I have been thinking about trying a Dead Stick Rod. I had though about pairing it with one of the bait feeder reels. Looking for input from the people who have used them. Is the dead Stick Rod really necessary with the bait feeder reels or is it just kind of a gimmick? I hate to waste a ton of money if I don’t need to.
I think it depends on how you use it. If you are sitting 5ft away from a deadstick rod, you can use any reel you want. If your deadstick is 30ft away, I would go with a baitfeeder rod
I use a JT Custom Panfish Panfish Snare, use it within 5ft of where I am sitting (outside or in the flipover), it’s deadly when something hits the crappie minnow…
I’ve found using a bait-feeder isn’t always necessary and I rarely use that option.
95% of the time I have the reel engaged as normal and watch the rod tip.
I have a Jason Mitchell noodle rod and a Beaver Dam 32″. Both work great, and I actually prefer the cheaper Beaver Dam (has ceramic guides, the Jason Mitchell has cheap wire guides)
For $15 you absolutely can’t go wrong with one
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I use the 2B dead stick rods with bait feeder reels in my wheelhouse instead of rattle reels while we are awake. Allows my wife to catch fish on a set line as she won’t use a rattle reel. I find the walleyes are 50/50 on if they barely take it or if they hit and run (which is obviously where the bait feeder shines). Plus it gives extra time to get to the rod and an audible signal instead of trying to pay constant attention to a dead stick rod
I use a TUCR Deadstick and the 2B Deadstick. Many attempts with different sticks (Dead Meat, Clam Team, Frabill, Noodle…), and these are what works best for the type of deadsticking I do. That being said, there are two main types of deadstick strategy IMO. I prefer to have a moderately soft tip that transfers into backbone quickly so that my Okuma baitfeeder starts spooling quicker while not loading up the rod too much. With snares and the Deadmeat my experience was that the rod tip would load up so much that the baitfeeder rarely engaged/started spooling. Especially with panfish. Some prefer that, I don’t. Lots of ways to bake a cake but this is what works best for me. Also, I use the First Strike flag indicator and their folding rod holder (no affiliation, just what I use).
My opinion is deadstick rods are good at one thing and one thing only, being a deadstick. Baitfeeder reels make a dedicated deadstick rod unnecessary in my opinion. I put my baitfeeders on rods that can pull double duty. I use a “deadstick” every time I am fishing for walleye, I toss a baitfeeder on it and a bell and I am rocking.
No need for a bait feeder with a proper dead stick. Imo.
I have JT snares—panfish and walleye. Both work great. Also have a TB dead stick that I like. All have baitfeeders. Having almost lost one—worth the 10$ more for the reel. Snare rods are great, flip the baitfeeder off. Let the rod load and lift. Can see from a distance. Used 2 this weekend on red—produced most of our fish. If you’re babysitting it in the shack probably fine to just have a straight deadstick. YMMV
there are two main types of deadstick strategy IMO. I prefer to have a moderately soft tip that transfers into backbone quickly so that my Okuma baitfeeder starts spooling quicker while not loading up the rod too much. With snares and the Deadmeat my experience was that the rod tip would load up so much that the baitfeeder rarely engaged/started spooling.
This is the debate I am more looking forward to. I would add a dedicated dead stick to your arsenal with a bait feeder reel. You don’t always need a bait feeder reel. When a pike hits and runs you will be happy you have one instead of watching your rod go down the hole. Bait feed reels also help when you are fighting a fish on the other line and they get tangled.
Acarroline already talked about the action he prefers and why. What is your thought on the way a dead stick should perform?
I like the slow and soft so you can see the rod load up before the bait feeder reel lets out line. Most of the time I get it before the reel engages. I also enjoy watching the tip dance when a minnow gets nervous because something is coming around. It doesn’t take much for a bait feeder reel to let out line. With a lighter slower action the rod has more play before the fish feels it and drops it.
Rodwork –
A deadstick should perform in a way that allows a fish to take a bait with as little resistance as possible, as to not get them to drop it, yet give some type of indication that a fish is on hook. For the ways I fish, described below, the TUCR Deadstick and the 2B deadstick have enough give in the tip for bite indication yet allow a transfer to the baitfeeder quicker than other rods I have used. I have spent time cleaning and oiling my baitfeeders so they give very little resistance when the fish takes the bait.
The piece that has been brought up but not discussed as much is how a person uses the deadstick. In SD we are allowed 4 lines. When outside the shack and hole hopping an area I will typically have 2 deadsticks (with first strike flag indicators) out, a hookset finniky fooler, and whatever I am jigging with in my hand. This allows me to get 10-20ft away and still see the flags on deadsticks and hear the finniky fooler go off. If I am in the shack I typically have a deadstick down and my jig rod in hand. In the shack the baitfeeder isn’t as big of deal as I usually get to it before it engages.
A deadstick should perform in a way that allows a fish to take a bait with as little resistance as possible, as to not get them to drop it, yet give some type of indication that a fish is on hook.
Agreed. I always felt the TUCR dead stick was way too heavy unless you are using large sucker minnows to weight the tip down. I have had too many times where that rod was felt and they dropped it with fat heads. Dan from TUCR said they designed their dead stick to be close to you as you fish and a softer / slower action rod like JT snare is more for being father away. To each their own. I measure the taper of many rods for better comparison. (removed a bunch so it is easer to see some of the more popular models) TUCR is by far the heaviest dead stick I have used. We all have different fishing styles. That is why I am asking what everyone’s preferences are. The other reason I ask is because I enjoy shaping the action of my blanks and have tried a couple of different tapers. I am just not set on one design yet.
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When using a dead stick rod what are you guys using for tackle? Plain hook? Weighted jig? Split shot? And do you use a slip bobber knot as a depth indicator to reset quicker?
My TUCR deadstick is setup with a 1/16 egg sinker to barrel swivel to a flouro leaders (12-18 inches)with a couple of glow beads and a red hook. Sometimes I will change this up to a small jig instead of the bare hook and beads, mainly in deeper water. I do use the slip bobber knot as the depth marker, and check it every few times with the vexilar to make sure it hasn’t moved.
My 2B Deadstick is a new to me setup this year, a dropshot. The main line to a barrel swivel to flouro leader down about 6-8 inches a bare Aberdeen hook with a plastic makki then down about 8 more inches to a VMC spinshot dropshot hook, then down about 12 inches to a quick snap where I can interchange anything from a 1/16 to 1 ounce dropshot weight. No depth marker needed with drop shot setup. Find the bottom, reel up just enough to get weight off the bottom or barely touching.
I agree with Rodwork and Acarroline. I prefer a deadstick to have a slower, soft action for the reasons Rodwork mentioned. The graph is very interesting and obviously you have dug into this quite a bit. My testing was spending an hour at reeds hand testing every deadstick rod on the shelf. I know the TUCR deadstick seems to be the favorite on this site but was too stiff for me as well. The 2B ended up being my favorite.
As for bait setups. I tend to use a egg shell sinker above a barrel swivel to a fluorocarbon leader. Last year I used the VMC glow bead hooks and thought they worked very well. I usually vary the depths of set lines depending on what lake I’m on. Some of the biggest walleyes of weekend trips have come from a set line only halfway down.
The drop shot is a very interesting technique for a deadstick that I may have to steal.
At the most dull and blunt concept is that any rod can be used as a dead stick rod. However if one wishes to fine tune their craft, then it get’s interesting and all sorts of ideas come about.
At the basics is that any glass noodle rod will be better option for a dead stick over that of the carbon/graphite type. Due to the improved technology and rod building process, even certain carbon/graphite rod types can perform that specialized technique very well. A great example is the St. Croix Premier 36″ Light ice rod. The tip is soft enough and has a deep load bend. You can tell easily when the minnow is nervous. The flex is light enough that a pan fish bite will not drop immediately.
However sometimes we are dead sticking for a larger quarry like walleyes, so enters a great example as the Thorne Bros. Dead Stick rod. Soft light power tip but with a load bend that transitions into a medium powered backbone. This allows one to hook set and even play the fish with more control. The control is far more important as the fish gets close to the ice hole and even at the surface of the ice hole.
Sorry Fellas, I got sidetracked with moving snow for a few days there. Thanks for all the replies. Answered my original question and gave some more things to think about. I mainly fish a dead Stick from the shack. My thought process was similar to what a lot of people have said is that I probably wouldn’t need the bait feeder since the rod itself should give the fish enough play that they won’t drop it until it’s too late.
Sorry Fellas, I got sidetracked with moving snow for a few days there. Thanks for all the replies. Answered my original question and gave some more things to think about. I mainly fish a dead Stick from the shack. My thought process was similar to what a lot of people have said is that I probably wouldn’t need the bait feeder since the rod itself should give the fish enough play that they won’t drop it until it’s too late.
I personally have the thorne bros 32 inch dead stick, I fish it with a couple split shots and red hook with minnow for walleye no bobber and let the fish pin it self while rod is in a rod holder. I really like the rod paired with a older tica reel. But my next one will be a jt walleye snare in 34 or 36 inch. Same way fishing but I really like the feel of my buddies snare.
I have the TUCR deadstick and can’t compare to any other deadstick rods as this is the only one I have used but I think people would be surprised on what you can see from the rod tip on these. It does look and feel a little heavy holding it in a store but I had no issue seeing bites and catching crappies of all sizes on it last winter. I was impressed with it. I do have a bait feeder on it, which did come in handy a few times walleye fishing. It was in close proximity to me when using it though, maybe different outcomes if it wasn’t.
I just did the same thing and got a 2B Dead Stik at the Sportsmans Show and paired it with a new bait feeder.
Some may say that that defeats the purpose of the bait feeder however when I’m occupied like helping my kids or doing other stuff like lying down I like to put an ice bobber on the rod and turn the bait feeder on so that I can more easily notice if their is a fish on without worrying about the rod going down the hole and the bait feeder noise will alert me to a fish.
Also, having the bait feeder option is nice because of the sound which alerts you if you are busy doing other stuff like making your kids lunch.
Also, the bait feeder option hopefully protects you from losing a rod.
Last year I lost a rod and rod holder down the hole to a small northern but grabbed it in the hole and my friend lost a rod this year that he was using as a deadstick, he ran to it but it went down too fast. Wouldn’t have happened with a bait feeder.
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