The 10 Best Ugly Stik Fishing Poles

For a first rod that can take a beating, the Ugly Stik GX2 Spinning Combo arrives with a matching reel already mounted. Its blank blends graphite and fiberglass, and a clear solid tip shows light bites while bending a long way before it gives. The medium power suits bass, trout and walleye from a dock or boat. Ugly Stik backs the rod for 10 years. The bundled reel is plain, and it's the part most anglers upgrade first.

Bass anglers who throw crankbaits, jigs and spinnerbaits get a tough, low-cost casting rod in the Ugly Stik GX2 Casting. A trigger under the reel seat gives a steady grip, the fast tip helps set the hook quickly, and the full foam handle stays comfortable in wet hands. Each stainless guide is formed from one piece, so there's no ring insert to pop out. It comes without a reel, and the maker's details disagree on whether it breaks down.

The Ugly Stik Elite Spinning pairs the brand's tough graphite and fiberglass blend with a cork handle that stays warm on cold mornings and passes along each tap on the line. This medium rod casts small spinners, jigs and soft plastics for bass, trout and walleye, and it splits in two to fit a car trunk. It feels light enough to hold all day. Cork can chip and darken over time, and there's no reel in the box.

Anglers who want a rod that telegraphs every tap should look at the Ugly Stik Carbon Inshore, built on a stiff all-graphite blank with a solid graphite tip. It's made for redfish, sea trout and snook in bays and marshes, and it casts lures up to about an ounce. A cork grip and rubber butt cap finish it. Graphite gives up some of the brand's famous toughness, and the series is new, so its track record is short.

Panfish, stocked trout and creek fishing call for the Ugly Stik Elite Ultra Light, a long, soft rod rated for very thin line and tiny lures. Its slow bend cushions light line when a fish runs and makes a bluegill feel like a fight. The cork grip and featherweight feel suit younger anglers and seniors who tire of heavy rods. It's too soft for bass in thick weeds or anything big, and it comes without a reel.

Built for piers, jetties and boats, the Ugly Stik Tiger Elite is a heavy saltwater rod meant for big fish and heavy weights that would flatten a lighter stick. Its gold blank and thick foam grips are made for long fights on strong line, and the stainless guides hold up to salt spray when rinsed. That heavy power feels clumsy with small baits, so it's a poor match for freshwater bass.

Catfish anglers get a complete setup in the Ugly Stik Catfish Combo, a medium heavy rod paired with a large spinning reel that comes spooled with line. The bright white blank is easier to see on the bank at night, and its stiff backbone pulls heavy fish away from snags and logs. It splits in two for the truck. The bundled line is on the light side for big blue or flathead catfish, so plan to respool with heavier line.

Surf, pier and big-river anglers who want a sturdy medium rod can pick the Ugly Stik Bigwater Spinning. Its yellow-wrapped blank is made to handle heavy sinkers and cut bait, and the long foam handle lets you use both hands for leverage on a big cast. Rinsed after each trip, the stainless guides resist salt corrosion. It's tiring to hold for hours, and it feels dull with small lures meant for lakes and ponds.

The Ugly Stik Elite Baitcast Combo is a medium heavy casting rod with a cork grip and a low-profile baitcasting reel already in place, ready for frogs, jigs and bass in heavy cover. Buying the two together spares a newcomer from guessing at balance and line size. A baitcasting reel takes practice, though, and a few bird's-nest tangles are part of learning it. Its owner history is still small.

A first fishing trip with a child is simpler with the Ugly Stik Complete Spinning Kit, which pairs a short two-piece rod and red spinning reel with a card of tackle. The bobbers, hooks, sinkers and soft baits cover a day of panfish at the pond, and the short rod is easy for small arms to control. The tackle is basic, and the hooks are sharp, so an adult should handle baiting at first.