[Opry99er]

Yo, fellas. Quick question.

I have an Eagle Claw IM7 Aristocrat G2 "Heavy" weight spinning rod. It's 6'6 long and shows a capacity of 12-20 lb line and 3/8-3/4 oz lures.

This is one tough rod...

So, I'm setting this up as my second cat rod right now... My question is, what the hell is up with the "Lure" rating? I know it's a number giving the "optimum" weight for "optimum casting distance" but it seems like a pretty narrow window there.... Would it be possible to run a 3 oz slip sinker on it?

Currently, I have 30# braid spooled on the reel (4000 series Aristocrat Eagle) and it seems to handle a 1 oz sinker JUST fine... no excessive flex in the tip, no "bounce" effect.

If the "Lure" rating is 3/8 oz to 3/4 oz, (I still don't get how they come up with this number) then is it not supposed to be able to handle a 3 oz slip sinker?

I've got my terminal tackle set up, just wondering if it's smart (or not) to throw the 3 oz sinker on there... I DO NOT want to damage this rod, as it was a gift and one I like very much.

Thanks in advance.

 

[FishDr]

I generally look at rod lure-weight ratings as guidelines - they tell you what the ideal casting weights for the rod are. You can definitely go outside of those, but at the lighter end you'll have trouble getting a lot of range and at the heavy end you may find that the rod is actually overpowered by the weight on a typical cast, and thus doesn't have the same range that a rod that is rated for heavier weights might have.

In your case, you could probably lob-cast a heavier weight, but I'm not sure I'd go with a faster (traditional) cast with a 3 oz weight.

 

[Opry99er]

Well, I went ahead and rigged it up... Its borderline but, as you said, Doc, it'll work for lob casting quite well. My big King Kat rod handles that 3 oz perfectly. Like it was built for it. The rod loads up just right and it sails like a flippin catapult.

Guess I should buy another one of those when I have disposable income.... Save my Eagle Claw rod for something else.

It will work though.. Probably solid for 20-40 yards.

 

[TthePikester]

Hey Owen, I have here an Eagle Claw Cat Claw casting rod that has never been used. It is a discontinued model that I've had for a few years, promised it to another member but he has disappeared so if you want it come and get it!!! It is 8', Med heavy, line wt. 12-30 lbs, lure wt. 1 1/2- 2 1/2. I prolly even have an old casting reel around here somewhere to go with it. If you're interested let me know!

 

[Bronco]

I'm surprised your cat rod can cast 3 oz like a catapult :smile:

 

[hobiecat]

Owen..seriously..lighten up on your rig. You can catch the biggest cats in Colorado on ten to twelve pound test and you'll never need a 1, 2, or 3 ounce weight. When I do bottom fish for cats..I don't use any weight at all. Other than fishing a tail race when they're releasing a lot of water...I just wouldn't see the need. I think you'll catch more fish...fish closer to shore..ten to twenty feet..no need to be launching bait for catfish.

 

[rvinson]

Owen..seriously..lighten up on your rig. You can catch the biggest cats in Colorado on ten to twelve pound test and you'll never need a 1, 2, or 3 ounce weight. When I do bottom fish for cats..I don't use any weight at all. Other than fishing a tail race when they're releasing a lot of water...I just wouldn't see the need. I think you'll catch more fish...fish closer to shore..ten to twenty feet..no need to be launching bait for catfish.

Ding, Ding, Ding!! We have a winner!! Like i had said in one of your previous threads

And when i do try for carp i always go weightless... same with Catfishing.. Weightless... You typically dont need to cast as far as most people think.. so I am able to do without weight and still manage a few... Atleast cats.... carp are a whole diff. story.

 

[snagged up]

My II Cents

http://fishingnoob.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/bankrig.jpg

Best bottom rig. Adjust weight for personal preference.

Adjust leader for length.

More sensitive to bites.

 

[slimer]

Broomsticks work in a pinch.

 

[muninoel]

Owen..seriously..lighten up on your rig. You can catch the biggest cats in Colorado on ten to twelve pound test and you'll never need a 1, 2, or 3 ounce weight. When I do bottom fish for cats..I don't use any weight at all. Other than fishing a tail race when they're releasing a lot of water...I just wouldn't see the need. I think you'll catch more fish...fish closer to shore..ten to twenty feet..no need to be launching bait for catfish.

I think Owen may be getting set up for Tennessee cats! They get seriously big there!

 

[walleye seeker]

i once broke a surf rod casting a 6 oz weight out past the breakers. but like hobie says 20 to 30 feet with no or little weight will get you many more bites from cats, they come to shore to feed. the biggest cats i have caught have been in less that 1 foot of water

 

[Opry99er]

Owen..seriously..lighten up on your rig. You can catch the biggest cats in Colorado on ten to twelve pound test and you'll never need a 1, 2, or 3 ounce weight. When I do bottom fish for cats..I don't use any weight at all. Other than fishing a tail race when they're releasing a lot of water...I just wouldn't see the need. I think you'll catch more fish...fish closer to shore..ten to twenty feet..no need to be launching bait for catfish.

Thanks for the tips there, hobie. And I agree mostly. Since I'm relegated to bank fishing only, and I'm doing day-fishing primarily, I like having the option of casting into a river channel at Chatty (for instance) or the deeper holes of some of these local ponds here. Can't do that weightless without a boat or a float.

http://fishingnoob.com/wp-content/up...01/bankrig.jpg

Best bottom rig. Adjust weight for personal preference.

Adjust leader for length.

More sensitive to bites.

For sure, here's my rig currently:

*40# braided main line

*3 oz slip sinker with bead

*Heavy duty swivel

*Knottable stainless steel leader

*6/0 offset Eagle Claw circle hooks (thick wire)


Here are a few pics

I think Owen may be getting set up for Tennessee cats! They get seriously big there!

This is true... Down there, targeting big flatties and blues will require some major gear. While hobie and Ricky are correct and landing 20 pound channels here in Colorado probably won't require this heavy of gear, I'm loading up for the monsters that lurk down there in Tennessee.

 

[bobys]

I have only needed 3 oz wait in very few occasion in Colorado, but at lake mac its a different story, one place I like to fish is in the river bed that's actually in the lake, theres a pretty gnarly current under the surface that you would have no idea was there unless you basically swam into it. 3oz weights were pretty necessary then because that's where the cats were, even a 2 oz weights would get dragged in the current

 

[red owl]

How you do things is your business but why the 3 oz sinker? What I'm getting at is with that heavy a sinker you don't want to snap off the rod tip so you lob cast and say it travels 50 yards. Why not drop down to a 1 oz and cast in a normal manner and see if you can reach the same distance?
The other issue is that 30 pound line. If the cat runs into cover you have to yank it out of- then maybe but if you lift weights tie a 15 pound dumbbell on your line and try to lift it with your rod, that 30 pound line might be too much and cutting down on the distance you can cast. A lot of the 30 pound line guys are drift fishing in boats- not casting.

 

[Opry99er]

Good points, and it's 40# braid... similar in diameter to 12 lb mono.

The King Kat rod (8 ft) is perfectly suited to launch this 3 oz weight AND the weight of two halves of a bluegill a freakin mile.

The other rod is not.

So, in response to your query, yes... It would be smarter to use a smaller weight on the smaller rod, I just ONLY happen to have 1/2 oz sinkers and 3 oz sinkers at the present time. So, in the name of uniformity, I tied up the 3 oz sinker on the smaller rod. It is not optimum.

And on the line issue, I DO NOT WANT to break off a big cat. They're hard to come by in this state, and leaving one with hooks and swivels in its mouth is not smart, nor is it humane. I'd tie up my rigs with dock rope if I thought it'd catch fish and increase the likelihood of releasing it unharmed.

40# invisibraid, 100 lb breaking strain stainless steel swivel, 40# knottable steel leader... I'm not breaking off....

 

[rvinson]

Good points, and it's 40# braid... similar in diameter to 12 lb mono.

The King Kat rod (8 ft) is perfectly suited to launch this 3 oz weight AND the weight of two halves of a bluegill a freakin mile.

The other rod is not.

So, in response to your query, yes... It would be smarter to use a smaller weight on the smaller rod, I just ONLY happen to have 1/2 oz sinkers and 3 oz sinkers at the present time. So, in the name of uniformity, I tied up the 3 oz sinker on the smaller rod. It is not optimum.

And on the line issue, I DO NOT WANT to break off a big cat. They're hard to come by in this state, and leaving one with hooks and swivels in its mouth is not smart, nor is it humane. I'd tie up my rigs with dock rope if I thought it'd catch fish and increase the likelihood of releasing it unharmed.

40# invisibraid, 100 lb breaking strain stainless steel swivel, 40# knottable steel leader... I'm not breaking off....

Heavier line and extra weight only reduce those hard to come by bites IMO! IF you hook a big one you will have a great chance at landing for sure... IF it bites!

I always use the lightest realistic setup possible! As long as you have a reel with a good drag... You dont need 40lb line.



Just my opinion... My biggest Colorado cat is only 12lbs.. so take it for what its worth.

 

[koldkut]

The knotable steel leader is baffling to me, the rest seems reasonable.

I would be willing to bet your "mile" is less than 80 yards.......Hitting 100 yards is no easy feat, even with the heaviest of terminal tackle.

I would spend some time doing some research into catching catfish on lures, I know of TONS of cats caught on lures by bass fishermen.

 

[Opry99er]

Thanks Ricky. I will do just that.

I have contemplated making that Eagle Claw rod a float rod... Circle under a slip bobber, very little weight. This'll allow me to have one rod deep and out a ways and have one closer to shore fishing the margins.

Probably a smart strategy.

 

[Opry99er]

KK, I estimate my max casting distance around 70-80 yards. It's not a "mile" exactly, but it's pretty damn far.

And to the steel leader, I've had my hands shredded by the grip pads in the mouths of large cats before... A cat over 15 pounds has some gnarly pads and some mad jaw strength. They're not line or hook shy, so why not use the strongest there is?

 

[koldkut]

I can see if you weren't using circle hooks, by design, the line will always be outside the mouth upon hookup.