New cat rod opinion

[FishinLogician]

I recently purchased an 8' HT Ol'Wiskers Catfish System. I've heard complaints from other people about the lack of sensativity on the tips of most cat rods currently offered. My Reflex is pretty good but this HT has a very soft tip and has been great so far. I have not heard anything on the HT rods and would like to get anyone's take on it. If it's poor quality and breaks I figure I only lost a little coin. What are your opinions?

[This message has been edited by FishinLogician (edited 10-05-2004).]

[buzbunni]

Hey Chip, I'm just following you around .

It seemed like the HT rod was decent; I'm curious about other's opinions as well.

I remember Canuck talking about his frustration that no-one seemed to make this kind of a rod for cattin'(soft tip beefing up to a solid backbone). I was looking at the Berkley catalogue the other day, and wondering if some inshore surf-casting rods wouldn't fit the bill. The ones I looked at were kinda spendy($100), but seemed like they may fit the bill, at least according to the product description. Anyone ever try a product along these lines?

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SERIOUSLY! It was THIS big!

[catfish1]

I've got berkley big cats and shakespear cat rod even an ugly stick. Rods ranging from 6 to 8 foot. and I bought a lite ocean rod about 27 years ago, from k-mart in California and I still use it. Do not remember the name. And each one of my rods are different in it's own way. And each one is used in different types of water. That is way I like carrying about three or four rods with me just to go catfishing and if I plan on fishing for an eye or perch There are some more different rods. I guess I just like to be ready for any kind of waters. Probably a little over kill. But old habits are hard to change, Later

catfish156123

[Toad]

Since manufacturers first got serious about cat rods several years ago, my favorites remain St. Croix's Pro Glass series. They offer excellent sensitivity for a glass composite, a solid beefy midsection and a tip soft enough to heave heavy baits, or employ circle hooks. Most of the "E-Glass" rods are good too, offering moderate sensitivity; better than the old glass composites, but still a long way from graphite for sensitivity.

So long as glass is used on rods designated for catfish, sensitivity just isn't going to be great. It's also not a big priority if you ask most catfish rod manufacturers.

Most expert anglers who've advised cat rod makers on design fish bigger rivers and reservoirs with large baits and heavier sinkers. They also target very large catfish, all factors which lend themselves to using glass composites in medium to extra-heavy power rods. In situations where sensitivity is a big factor, until rod builders design a graphite cat rod we've still got to tote along the medium/heavy graphite bass or walleye rods.

-a friend called Toad

[buzbunni]

Does St. Croix still manufacture the Pro-glass rods?

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SERIOUSLY! It was THIS big!

[Ed Carlson]

Toad hit it on the head, although options are somewhat limited the Cat Rod market is better then it has ever been.

E-Glass rods are great and I use a lot of them myself. The Re-Flex series is a very durable and user friendly series at an affordable price.

A few years back I began tested Rod options in IM-6. I was looking for a rod and reel combo with superior sensitivity and a great load curve. To my surprise where I found it was in a top Muskie hunters arsenal of rod combo's, the Signature Series of Rod and Reel combo's from Pete Maina. Actually I found several rods that worked well for different sets of expectations and conditions and to date all have proven to hold up extremely well.

One model in the Pete Maina Signature Series Baitcast Combo line that has consistently proven to be a favorite of mine and many friends and clients whom have used it. It is the PMX80XHT-T rod matched with a PMX3000MH reel. This model has a telescopic butt section to allow an easier fit into rod lockers. This series is equipped with IM-6 graphite blanks with ”Power wall” design and Fuji® Hardloy® guides. Includes weight balance system for comfort and fatigue relief.

After tons and tons of cats caught on it I can say for sure any fears I may have had that the telescopic section would fail under stress have long since faded. If the telescopic model still spooks you the same rod is available in a two piece blank, the PMX86MHT-2.

The Rod and Reel combo price is real easy to live with too at $140....not too bad huh?

Another resource for hunting for good Glass rods is snooping around the In-Shore Saltwater rod group. Many spinning and baitcast rods used in the class of saltwater rods called "In-Shore" are good matches for cats. Snooping around for deals there can pay off too.

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Backwater Guiding
"ED on the RED"
701-893-9107

[email protected]

[rms]

Ed,

Have you ever tried planer board style rods? Many of them have soft tips, yet they load up quickly? An 8'or 8'6" Diawa Heartland runs around $30.00 on sale.

[buzbunni]

Thanks Ed. I'm putting that combo on my list. Here's the best part: even though I'm not a Muskie angler, now I can go buy one black bucktail and give it a toss once in awhile with this rig .

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SERIOUSLY! It was THIS big!

[Ed Carlson]

Yup rms glass board rods work pretty well for circle hook fishing. The only deal is most do not have much backbone in the lower 2/thirds of the blank, so they can be a bit light for fighting big catfish.

I have a 11' I'M-6 muskie trolling rod that might be an exception? It was built a bit heaver then the average 11' trolling blank. It came from the early Maina Signature series rod line and has since been unfortunately discontinued. Too bad because it was also a handy rod configuration for Cork'n cats. At 11' it had the casting power to cast large heavy floats and baits plus the backbone needed to take up slack quickly and slam home the hook on a cat at a distance.

Now days when I ever get the bug to hunt for another specialty rod I consider getting it made to order first. Once you know what you want it is often much more cost effective to have if built for you. Rod at "Rods by Engel" in my view is the man for the job too! If you need quality rods built to your spec's, he is Da-Rod-Man. He builds truly gorgeous rods that are made to last, at very reasonable prices. Fishing Rods are like guns in a lot of ways really. If you want a true fit to you, get them made to fit you and the situation intended for it's use.

Surprisingly it is not as costly an avenue as most folks think, and in my view well worth exploring when in the market for new rods.

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Backwater Guiding
"ED on the RED"
701-893-9107

[email protected]