quality rod and reels for catfishing

Question
   Hello,
I am a new fisherman, and I like to catch catfish. One of the problems I am encountering is that I have to borrow my father-in-laws pole.
I don't own one of my own yet...That is my question. What brand of rod and reel is the best for catfishing, and what is the the easiest lures to start with.
                         thank you,
                             Corey


Answer
Sorry i took so long to reply...been busy lately.

I like 7 foot Berkley Ugly Cat poles, about 30 bucks and last forever. I like big spinning reels or baitcasters. If you cant use a baitcaster then thats fine, just use big spinning reels. For spinning reels i like Bass Pro Shops Cat Maxx reel, but if you dont want to spend a whole lot (the cat maxx really isnt that much for the quality reel that it is), then you can buy any name brand big spinning reel and it should do ok, but id spend at least 25-30 bucks on it. Shakespeare makes decent big reels. For baitcasters i like Abu Garcia C3 reels, either 5600 or 6500. They run about 50-60 bucks. Dont forget a good line like 25-30 pound Trilene Big Game or 40-50 pound Spiderwire braid.  I like to use live creek chubs or live goldfish or bluegills. Also nightcrawlers and chicken liver work well.