best pole for big cat

[country_boy]

I'm wanting to get a rod and reel for big blue and channel catfish. I want to make sure if I hook a 30+pounder my rod and reel dont brake. Whats the best for this?
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[HeathJ]

Get you an Ugly Stik.
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[Simp]

I'd personally move away from an Ugly Stik. They are strong, yes, but the O-rings came out of the guides easily on the ones I have. So they're all out of commission.

I have a Berkley Lightning Rod that has been very faithful. If you can find one of those in the right capacity, I know it will work well.
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[lunkerhunter2]

Take that/those rod/rods back to where you got it/them and get replacement/replecements. 7 Year warranty over the counter. I have had the eyelets come out on 2 of them but i am 100% satisfied with Ugly Sticks. Everything from my 2' ice rod to my 12' sturgeon rod and everywhere in between. They are in-destructable.[]
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[country_boy]

I think I'm goin to get an Ugly Stick since I have read som many good reviews on them.

How about the reels what would be the best?
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[lunkerhunter2]

Spinning or casting?
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[bytebull]

I've caught a 27lb blue cat on the TIDEWATER shakespeare reel with 20lb shakespeare CAJUN LINE (high abrasion resistance).

I had to set the drag at about 20% of the 20lb line.

Then I had to work that fish for probably 25 minutes. Everyone knows I use shakespeare now that I can't afford the more expensive but I tell you, if you maintain your gear and keep it clean and greased it will perform.

I was using a 8'2"ft ugly stick (Heavy) and had no problems.

There are guys here in Arkansas that have caught 30lb blues at the river here near my house on 10lb test line and 6ft medium rods because they know how to let the fish play itself out and have their drag set properly.

That's their deal catching huge cats on light tackle. It can be done.
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[bytebull]

remember when catfishing to use a swivel .... so the cat don't spin around your line and make abrasions and your line will break.

It's probably best to use a 1 foot to 2 foot leader to the bait with 30lb line if you know how to rig that with a uni-knot. the swivel will keep the line from twisting up. Most of the largest cats are lost because no swivel or leader was used.
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[country_boy]

All I have are casting reels but it really doesn't matter if its casting or spinning. and I do use swivels for catfishing
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[bassngal]

I bought a Bill Dance catfish combo that has a Zebco 733 spincast reel with 20# line. I haven't had any problems with it.
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[code2110]

My own advice is you need to improve your fishing technique. Strong rod & reel don't mean you could catch a big fish. The most important thing is how you handle the fish when it gets hook. For the small rod & reel, you need more time to land the fish than the big & strong one.
Sometime catching a huge fish by using a tiny tool could bring you a marvelous feeling.
The fishing equipment factories make lots of thing for lost of purposes however if you follow them, sooner or later you will die.
Check it out at thefishhook.blogspot.com, you could see my friend, Clyds, from the Philippine caught an 8kg catfish with his small rod & reel.
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[Simp]

Haha....too late. I needed some REAL quick cash, so I sold those 2 ugly sticks and a zebco 808 reel at my girl's yard sale. I don't plan on buying any more of them, so I'm gonna wait and get a really good quality rod and reel. I'm just gonna get a wally world combo for catfishing my girl's pond. whatever they got will handle the pond. Planning on vacationing up to Nebraska this summer, where my girl will be doing a summer internship at a hospital there, in her home town. Her grandmother happens to be the personal secretary to one of the Cabela brothers...so I was gonna get some new fishing gear at Cabela's. At least a good bassing reel. My girl told me I might actually get to meet the owner. How sweet would that be?
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