Upgrading Panfish Rod for next Ice Season

Looking to upgrade panfish rods for next ice season and one that I’m really considering is the TUCR. What I currently have is a St Croix Legend, 26″ UL. I generally use the light spring bobber on it.

From what I can tell on the TUCR website, I would want the Glass Precision Noodle. I would probably go with the 28″ (maybe the 32″) length.

Is there anyone that has experience with comparing the St Croix Legend to the TUCR Noodles?

I have always used spring bobbers for panfish (primarily gills) and I would want to make sure that whatever I get will visibly show the light bites like a spring bobber does.

Am I asking too much out of a rod without a spring bobber?

I got a 32″ noodle from TUC last winter – It is everything I want and more. Twice this winter I had friends try it and I had problems getting it back from them. They both are ordering themselfs one. No need for a spring bobber with this rod. It does take a little getting use to but once you do you will never use a spring bobber again. I got the 32″ and am glad I did. If you are going to use it in a small flip style house the 28″ may be a better choice

Yes, I have owned both. The legend is a solid carbon blank with the ultra sensitive spring bobber. The TUCR is, as you know, glass with an ultra sensitive tip. The legend with the lightest spring is more sensitive than the TUCR to small movements. The one thing I hated with the legend was the lag time. By this I mean the fish hits the spring and I set the hook, it is going from no tension on the fish to a big shock of a hookset with a small lag time. This caused a lot of lipped fish for me, and a lot of torn crappie mouths. With the TUCR there is no lag, and no shock. The fish almost hook themselves. Also, with the PN you will feel some of the bites. It happens to everyone, you look up to see your buddy land a fish and *THUMP* you get hit. You probably wont feel it with the legend unless he really smacks it, but you will feel it with the TUCR since the fish is moving the blank of the rod and not an attached spring.

I would opt for a 30-32″ for the PN.

Thanks for the info guys

More of us would have chimed in I’m sure, but Kevin nailed it on the head.