Berkley Reflex Rod ??

[hanson]

I understand the Reflex Rod series which many of you like is being discontinued by Berkley.

I'm on the lookout for a baitcasting cat rod. I've been able to locate an 8' Berkley Reflex Casting in MH. 2 piece, 10-25lb line, 1-4 oz lure weight. Killer price on it also.

Opinions on this rod? Should I add it too the collection?

[fiskyknut]

I don't care for them but I see them for sale on hsolist pretty regular, and alot of times they go for less than 10 bucks.

I'd bet here are a few on there now?

[SteveD]

I have a rod that I would highly recommend. Last year I picked up a Shakespeare "Catera" rod at Gander Mt on a closeout for $20. It is a IM-8 graphite rod,6'3" long, Heavy Action, rated for 20 - 50 lb line. I love the rod, it is light but strong. It is a dark colored rod which makes fishing in the dark a little harder but it sure has the backbone and strength for a great cat rod. When I was in there last week I noticed they had several on hand in both Medium Heavy and Heavy action. They are asking $39.99 which is not bad for a good catfish rod. The rod is stacked with their muskie rods.

[Fisher Dave]

Reflex rods are good cat rods.. the one you are looking at sounds like a good flathead rod.. or heavy channel rod.

Everyone has their own preference on cat rods.. I personaly hate black rods in the middle of the night.

[Dennis Steele]

Toad has informed us that the replacement for the Reflex is the "Glow Stick" by Berkley. Same rod, they just added a new feature. You can put batteries in the butt end of the rod and it lights up like a Star Wars light saber. Great for night fishing!!

I ordered two of them!

[Ed Carlson]

Yup...the new Glow Stick is the same specs as the Re-Flex...just with a new twist/light.

Great cat rods and priced so everyone can give them a go. I have long used the Re-Flex blank/rods for cats and plan to replace and add more ith the new Glow-Sticks. Great rods and a more then fair price point...darn hard to beat that Eh.

[nitewolf3008]

light saber fishing poles??? i can see it now when fishing is slow cat-men on the banks having pole/ light saber fights and yelling use the force stupid

[barnyard]

Don't hear about others using them, but we use salmon rods. Longer rods (8.5-9 feet) protect line better and allow for alot longer casts. We have rods in several actions and powers.

I have a couple of bait casters and spinning rods, with some 3M glow tape, they work better than purpose-built cat rods.

Tom B

[hanson]

I just wanted to bump this back to the top.

I changed minds & changed minds again and eventually ordered a 9' Berkley Reflex Spinning rod from a large mail order company.

So far, I love this rod. I'm currently thinking of ordering up a 8' Casting rod also.

One thing I noticed is that the Reflex I received has a cork grip and lots of red on the blank. I'm a little puzzled if this is last years rod and discontinued or if this is new. This particular rod is advertised on Berkley's HSOforum and is readily available through a few large fishing catalog companies. The Reflex rod that I was familiar with has a black foam grip (not cork) and primarily white rod blank, just the guides are wrapped.

All I know is this is an awesome rod at an awesome price if it isn't available anymore. Will be ordering a few more ASAP if that is the case.

[Toad]

Due to demand, Berkley has reintroduced the Reflex line after a year layoff. The Glowstick's still essentially the same rod as the Reflex, just with a battery operated, lighted tip section. Otherwise, the blanks both consist of a lower grade E-glass. Classic cats rods, along with the old Shakespeare Ugly Sticks.

[hanson]

Thanks Toad.

I was a little puzzled. Good move on Berkley's part in my opinion.

[gethanet]

Iv'e tried a couple of them e-glass rods. Didn't really care for them. To flimsy for the stuff I fish. The best rod I have used is a daiwa samori casting rod. It's the one I still use today. It's got an ex heavy action rated for 20-50 pound line and 1-8 oz. baits. I just wish it was longer than 5' 5". I just wish they still made them. Because I need a good 6'6"-7' rod with some backbone for the abu 7000 big game LD reel I just bought.

[hanson]

getthanet-

I've fished with a number of guys that had Shakespeare Ugly Stick Tiger rods I believe were the name. They are a shorter, much heavier type of rod. I've seen them at the Cabela's in East Grand Forks sold in with cat rods. The blanks are a rusty orange color.

[Steve Foss]

I fished with Reflexes up at Lockport because that's what the guides (Stu McKay) had. Great rods at a very nice price, and plenty of backbone for 20-30 lb cats.

I also brought along a Berkley 7-foot Lightnin Rod graphite I used for big pike, and tho the guides kept trying to blow it up on big cats, they couldn't. I still have that rod and it's still "THE DESTRUCTOR"

Best cat rod I've ever used is the Berkley E-cat. They came in Nos. 1 through 4, with four being the heaviest. Cork handle, e-glass blank. The Nos. 1 and 2 were telescoping rods that extened to 7.5 feet, the 3s and 4s were single-blank 8-footers.

Had a buddy with a No. 1 that was a little light for my taste, but he landed 25-lb cats on it at Lockport. I had a No. 2 that I loved to death and that landed hundreds of cats on the Red near Grand Forks/EGF, and a few up at Lockport. Got a No. 3 a bit later, and that's a totally sweet heavy channel cat or good flathead rod. Too much rod for a 10-lb channel, great for the teens and 20-plusses, and heavy enough to match with an Ambassadeur 7000 with 80-lb braid and chuck out that live bait for midnight Minnesota flats. The No. 3s also make very nice late fall musky trolling rods. Got that nice slow action with lots of backbone. The No. 4 was strictly a big flat and blue rod.

Berkley discontinued them after only a couple years' produciton because, I was told, they didn't think they could continue to market a $75 rod to catfish anglers. I guess sales must have been sluggish. I picked up both of mine on clearance sales, but only because I knew the place I shopped put EVERYTHING on clearance at summer's end. I'dve paid $75 easy for those rods, once I knew what they were all about.

If I found an e-cat on hsolist and was still in cat country, I'd scoop it up.