
Top Pick!
Ugly Stik has designed this series specifically for catfish. Ugly Stik catfish combos feature Ugly Tech construction, Ugly Tuff guides and the Ugly Stik Clear Tip design. The medium heavy action spinning rod is 50% stronger than previous models, with a sturdy aluminum reel seat and stainless steel hooded reel foot.
The durable aluminum spool is supported by a stainless steel main shaft that's built to last. The heavy duty graphite blank construction provides strength and sensitivity for hard fighting fish like channel catfish, blue cats, flatheads and more.
In this post I’m taking a bit of time to talk about your catfishing setup. There’s a few things you want to make sure you look for when choosing a rod and reel combo for catfish. Here’s what I’ve found to be the best.
Similar catfish specific fishing combination rods cost well over $100, but
Catfish Rod and Reel Setup Quick List
Whether you are brand new to the catfishing world or need a little refresher, there are things you’ll want to know to make the entire experience a success. The obvious first choice is finding the right spot to go fishing for catfish near you. The second is having the best rod and reel combo for catfish.
There are hundreds of catfish rod and reel combos available on the market these days, and it’s really easy to get overwhelmed by all the options. The good news for you is that we have done exhaustive research and found the best one:
Best Catfish Rod and Reel Combo
1. ugly stik Catfishing Combo (Top Pick)
Ugly Stik has designed this series specifically for catfish. Ugly Stik catfish combos feature Ugly Tech construction, Ugly Tuff guides and the Ugly Stik Clear Tip design. The medium heavy action spinning rod is 50% stronger than previous models, with a sturdy aluminum reel seat and stainless steel hooded reel foot.
The durable aluminum spool is supported by a stainless steel main shaft that's built to last. The heavy duty graphite blank construction provides strength and sensitivity for hard fighting fish like channel catfish, blue cats, flatheads and more.
Why do I believe that the
Durability and Utility
This one is a no-brainer. Whether you’re pulling in 8-pound catfish or monster catfish (25+ pounds), much like fishing, you’ll need a rod that can withstand the weight of that fish and the fight it puts up. At 1.6 total pounds, this 7-foot medium heavy
The Ugly Stik rod is built with graphite core between fiberglass wraps. That graphite offers sensitivity while the fiberglass provides stiffness and strength. This is how
Many fishermen have cited catching 15-20 pound flatheads and channels with ease using this rod and reel combo and 50 plus pounders put up a fight but can be wrestled in using this combo also.
Ease Of Use
Fishing shows try to make it look like rocket science, but with the right fishing hole and the best rod and reel combo for catfish, you will have plenty of good days out on the water. In fact, the best catfish rod and reel combo isn’t the one with the most bells and whistles but the one that is easiest to use.
Most rod and reel combos are right-handed, and the
The other nice feature about this catfish rod and reel setup is the fact that the combo is available in 3 different types of fishing reels.
- Conventional
- Spinning
- Spincast
So whatever you’re preference is,
Value
Similar catfish specific fishing combination rods cost well over $100, but
I know what you are thinking, surely with all those pros there must be a drawback somewhere.
Drawbacks
The only issues I’ve found with this rod and reel combo is some users say that unusually heavy cats (35+ pounds) can snap the stock fishing line that comes with the pole which is a line rating of 15-30. So we recommend upgrading your fishing line from this stock test to something more appropriate for the monster cats you’re targeting. I’d recommend using a 50-pound test with an 80-pound leader like Power Pro Spectra Fiber Braided fishing line.
2. Abu Garcia Catfish Commando Fishing Rod and Reel Combo
Abu Garcia Catfish Commando Fishing Rod and Reel Combo is the perfect set up for catfishing. The rod features a graphite blank with titanium guides, and the reel has a large arbor design for quick line retrieval. This baitcast fishing rod and reel combo is built to last, yet it’s lightweight enough to use all day without fatigue.
Abu Garcia is a very well known manufacturer of fishing rods and are recognized the world over. And Abu Garcia brought their fishing expertise to the world of catfish angling with this great catfish rod and reel setup.
This combo is a good choice for catfish anglers of all experience levels. The Abu Garcia Catfish Commando provides an excellent combination of value and performance.
Features:
- Baitcast fishing rod and reel combo specifically designed for catfishing .
- 2 stainless ball bearings for ultimate silky smooth reel action.
- Carbon Matrix drag system provides consistent drag when you need it.
- 4-pin centrifugal brake applies constant pressure for precision casting.
- Durable and lightweight composite blank construction will decrease long day fatigue.

Catfish Rod And Reel Setup (Buyers Guide)
In this section, we’re going to go over some of the things you want to look for when choosing your next rod and reel setup for catfishing. In short, what you’re going to want to pay attention to are the:
- Length
- Power
- Action
- Type of Fishing Reel
Length
When I’m targeting catfish specifically, I’ll generally gravitate towards using a fishing rod that’s between 7 and 9 feet in length.
With that said, there’s a huge range of sizes of catfish. Most of the catfish I catch are brought in just fine with my 7 foot fiberglass fishing rod. But I mostly target catfish that fall in the 1 to 2 pound range.
If casting distance is the name of the game, then you’re going to want to consider using a longer rod. Longer rods cast farther. And if the cats are out in the middle of the pond and away from the bank, a longer fishing rod is what you’ll need.
Power
Fishing for catfish often times requires a rod that’s rated with a higher power. Another way to think of this is you need a fishing rod that’s somewhat stiff. An ultralight rod that you use for rainbows and bends easy won’t pack the punch you need when hefting in larger (and sometimes even smaller) sized catfish.
My personal choice is to use a fishing rod that is rated as medium heavy (MH). Many anglers, including myself, find that a medium heavy catfishing rod works well for catching small cats and the occasional giant.
Action
How does a rod bend? Does the whole thing bend? Or just the end of the rod? This factor is a determination of the “action” of the rod. The action refers to how much of the rod is engineered to bend.
Rods are generally sold in a range and combination of three actions; slow, moderate, and fast. The faster action rods bend only near the tip. On the contrary, a slow action rod bends throughout the entire length of the rod.
Generally, if you are targeting larger catfish with larger baits, you may be better off using a faster action rod.
Type of Fishing Reel
In the catfishing world, there are two types of fishing reels that are most commonly used; baitcasters and spinning reels. Each type of reel you select will require the same type of rod.
Spinning Reels
Spinning reels are by far the most popular style of fishing reel and are an ideal selection for use by amateur anglers and pros alike. The reel sports an open-faced design that has superior accuracy over the spincast reel and is easier to use than the baitcasting reel.The best use of spinning reels is on smaller bait fish but wrestling in 20+ pounders is more easily accomplished than with a spincast setup. Old spinning models were made to be super lightweight and primarily for rapid casting and finesse casting. However, many modern spinning reel options are available targeting big game fishing as well.
Baitcasting Reels
Baitcaster reels are not suitable for beginners because they are more difficult to learn to cast and the frequency of backlashes upfront requires a lot of patience and maintenance knowledge to troubleshoot effectively.
Typically they are used by more experienced anglers and considered a staple of fishing tournaments for the following reasons:
- The drag systems are sophisticated and designed for landing bigger fish because the line comes straight off the spool rather than turning like on a spinning reel.
- Superior line capacity with the capability of wielding a heavier fishing line
- Higher gear ratio giving the reel greater power and durability
Baitcaster reels are the preferred choice for experienced anglers targeting all species and sizes of freshwater fish including bass, catfish, and more.
Final Thoughts
Ugly Stik has designed this series specifically for catfish. Ugly Stik catfish combos feature Ugly Tech construction, Ugly Tuff guides and the Ugly Stik Clear Tip design. The medium heavy action spinning rod is 50% stronger than previous models, with a sturdy aluminum reel seat and stainless steel hooded reel foot.
The durable aluminum spool is supported by a stainless steel main shaft that's built to last. The heavy duty graphite blank construction provides strength and sensitivity for hard fighting fish like channel catfish, blue cats, flatheads and more.
The
If you are looking for a premium catfish rod and reel combo that will outperform your expectations and still fit in your budget then look no further than the