White rodsVS. Black rods

[A.W.Wolfram]

What are your preferences and why.

IMO they both have a place in cat fishing.

Slower action glass rods work well with circle hooks for a “load up” hook set and graphite rods work well “J” hooks quick hook set.

Composite rods can be in the middle, depending on the action.

[Scott K]

I like the graphite rods most, more sensitive and I can feel the bite better, so I dont need to look at the rod tip in the dark. Although I do have glass, they just arent my goto rods. Most people I know will fish with glass because it is more durable, and you can see the tip bend.

[AceintheHole]

I have a Berkley glow stick 8' Med-Hvy for flats and a 7'white med e-glass that I will be using for channels. I tell ya what that Berkley glow stick is a very beefy rod and I am looking forward to test it out very soon on some huge flats. I am looking for a new channel rod but I have not pick out a good one yet.

[DTro]

I like a white glass rod.

Glass for durability and lifting power and white for visibility.

I like a little give in the top 1/3.

Stiff graphite rods are nice for turning fish, or when doing some heavy cover combat, but they will beat the heck out of you when spooled with braid and fighting fish in the open water.

In order to get the action I like in a graphite rod, I lose significant lifting power.

[ec30_06]

I use both depending on the situation. It depends a lot on what time of day it is and what type of bait/hook I'm using. You don't want to hold a heavy glass rod all day channel fishing.

[hanso612]

Nothing beats the crack of a carbon rod as it explodes in your hands-like a gunshot echoing down the valley.

If you think catching a giant cat on a working rod is fun you will really like the additional thrill of fishing with half your rod down by the swivel. Almost as fun as catching one on a mickey mouse rod with the dragless reel molded in.(true story) Can you say, "back reel to beat the band"?

Those glass rods are great for pulling up vines, tires, and shopping carts too.

Man, now I just gave myself the fishing jones like you can't imagine thinking of all the giant things you can pull up from the bottom of a deep dark hole. Hans

[ec30_06]

A guy in our boat broke a rod on a 48" sturgeon last spring at the excursion. That was a battle on half a rod!

[PierBridge]

Both Black and White.....I have both... IMO the Black rods look cooler and the White Rods have a slight advantage after Dark.

So both are needed!

Is that like a 14" Perch Ed?

[ec30_06]

Yeah. That is from the packin' for perch trip to MI.

[uppdacreek]

Black all the way!!!! White ones make weird noises when they have true giants pulling on them. I've never heard graphite make any noise, except when CF broke one on a hookset a few years ago. Loudest noise I have ever heard. I believe there was a defect in the blank on that one.

[hanson]

I'm a White rod guy myself although my new favorites are Blue. Honestly I don't really give a darn what color the rod is, as long as the action is "right".

What's "right" IMO... an 8' medium heavy should be fairly soft in the top third with solid backbone in the back half. Berkeley Reflex, Catfish Safari "Flathead", and St Croix Classic Cat are all rods that have that right feel and action IMO.

Softer rods have a bit of forgiveness when fishing 80lb super line on a tight drag.