Rod Review: Ugly Stik Catfish Special

My go to fishing rod for trolling for salmon, halibut and lingcod was Shimano Trevela for many years. I ended up breaking the tip with my garage door and I was in the market for a new one and decided to try out the Ugly Stik Catfish Special last year. The Catfish Special became my new favorite rod for trolling because of slower action and it's still 7 ft in length since I like 7 foot and under on the kayak. It's also very affordable.

Nice review. I'll keep that on my radar if either of my Trevalas break.

Those are reasonably priced too. Thanks for the review.

Those are reasonably priced too. Thanks for the review.

+1

I've been using a 7' Ugly Stik Tiger for years for Salmon and Halibut. Cheap and durable. Perfect Kayak fishing Rod.
7 feet is great in the Kayak, but make sure you can get the tip around the bow if you are smaller or have a long kayak. I have really long arms so I can get it around the bow of my AI

Thanks for the review! There isn’t an overabundance of reasonably priced rods out there that are ideal for kayaks. I like even shorter, and it’s really hard to find something that size that isn’t vintage or heavier than it needs to be.

A cheap-o 5.5-foot Offshore Angler Sea Lion rod, fished on the side I prefer for netting/gaffing, has been 100% reliable and good fun for fishing big baits and catching many lings. If I needed another rod though, the Ugly Stick catfish model in this review would be a prime candidate.