Catfish Combos

I am going to start to take advantage of more local fishing opportunities, and one of them is fishing catfish in our local lakes and rivers. These places do not produce huge fish, but there are numbers to be had. Looking for some advice on a decent rod and reel to handle cats up to 10 pounds. I prefer a spinning reel. I have been looking at the okuma baitfeeder options and will likely go with them for a reel, just not sure as to what size, and what length and power of rod to go with. It has been years since I targeted cats and never was too serious about it.

I just went and picked up a cheap combo from Walmart, no baitfeeder, I’m no cat expert but I feel those are more suited for flathead, channels are all circle hooks for me and I want pressure there when they bite.

I try not to overthink cattin. If I was more motivated I’d switch my 30# mono to braid, alot easier to get breakoffs than stretchy heavy mono.

I enjoy my okuma baitfeeder. I paired it up with a Ugly Stik Tiger surf rod and had a combo for under a 100$ at the time. I went way to big on my reel though even when I catch a big cat its way more than I need. I would get an Okuma Avenger 45, and last I checked that’s the smallest with a baitclicker, but for smaller cats if you can get a 30 it would be about perfect. Some Powerpro braid with a fluoro leader and a circle hook and its a nice relaxing time on the side of the river. If your bank fishing an 8 foot medium surf rod is not overkill.

Riverrat wrote:

If your bank fishing an 8 foot medium surf rod is not overkill.

I always enjoy fishing with longer rods until some trees get in the way. Think about the area you will be fishing and if you can make the longer rod work. Don’t just look at the overall length. Look at where the reel seat is to the tip. Longer butt sections help with fighting the fish.

My little brother runs the Okuma spinning reels with the bait feeders. I think they work nicely, however, audibly, they are not as loud as a baitcaster. I would recommend getting some rod tip lights for whatever combo you wind up with. Whisker Seekers makes the ones I use. I advise using a little tape to secure them to your rod, because the clips on them sometimes don’t fit on a more girthy rod. I think if you get 50 pond power pro braid, you should be good for anything from 10-huge pounds.

Sometimes one just needs to pick a rod and go for it. Typical cats I catch are 16-20″ size. I started out with a Zebco Rhino 6’6″ rod like 30 years ago. Semi beefy MH power and easily casts 1 to 2 oz. sinker rigs. Sometimes later I purchased the Shakespear Ugly Stick Catfish rod 7″ MH rod. It’s a little less beefy compared to the Rhino rod and handles slightly lesser rigs. Pretty much a 1 oz. rig set up.

I also have a St. Croix Premier 7′ H power spinning rig that’s been wonderful. A Shimano Teramar SE 7′ H power spinning rig when I need something a little slower than the St. Croix Premier and faster than the Ugly Stick Catfish rod. Then when I want all graphite rod, I go back to my old Cabelas XML 7′ H power spinning rods. Caught a super fat channel around 34″ that probably was about 15 lbs while casting a 1 oz. Kastmaster spoon. Hit like a snag and fought like a swimming sunken log in the water. But with line peeling sound effects.