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Bluegill and Panfish checklist · Rod

Ugly Stik Elite ultralight spinning rod for Tennessee Bluegill and Panfish Fishing

Makes a half-pound bluegill feel like a fish.

Check price on Amazon →The full bluegill and panfish checklist

Why it is on the list

Why the Ugly Stik Elite ultralight spinning rod is on the bluegill and panfish checklist

Makes a half-pound bluegill feel like a fish.

RodUgly Stik Elite ultralight spinning rodMakes a half-pound bluegill feel like a fish.Shop on Amazon →Why it is on the list

These are affiliate links. Buying through them pays this site a small commission at no extra cost to you, and it is how the site stays free.

How it is used here

Using a rod like this on Tennessee water

A rod is the one piece of tackle that decides how the rest of the kit works. Its power sets which lures it can cast and which hooks it can drive home; its action sets how it fights a fish. Tennessee water asks for both ends of the range: a light rod for stocked trout and bluegill in clear creeks, a medium heavy rod for bass in the flooded timber at Norris and the grass at Chickamauga, and a heavy rod for catfish and striper on the Tennessee River.

Length matters as much as power here. Six to six and a half feet is right for a kayak, a creek or a crowded pier; seven feet gives distance from a boat deck or a bank at Kentucky Lake. Buy the rod for the lure you throw most, and let the reel and line follow it.

Where to use it

Tennessee water for the Ugly Stik Elite ultralight spinning rod

Where to use itBarren ForkPublic access, limits and what else swims in Barren Fork.See the spots →Where to use itBarren Fork RiverPublic access, limits and what else swims in Barren Fork River.See the spots →Where to use itBuffalo RiverPublic access, limits and what else swims in Buffalo River.See the spots →Where to use itCalf Killer RiverPublic access, limits and what else swims in Calf Killer River.See the spots →Where to use itCenter Hill LakePublic access, limits and what else swims in Center Hill Lake.See the spots →Where to use itCherokee LakePublic access, limits and what else swims in Cherokee Lake.See the spots →

The Ugly Stik Elite ultralight spinning rod is on the bluegill and panfish checklist because it works on Tennessee water.

Goes with

What the Ugly Stik Elite ultralight spinning rod pairs with on the bluegill and panfish list

The rest of the bluegill and panfish checklist, each with its own page.

ComboZebco 33 spincast comboThe rod and reel most Tennessee anglers started on. Works.Why it is on the list →LineBerkley Trilene XL, 4 lbLight line casts a split shot and a cricket without a weight.Why it is on the list →HooksEagle Claw Aberdeen hooks, size 6 and 8Long shank so you can get it back out of a small mouth.Why it is on the list →WeightsWater Gremlin removable split shotOne or two shot a foot above the hook.Why it is on the list →FloatsThill Mini Shy Bite floatsSmall enough that a bluegill can pull it under.Why it is on the list →BaitBerkley PowerBait Power Honey WormsWhen the bait shop is out of crickets.Why it is on the list →
All 10 items

Same job, other fishing

Other rods on the Tennessee checklists

RodUgly Stik GX2 7 ft medium-heavy casting rodStiff enough to set a hook in grass, tough enough to live in a truck bed.Why it is on the list →RodSt. Croix Bass X 7 ft medium spinning rodLight enough for a Ned rig, with enough backbone for a 5 lb fish in current.Why it is on the list →RodUgly Stik Elite 6 ft 6 in light spinning rodFor casting jigs under a float along riprap and creek channels.Why it is on the list →RodUgly Stik Catfish casting rod, 7 ft medium-heavyBuilt for sitting in a rod holder with a bait on the bottom.Why it is on the list →RodUgly Stik Bigwater spinning rod, 7 ft medium-heavyHandles a 20 lb striper and a live shad on a balloon.Why it is on the list →RodSt. Croix Premier 6 ft 6 in medium spinning rodSensitive enough to feel a sauger pick up a jig in 20 feet of current.Why it is on the list →

Common questions

Ugly Stik Elite ultralight spinning rod questions

What is the Ugly Stik Elite ultralight spinning rod for?

Makes a half-pound bluegill feel like a fish. It is the rod on the bluegill and panfish checklist on this site, and it earns its place because it works on Tennessee water, not because it is new.

Which fish is the Ugly Stik Elite ultralight spinning rod good for in Tennessee?

The bluegill and panfish checklist covers bluegill, redear sunfish, sunfish, rock bass. A rod is the one piece of tackle that decides how the rest of the kit works.

Where would I use the Ugly Stik Elite ultralight spinning rod?

On the Tennessee water that holds bluegill and panfish: Barren Fork, Barren Fork River, Buffalo River, Calf Killer River among others. Each water page on this site lists the public access points and what swims there.

What goes with the Ugly Stik Elite ultralight spinning rod?

The rest of the bluegill and panfish checklist, starting with Zebco 33 spincast combo, Berkley Trilene XL, 4 lb, Eagle Claw Aberdeen hooks, size 6 and 8. The checklist page has all 10 items.

Is there a different rod for other fishing?

Yes: Ugly Stik GX2 7 ft medium-heavy casting rod on the largemouth bass list; St. Croix Bass X 7 ft medium spinning rod on the smallmouth bass list; Ugly Stik Elite 6 ft 6 in light spinning rod on the crappie list.

How much does the Ugly Stik Elite ultralight spinning rod cost?

The Amazon link on this page shows today’s price. The checklist items are standard tackle rather than premium gear, and the bait shops on the county pages carry most of them.

Can I buy the Ugly Stik Elite ultralight spinning rod in Tennessee instead?

Yes. Every county page on this site lists the bait shops, marinas and big box stores that carry tackle, with phone numbers and directions.

Is this an affiliate link?

Yes. The link goes to Amazon with this site’s tag and pays a small commission at no extra cost to you. Nothing on the list was chosen for commission.

Do I need a licence to use it?

Anyone 13 or older needs a Tennessee fishing licence, plus the trout privilege for trout. The licence page on this site has prices and limits.

Keep going

More Tennessee water, and who fishes it

Every guide and charter on this site is listed by the water they run, so you can call the captain direct. Licences, limits and the state record list are one click away too.

Guides by waterLicence and limits