Rods

When I walk into a tackle shop, it never fails. There is always some rod labeled “catfish special” or something of the like. It usually looks more like a broomstick than a fishing rod. These rods are built like me..short, stout, and with no sensitivity! These types of rods are nothing more than a marketing gimmick, as they lack almost all of the key characteristics I look for in a catfish rod. So what makes a good catfish rod? It all depends on what you plan to use it for.

Drifting- For drifting, you want a rod with a sensitive tip and some flex to it. This allows the rod to “load up” which is imperative when using circle hooks. However, the rod still needs to have enough backbone to land a big fish. The Big Cat Fever medium heavy rod offers the perfect combination of sensitivity and backbone. I would go as far as saying it is probably the best drifting rod on the market right now. And this rod has been field tested by some of the best cat fisherman in the country. In fact, it has already landed 3 fish over 100 pounds including the current NC state record! Other rods I have used for drifting are the UglyStik Tiger Lite series, or if you are on a budget, the UglyStik catfish series. All of these rods will get the job done.

Casting- For casting applications, I like a rod that is atleast 7 foot long. The longer the rod, the further you can cast. A longer rod can also assist you in setting the hook when you have alot of line out. Some bank fisherman prefer even longer rods, in the 8-10 foot range. Surf fisherman at the coast use long rods for these very same reasons.
Another important thing to consider when selecting a rod for casting, is how much weight you intend to throw. Most rods will have the recommended lure weight printed on the side. In the lake I fish, I usually use 3-4 ounces of weight depending on bait size. However, when fishing heavy current in the rivers, I sometimes have to use 6-10 ounces to hold my bait down. This requires heavier gear, as casting this much weight puts a lot of stress on a rod. The Big Cat Fever heavy rods are great for these situations! They are still sensitive, but offer a little more backbone for casting heavy weight and landing fish in heavy current. Other rods worth checking out are the UglyStik Tiger rods.

For more information on Big Cat Fever rods, check out the videos below. These rods are made for catfisherman by catfisherman! And an added perk…if you catch a state record fish while using one of their rods, they will PAY YOU $10,000 dollars! Yes that’s right….a company that pays YOU to fish! 🙂

An overview of the BCF rods.

Kaleb Page of BCF, landing a 111 pound blue catfish out the James River!