IDO switching from TUCR to 13Fishing? What gives?

I like your reasoning James. now I would like for someone to start that same then with cost of lures that out of site, we all must hate money.
Joe

One thing I see a lot in the outdoor industry (archery industry in my experience) is when you have people with minimal experience in a certain product category try and develop those products, there is inevitably going to be a learning curve. Jigging walleyes/panfish on a frozen lake is a heck of a lot different than flipping football heads for bass in Florida. Is that a legitimate excuse for 13 or the other mass manufacturers? I don’t think so. BUT if they are willing to bring in industry experts in the ice fishing world to help them make their ice rods/products better, then that shows they are learning and acknowledging their shortcomings in the past.

I agree with everything you said. My issue is talking about $200 rods being unsustainable for a niche industry all while pushing $3000 fish locators is a little odd to me. I know they make it substantially easier to locate fish compared to drilling a hundred holes. Like I said before, I really enjoy the show.

It’s pretty simple, consolidation. Rapala owns 13 fishing. Rapala is one of if not the main sponsor. I like most Rapala products but I’m not a big fan of 13 fishing’s stuff so far. I do like the freefall’s trigger and design but the drag has a lot to be desired as far as smoothness imo. It will be interesting to see what’s in the future for 13 fishing as far as rod designs.

Everyone complains about the drag on their reels. Drag washers are cheap and so is drag grease. Take it apart and clean it up. The manufacture applies way too much grease like many companies. This is done because so many people don’t take care of their reels. Would you prefer to have a great drag and do yearly maintenance or a drag that is ok but you never have to touch it?

Josh W wrote:

It’s pretty simple, consolidation. Rapala owns 13 fishing. Rapala is one of if not the main sponsor.

Rapala has owned 49% of 13 Fishing since 2019, not sure why they waited till now if that is why they switched. Maybe they got pulled in like Gophers hockey got pulled into the BIG 10?

Rodwork wrote:

Everyone complains about the drag on their reels. Drag washers are cheap and so is drag grease. Take it apart and clean it up. The manufacture applies way too much grease like many companies. This is done because so many people don’t take care of their reels. Would you prefer to have a great drag and do yearly maintenance or a drag that is ok but you never have to touch it?

The drag system on inline reels is a bad design that isn’t cured by better drag washers – essentially a star-shaped nut on a bolt so there’s a VERY fine line between no drag and locked tight. And no “click adjustment” like other reels so they also sometimes self adjust looser/tighter.

13 Decent reels are also frequently shipped with NO oil on the bearings. They work fine after oiling, but don’t freespool very well with no oil…

A better drag and oil on every reel’s bearings and the reels could be GREAT and would change the negative perception many have about inline reels – an opportunity waiting for someone to make these changes….

To say the someone ‘would not last a quick minute’ in the fishing biz might be true but you have to remind yourself that when you decide to be a public figure you open yourself up to comments from everyone- I can call KFAN and give my opinion on Cousins, does not mean I could be a QB, my opinion can be 100 percent wrong but he has to just take it. Their was an episode of Seinfeld where Jerry was doing stand-up and was heckled, so he went to that persons job and heckled them!
Love the show and site, love the idea of quality rods costing less.

Widow makers been 79 bucks for 2 years. Not sure why you guys all don’t already have them. Oh probably like James said in the last episode. ” pimpin ain’t easy “

I’m excited to see the changes coming to 13 fishings line. I’d love to not have to spend over 100 for a top quality panfish rod. But currently 13 fishing’s line up is nowhere near TUCR. If you look at a tickle stick wrong it snaps.

Are you guys running 13 reels now to ?

I run one…just changed lines on it last night. Works fine. I think it is the white out?

I own a couple and think they work just fine. Have had them for a couple years now.

I meant the ido guys. Did they bail on okuma? I also have a few 13 reels. A couple are decent and a couple are really less then desirable

I don’t see why all the hate for 13 fish, yes they had issues in the past but no complaints with the ones I have left, straight line reels work great in shack, not so much outside in the breeze, used in the proper application no problems at all. If the IDO has input on making the product better, then it will be better for the consumer, it’s a win-win as I see it. where would clam be if it wasn’t for input from Gene Genz?

JGilby wrote:

I agree with everything you said. My issue is talking about $200 rods being unsustainable for a niche industry all while pushing $3000 fish locators is a little odd to me. I know they make it substantially easier to locate fish compared to drilling a hundred holes. Like I said before, I really enjoy the show.

^^ This

With the cost of the electronics being pimped, rod and reel combos are cheap.

If you never look to the future or look for change you will be disappointed. Was I disappointed when I saw in depth switched from Otter to Eskimo, a little but that’s only because I bought an otter because when I first got into ice fishing several years ago they had the only good weekly ice fishing show on the web. That being said I think Eskimo has stepped up their ice game tremendously in the past few years. When it comes to rods I’ve tried a lot, I’ve had a tickle stick for a long time, also have a custom Al dente DH custom rod, with a handful of dead meat sticks. I use the $40 meat stick twice as much as the custom rod. I really like the black Betty reels though. Expensive custom rods are fine but I find it hard to justify even buying a rod case full rod reel combos that exceed $200. To each their own, won’t stop me from continuing to support in depth outdoors. Spot on the spot is always one of my favorite things to watch.

Beast wrote:

I don’t see why all the hate for 13 fish, yes they had issues in the past but no complaints with the ones I have left, straight line reels work great in shack, not so much outside in the breeze, used in the proper application no problems at all. If the IDO has input on making the product better, then it will be better for the consumer, it’s a win-win as I see it. where would clam be if it wasn’t for input from Gene Genz?

Dave Genz sir.

I don’t see much hate for 13 fishing in these posts. I see most saying the quality is not up to the standard of what most IDO members want.

Beast wrote:

I don’t see why all the hate for 13 fish, yes they had issues in the past but no complaints with the ones I have left, straight line reels work great in shack, not so much outside in the breeze, used in the proper application no problems at all. If the IDO has input on making the product better, then it will be better for the consumer, it’s a win-win as I see it. where would clam be if it wasn’t for input from Gene Genz?

I don’t think I’ve seen any hate at all. Just questioning and stating personal experiences. I have had 13 gear for along time from omen rods, envy rods, widow makers, white noise and black Betty 6061s. I also have had alot of bad experiences with half the gear I just mentioned. I’ve never been a tucr fan I have always been a thorne supporter I find there builds better. But I now have been buying from 2 different builders here on ido for 2 years.

Great answer James.

I like that you want to focus on $65 to $75 dollar rods because as nice as those $120-$150 dollar rods are they are just out of the price range of your average angler.

Not saying that there aren’t plenty who can afford that just that there are more who can afford the $75 rod and simply don’t want to spend that much on an ice rod.

If there is one thing I learned in watching IDO and coming on this forum it is that there are lots of fanboys. It’s pretty obvious as sponsors have changed over the years and seeing the change in gear posts on here. I remember all the marcum love on here and just never understood it and that was all gone when sponsorship dropped. That popularity is a good thing for james and IDO as they produce results for companies. It’s a business and businesses have to make smart business decisions and I am sure that is all this is about for IDO.

I have no hate for 13 as I haven’t purchased their gear because it feels cheap to me. I buy high end gear because I fish a ton and just didn’t consider them an option. There are plenty that aren’t going to buy the high end rods and reels and I totally understand that. Things change though and maybe james will bring improvement to 13 and take them to the next level.

To 13 fishing:

Let James and the crew help develop the “IDO” series of ice fishing gear. If reasonably priced, I would be a buyer (if manufactured in US).

I believe Okuma is owned by Rapala now as well. I may be wrong, but I thought that’s what I heard.

Before I ever dabbled in the custom rod market, I had a bunch of 13 stuff when it all first came out. Tickle Sticks, widow makers I tried it all. While the widow maker wasn’t bad the tickle stick was straight garbage. After breaking a few, I gave up sold it all and went and tried Tuned Up and have yet to honestly break a rod and they’re straight up the best rods on the market.

If someone like James decided to do what he did, it doesn’t affect what I’m going to do because I don’t buy a rod just because someone uses them. You have to try it for yourself and see what you like. While I think he took a step backwards in the rod dept, he’s still going to be him and will still catch fish in the end. So really who cares.

FinnyDinDin wrote:

I remember all the marcum love on here and just never understood it and that was all gone when sponsorship dropped.

the marcum love stopped when their product quality went to pot 2013ish time frame imo way before james stopped using them. james continued on with the lx6/7/9 and then the tablet jobby for some time.

We don’t know that story and maybe won’t ever.

All I know is that Marcum had an opportunity. the LX5 is probably the greatest flasher unit ever made. if you went to a NAIFC tournament or any of the other tournament trails, it was mostly marcum. but they started having motor and ducer issues and became unreliable. really shot themselves in the foot.

Shoot, So now I have to sell all my TUCR and buy 13 stuff now, Thanks.

hnd wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Frederick wrote:</div>
I remember all the marcum love on here and just never understood it and that was all gone when sponsorship dropped.

the marcum love stopped when their product quality went to pot 2013ish time frame imo way before james stopped using them. james continued on with the lx6/7/9 and then the tablet jobby for some time.

We don’t know that story and maybe won’t ever.

All I know is that Marcum had an opportunity. the LX5 is probably the greatest flasher unit ever made. if you went to a NAIFC tournament or any of the other tournament trails, it was mostly marcum. but they started having motor and ducer issues and became unreliable. really shot themselves in the foot.

I agree on the Marcum flashers. They had the best features in reliable units. It seems like they just got out in front of their skis. The Lx 6-7-9 units were cumbersome with no real advantages over flashers, and as they lost momentum they invested in those loser tablets. All the while Vexilar kept their market share with very few advancements beyond going brushless, and nailing reliability time after time.

hnd wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Frederick wrote:</div>
I remember all the marcum love on here and just never understood it and that was all gone when sponsorship dropped.

the marcum love stopped when their product quality went to pot 2013ish time frame imo way before james stopped using them. james continued on with the lx6/7/9 and then the tablet jobby for some time.

We don’t know that story and maybe won’t ever.

All I know is that Marcum had an opportunity. the LX5 is probably the greatest flasher unit ever made. if you went to a NAIFC tournament or any of the other tournament trails, it was mostly marcum. but they started having motor and ducer issues and became unreliable. really shot themselves in the foot.

I honestly wish I still had my lx5. That was one piece of equipment that never let me down. Then I tried the 6 and 7 with so many issues. Now I run my vex 28 and 12. I have a garmin set up but the vex is better. Garmin is now mapping only

I love my lx7. I could never go back to a traditional flasher even though I still have 2. Had one issue but sent it back and they replaced the graphics card and I had it back in like a week. Works like a champ now. I think they even replaced the transducer and I wasnt even having problems.

i fish occasionally with my buddies lx6 and he got it when it first came out. the only issue he had is its awkward holder. it fell out of the bag once and he had to send it in. but other than that he’s really liked it.

i still use my LX5 and have a VX1p as a backup. i went to marcum from vexilars (had a fl8 then a fl18, then upgraded to a vx1)

i’ve put lithiums on them and then run a livescope to find fish.

James, I think you have found a great market niche with the price point of $65ish. I wouldn’t spend over $100 for an ice fishing rod. In fact I just pulled up the 13fishing.com website to look at their ice fishing rods. Are the Tickle Stick rods on their website the new and improved rods that you gave input on? Looking at the Ultra Light or Super Ultra Light for panfish. Also what reel would you put on the rods?

Thanks in advance. My son and I still talk about the time you were our guide for the Fall night time crank bait bite on Mille Lacs. Had to be 20+ years ago…..