The 2 catfish rods i use are also the combos from wal mart. I havent had a problem with them and have had them for about 8 years now. One is a Shakespeare, cant remember the other one, it may be a shakespeare too. I have only had one rod break on me my entire life, and it was a little zebco when i was a kid. I got hung up and was trying to free it and it just snapped in half.