MudbuM Railsplitter[/caption]2016 was a banner year for catfish rods around The Quest. So many new rods to try and not enough fishing time to give them all a full review. So this article will combine all of the new rods we used in 2016 into mini reviews of all of them.
Warrior Cat XH
The best flathead rod I've ever used, period.
It's really hard to quantify exactly what makes the blank of this rod so special. Yes, the bend is perfect. Yes, it loves throwing heavy weight. Yes, it has a sensitive tip. But this is one of those times when the whole is greater than the sum of it's parts. This rod just feels RIGHT. Everything about it. It inspires confidence. When this rod is in play I have no worries, no doubts, no concern at all. I KNOW it can handle anything. There are some other great catfish rods reviewed here, and even some not reviewed here, but this is the ONE. This is it for me. I'm 100% content. No need to look any further for something I wish was just a little different. Exactly what I've been looking for for 20 years.
Read more here.
Chuck
Th
MudbuM Railspliter rod reviewThe Railsplitter is certainly on it's way to being my personal favorite catfish rod of all time. From butt to tip it's packed with top notch components worthy of a custom catfish rod costing $300 or more. The tapered butt cap lets the rod slide right out of rod holders without catching. Then the x-flock grips provide a secure grip under any conditions. The Alps aluminum reel seat holds the reel like a vise. A nice size hook keeper above the top grip keeps hooks from flying around while running balls out to the next hole. The white blank is highly visible in any conditions except total darkness. The stainless guides without inserts are placed perfectly keeping the line well away from the blank even under extreme duress. It cast wonderfully, handles any amount of drag any sane catfish nut can handle. All in all first class in every way, and my pick for
Product of the Year in the rod category.
Chuck.
Warrior Cat Bumping Rod review
One of the best new companies to appear on the catfish scene in recent memory is Warrior Cat Tackle. Customer service is priority #1 at Warrior Cat. John Adams is the man at the helm providing this world class customer service. Along with that, Warrior Cat is providing some of the best catfish rods available. Every detail is meticulously considered to provide the best combination of performance and value. A true class act. Now on to the Bumping Rod review.
I got my hands on the first build of the new Gen 3 Warrior Cat Bumping Rod to try out right at the end of flathead season in 2016, and it saw limited use before old man winter blew in and sent the flatheads into hibernation. What time I did get with this rod was very enjoyable. This thing is the lightest catfish rod I have ever used! And not by a little. Tipping the at under 8 ounces it feels like a feather in your hand with perfect balance to go along with it's feather light weight. My version of the rod has eva grips, but a wonderful composite cork is available. The Forecast exposed blank reel seat is a top notch seat that will keep your reel secure during long days of bumping. The Alps XN guides are the best guides available in ring guides. The new Gen 3 blank is a marvel as well. Constructed of the highest grade Japanese Toray Carbon Fiber, it is a thing of beauty. Best of all, This rod is assembled in the good 'ol USA! Rated for 2-8 oz and 30-100# line it is ready to take on any situation you are likely to use a bumping rod in.
Bumping rods are different than standard catfish rods. This type of rod is designed to provide the ultimate in sensitivity and balance, while remaining ultra light in weight. So don't expect a floppy tip common among todays catfish rods. This is a medium fast rod, bordering on extra fast. You are going to get much bend in this beast, it's all ass. I didn't get much time on the water with it in 2016, but I assure you that will be rectified in 2017. Combined with your favorite lowpro bait caster (Okuma Komodo SS my choice) this will be a force to be reckoned with. I have little doubt this rod will be in the running for rod of the year in 2017. Exceptional product from an exceptional company. Well done!
Chuck.
Warrior Cat Rods MH review
Another in the growing line of rods from Warrior Cat Tackle. This was the first rod offered by the company, and has been around long enough to have some true giants under it's belt. I believe I heard this rod pulled in an 80 ish# blue in 2016. This 7' 6" Mh is made from an e-glass blank that looks a lot different than your standard catfish rod. It's smaller in diameter, but packs some serious guts in the ass end. I'm not saying this rod would be my first choice for pulling giant flatheads out of a maze of logs and stumps, but I am saying it's certainly capable of landing any catfish.
The silver finish on the blank is striking, it certainly sets this rod apart from the pack. The stainless guides without inserts are spaced close together to offer good protection for your line from touching the blank. The aluminum reel seat is VERY nice, almost knocking on the door of the premium Alps seat. The grade A cork grips are as nice as you will find on any catfish rod, and as good as rods costing many times the modest price of this rod.
A top notch performer, especially if you like circle hooks. The tip section is just right to let a fish swim off and bury the hook in the corner of it's mouth. The back end is pretty stout for a MH rated rod, with a nice moderate fast action. All in all a top choice for the circle hook crowd, and a versatile rod that is likely to perform well should conditions dictate extreme measures. If a heavier rod is your cup of tea, Warrior Cat has a Heavy and Extra Heavy in the works that should be available in time for the 2017 Catfish Conference. There's also a Lady Warrior MH in pink, and the Larry Muse Signature Edition roller rod that is available in Medium and Medium Heavy. I will be trying the MH roller rod, as well as the XH Warrior Cat in 2017, stay tuned for updates.
Chuck.
Berkley Pro Select E-Cat Review
Back in the days when finding a rod designed specifically for catfishing was like pulling hens teeth, the Berkley E-Cat was one of the few, and in my mind, the best available. These rods have a special place in my heart. It's the bend, the action of these rods. It's simply perfect. The original E-Cat 3 is still to this day my favorite catfish rod. Like the MH Warrior Cat above, not my first choice for giant flatheads in a jungle of a log jam, but not my last choice either. It IS my first choice when I want to enjoy the experience of fishing and catching fish. The taper of these rods is perfect. The walls of the e-glass blanks just right to provide just the right action for casting and fighting fish. After trying hundreds of rods over the last 20 years, the action of a rod in the E-Cat series can't be beat. The new Pro Select series of E-Cat rods carry on the tradition of the originals, while improving on them in a few ways.
First the actions are the same. Perfect bends. But, the reel seats are a definite improvement. The graphite seat appears to be a patterned after the Fuji palm seat. One of the best on the market. The guides are stainless frames with aluminum oxide inserts. They appear to be decent in quality. The cork grips are nice. The finish on the rods is just like the original. Beautiful root beer colored wraps with gold accents. I tried several different models of the new Pro Select E-Cat rods, and was extremely pleased with the performance of all of them. After years without having access to new E-Cat rods I couldn't be happier to see them back on the market. If you are looking for an inexpensive rod that is extremely versatile and will perform well under any conditions, you owe it to yourself to check out the Pro Select E-Cat series from Berkley.
Chuck.
Warrior Cat Tackle MH review
Competition is getting stiffer these days among manufacturers to keep catfishermen outfitted with the best rods available. Warrior Cat Tackles' first offering to the table has proven to be a very worthy contender featuring everything a catman needs and nothing he don't, such as excuses. The 7'6" medium heavy model boats an E-glass blank that was given a good deal of thought in the engineering stages. This means not only can the rod be beaten around, dropped, stepped on, and abused without compromising its strength, but the taper of the blank allows it to pack serious muscle. A subtle and soft tip will hit a homerun with guys running circle hooks, but don't let that soft tip fool you. Once it loads down the blank, it hits its sweet spot where you know it's time to handle business. The Warrior Cats can easily tackle fish upwards of 50lbs, and I have personally witnessed 70lb+ fish be horsed into my boat on one of these rods. For this power, they still allow for a fun fight with smaller cats. The really amazing quality is one you don't have to see, but instead feel. Pick up the Warrior Cat MH and you will be blown away by its light weight. This is a rod that you could throw lures on all day comfortably in terms of its mass. It features 10+tip Chrome Stainless Steel line guides which are underwrapped and double footed for an indefinite service life. A strong aluminum double rear locking nut reel seat with washer located between lock nuts makes securing your reel easy. Grade A cork finishes off an ample 16"handle along with large hook keeper to complete the package. The rod is rated for 20-40lb line and a lure rating of 1-6oz but we rarely fish them this lightly. This rod punches well above its weight and holds its own.
Matt Lynch.
Bottom Dwellers Catfight Review
Bottom Dwellers Tackle may well be the best single location to get your fix for all your catfishing needs, and they even have their own offering of rods. These rods have had a strong following for awhile. Bottom Dwellers Cat Fight model CFC-M761-HC offers features geared toward hardcore cat guys. They boast a very robust blank through handle design of graphite composite which provides good lifting power and a tip that lends itself well to fishing circle hooks. It has a distinct camo finish with black and gold wraps which I'm sure would get a big thumbs up from Larry the Cable Guy. This model can handle large brutes yet still remains light enough to have fun with smaller fish. It has a tip section which glows in the dark to help detect night bites. The foregrip on these rods are a very impressive 8" long of thick cork. Similar size cork makes up the 14" butt of the rod. I have noticed the cork doesn't stay in good condition long on these rods. It is finished off with a large buttcap which is my biggest critique of this rod. Of almost every Cat Fight I have fished with, the buttcap seems prone to fall off. This can be remedied so long as it doesn't get lost but we have had a couple instances of them dropping off and plunging into a watery grave. The Cat Fight uses attractively finished gunsmoke line guides/tip which are well reinforced and a rear locking reel seat composed of graphite and stainless with a single lock. Another critique of this model I have personally dealt with is the reel seat locking nut backing off. I found myself tightening them up once or twice a trip which is why I always recommend using a reel seat clamp for your reel. The one piece Cat Fight is rated for 15-40lb line and a lure rating of 2-5oz. It can throw well within its rating and then some thanks to its backbone.
Matt Lynch.
Bottom Dwellers Knock Out Review
For anglers who need abit more stick than the original Cat Fight models offer, Bottom Dwellers Tackle has the Knock Out. This is the big boy in their lineup featuring the same blank through handle design as the Cat Fight. It is constructed of a graphite composite. The blank is noticeably less limber than the smaller Cat Fight and don't lend itself quite as well for circle hooks as other models. The rod would be better suited to flathead where its faster tip and tremendous backbone would help drive a live bait hook home. The Knock Out features an all aluminum rear locking reel seat with double nuts finished in gunsmoke. The finish on the blank is an attractive glossy urban digital camo and carries over the glow tip section. Topping off the blank are 9+tip stainless steel line guides. It also boasts the same large diameter 8" foregrip and 14" butt section. The Knock Out, CFR-KO-791XHC, measures 7'9" and carries a rating of 20-60lb line and 2-20 oz lure rating. If you are going for giants and want pure lifting power this rod is a great option, however this power comes with the drawback of the Knock Out being a heavy stick to wield. Luckily in general, weight is a non-issue for catfishing since often the rod remains in a holder. Again, similar to the other Cat Fight model I experienced the same common issue of the large rubber butt cap falling off and attempting to target underwater structure during its descent. Also the cork used on these rods seem to deteriorate quicker than I'm use to seeing. No issues with chipping/chunking thankfully, but don't expect it to look beautiful long if you use your gear hard and are on the water a lot. If you are looking for a big flathead rod or something for lifting huge blues this rod is definitely worth checking into.
Matt Lynch.
Berkley Mudcat Review
If you are on a budget and seeking smaller catfish, the new Berkley Mudcat may be up your alley. The Mudcat is a new model on the market and comes in both casting and spinning models. It uses a strong fiberglass blank along with 6 stainless steel guide frames finished with aluminum oxide inserts. I would like to have saw solid stainless guides used in place of inserts but we can't always have everything. Here's what Berkley did to make an awesome grip though. They give us an awesome X-flock handle. I'm a huge fan of the X-flock and it provides durability and helps traction on wet or slimy hands. I preferred the model # BCMUD601MH. During preproduction field testing we pushed this rod well over the limit on my boat. This model is a one piece 6' blank rated for 12-30lb line and a lure rating of 1-4oz. It didn't take long to end up with 8oz of weight and a double hook rig with half of a large skipjack hanging in the rod holder and when a 47lb blue cat slammed the bait the little Mudcat didn't let us down. With a bend the whole length of the blank it helds it own eventually managing to lift the behemoth off the bottom in heavy current and into the net. During a long season of field testing, I never had reason to question the quality of the Mudcat and for a budget rod I think this model will offer a long service life and although geared to smaller catfish, it can still tangle with larger specimens.
Matt Lynch.
Denali Bottom Feeder Review
As a preferred bank fisherman being able to cast large baits in tight areas comes into play a lot. The Denali Bottom Feeder gets the job done for me. If it's a big or small bait under a pound with 6 Oz or less of weight. The 7.5 MH does an impeccable job. Anything bigger requires the 8ft Heavy. But when it comes to reeling them in. Both have handled fish up to 45lbs. With ease and power.
Scott Ross.
I think the Bottom Feeder rods look badass. I like the all black with chrome accents. I also like the split grips, something most people I've talked to about them hate. They are inexpensive and seem to be solid. I haven't caught any fish on my MH so I can't comment on the fish fighting ability. They cast great though and seem to handle a good amount of drag on a pull test. The looks department is the area this rod shines the brightest to me. I like the looks better than almost any other rod I own. Although that doesn't help catch fish.
Chuck.
Berkley TEC Cat Hunter Review
I tested both spinning and casting models of the TEC CAT Hunter. They are very sharp rods that are rated for lighter use than you will normally see he at The Quest. They are also extremely light in weight. Stainless guides with zirconium insures, a wonderful aluminum reel seat, and composite cork grips round out the package on this 2 piece series of rods. Berkley calls the blank a Complex Matrix Construction, whatever that means. It feels like graphite or carbon to me. These rods are really stout for their rating without much flex, but I wouldn't want to use 8 oz and a big live bait with them. They should be great for bumping or any lighter type work that doesn't require heavy weight. The 2 piece blank construction would be nice for those with vehicle space limitations. A light, solid, attractive package for those doing lighter duty work.
Chuck.
Rippin Lips SuperCat
These rods are similar to the Denali Rods except they are S-glass instead of the E-glass the Bottom Feeders use. They are white with red guide wraps as opposed to all black on the Denali offerings. Seem to be about the same in action, I think the Denali rods look much better. An inexpensive rod that seems well enough made and offers good value.
Chuck.
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