newmanme

It's been over a year and I am still having issues finding the right rods for catfishing. I am baffled with all the different Bass rods out there, that catfishing is so neglected. Yes, there are rods out there like from Whisker Seekers, but all these freshwater cat rods are stainless steel parts. I live in Florida, whether I fish fresh or salt, I am always exposed to salt in the air. Stainless steel does not rust, but it corrodes and looks terrible after a while. Oh, I use spinning gear. Not paying $1000 for a finesse bait caster when I have $60 spinners that do it better and never a bird's nest. The problem is that for some reason beyond me, all spinning rods are lighter than bait casters rods. I just bought 4 ea. Daiwa Fuego C4000D-C reels. 26 lb drag, make great reals for 20 to 30 lb braid catfishing. But, finding a matching spinning rod with a line rating of 10-40 lb is next to impossible. Then when I do find a possibility it is some dang yuppy neon color you can see a mile away, you glow in the dark, and then they still have stainless guides and such. While a lot of cats are going to under 5 to 10 lb. I want my gear ready to handle a trophy if ever needed to be. I want reasonably quality gear. My Dobsyn Maverick Panfish rods are awesome, but nothing close to 20lb or higher line ratings. I have found a lot of rods I like, but nothing in the correct range of 10-40lb (I like to use 20 & 30 lb braid), 1 to 6oz lure or live bait, Medium Heavy to heavy, moderate to fast, 7' to 8', black, to black & red, must have better than stainless parts. I was told once before that I need to look at inshore spinning rods. Still not finding anything there either. I know they say color does not matter, but it does to me. I have four Shimano Vanfords, and four Daiwa Fuegos, that I just can't find rods for. Please don't send me a picture of a $400 Shimano Poison Adrena where the max line is 6-12lb. It matches the reels, but I need four of them and I am not paying over $120 ea. I am so tired of looking for rods that I am asking for any ideas here.

5' Bass Rods and bottom fishing not possible So I discovered why I do not hear any techniques related to bottom fishing. The drop shot! That sounds so cool doesn't it? I was dropshotting 50 years ago! Only it was called bottom fishing! This is just like the "Super Bomb" storms we get now. Change the name to make it sound cool? All you needed was a sinker, hook, bait and it was a cheap way to rig. And it caught just about every species in my river. But I guess it is not COOL to call it bottom fishing Next, for everyone that does not seem to understand why I am looking for stiffer rods, it is because the original bass rods were 5' Heavy Moderate (fiberglass) rods in the 60's and ear;ly 70's. They did not start increasing the rod lengths for bass fishing until the end of the 70's. OH YES! LOOK IT UP! I am signing off for now, this thread had a lot of good people chime in, good ideas all of which I very much appreciated. I never expected to find a million different changes to freshwater fishing gear since I was a kid. To be honest, all this new hyped up gear really takes away the fun and relaxation of the sport. AND - I'm still trying to find that FRESHWATER HEAVY SPINNING ROD after months of frustration.

For freshwater, if I throw Live Shiners where I like to fish, that will attract Largemouth, Striper, and Catfish. If I throw minnows that will attract Bass, Crappie and other panfish. It it is not a free for all when I fish I have to travel an hour and 10 min to get to my freshwater fishing spot. I am prepared to fish for what is biting. The first time I traveled to this location all I took was worms thinking there was a bait shack nearby. No bait shack, no bites and a long empty handed journey back home. One day the Crappie are biting, the next Bass, then the Tilapia, and the next catfish. I go fishing for the relaxing enjoyment, and my day isn't ruined if one species isn't biting If you read some of my other posts you would note my frustrations on the lack of fresh water access here in Florida for boatless anglers. Coming from someone who grew up 50 yards from a major river, it is disgusting to see the privation of all the great fishing waters. I have decided to move to inshore rods, as freshwater spinning rods (under $200) are either too flimsy or way too expensive. I'll pay $300 for a salt rod I can use in fresh and salt water because the the gear will outlast a freshwater rod 10 to 1. Better reel seats, salt and corrosion resistance, more backbone, better guides, better all around for an inshore and catfish angler. It is just a matter of frustration that the freshwater fishing gear is almost exclusively for Bass and I have to buy a salt rod for freshwater catfish. There are a couple small niches for Crappie and a few other sport species, but a very small collection of items compared to Bass. I am now looking into custom rods, but even there the lack of heavy (spinning) rods is amazing..................

Thanks, The inshore rods I think will suit my needs. I have found a few Heavy Rods in freshwater, but the prices are a bit high and the colors do not come close to matching the Vanfords. It will be a journey finding the right rods, but thank goodness I only go through getting new gear once every 10 or so years.

Freshwater: Minnows, Shiners, worms, cut bait, beef chunks, corn, stinkbait, crickets, crayfish, etc. ( no lures) Saltwater: Shrimp (live and dead fresh), mud minnows, fiddler crabs, mullet (live and frozen), bluecrab (pieces), sand fleas, cut bait, pin fish, ballyhoo, squid, etc. I use floats and bottom fish. Bottom fishing is when I need the casting power, but I will also use the rod to toss floats. I carry three reel models with me freshwater fishing, Vanford C3000XG, Vanford C5000XG and my trustee Baitrunner-D 4000 for casting distance. My Vanford C5000XG holds more line, has a beefier drag and is lighter. I want to find the right pan to catfish rod for it and retire my Baitrunners to saltwater only. I need to find a rod similiar but just a little less backbone than the Talus's I have. Onward march my journey goes

I wouldn't bank on that until I give one of them a try or someone shows me a better option under $200. I bought two Shimano Clarus 7' MHF and they are flimsy to me. Put a 2 ounce sinker on and my rod felt like I had a turtle on the end of the line trying to be casted. Maybe I should have stayed saltwater if I need saltwater rods to fit my freshwater reels

I totally agree with you. I am an IT Engineer and I can tell you that the more technology there is, the more problems you are bound to face. Just keep Microsoft out of the Reel Manufacturing business

I didn't make this hard, most of the gear catering to one freshwater species is the issue. I am mostly a bottom/Bank fishermen these days so my requirements differ from fishing from a boat. I have to cast farther, and that means I need to sling 1 to 3 ounce sinkers depending on the distance and type of bait (I am presuming that the lure rating can also be applied to sinkers?) I use minnows, shiners, crickets, liver, beef, cut bait, crayfish, grass shrimp, whatever the fish in the area like. I prefer live and cut bait. I spent years playing the species game on the ocean. High Tide, Low Tide, moon position, what bait is running, barometric pressure, red tide, time of the year, water temp and on and on. All to target one species. But the gear is designed to catch them all with some minor large game fish exceptions, like tuna or billed fish. Imagine only being able to buy a rod for redfish because they are so popular and try and land a 6' 150# Tarpon with that gear. I always take 3 rod and reel combos with me to fish freshwater; all spinning gear, 3000 series, 5000 series and a 4000 series Baitrunner D on a Talus Bluewater blue water rod for catfishing. I plan on different species when I fish. If the crappie aren't biting, on to something else so to speak. I always catch something. I am not going to drive over an hour, and not have some reeling in fish. Back to the Rods: The closest rod I have found is the St Croix PREMIER® MUSKY SPINNING RODS ($225) - PMS80MHF - PMS80HF Both have a 30 - 65 lb. line rating so I am going to need to see these in person due to the price is over $200 and I need two. I am only considering these, 8' or larger one piece rods are a pain to transport. My preference is to keep my rod under 8' so it fits in my 8' bed comfortably. So I am looking for 7' to 7'8" in length. I am worse than the date that takes two hours to get ready, LOL Thank you all for putting up with me

All good I know how you feel about the way money, greed and the lack of respect for nature has changed the entire state. I can remember St. Augustine from when I was 5, the changes are many, none of which to preserve history or to protect the natural beauty. Yes, the weather is great, tons to do year round to keep me out of trouble, and I do live in the one place I have always wanted to, St. Augustine. Oh, and if you want to make a lifetime friend, please do share some of those hidden gems in the area. The locals here share NOTHING, and if they do share a spot, go the other direction (Locals - those that have lived their entire lives here since birth I do not qualify by their terms because I was not born here )

I have a heavy wrist snap from using spinning reels for so long and this has hindered my acceptance of BC's. Long distance casting was either embarrassingly short or I was ending up with bird nests when using the DC. Last week it was suggested not to wrist snap when casting a BC and I have had a lot more success and am starting to like to BC's. (Not leaving my spinning gear yet) If there is any one thing I love about my Curado DC, it is the 8.5.1 retrieve. Nice to have that speed if you need it.

Does anyone use Lews gear out there? I was looking at two reels, then after the DC decided against, but now I am looking again: 1. Team Lew's Pro Skipping and Pitching SLP 2. Team Lew's Pro TI SLP Since frogging and skipping seem to be the only reason that I (me personally) would need special gear, any thoughts on these reels?

I have a quick question. I know that when I skip river rocks, I snap my wrist when throwing but there is more of a stop action at the wrist. How do you repeat that action with a rod? I tried skipping from shore yesterday with the DC engaged and I now need to respool my reel Do you think there is any reel ( ) difference between the SV and the DC past the prices?

I am sorry you are not happy with Florida. I grew up here as a kid and returned to live permanently about 23 years ago. A lot have things have changed over the years, but none more impacting than the influx of those that have changed way too much. It is odd that people retire to vacation places that they love and change it into the S#!T40!es they ran away from. Makes no sense to me to destroy what you love

They seem to want us to put batteries in everything these days, just saying The last time I heard the word servo it was in a weapons system ??

Howdy Howdy, That sounds a lot more economical than what I had The main gas usage is getting to the offshore spots like reefs or my favorite spot being the Red Snapper Sink about 30 NM SE of St Augustine pair the distance with about 2 MPG I/O's and it was no longer economical or enjoyable for me. While I miss having a boat, I do not regret trading it in on a 35' Camper that my wife and I use two to three times a month. And, I never realized that less there is less than 1% of Florida's freshwater angling available to non boaters and, Florida's 5th lagers and deepest freshwater lake is 100% private. Imagine the lake that you and your friends grew up with, fishing, swimming, boating, skiing, now a private lake. Of course you can always pay one of the lake front HOA residents to taker you out for half a day at $500, while your takes support and stock the lake ? (Kingsley Lake, google it and see) Kingsley Lake Stricklands and the campgrounds next door were the only access. Now HOA's. If you are active Military "I think" you can access via Camp Blanding.