Hi all

Can you give me some suggestions for building a heavy catfish rod?

Will be used in big rivers with heavy current. Fishing from boat mostly

6 to 61/2 ft. or would longer be better?
Also what guides would you use?
50 - 80 lb. test line
10 oz sinker tightlining
live bait
spinning reel set up yes spinning reel
Reel suggestions under 150$
80 - 100 lb. catfish

Thanks
Mike

Mikes Custom Fly Rods

i built one for a guide on Santee Cooper and used one of the mudhole value blanks. I was very pleased with the blank and results. I used a Heat shrink over some cord for the handle to hold up to rodholders and keep clean when using soemthing other than live bait. He regularly catches very large cats and i think he has the lake record close to 100lb. i like some of the live bait blanks as well for some catfish rods

Batson RCLB70-M 7 ft works very well for Striper chunking and Large Black Drum in the Delaware Bay with heavy current

Batson RCLB70-M 7 ft works very well for Striper chunking and Large Black Drum in the Delaware Bay with heavy current

I agree with Barry. That's the one I would build on. I have built a bunch of Cat Rods on that blank.

J.B.Hunt
Bowling Green, KY

+2 on the RCLB line

Andy Wolfram
Sales Associate
Midwest Rod & Reel
www.midwestrodandreel.com

I like the Mudhole E-glass blanks, but I've found the Gator glass Blanks are also really nice and feel a bit under rated for lines as well.

I fish w/ mine on the potomac and found that a rod in the 7- 7.5 ft range gave the flexibility to fish from the boat and also take them to shore and fish. The longer rods aid in casting accuracy, and help keep line off the water.

For guides, I'd go with the ones rated for braid... there are a lot of options and I don't use braid, so it's not as important... I do like the titanium oxide's though they are a little expensive sometimes.

Oh and for a reel... Abu's 7000, 9000, or 10,000's are hard to beat. They are a little more then $150 (at around 165-170 usually, but you can find used for less), hold enough line, esp when your using braid.

to give a blank I need know if your fishing for blues or flathead braided line or mono and if your going to use circle hooks and if you are going to set the hook

Hi,Mike!
We Fishing in Germany with Rods between 8 and 10 feet for boat fishing but i think the optimal size is an 9 feet rod with an casting weight from 10 to12 oz..
You can youse it from Boat and Bank,we fish lines in the100lBs class and caught with this combination Catsfishes over 200lBs.