At ICAST 2024, Ugly Stik made big waves when they introduced a new series of rods, the GX2 line. It was the first major update the iconic brand had made in many years, and the industry was abuzz about it. The GX2 promises anglers a more sensitive blank, but still retains the toughness that made the brand legendary. The new blank translated well into the GX2 Youth combo, which features a robust, kid-proof spinning reel. My 7-year-old son and I tested it out on a number of species over the last few months, including largemouths, smallmouths, and bullheads. Here’s what we found.
First Impressions
I thought for sure the rod was done for when it arrived at my house. The box had been mangled in shipping; it looked like it had been trampled by every employee UPS had. But despite the box being all but destroyed, the Ugly Stik GX2 inside was in perfect condition. The guides weren’t bent, and the blank wasn’t chipped, splintered or otherwise mangled. Even the reel made it through unscathed somehow. I guess there’s a good chance the combo will live up to the 10-year warranty it comes with.
The rod is an ideal length for youngsters at 5 feet, 6 inches. It exhibits the unbelievable hoop strength of its predecessors; I bent it into a circle and it immediately popped right back with no issues — just as you’d expect an Ugly Stik to. The signature Clear Tip design is present, which adds to the rod’s unbreakable construction. Ugly Stik calls the guides “Ugly Tuff,” and they seem to live up to that moniker. Or at least the tough part.
The reel is a 30-size, which is appropriate for the rod. It’s not the smoothest reel I’ve ever handled, but what can you expect in a $50 combo? More importantly, it seems to be very well built and somewhat beefy for its size. The drag is smooth, and seems capable of applying way more pressure than I’d ever want to exert on the 6-pound test Trilene I spooled it with. Adjustment is easy with the front-mounted knob, which offered positive feedback as it was cranked down.
The pair balanced well together, and didn’t seem tip- or butt-heavy or unwieldy in any way — you can balance the rod on a finger tip placed by the reel’s foot. It’s not the lightest combo I’ve ever held, but that can be attributed to the bulletproof construction of both the rod and reel. Overall, the combo feels substantial, but the weight is manageable, even for a small child.
Rod Specs
Length: 5’ 6”
Power: Medium
Line Rating: 6 -12 pound test
Lure Weight: 1/8 -5/8 ounce
Pieces: 2
Reel Specs
Bearings: 4
Gear Ratio: 5.2:1
Line Capacity: 6 pound mono / 140 yards
On the Water
My son is pretty good for his age, but he is only seven. I don’t know how many times I’ve reminded him to keep his rod tip up as he walked to the water, but that gets forgotten pretty quickly when there’s a frog or cool looking bug to distract you. Despite the number of times he’s jammed the clear tip into the gravel ahead, the guide and blank have emerged with no damage.
The 5’6” length was easy for him to handle. Casting was effortless, and he managed to launch baits as far as he ever has. We fished a variety of baits on the rod, and the combo handled them all well. Inline spinners, poppers, soft plastics, even the ol’ worm and bobber were no match for the Ugly Stik.
Most of our smallmouth fishing is done in rivers with healthy crawfish populations so the GX2 Youth combo was used to pitch a lot of Great Lakes Finesse Juvy Craw tubes rigged on 1/8- to 1/4-ounce jigheads. It cast these well, and was more than sensitive enough to pick up on even light bites. Once bitten, the rod had no trouble sticking the smalljaws.
In fact, the rod had more than enough backbone to get a solid hookset with a Senko — an area where my son’s other youth rods seemed to struggle. This is important, because missing a strike at any age is upsetting. But it can be especially discouraging for a young angler, and you want to make sure fishing remains a fun, rewarding activity.
The reel also held up very well. My son is pretty competent with a rod and reel, but he is still a kid. On one trip, he got very quiet while fishing beside me — too quiet. I waded back to find one of the most impressive tangles I’ve ever seen. Despite having line wrapped in every imaginable nook and cranny, the reel was up and running again in minutes.
Final Thoughts
The Ugly Stik GX2 youth spinning combo is an excellent choice for young anglers, or even those of smaller structure. I’ve grabbed the rod myself on more than a few occasions, using it in the tight confines of narrow streams. With its rugged construction, there’s no doubt it will stand up to the rigors of childhood and come out the other side. If you’re looking for a good rod for your kids, this one is hard to beat.
