# 8-9ft ugly stick any good?



## ohihunter2014

almost got a 8-9ft ugly stick today for some steelhead fishing but wanted to check with you guys before getting it. Says medium heavy rod it's not one of the really thick surf rods but has the big handle. Will be using on vermilion river.

Thanks


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## missionfishin

Other guys with more experience might be able to help you more than I can, but I would say no. You probably want a lighter rod than an ugly stik for casting all day. I would try to find a light action rod 9'6" to 10'6". The light action rod will help absorb the shock to your light line ( 6 or 8 pound fluorocarbon ) when fighting fish. I have a 10'6" Riversider rod from Dicks for $40 that's okay for the money. My wife has a Shakespear wild series steelhead combo for $60 from Gander that actually isn't bad. The reel doesn't have the greatest drag so I just put her Pfluger on it and it has caught plenty of fish.


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## sherman51

I just bought a 9' med action ugly stick that I used for fishing with shrimp down in fl. it is a very sensitive rod but still has enough backbone to land black drum. I think it would make an awesome steelhead rod. but that's just my opinion.
sherman


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## hailtothethief

My 7 foot medium action ugly stick has caught plenty of steel.


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## ohihunter2014

talked to the guys at fin feather fur Ashland today and he recommended it. said the smaller rods might not be so good fishing them when they take off down stream and might buckle a smaller rod as I was just going to use a 6ft6 rod.


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## devildave

Really any rod will work for certain situations on any part of the river..Like they said longer rod allows for lighter diameter flourocarbon to power ratio ...Mainly helps with mending your line and keeping a tight line to your bobber..Longer casts..But if the water is low and current is slow a 6'6-7' rod rigged right will produce just as good as any...It's tough to fish a small unstocked tributary with that 8'6 + rod with all the overhanging trees and tight quarters that alot of us find ourselves in hoping to find an unfished pocket O' Chrome...I fish em both..Good luck bud and hope you catch em no matter what ya get.


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## c. j. stone

I think I have that same rod. Overkill, IMO. It gets heavy and cumbersome if used for an extended period. The long handle has pros and cons-cast a mile with two-handed casting, constantly in the way when reeling, hard to use with spinners/spoons(for me, anyway). I think UgStx are more of a heavy-duty fiberglas construction and when they get longer(though brutally tough!), they get considerably heavier/stiffer. Definitely Not for "tight quarters" frequently found on our tribs. Get a lighter, graphite rod. I think you'd be happier-and be spending abt the same money. OR perhaps a lighter, shorter, US! Any US(other than a ultra lite), should be able to handle a steelie(i. e.-matched with a good reel and filled w/premium line.)


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## sherman51

the 9' med action ugly stick rod I got is a very light rod. I would fish with it in my hand for hours. I also used a cabelas whuppin stick 9' med action. I liked the soft tip on both rods. I used 30# braid on my reels and both rods stood up to some hard fighting fish. I recommend both rods for steelhead fishing. I think the ugly stick is a little lighter than the whuppin stick.
sherman


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## Thundergut

I am sorry, but the Ugly Stik commercials touting their rods as being the most sensitive on the market is laughable. For just a bit more money, you can have a Shimano Clarus or a St. Croix Triumph. These rods are 100% graphite, lightweight and truly sensitive. Uglies are fiberglass/graphite blends, which by their makeup are a ton less sensitive than the cheapest 100% graphite rod. Yep, Uglies are durable, but don't be sucked in by the marketing. Not even close to sensitive when compared to other rods on the market.


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## devildave

Yeah but who are we kidding most of us are bobber fishing...Not to many people back bounce..So sensitivity is not a question right... Unless you plan to use it for different applications.....


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## TRIPLE-J

you can get ugly stiks in two variations the traditional ugly stik...and the ugly stik lite..i have a 9 ft ugly stik lite med light action that I use for steelheading and it works fine for me and has plenty of backbone for a big fish yet is very sensitive at the tip


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## ohihunter2014

TRIPLE-J said:


> you can get ugly stiks in two variations the traditional ugly stik...and the ugly stik lite..i have a 9 ft ugly stik lite med light action that I use for steelheading and it works fine for me and has plenty of backbone for a big fish yet is very sensitive at the tip


Are you bobber fishing? Did you mean elite? Can't find an ugly stick lite on their page.


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## hailtothethief

Noodle rods are for 4 pound test and less if you want to fight the fish. If you want to use 6-10 pound test a 7 foot medium action rod is your best bet.


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## 'YakAttack

The 9' medium action Ugly Stick rated for 4-20 lb test is my favorite rod. Soft enough in the tip to act like a noodle rod but strong enough in the butt to stop fish. Just used mine today for 8 hours steelheading and it's not the lightest rod but it's not that heavy. And you don't have to baby it because it's an Ugly Stick.


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## flyphisherman

"don't have to baby it because it's an Ugly Stick."...................lol......I ran my 5'ft UL uglystick over with my car. It was just fine.......I caught a lot of massive fish on that little rod. Good times


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## ohihunter2014

'YakAttack said:


> The 9' medium action Ugly Stick rated for 4-20 lb test is my favorite rod. Soft enough in the tip to act like a noodle rod but strong enough in the butt to stop fish. Just used mine today for 8 hours steelheading and it's not the lightest rod but it's not that heavy. And you don't have to baby it because it's an Ugly Stick.


where are you finding the 9ft medium action rods? I looked around and only find heavy surf rod looking things with the large handles.


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## hailtothethief

Id go for the 9 foot ugly stick. Easier to keep the line off the water. Im interested too.


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## sherman51

'YakAttack said:


> The 9' medium action Ugly Stick rated for 4-20 lb test is my favorite rod. Soft enough in the tip to act like a noodle rod but strong enough in the butt to stop fish. Just used mine today for 8 hours steelheading and it's not the lightest rod but it's not that heavy. And you don't have to baby it because it's an Ugly Stick.


this is the one I have and I found it at bass pro shop in port st lucy fl. I have been using the whuppin stick 9' med action 4-20 # rated. but using them in salt water over the yrs some of the eyes corroded and the inserts came out. I still had 1 rod I was using but wanted a spare. and I didn't want to wait on another 1 to come from cabelas. so I went to bass pro looking for something like the whuppin stick. the ugly stick was what I found that had a soft tip and was light enough to fish with for a long time. I used it the rest of my trip and it did an awesome job.

its the ugly stick gx2 9' med weight fast action. its rated for 4-20 # line and is priced 39.99 on bass pro's web site. there the same price at cabelas. like I said this rod or the whuppin stick from cabelas would make great steelhead rods. but I do think the gx2 is a little lighter rod.

if you were closer to me I would sell you mine for like 20.00. because my sister and brother n law is moving to tn and I probably wont be going back to fl.
sherman


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## hailtothethief

I see a gx2 9' med action that says shakespeare is that the right make?


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## sherman51

hailtothethief said:


> I see a gx2 9' med action that says shakespeare is that the right make?


Shakespeare makes the ugly stick so I would assume its the same rod. just go to bass pro shops web site and type in ugly stick gx2 rod and it'll take you to the rods. and see if its the same rod. or you can type in Shakespeare gx2 and it'll take you to the ugly stick rods.

where are you looking at the Shakespeare gx2 rod?
sherman


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## hailtothethief

I looked on cabelas in avon and fishusa in erie. Fish usa has free shipping on orders over 50 bucks so i bought a fly vest to go with the 9' gx2 ugly stick med. i got a trion reel to put on it.


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## SelfTaught

I have a 9' GX2 it'll work great for you. I used it my first season using floats and help me learning. The next year I went to 10'6" noodle rod with spinning rod then the next year I went to a centerpin and now have a 13' rod. 
I still use my 9'gx2 to do this day for casting hardware when water is warmer. Handles fish, has a good backbone. Whenever ppl are new to steelheading and go with me I give them that rod. Easy to use and handles fish well


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## hailtothethief

I've liked the 9' gx2 med ugly. caught a 27 inch female that fought like hell. Just kept the rod in the air. The bend in the rod absorbed the fish well the 5 times she ran. Definately an up grade over my 7 foot ugly for steelheading. Also can throw longer bombs in the mouth of the river to cover more water.


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