[pounder21366]

Hi all, this is my first post on this forum. My name is Chuck. I'm taking a shot in the dark here, hoping someone can help me. I don't fish saltwater, I live in Indiana. I fish for Flathead Catfish and I need help finding a rod and reel that can handle it. What I need is a setup that I can use to horse flatheads out of logjams. I think in most saltwater situations you can let a fish run. In my situation I can't. Problem is all the freshwater tackle I have tried is just not up to the task. I was thinking of having a custom rod built out of solid glass with the best components I can get, but have no idea what the best are. Or the best glass blanks for that matter. Any help on the design of this rod would be greatly appriciated. As far as the reel goes, none of the reels I have used so far have been able to handle this torture. I just started using a couple Penn 209's, they seem fine, but haven't hooked a big flatty on them yet. The reel needs to have awesome stoping power, handle atleast 50 lb. test, and I don't like plastic or graphite. I'd prefer something that isn't too heavy although I probably won't be casting much, my petite girlfriend fishes with me, so 10 lb. reels are out. I will be using large (for freshwater) live bait, up to 2 or 3 lbs. Flatheads in my area rarely grow over 50 lbs, but they fight like hell. A couple of the catfish forums I am on, all the guys use ugly sticks, and abu 6500's. I'm ready to graduate to the next level and hopefully I won't lose any more big fish. So, is there anyone here who can help??? Thanks, Chuck.

 

[jaredchasteen]

check out the tld 15 or 25 i think that is a reasonably priced reel for you

 

[SkeeterRonnie]

i am thinking an Avet sx, or jx.... on a 700H rod... 65# braid.

I can tell you the Abu Garcia Revo line of reels have carbon fiber drags in them, and you can really cinch them down. One of those on an OTI jiggin stick (6') would be extra lightweight, with enough arse to put the whooping on some big ol cats. And you wouldnt lose any tip sensitivity for the live bait to do its thing.

 

[Guest]

a oti 400 gram jigging rod and a avet lx-2speed should kick those flatheads butt. a 2 speed reel would make it very easy on you to horse them out of there log jams and if they aren't large fish then you can use high gear to water ski them to the boat....you asked the question and didn't say anything about price this set up will set you back about 550 to 600 dollars but you could also use it for tuna fishing if you every venture offshore....rick

 

[pounder21366]

I'm not really worried about cost...just don't want to get beat again. I'm after a 50 lb. flathead, and I'll pay what ever is needed to make sure I can land him!!! Thanks for comments guys!!! Chuck.

 

[thenewkid]

i would have to say that the tld 15 or 20 is good but the avet lx is better because it is a more versatile reel that an an OTI 400 gram 6' jig rod would be an awesome setup mike w who is on this forum can easaly set you up with this and spool it with 65lb jerrry brown solid braid with a mono top shot for cheap he is the best priced i have seen so far good luck chuck (no pun intended)

 

[Uncle Russ]

Having fairly easily handled a 40 pound blue cat on an old Penn 318 with 40 pound mono and what I believe was a solid glass rod, and having owned a Calstar 700H and fondled an OTI 300 gram jig rod, I can definitely attest that either would put the stops to the largest cat, provided you have enough drag on the reel. As a matter of fact, I have been pondering what I would use for paddling or motoring up to a creek inlet and dropping a big Rio Grande Perch down. My thinking was I would buy an Accurate ATD 12 for other purposes and use that on the 700H. That would be overkill.

Russ

 

[lite-liner]

So I guess an Avet SDS-50w on a 130# bent-butt roller rod is a
little too much?
My choice, think like a west-coast sturgeon guy.
Shimano TLD-20/2, or Avet JX on a Calstar WC-970-c (7', 20-40#, E-glass)
300y-65# power pro. total cost around 450-500 bucks
tight lines, hoosier!
-Brian

 

[Ragman]

I agree on the Ocean Tackle Int'l rods!

Though our rods are light and thin, they will handle any freshwater fish that decides to challenge you! LOL

And since you state you don't like plastic or graphite, and price is no matter, you've narrowed it down to a class of saltwater reels like the Avets mentioned above, but also Shimano Trinidad, Shimano Torsa, Accurate 870 or 665 (with or w/o 2-speeds and casting control), as well as Penn Torque.

These are all small, but powerful, reels that will last you a lifetime while helping you beat ole flat head.

Accurate

Penn Torque


Shimano Trinidad

Avet 2-Speeds

 

[Snagged]

Chuck,
I've fished the Missippi for flateheads the Penn 209 worked well for us.
Now I would go an Avet 2 spd and a quality 20 to 50# rod for those that live in the rocks below the dams. As long as your not casting the a Calstar 700H or a 6460 rod should work well for you.

 

[papio]

why spend $400-$500 for an oversize opelusa? go get a penn glass rod and senator reel for under $200. better yet, get a whupping stick 6'6" 40-80lb. for $50 and a newell 50-80lb. wt 21.9oz. i'm suuuuurrrrre u will yank in that 80lb. flathead.....and the logjam too.

the oti rods are nice but if u want to muscle flatheads and logjams out of the water, u need a stout/beefyer rod than an oti.

 

[Uncle Russ]

Come to think of it, I would probably go with the OTI 600 gram rod and either the 870 or 665 2 speed. That would give you the low gear McGolfer so correctly recommends without much weight.

Papio, the OTI rod would probably bend a lot, but it is so short that you would be getting into the backbone pretty quickly and they have to be as capable of handling drag as the 665 is (at least in my limited experience with that reel.) But if the 300 gram were too light, the heavier rod darned sure wouldn't be.

Russ

 

[SkeeterRonnie]

you need a little tip too, so those cats wont spit the live bait back out. the OTI rod has the tip AND the backbone to fish 20# of drag.

 

[jig]

I think you just need an light Amberjack rod/reel, with 60# big game mono. BPS has a combo for only $159, see below description. A penn senator 114 or 114H on an Eglass rod would be hard to beat to just horse big fish out of a hole. But agree with above, if you want to be the man with some hot gear. A OTI rod and a matching 2spd reel would be sweet, but you pay for it. Guarantee you no one in Indiana will have one like it.

NEW Penn® 113H/114H Senator Reel/Slammer® Rod Combo

Reel features: Machined stainless pinion gear; manganese-bronze main gears; sealed stainless steel ball bearings; multi-disc star drag system; heavy-duty clicker; and corrosion-resistant construction.
Rod features: Rugged 1-piece 6'6'' E-Glass blank with integrated solid tip; aluminum-oxide guides; graphite reel seat with aluminum hoods; and EVA grips.

 

[pounder21366]

Wow! Can't believe I've got so many helpful replies! Thanks to all! Some things I should have included in the original post: NO INSERTS ON THE ROD EYLETS!!!!!!!!!!!!! Have ripped out a bunch of the best freshwater has to offer (St. Croix) and others. Also would like an aluminum reel seat. Only thing I omited on the reel is a clicker. It's almost a must have. I will be fishing alot at night. Won't have much time to react when flatty hits, or he will be in the logs. I'm going to check out the Avets and the OTI. Thanks again to everyone, a post on the catfish boards would have got a big zero. Funny, I used to have alot of fun on them, now seems everyone just wants to pat each other on the backs about catching some small fish. Not to big on expirimenting with different tackle there either...Ugly Sticks Rule...I say not!!! I'm after a huge flathead, don't care if it takes years without a fish, I'm using huge bait, on huge tackle, and I'm gonna stick 'em. Think I might just stick around here and try to learn some things, although I won't have much to add. Thanks guys, Chuck.

 

[lite-liner]

Chuck, the Calstar I mentioned has solid Stainless steel guides.
Although I wouldn't recommend it, I did boat a 92# yellowfin tuna w/ it.
it is designed to pitch 1-10oz live baits. In retrospect, you probably don't need a 2-speed reel, especially if you're in a boat. you might look @ a Penn 501 jigmaster. with a few CHEAP upgrades, this Star-drag reel will generate
25-30# drag @ lockdown, and can be had for $50-75 used all day long on Ebay. they are also infinitely mod-able.
the rod & 501 coversion parts can be found at
:CharkBait
if any of this helps you, excellent!
meantime, don't forget to post pics of your successes, even your failures.
those can be funnier
tight lines
-Brian

 

[Uncle Russ]

I had not thought about the light tip action lite-liner mentions. That combined with your need for a clicker, makes my next recommendation a moot point. I was thinking if you wanted to have the most exotic yellow cat combo, and one noone else on the planet would be using, you could combine a Seven Seas Atomic Sword 5 foot jigging rod with a Twinspin 30 and 130 pound Jerry Brown, cranked up to 40 pounds of drag. (This has been a joke. Had it been an actual recommendation, Uncle Russ should be banned once and for all.) Still, you have got me to thinking, and I have always wanted to do just the kind of fishing you are talking about, and I do have the Twinspin and the Jerry Brown. I'll hold off on the Atomic Sword.

Russ

 

[papio]

how bout a straight cane pole? like back in da day when commercial fishermen would heave-ho 50lb-100lb tuna on to da deck with a single jerk. u need a nice thick bamboo pole. send some fillets down this way too..mmmm
yum yummy....

 

[pounder21366]

I thought about just getting a winch for a four wheel drive and trying that, Chuck.

 

[pounder21366]

Does anyone know if the Avet's have a conventional clicker. On the website the descriptions say clicker, most reels I'm familiar with say line out alarm. Is Avet's clicker something else?