVA
Color: Blue
BEST VALUE
Rippin Lips Spinning
- Stand Out Features - Why We Love It
- Ideal for sport catfishing
- Available in a variety of 6 lengths and actions
- Made of blended E-glass, S-glass, and graphite
- EVA split grip handle for balance
- Power to set a hook easily
- Comfortable under-arm fit
- Guide wraps are epoxy coated for protection and toughness
- Tips are fast and highly-visible for better bite detection and night fishing
Weight: 1 pound
Material: E-glass, S-glass, graphite, stainless steel
Pieces: 2 pieces
Length: 7’6”
Grips: Split EVA
Action: Medium-heavy
Color: Red
Eagle Claw
- Stand Out Features - Why We Love It
- Great for maximizing accuracy, distance, and sensitivity
- Available in ultra-light and heavy models for different catfish species
- Durable materials are resistant to damage and breakage
- Graphite and glass are blended for strength
- Aluminum oxide guides for sensitivity
- EVA foam handle is comfortable to use
- 2 piece design is ideal for traveling fishermen
Product Dimensions: 48 x 3.2 x 3.2 inches
Weight: 2.4 ounces
Material: Graphite, glass, aluminum oxide
Pieces: 2 pieces
Length: 8’
Grips: EVA foam
Action: Medium-heavy
Color: Yellow
Okuma Battle Casting
- Stand Out Features - Why We Love It
- E-glass blank construction for extreme durability
- Get the upper hand over big catfish
- EVA foregrip and cork butt reduce binding
- Double-foot welded stainless steel guides are tough and strong
- 2-piece construction feels like one due to butted handle
- Better reel seat
- Rubber gimbals make grip secure
- Non-skid grip
- Fluorescent wrapped indicator tip for night visibility
Weight: 17 ounces
Material: E-glass, stainless steel
Pieces: 2 pieces
Length: 7’6”
Grips: EVA
Action: Heavy
Line Weight: 15-60 pounds
Lure Weight: 1-8 ounces
Guides: 9 + tip
Color: White
How To Choose A Catfish Rod – Buying Guide
When you are looking at catfish rods, you may feel lost on where to start. Most importantly, you’ll want quality, performance, and strength, which can be challenging to determine for inexperienced anglers. Below we have highlighted the essential features to consider, which can help you get the best catfish rod.
Length
The length of a catfish rod will be dependent on the size of the catfish that you are targeting. Larger catfish will require a longer length and smaller catfish may be successfully caught with a short rod. The most common catfish rods will range from 7-9 feet in length.
The longer length of a catfishing pole will give you better control and a larger casting distance, which can increase your chances of catching catfish. Most freshwater anglers may feel uncomfortable with a longer rod, but practice makes perfect. If you learn to use a longer catfish pole, you are more likely to be able to reel in a monster catfish.
Power
You need the backbone to reel in catfish because they are strong and resilient to keep on fighting. Power is your greatest ally in winning the battle. Most spinning catfish rods will have a medium-heavy power, at a minimum. Medium-heavy power is ideal for smaller sized catfish and suitable for lake catfishing.
Heavy catfish rods is what you’ll need if you’re trying to catch large catfish because they exert so much force on the rod. Heavy power will be resistant to breaking and have the durability you need to reel in a catfish successfully.
If you are concerned about whether or not design has the power to reel in a specific size of catfish, you can check the catfish rod reviews to see what other buyers have caught.
Action
The action of a catfishing pole refers to the amount of flex it has when it is put under pressure. All catfish rods need to have a little action, or they would likely snap in half when a fish begins pulling and fighting. A slow action rod would flex along with the majority of their length, whereas a fast action rod will only flex at the tip. Many cheap catfish rods are available in medium, medium-fast, and fast action.
The action that you choose should be determined by what you feel comfortable with using and prefer. Most anglers going after monster catfish prefer a slow action catfish pole because it will flex without breaking. But if you are fishing for smaller catfish, fast action can give you the finesse you need to hone your techniques.
You might also like: Perfect Surf Fishing Rods
Material
Catfish spinning rods can be made of a variety of materials or may feature two elements blended. The most common materials used individually or combined for catfish poles are fiberglass and graphite.
Fiberglass is a durable and robust material that is also affordable. It is the most common material used for catfishing poles, but it may be blended with graphite too. The only downside to fiberglass is that it can be cumbersome, which can make it more difficult to transport.
Graphite catfish poles are also strong, but they have a stiffer feel. The stiffness of graphite transmits vibrations better so that fishermen can feel fish and potential bites easier. Graphite is more expensive than fiberglass and when blended with the material, can be even more costly. Additionally, graphite is very lightweight for easy transportation.
A blended cat fishing pole will combine the qualities of both materials into one design. The biggest downside is that this is the most expensive type of catfish fishing rods and will likely be used by only serious anglers.
Style
Catfish rods also come in two different styles. There are catfish spinning rods and catfish baitcasting rods. Both styles have high performances, but there are still a few differences between them.
Catfish spinning rods are better suited for beginner fishermen because they use a lighter weight line and used for targeting smaller catfish. Catfish baitcasting rods are more useful to fishermen who have the skill, technique, and knowledge to use them. Baitcasting rods can use a heavier line, which in turn means you can target larger catfish. But ultimately, no matter which rod you choose, you need to match it to the same type of catfish reel.
Handle
The handle of a catfish pole can be different in two aspects: material and length. Most cheap catfish rods use cork or foam to build the base. A better catfishing pole will use cork because it is comfortable and durable.
The length of the handle will change the amount of control that you have, which increases your chance of catching a catfish. Longer handle lengths give you more control because the extra space gives you more leverage and lets you use a two-hand hold position.
FAQs
Q: What is the difference between catfish rods and catfish poles?
While we’ve used the term rod and pole interchangeably, there is a difference between the two words. But its important to note that it is technical and does not affect the performance. Most anglers will use the words interchangeably as well to mean the same thing.
A catfish fishing rod, or any rod, will be made out of conventional materials. Common materials used are fiberglass, graphite, and Kevlar. These materials can be used individually or blended to create a heavy catfish rod. The rod will also have eyes and guides to properly align your fishing line and keep it from getting tangled. Catfish rods are the most popular choice of fishing gear because of their useful features, and they are the better choice for beginner fishermen.
In contrast, a catfish pole will be made of natural materials instead of conventional materials. Common materials for a cat fishing pole include bamboo and reed. A pole will also lack all of the features of a catfish rod, like eyes and guides for the fishing line. Catfish poles are technically the most basic type of gear you could choose to use because they are essentially a stick with a string and you add a hook for catfish.
Q: What is the best reel type for catfish?
Instead of the best reel type for catfish, you will have to consider what style of catfish rods you have. The reel type that you use will have to match the style of rod you are using to ensure that everything functions properly.
Identical to the style of the rod, whether it’s a catfish spinning rod or baitcaster design, there are two types of reels to match. Catfish spinning reels should only be used with catfish spinning rods. Catfish baitcasting rods should be paired with a baitcasting reel. The matching of the reel and rod ensures that your models function correctly and without any damage.
Most anglers will already have a reel-type decided for them because they have a personal preference as to what type of rod they use. With this pre-made decision, it can be hard to say what the best reel type is because it will be dependent on the preference of each fisherman. But if you prefer to choose the type of reel before the kind of rod, make sure that they are both the same style.
Q: What’s the best line for catfish?
The most popular line used for catfishing is a monofilament fishing line because it is strong, inexpensive, and resistant to damage. It is a very forgiving line, which can be great for anglers who are learning new skills. However, a few downsides to monofilament fishing lines are that they are thicker and create more drag in the water. It can also stretch, which causes it to break off or snap when caught.
Another line that can be used for catfishing is braided fishing line. The biggest advantage of braided fishing lines is that they have no stretch so that you can immediately set the hook. It is also thinner, which means less drag in the water. The downfall to a braided line is that anglers often buy line too thick, which can damage the eyelets of your catfish rods. It is also more expensive than monofilament fishing lines.
Additionally, the fluorocarbon fishing line may be used as a leader for catfishing. It is strong and resistant to abrasions, which makes it perfect to set your catfish bait. But it is not widely used for catfishing because it is expensive.
Globo Surf Overview
Catfishing is an exciting sport that can produce great rewards, but you will need the best equipment. When you’re going to invest in a catfishing rod, you want to make sure that you’ve found the best quality, performance, and durability. It can be hard to find a winning design because of the variety of options available on the market. Anglers will have to consider their skill and experience, as well as the catfish that they want to target to find the best catfish rods. Once you’ve got one of the best catfish rods you can start perfecting your skill and making casts!
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