channel cat rods

My Basic Stationary Set-Up

2-10ft rods with a med action
2- Okuma Avenger Baitrunners AVF40 loaded with 12lb Big Game

I usually have this setup on banksticks with a hanger and a bite alarm (euro-stuff)  or if the banks are too hard for banksticks a pod will do. That way if I take a 10 minute nap during the night I'll be woke up if I get a take.

Cabelas should still sell the Avengers and the Saltstrikers. Another good rod for channels was the 12' Predator Rods (cheap euro knockoff rod) they had but they stopped making them now. The Avengers are only like @ $50 now, good reels for that price had mine for about 5 years now.

Channels and crappies are about the only fish I eat anymore, everyone says that the smaller ones are the best too eat I disagree toss them back and let them get bigger.
 

(I know I posted this pic before  but since this is a channel cat thread lol)
 

mm, i have a couple of ambassadeurs and am currently in the process of buying a third.

 
I have a red Ambassadeur 6500 with baitclicker I'm probably going to sell if your interested in it and thats the type your looking for?
 
 
 

PM sent rapala, it's a 6000 sorry duUD  

I ran the 7ft Zebco Hawg Seeker last year, but converted it into my muskie pole this year. Now, I have an Abu Garcia Bruiser with the bigger Cabela's King Kat spinning reel with 15-20lb line. I also picked up a Cabela's 6ft King Kat rod at a thrift store. It does great with a Shimano r4000 reel and 10lb test. The heavier rods are good for getting them in, but anything works, really.   

wife and I use our 10.5 foot noodle rods with shimano 2500 spinning reels. Don't have to night fish. Use big river chubs[ to 8 inches]. When they die, just mash them up a little. We river fish and take many in the 10 to 18 lb. range. Her biggest was 18.5 mine was 22. If I can transfer some pics in I will. In 2008 she landed over 50 over 8 lbs.

i just use a 6'6" medium heavy spinning rod spooled with 8-10lb mono or 20lb braid. i've caught channels up to 20lbs or so with this setup. i only fish lakes, if i was going to fish the rivers i'd probably look into getting a heavier action 8-9 foot long ugly stick so that i could toss bigger baits.

i have a 7ft med action ugly stick light pro(wal-mart) w a cabela's baitrunner spinning reel and 14lb fireline. plenty for most channels and it'll lob up to 2 oz. and a big chub a pretty decent distance. i also have a 9ft med heavy berkley glow stick w a diawa emcast saltwater surfcast spinning reel w 30lb fireline this setup will launch 4 oz and a big gil with ease. they make the glow stick in smaller sizes too it has good action, glows in the dark, and has blue leds in it that light the whole rod and charge the glowy stuff.(also a nice flashlight in a pinch.

If you are just going after channel cats then the Cabela's King Kat is perfect. Does not cost that much and will get the job done. Mine is a 6'6" spinning outfit

cant wait for your photos. I know erie has some monster cats,seen them with my own eyes.
do you start in spring or wait for summer?

Rap... for my .02 cents.... the set up MM gave for stationary would work great for most any channels. Or even flatheads with maybe some heavier line depending on where you are fishing. If you are looking for boating then go with maybe 6.5 to 8 ft rods instead, they seem easier to manage. I prefer the rods that have a lot of butt behind the reel because it provides me more leverage if bringing in a larger cat, and medium to medium heavy action. I use either bells or the glow sticks on the tip of the rod at night to make it easier to keep track of.
For reels, need large spool capacity, heavy drag ability and I like clickers of some type (the new bait runner spinning reels have that). Lower gear ratio helps the power also. Choosing between bait caster style and spinning is personal preference, the open bait casters don't cast as easy but practice can certainly improve your range and I like how they handle heavier bait. I run both types depending on the bait and weights I am using.
Be careful, cat fishing is addictive!!

Addictive for sure! I spent mostly all of my free time cat fishing last summer. There is nothing like bringing in BIG fish!

I cant give you the boat advice but if fishing from the shore. Find a place off the lake with alot of structure around in the water. If you can get snags there alot its probably a good place. Shhh dont tell anyone but if you want a channel cat... uncooked shrimp is the way to go! Put it on a larger sized bait hook. I peel the shell and use the whole piece. Thread it through the back of the shrimp. Fish it on the bottom. The cat will pick it up hold it in his mouth and swim with it so I use a bobber hanging above the bottom eye of my rod. Pull it down so it hangs, when it goes all the way up. SET THE HOOK! Remove bobber and slowly bring him in.

I cant wait!

ORIGINAL: crappiefisher

If u r going to sit & bank fish 'em try snapping some green branches 'bout 8" long, remove leaves & bend 'em in half. Use for your strike indacators instead ov bobbers. This way they fly off when u set the hook & u can make to sz./weight for the current u r fishin'.

Crappy

I've been doin' that for years with the V-twigs, but I usually fish for carp.  I've seen other use  clothespins as well.  I also have some of the fancy Euro bite indicators/hangers that are tethered to my rod stand and come unclipped from the line when I strike on a run.  Some of the indicators have removable weights to adjust to the water current.  That's not to mention the electronic bite alarms.
Here's some examples of alarms and indicators:
https://www.resistancetackle.com/catalog.php?mode=publicview&ref=69

i have some snap swivels that are attached to old red and white bobbers.  i bend the snap almost perpindicular to the swivel.  they do fall off real easy.