Deadstick Rods

Does anyone have any experience with both a Thorne bros and TUCR dead sticks? Thinking of getting one that’s longer than my 32″ Thorne bros one and was debating which one to get. My TB seems to max out pretty quickly where I’m completely relying on the drag when a fish takes a run. Caught some big fish with it but always worried about it.

I have both of them and like using either one. But the tuned up has a better backbone for fighting fish. The TB rod is good but too much of a spongey noodle type action to it. I use it mostly for panfish and the tuned up for larger fish. Hope this helps…

I’ve got a few TB deadsticks and use TB XL powernoodles for deadsticking that I actually prefer over the deadsticks. The long powernoodles 32″+ have some pretty serious backbone.

My go-to walleye deadstick is the DH Longboard rods.

Bigwalleye30 wrote:

Does anyone have any experience with both a Thorne bros and TUCR dead sticks? Thinking of getting one that’s longer than my 32″ Thorne bros one and was debating which one to get. My TB seems to max out pretty quickly where I’m completely relying on the drag when a fish takes a run. Caught some big fish with it but always worried about it.

The Tuned Up Deadsticks have a lot of backbone for handling bigger fish as well as the nice soft tip / slow action in the top third you need out of a DS rod. They’ll whoop any walleye you’ll ever be fortunate enough to hook into and I use them for pike / lakers without any hesitation.

Thanks for the replies guys. After the show with the Okuma reels I picked one up and really love it paired with my TB deadstick. The TB deadsick, like nblauis said, seems to be too spongey for big fish. Thinking my next purchase is going to have to be a longer Tuned up Deadstick for when targeting bigger fish, but might have to wait till next year unless someone knows where a 32″+ one is on a shelf somewhere…

Bigwalleye30 wrote:

The TB deadsick, like nblauis said, seems to be too spongey for big fish

How big is big? Before next year I’m going to be doing the same thing as you. New deadstick with one of those Okunas. Now, how often do I ever have that big fish problem

For comparison, my biggest walleye (mid 20’s) have come on a perch sweetheart, Jason Mitchell 26″ perch, and my original $15 crappy bobber rod. With a good drag I’ve never worried about the rod.

I’ve caught a few 28″ walleyes on it and about a 12lb catfish. All of them basically fully load the rod, so when they take off on runs you don’t have that extra forgiveness of the rod helping out by bending further. Don’t get me wrong, it works really well and haven’t lost a fish cuz of it. I just don’t want to hook up with one of the legendary greenbacks up on Winngipeg and lose it cuz of a rod.

Does the tuned up Deadstick do ok with perch too? Just thinking of getting one and use it with my ifishpro which I do like to do alot of perch/walleye fishing?

Eric Hagenkord wrote:

Does the tuned up Deadstick do ok with perch too? Just thinking of getting one and use it with my ifishpro which I do like to do alot of perch/walleye fishing?

The TUCR Dead stick is very soft in the top third, as one would expect, with plenty of backbone. It will be a good match for both perch and walleye.

Hauled in a 27.5 on LOW with the Thorne Bro’s deadstick last winter.

Rod handled it fine and never felt out of control on the couple runs and had plenty of backbone. The tip is very soft to detect bites I guess.

I don’t have any experience with the TUCR Deadstick so I can’t compare.

I felt that the TUCR Deadstick was too stiff but the Thorne Brothers Dead stick doesn’t have enough back bone fast enough. The JT snare falls in-between both. Both the TB and TUCR dead sticks are solid fiberglass blanks. The JT has a spring bobber, glass tip and carbon base. With that combination you get the very soft see bite and plenty of back bone. Quote from Dan Beker on another post:
The TUCR Deadstick is intended to be in close proximity to the person using it. You see the bite but it looks like the tip is bouncing. Then you grab it and set the hook. I think the JT Snare is more of a passive technique where you can set it and forget it thing. Dan

Dead stick rods.?

I build all my own rods now and have found some great blanks to use with a little sanding. This way I get the exact action I wanted in a dead stick. All of the big three are good options in different settings.

There is a caveat to the idea that the TUCR Deadstick needs to be kept in close proximity. If you use a bait feeder reel with your rod, they work great on systems like the iFishPro. Also, the bait feeder can be used as a rattle reel like system, as the reel clicks when the line is pulled off from a fish. James and the IDO crew have great episodes that show the TUCR Deadstick being used for both of these applications.
Dan

I started with the tucr, it is nice, then I got the thorn, I liked it a little bit more, this year I got a jt snare, I haven’t fought a fish with it yet, but I believe this will become my go to. They are all good. No reason you couldn’t use a bullwip or power noodle if that is your thing and you have one already.

Dan Baker wrote:

Also, the bait feeder can be used as a rattle reel like system, as the reel clicks when the line is pulled off from a fish.
Dan

Just don’t bet on it waking you up after a good day of fishing and a “few” Busch lights…..

waldo9190 wrote:

Just don’t bet on it waking you up after a good day of fishing and a “few” Busch lights…..

No idea how, but it worked for me on the counter in the middle of the night on ML last year…a healthy 26″ eye decided to say hello. Tick…tick, tick, tick…tick…

It will only be a problem if they strip out all the line.

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Question…

I’m looking into getting a deadstick for my “deadstick” hole at Lake of the Woods.

Do you guys still use a foam bobber or do you rely on watching the tip load up and then set the hook? Or maybe I need to get a baitfeeder reel and use that with a bobber? Just curious what everyone is doing or maybe everyone does something different??

My set-up now is I use a medium pole with a foam bobber, which seems to work ok, but if I can increase my hook-up percentage then I would be all for it. **It just sits in a rod holder/tipdown(Dangler).

Sorry if this hijacking the thread, but I thought with all the deadsticking experts on this thread that this would be the place to ask.

Thanks!

My deadstick style rod has a baitfeeder and I don’t use a bobber any more.

waldo9190 wrote:

Do you guys still use a foam bobber or do you rely on watching the tip load up and then set the hook? Or maybe I need to get a baitfeeder reel and use that with a bobber?

Yes

Even though I’ve gotten into the deadstick rod no bobber thing the past few years that doesn’t mean bobbers don’t work. In fact I rarely catch more than a buddy who believes in bobber + Coors light. I’m about 50/50 bobber to pure deadstick.

If you update your rod to have an baitfeeder reel that’s a pretty good combo with the dangler. If you don’t use a bobber you can see it from farther away. if you’re in a portable that won’t matter.