Fishing for catfish out of a (Boat), What rods to use Graphite or Glass, one piece or two, how long ( why ) weight Medium or Medium Heavy ( Why ). What Reels ( Why ) What weight of line ( Why ) What hooks and weights ( Why ),Big blues and flats. Thank's Kansas Basser

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Channels, blues or flats?

Open water I prefer lighter action rods cause the fight is more fun and heavier action rod isn't needed. Fishing timber or stumps the fish will wrap you up if you don't horse them up and out of it. A heavier action rod is better for this. Heavy line for abrasion resistance and for tightening the drag down a little more than normal when fishing timber helps the technique. I like glass rods because only thing that breaks over the years of abuse is the glue on the rod guide eyes. I prefer a parabolic bending rod (med slow action) because I believe it's action is better suited for netting big fish at the side of the boat. Fast action rod has less spring travel and when a large fish gets to thrashing at the boat it can sometimes shake the hook free at the side of the boat especially when fishing large cats with a J style hook. Circle hooks tend to nullify this as they are generally hooked in the soft tissue in the corner of the mouth thus effectively making use of the barb on the hook. Big fish hooked with a J hook in the jaw or their hard tongues often get free because the hook has such a hard time penitrating the tongue or the jaw bone. Give that fish a little slack and he will spit the hook out. I prefer 9' rods because I like the feel of the fight on a longer rod but longer rods aren't better for forcing fish up out of the trees do to how much give the rod has. Kinda a trade off there for me. I build my own rods and have tried many different styles and lengths and my prefered all round rod is an 9' light action, med slow action e glass rod blank. I use bait cast reals and about the only modification I do to them is change the hands to larger power handles. I don't have enough experience with other quality reels to say why I prefer the bait casters.

For Big Blues and Flatheads from a boat I like 7'6" - 8' MH Rod in E Glass or Glass with a 60 or 80 series Spinning Reel with 65 lb braid, 40-50 lb mono leaders and 8/0,9/0 10/0 Circle Hooks. On bank I like same but on 10' Rods. I like ProAngler and MeatHunter rods but also have Cabelas Whuppin Sticks and Eagle Claw Water Eagle Rods. I don't have a preference on 1 or 2 piece but never break my 2 pc rods down. I started with several Qauntum Optix reels but have upgraded most to Cabelas Salt Striker reels.

I use one piece 7' Medium Heavy Ugly Stik Catfish rods and have caught everything from 10" Channels to 40# Blues. I think it is a very good all around rod that don't cost but $40. I use reels they no longer make Quantum Iron IR410CX rated at 200yd of 20# I like the look feel and performance of these reels so I have never seen a need to change. I find one on e-bay every now and then (I have 12). If I had to get new reels today I think I would go for the ABU Garcia 6500. My buddy has a few of them and they are good. I spool it with 25# Big Game been using that line for over 25 years and it has never failed me at any line strength 10#-25# I like the the Green. Hooks are 8/0 Team Catfish I tried them when they first came out had success and kept using them. Weights I use 2oz no roll for drifting and 2oz casting for casting when I bank fish.

1 piece s-glass MH 7'6 Rippin Lips rod because it has enough backbone to pull in the bigguns but sensitive enough for the eaters! It's paired with a BPS Cattmax; it holds plenty of line and is basically a winch! 30 lb mono line with a 65 lb leader because braid slips too much and anything more is really overkill. I use Lazer Sharp Kahle hooks because they work like a circle hook but you can still set them! I use normal bank or egg sinkers between 2 and 4 oz

Thank Guy keep it coming,

Your gonna get a lot of Ford===Chevy its mainly what you prefer I like 8ft Whoopin sticks heavy-- abu 5000D reels--- 65# braid---ebay 8/0-9/0 hooks (whole lot cheeper)--pour my own 1 & 2oz weights (cheeper) thats what I use cause I like it, I wont take um back out till bout Oct. stored now. Really same rig as stripers , since your a basser heavy flippin sticks work perfect