Looking for suggestions on a rod designed for dead sticking Walleyes. I have a few TUCR and love them but dont want to spend as much for a dead stick rod. Does St Croix make a deadstick rod or someone else that is more economical?
Thanks
BB
I have a TUCR Precision 28 that I’ve used as a jigging and dead stick. I don’t use it as much anymore because I mainly target panfish. I’m willing to sell it for $75 if you’re interested.
I use a 32 inch St.Croix Premier. I believe it was $29 and it works well for a dead stick and jigging snap jigs and spoons.
I built an Al Dente Longboard noodle that I use for a deadstick. I think it works well for that use. Some may want a slower tip but I’m using a baitfeeder reel and think it works well.
Still not exactly cheap but less than Tucr. Even less if you can build your own. DH blanks are fairly reasonable.
I was in scheels recently and they had the new Jason Mitchell “dead meat” sticks, they are nice dead sticks for $40
If you’re planning on using a bobber, any stick will do. If you don’t want to use a bobber, you’re a bit more limited. The point of a dead stick without a bobber is for the fish to eat withouth feeling the rod. You mentioned that you have other TUCR rods. The Bullwhip actually makes a great deadstick. Super light tip and tons of backbone.
Dan
St Croix Premier ice rod 36″ light power is perfect for dead stick presentation. As of current Mojo ice replace the premier.
If you’re planning on using a bobber, any stick will do. If you don’t want to use a bobber, you’re a bit more limited. The point of a dead stick without a bobber is for the fish to eat withouth feeling the rod. You mentioned that you have other TUCR rods. The Bullwhip actually makes a great deadstick. Super light tip and tons of backbone.
Dan
Couldn’t agree more Dan. My first ever trip to LOTW last year my Bullwhip caught us the most fish all weekend as a dead stick. I have been going back forth all fall between ordering a Fusion and another Bullwhip but think I will go with a Bullwhip as 90% of my fishing is panfish/perch/crappies and then the occasional trip for walleyes. The performance of the Bullwhip that weekend pretty much my made up my mind.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Dan Baker wrote:</div>
If you’re planning on using a bobber, any stick will do. If you don’t want to use a bobber, you’re a bit more limited. The point of a dead stick without a bobber is for the fish to eat withouth feeling the rod. You mentioned that you have other TUCR rods. The Bullwhip actually makes a great deadstick. Super light tip and tons of backbone.
DanCouldn’t agree more Dan. My first ever trip to LOTW last year my Bullwhip caught us the most fish all weekend as a dead stick. I have been going back forth all fall between ordering a Fusion and another Bullwhip but think I will go with a Bullwhip as 90% of my fishing is panfish/perch/crappies and then the occasional trip for walleyes. The performance of the Bullwhip that weekend pretty much my made up my mind.
The Bullwhip is awesome,but don’t sleep on the Fusion. It is my go to rod for light spoon fishing for crappie and walleye. Super nice feel rod.
If you’re planning on using a bobber, any stick will do. If you don’t want to use a bobber, you’re a bit more limited. The point of a dead stick without a bobber is for the fish to eat withouth feeling the rod. You mentioned that you have other TUCR rods. The Bullwhip actually makes a great deadstick. Super light tip and tons of backbone.
Dan
I will have a clicker style reel and intend not to use a bobber
I hate bobbers and can’t tell you the last time I used one. Before I had a nice dead stick I used a balance beam rod holder I made. Then put any cheap rod I was not using at the time in it as my dead stick. The rod could be a broom stick and the fish would not have known. This worked for me for years. The balance beam was just a 2×6 with a metal rod sticking out of it to balance the rod on next to the reel. I will see if I can find a picture that shows it and post it.
Easy Bite Strike Indicator This also can work well with a heaver rod. The nice thing is it will also show the up bite.
+1 Jason Mitchell Meat Stick Rod. I use a 36″ outside and a 24″ inside. Great tip action at initial bite but then loads with the slightest lift to drive hook home by simply picking up the rod.
Sent you a PM Bob, my suggestion would be the JT Walleye Snare rod for this application.
34″ glass https://sportsmensdirect.com/shop/ice-rods-combos/ice-hopper-extreme-taper-rod/
Mat, that rod you recommended, is that the same blank as 34 HWI Extreme Taper Glass Blank?
+1 Jason Mitchell Meat Stick Rod. I use a 36″ outside and a 24″ inside. Great tip action at initial bite but then loads with the slightest lift to drive hook home by simply picking up the rod.
Sort of +2 but thinking about something different.
Been using a 28″ older meatstick and the above comments are correct. However the guides are very small and I’ve struggled a little with icing using it outside. Still thought about getting one as a dedicated deadstick but don’t like split grips for this application. Hence this this is the perfect thread for me to follow.
I don’t see the need to have an expensive rod for deadsticking if you have a baitfeeder reel or use a bobber. A $15 stick with enough backbone to handle the target species will do just as well as a $115 stick. You don’t need sensitivity, balance or anything other than an action that will absorb the fight. Nothing wrong with someone wanting a higher quality for this application, I just don’t personally see a need. A rattle wheel has been the bread and butter “deadstick” for decades.
If I win the lottery tomorrow, i’ll buy you one of each 
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Unless you were in South Carolina recently, I assume my rods aren’t coming? 
If I win the lottery tomorrow, i’ll buy you one of each
Unless you were in South Carolina recently, I assume my rods aren’t coming?
[/quote]
Alas, no.
for those of you that don’t use bobbers do you just switch the drag over to allow the reel to spin freely and watch for a fish to take out line? don’t mean to hi-jack the thread im just curious cause I normally use a bobber.
I use the TUCR Deadstick with the Okuma baitfeeder reel. This reel lets you set the drag the way you like it then engage the bait feeder setting which lets the line almost free spool. It also clicks when line is pulled out so you hear it. It has just enough tension that you can see the tip of the Deadstick moving and once the fish commits they can swim off with the bait without feeling any resistance. It works amazing.
This episode of IDO shows how well the system works.
just put one of these rod/reel combos on my Christmas list
I absolutely love watching a bobber go down a hole.
I do find there are certain properties in a rod that is beneficial to specifically being a “bobber” rod though.
I bought a TUCR deadstick two years ago after that IDO episode, and paired it with the Okuma baitfeeder. I was skeptical at first spending that much money but after landing a 25 and 26.5 the first day I was sold! The tip is so slow and so cool to see load up even with the baitfeeder set the lowest, as soon as I set the hook, the backbone was there. True, you don’t need to spend a lot for panfishing, but once you lay into a nicer fish, you’ll love it!
I bought a TUCR deadstick two years ago after that IDO episode, and paired it with the Okuma baitfeeder
That episode also got me. But I thought the TUCR deadstick had a bit too heavy of a tip. So I made a new one that I liked better and sold the TUCR. I really want to try the JT walleye snare and JT panfish snare after seeing them this week. They were specifically engineered by fisherman such as Gary Parson, Chase Parson, the Next Bite team, and JT. I would like to get my hands on them and compare them to the one I made side by side.
The JT snare rods work great. They account for a lot of extra fish for me every trip and are way more fun than a tipup.
Pair the Snare rods with a hotbox and you have a second setup for any conditions!
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