Deadstick questions

Do anglers generally use a heavier action rod for deadsticking? Say your fishing perch, crappies, and walleyes would a Med action rod be OK for an all around deadstick? I’m assuming lighter action rods are for sensitivity when jigging.

I like to use a DH al dente which is a noodle rod with a great back bone.

Light action for me.

my TUCR Bullwhip is my go to dead stick rod. the light sensitive tip helps to detect the bite and the quick transition into good backbone helps drive the hook and bring them topside

I always use a longer glass noodle rod with strong backbone. I like how the power noodle type load up, especially if fish are mouthing your bait and you need to take in slack just before hookset. It’s kinda like winter lindy rigging..

The trick to dead-sticking for me is using a tip-down style rod holder. Something where you can make slight adjustments to the pivot point and allow your minnow to dance a million different ways. I have about a dozen of the rod rocker II’s. Rods can be balanced so finely, even the noodle tip will minimally deflect as the tip goes towards the hole.

______________ wrote:

I have about a dozen of the rod rocker II’s. Rods can be balanced so finely, even the noodle tip will minimally deflect as the tip goes towards the hole.

Can you show a picture or post a link to the rod rocker II’s?

I’m doing something similar but not sure I’ve really got the ticket. Agree with the above posts on using a glass noodle type rod. at last in my portable I set my rod in a holder that swivels. http://store.catchcover.com/products/Multi-Flex-Rod-Holder-Wall-Mount.html

The working theory: The noodle rod allows me to see the minnows movements. Super flexible tip means the fish can’t feel resistance. Swivel allows for less pressure when the fish starts to move away with the bait and more time for me to react.

At least that’s the theory. Unlike a tip down the farther it swivels to the hole the more pressure the fish gets.

I should add that some of my friends say I’m over thinking this. Just use a bobber and you’ll be fine. They are right most of the time too.

Yeah,…a properly weighted bobber works just fine. A slip bobber can be a pain outside when it freezes up outside however. A light action rod is the best then in my opinion.

I use a specific dead stick rod. It is a rod with a noodle like tip and good backbone. The idea is the fish should grab the minnow and set the rod tip without feeling any resistance.

patk wrote:

Can you show a picture or post a link to the rod rocker II’s?

I’m doing something similar but not sure I’ve really got the ticket. Agree with the above posts on using a glass noodle type rod. at last in my portable I set my rod in a holder that swivels. http://store.catchcover.com/products/Multi-Flex-Rod-Holder-Wall-Mount.html

I’ve never liked the multiflex holders, you can’t adjust the pivot point. Here’s an image of the RR2. The new model has three legs and plants easily on a 5gal bucket.

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I like a longer extra fast light action rod with some backbone,. normally a glass rod. I also like to use some kid of tilting holder. Like a tip-down in the shack.

medium heavy for dead sticking jerkbaits for pike – walleye

I love commenting on stuff I have no idea of

The point of a deadstick rod is essentially taking the bobber out of the equation and make it a visual que correct?

I don’t care how soft the tip is, any ice rod is still only going to be so long, which will only allow the bait to be taken as far as what, 1-2′ before resistance would be felt? Do most guys get the same, or better hookup percentages with this? The flasher can certainly divert much attention, how many hits are possibly missed BC the fish ran, let go, rod went back to normal and nothing was noticed? With a neutral bobber setup that fish can run as long as it wants, eventually you will see the disappeared float and go set the hook.

I can see if they are aggressive, but what if they need to run with it a bit? Yeah they can hang themselves with the rod, but I’ve been there with many types of hooks and unless using strictly circles for cats the hookups are OK at best for other species.

I prefer a very light tip with a strong backbone. Like a J.M. meatstick.

You can dead stick with a flyreel…click, click, click…

I haven’t used a bobber, since I can’t see it down in the ice hole right next to the closest side. Big bobber I can see, too much resistance…

Dead stick is any rod that you don’t add action to. I use a neutral bobber and set the rod in a Rod Rocker. If I miss the bobber going down the Rod Rocker works like a tip down.

slipperybob wrote:

I haven’t used a bobber, since I can’t see it down in the ice hole right next to the closest side. Big bobber I can see, too much resistance…

I hear ya there, would be a pain to have to bend over every so often to check on a bobber. Its on my list to grab a small clip-on mirror, for somewhere on the fish house, at eye level, to fix this. Hopefully it works out. Probably one of those shower mirrors that have anti fog coating on them.

I made a tip down this year for my dead stick. I, as many of you stated, have a hard time watching the bobber on my dead stick. It is much easier to see the tip down out of the corner of my eye than it is to see the bobber in the hole. I thought it would be a nice cheap option for me this year as I made it out of things i had around the house. If i like it this year i may invest in a nicer tip down for next season.

A soft tip, and strong backbone, and a small baitcaster set so that a fish can take line but your bait stays suspended where you want it. Works the best of anything I have used.