As with most fishing gear, catfish rods come in all strengths and price ranges.



For example, the Berkley Reflex 2nd Generation ranges between $18-23 and is offered with three casting and three spinning options. It can handle up to 40 pound test and 8 ounces of bait. In comparison to the original model, it's obvious why this one is so inexpensive; the design was changed drastically, leaving the rod itself much stiffer with fewer rod size options and a lack of scotchlite on the guide wraps.

However, one improvement is the cork handle. While it is affordable, the rod is limited to almost exclusively fishing for large Blue catfish and Flatheads.

If you are looking for catfish rods that are affordable and give you excellent visibility into the wee hours for nighttime angling, you may want to check out the Berkley Glowstick. It is distributed in four spinning and four casting options, made of E-Glass, and uses 3 AAA batteries to provide 40 hours of glow for use in the dark.

It has a cork handle and can use up to 30 pound test. The rod itself provides great action, and with its long-term glow ability and several sizes available, this rod, costing around $35, is a quality option for almost any angler.

Jim Moyer's "The Boss" comes in four different casting options. Jim Moyer was the designer of the Berkley E-Cat, and this is a continuation of his specialty series of catfish rods.

It is made of high grade E-Glass with a cork handle with trigger and a heavy duty reel seat. The two smaller rods have titanium glides, while the two larger are constructed with stainless steel glides.

While the actual rating varies depending upon the exact model, this rod can potentially handle up to 40 pound test. The two larger rods are great for medium and large rivers and can pull even the largest Flatheads out of the timbers, while the two smaller are viable for channel cats and small Blues.

This particular "specialty" rod will cost you around $65, which is more than most rods on the market, but the extremely high quality makes it worth every penny.