I have an old Abu Ambassaduer (Late 70's/Early 80's) that belonged to my grandpop and is still around the house. I was thinking about attaching it to an Ugly Stik or something similar with some cheap mono for a Catfish combo.... What do you guys think? Should I go with a different rod or braid for more sensitivity?

You wont need sensitivity . I like to use 7.6 inch flipping rods for catfish and carp .An Ugly stick will work great if it has enough muscle.

Just add those little bells to the tip nothin gets passed them.

You wont need sensitivity . I like to use 7.6 inch flipping rods for catfish and carp .An Ugly stick will work great if it has enough muscle.

 

Ugly stick will work just fine. They are a beast of a rod and can take a freaking beating. 

Just add those little bells to the tip nothin gets passed them.

I'd much prefer a reel with a bait clicker on it over a bell., although it is entertaining to watch how far those bells fly when I set the hook 

 

Ugly Stick or Cabela's Whoppin stick are great catfish rods. 

http://www.basspro.com/Shakespeare-Ugly-Stik-Big-Water-Casting-Rods/product/19911/

This is what me and my dad have on all of our Ambassaduer's.  Never failed and we have pulled in many a catfish over 20 pounds with this set up.  I believe we have the 7' medium heavy (not sure) but It has been so long since we have had to get another.  Most of them are over 6 years old and still holding on.  We use 40 pound mono and a steel leader. But unless you plan on going out in big water drifting for them just a mono leader works or what ever you like.

 

I have an old Abu Ambassaduer (Late 70's/Early 80's) that belonged to my grandpop and is still around the house. I was thinking about attaching it to an Ugly Stik or something similar with some cheap mono for a Catfish combo.... What do you guys think? Should I go with a different rod or braid for more sensitivity?

I have old Ugly Sticks that are to wimpy to be good catfish rods unless targeting bullheads. That why I stated " An Ugly stick will work great if it has enough muscle "

I have old Ugly Sticks that are to wimpy to be good catfish rods unless targeting bullheads. That why I stated " An Ugly stick will work great if it has enough muscle "

That could kind of be said for any rod though couldn't it? 

That could kind of be said for any rod though couldn't it? 

Of course . 

Thanks for all the replies! I will be looking into the recommended rods the next time I get a chance to get to BPS or will see if I can find it or something I like at Gander Mt or another local store.  

ALL HAIL THE UGLY STIK!!!

 

(LOL)

 

anyways, get the ugly stik catfish rod. i have an 8 foot MH ugly stik catfish spinning rod with a penn captiva CV2 6000 spinning reel with 20lb stren mono on it. it works great. provides a fun fight on 3lb eater cats even though it easily handles them. i have yet to hook a huge catfish on it, but im sure i could handle it with relative ease. i have also used it for striper fishing. and have even caught bluegill and small white perch on it while catfishing(turned those into bait lol). so i guess its "sensitive" yet powerful and strong if thats what youre looking for.

 

here is a link to the casting rod version of the spinning rod i have

 

http://www.basspro.com/Shakespeare-Ugly-Stik-Catfish-Casting-Rod/product/91862/

 

also, if you plan to catfish at night, its always better to have a white rod as its easier to see in the dark, plus the rod has a glow in the dark tip. then you dont have to go taping glow sticks to your rod and stuff like that...

ALL HAIL THE UGLY STIK!!!

 

(LOL)

 

anyways, get the ugly stik catfish rod. i have an 8 foot MH ugly stik catfish spinning rod with a penn captiva CV2 6000 spinning reel with 20lb stren mono on it. it works great. provides a fun fight on 3lb eater cats even though it easily handles them. i have yet to hook a huge catfish on it, but im sure i could handle it with relative ease. i have also used it for striper fishing. and have even caught bluegill and small white perch on it while catfishing(turned those into bait lol). so i guess its "sensitive" yet powerful and strong if thats what youre looking for.

 

here is a link to the casting rod version of the spinning rod i have

 

http://www.basspro.com/Shakespeare-Ugly-Stik-Catfish-Casting-Rod/product/91862/

 

also, if you plan to catfish at night, its always better to have a white rod as its easier to see in the dark, plus the rod has a glow in the dark tip. then you dont have to go taping glow sticks to your rod and stuff like that...

I couldn't ever see a white rod at night, not well enough to tell if a little fish was tapping my bait anyways. Part of the reason I like baitfeeders, plus when a big blue screams off with my bait I get to keep my rod

 

Team Catfish makes glow tape (I'm sure you can get it other places as well). I put some on the end of my custom built flathead rod and it works pretty well. My eyes mess with me so much in the dark though I constantly think my rod tip is bouncing.

I couldn't ever see a white rod at night, not well enough to tell if a little fish was tapping my bait anyways. Part of the reason I like baitfeeders, plus when a big blue screams off with my bait I get to keep my rod

 

Team Catfish makes glow tape (I'm sure you can get it other places as well). I put some on the end of my custom built flathead rod and it works pretty well. My eyes mess with me so much in the dark though I constantly think my rod tip is bouncing.

 

i can see a white rod a lot better than a black rod at night. probably just differences in our vision. but i must say, at times while night fishing i also feel like i see my rod tip bounce when in reality nothings there and it probably didnt...usually im trying to watch as many as 4 or 5 rods if the bite is slow.