# Ugly Stik?



## LostLouisianian (Oct 11, 2010)

Anyone have any experience with casting or spinning ugly stik rods? Thinking about replacing all my rods with them if they truly are unbreakable. If you have or have used one I would love to hear your take on them before I shell out $40-$60 each for half a dozen.


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

They are pretty **** indestructible. You can break the ceramic out of the guides but I've found you can just apply JBWeld and it makes a nice smooth even more durable surface. All but our trolling rods are UglySticks now. I've had some nice rods in the past but have busted all of them over the years. I use the 7ft ultralight versions, great for casting.

-DallanC


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## gwailow (Jan 20, 2008)

I have several Ugly Sticks. I hooked a 20+ lb Northern on my Ugly Stick "Light" and it held up to the test. I like my Original medium action Ugly Sticks when I fish for cats, carp, etc...but about everything else I go with the light. It's very sensitive and holds up to the challenge. They are not the only rods I own, but I find myself reaching for them more often than my other more expensive rods.


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## johnnycake (Jul 19, 2011)

I love 'em. I have used my 5' lightweight trout ugly stik on 10lbs northerns and salmon up to 20 lbs, never had an issue.


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

I've hauled my 7ft'ers to Alaska and caught many silvers off the beach.


-DallanC


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## RandomElk16 (Sep 17, 2013)

I also love my ugly sticks. My favorite is my 7' light and I am always impressed at the size of the fish and the fight that these things go through.


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## willfish4food (Jul 14, 2009)

They're great rods! I've got two Ugly Sticks. One I've had since 97' and it's still going strong. It's caught everything from blacktip sharks and redfish when I lived to Florida, to perch and trout in Utah, and Walleye and Pike in Canada. I've abused that thing like you wouldn't believe and the only thing wrong with it is the ceramic insert on the bottom guide cracked and the tip top insert got grooves in it. Up till now, I just wedged the ceramic insert back in the guide and i pulled the tip top insert out. Since the bare metal on the tip top is pretty abrasive, I'll probably use DC's suggestion of JB weld and coat the guide for another two decades of use on this rod.


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

willfish4food said:


> Since the bare metal on the tip top is pretty abrasive, I'll probably use DC's suggestion of JB weld and coat the guide for another two decades of use on this rod.


Here's how you do it.

Remove all pieces of the old ceramic / plastic guide. Stand the rod upright, place a piece of painters tape underneath the broken eyelet that extends 1/2" larger than the eyelet. Now mix up some JBWeld, you only need enough to do "half" of the eyelet. Use a toothpick and dribble it around on top of the metal of the guide, you want it to extend 1/16" to each side of the metal. Try to keep the inside edge of the JBWeld as uniformly circular as possible. Now let it set and dry. JBWeld will glaze over and make a very smooth surface for your line to rub as it dries. Once dry, remove the tape, turn the rod over and reapply more JBWeld to the other side of the eyelet. This step is easier as you can just match the dried jbweld from the first side. If you matched it up good, you will have a very smooth surface for your line to be guided in.

-DallanC


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## spencerD (Jan 14, 2014)

I have an Ugly Stik my dad gave me after he bought it in the early 90s. Thing still catches fish, although I haven't used spinning tackle for a couple years now. mainly a fly guy these days. 

However, when I was chucking spinning gear, I ALWAYS used an Ugly Stik. Great feel, can't break em, and super affordable. 

Now I'm getting all nostalgic for the days when I threw spinning rods....might have to go dig my 7' Light Ugly Stik GX2 out and go find some willing bluegill.


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## LostLouisianian (Oct 11, 2010)

Well shoot dang it's gonna be ugly stiks all around then. Does Cabelas or Sportsmans whorehouse ever put them on sale. I've seen them at Wally World for around $40 or a little more for different models.


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## spencerD (Jan 14, 2014)

LostLouisianian said:


> Well shoot dang it's gonna be ugly stiks all around then. Does Cabelas or Sportsmans whorehouse ever put them on sale. I've seen them at Wally World for around $40 or a little more for different models.


The only ones I've seen on sale have been the "old model," the one they had for years before rolling out the new GX2. The GX2 is just as good, even a bit better, than the old model because it's lighter. Either way, $40 for a rod that's virtually indestructible ain't a bad deal.


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

I lost one out of the back of my truck last month and I'm still mad about it. It was the 30th Anniversary edition. They are good rods for sure.8)


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## Jedidiah (Oct 10, 2014)

Everything I have is Shakespeare, who makes Ugly Stik. One Ugly Stik for my main pole, 6'9"....I put a half ounce spoon or a half ounce of weights on my rig and wind up a cast like I'm pitching a baseball and get twice as far as the rest of the shore fishermen, then catch more fish and release the ones the same size as the guys around me. I have to say though, if you want to test the limits of those poles like that you'll need braid because it'll snap mono or fluoro off like nothing. Backpacking rod is Shakespeare too, I've caught easily 100+ browns and brookies on that thing, and my icefishing pole is an Ugly Stik, which has taken some abuse having been wedged into the bars of my folding chair as sort of a rod holder on the ice.

All my reels are Pfleuger though.


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## gwailow (Jan 20, 2008)

Jedidiah said:


> I have to say though, if you want to test the limits of those poles like that you'll need braid because it'll snap mono or fluoro off like nothing.


I agree with this. I love a quality braided line on an Ugly Stick. Super combo that can do about anything in this state.


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## utskidad (Apr 6, 2013)

I haven't done any serious fishing in years and didn't realize they were still around. I broke my first one as a boy in the summer of 77 or 78. I was a boy. My Dad bought it from a Bass Pro Shop that resembled todays' 7-11's in size (they weren't always ginormous), and I broke it in the oarlock of a row boat on a small, campground lake in Ontario. Paid to have two ferrules put on and it became a two-piece rod. Probably still in Dad's garage. I'll have to ask.


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## Jedidiah (Oct 10, 2014)

gwailow said:


> I agree with this. I love a quality braided line on an Ugly Stick. Super combo that can do about anything in this state.


Throwing lures directly attached to 20 lb braid into cover is nice because you can yank them back out in situations where they would break off of fluoro.....though using a fluoro leader does get more strikes. Generally I'll tie a snap right onto the braid, throw lures with that for a while and when I get confident I'm not going to snag much, switch to a fluoro leader with a bead above it to keep it from getting into the eyelets.

I've actually pulled other guy's lures out of stumps with my spinners because I had them tied directly to the braid...have three or four old lures in my tacklebox right now.


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## casickenger (Jun 7, 2015)

Check ebay or Amazon. Even used they should be okay......remember,they're indestructible!


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