New TUCR Rod questions?

This is for anyone who has a Tuned Up Custom Rod! I have a Commander and Precision and am looking for information on everyone’s favorite baits and lures for these rods for Walleye, Perch and Crappie?

Good choice with the rod selection. The commander with the straight grip is a walleye slaying machine. The straight grip allows you to have more leverage on the fish and more control of the lure. I have 10 of their rods. From the Maestro up to the Commander.

Precision- I have two of them. I have a 36″ precision setup with 5lb. Suffix invisiline, and a 32″ with 6lb braid to barrel swivel with a floro leader for using inside the shack. I like using 1/8 flutter spoons (Slender Spoons, Pk Flutterfish, VMC Tingler Spoons) #3 jiggin raps, and 1/8 rattle spoons.

Commander- I have it setup with 8lb. braid, barrel swivel, and floro leader on it. I use it for 1/8-3/8 lures. Plan on using larger jigging raps, and ripping raps on it as well.

Thank you! I appreciate the detail and envy your collection lol I was debating on braid with the Commander? Is there a better braid than others? I haven’t run braid on anything but tip-ups when Ice Fishing so not sure if its going to freeze up on my spool or if there is anything I can do to prevent that from happening as all of my big walleye waters I tend to hole hop on? Also so glad to hear about running the #3 Jigging raps on the Precision as I want to be able to use that for some Perch, Crappie, Smaller Walleye and White Bass!

Thanks again you definitely shortened my learning curve!

All braids are terrible with ice beads. That’s just the property of water and temps and not the braid. Because of the material is hydrophobic, water droplets tend to be smaller and freezes faster than that on nylon. Get this though if the temps were much colder like as in -10 F or colder, braids do better. The water droplets freezes faster and tend to strip off faster as in powder. It’s easier to keep a big ice bead from forming, but also feeling the cold at those temps are faster to get frostbite on exposed skin too.

I like to just hide in my pop up shelter with heater on. Braids are just fine above freezing temps.

Ok maybe I’ll just stick with my P-Line

I almost always use my Precision for spoons. My favorite is the Lindy Rattln Flyer in Red. My Commander is nearly always rigged with a Rapala Rippn Rap or Slab Rap. I like the heavier, more aggressively jigged baits on the Commander, and the more subtle baits on the Precision (though subtle is a relative term here).

I usually fish inside for walleye, so I run Suffix 832 Ice braid in 8-10# test for the mainline, then tie a barrel swivel and 18-20″ of 6# fluro. I like the braid for the sensitivity and lack of stretch. Running the swivel reduces line twist from aggressive jigging. The fluro then helps limit line visibility.

When I’m walleye fishing, I have my Commander rigged with a minnow bait; my Precision with a medium rattling spoon; my Fusion with a smaller, non-rattling spoon; and my Deadstick with a plain red hook and fat head.
Dan

DWSDave31 wrote:

I was debating on braid with the Commander? Is there a better braid than others? I haven’t run braid on anything but tip-ups when Ice Fishing so not sure if its going to freeze up on my spool or if there is anything I can do to prevent that from happening

I found the problem isn’t so much freezing on the spool but freezing a chunk or chunks where the line meets the water. When you go to reel in, clunk…that ice chunk stops your line retrieval right then. Not good when you’ve just set the hook on a good fish.

slipperybob wrote:

All braids are terrible with ice beads.
I like to just hide in my pop up shelter with heater on. Braids are just fine above freezing temps.

I’ve still had the above described problem in a portable shelter. Seems only a skid shack with a raised floor was warm enough to prevent that.

Tharin Benson wrote:

Good choice with the rod selection. The commander with the straight grip is a walleye slaying machine. The straight grip allows you to have more leverage on the fish and more control of the lure. I have 10 of their rods. From the Maestro up to the Commander.

Personally I do like the split grip and really didn’t find any shortcomings for leverage or lure control. The split grip seems to have added sensitivity in your hand.
How do you like the Maestro? I was considering one but I couldn’t find any at the TUCR open house and ended up getting a PN instead. Still might look into a Maestro as I do at times like to sight fish right over the hole.

Andy- swing in one night I have my Maestro. I love the rod. I always have it in the box due to the fact I love sight fishing so much.

I have some rods with split grips as well. I asked John at TUCR what would be his favorite setup. He said “38 for sure 8″ handle is my favorite” because “Better handle for bigger baits and fish”, so I went with that. It can also be used for smaller lake trout.

I haven’t used the Maestro much, but I like it for shallow water sight fishing situations.

Tharin Benson wrote:

I have some rods with split grips as well. I asked John at TUCR what would be his favorite setup. He said “38 for sure 8″ handle is my favorite” because “Better handle for bigger baits and fish”, so I went with that. It can also be used for smaller lake trout.

I haven’t used the Maestro much, but I like it for shallow water sight fishing situations.

Still agree on the commander. I really like longer handles for longer rods.
It does work for Lakers too!

I have a number if TUCR from QT to a Commander. The Precision I generally run 4-6# PLine or 8# Braid line and fish primarilly 1/8 to 3/16 with a few 1/4 oz baits as well. The Commander has 10-15# braid to a leader as this rod is jigged for Pike A LOT. It sees 3/16 spoons/Raps up to 1/4 with tubes ad big rippin raps.

Dan that’s a good breakdown of setups! Looking forward to those new bait feeders this year for my in house deadstick!

Frenchman wrote:

I have a number if TUCR from QT to a Commander. The Precision I generally run 4-6# PLine or 8# Braid line and fish primarilly 1/8 to 3/16 with a few 1/4 oz baits as well. The Commander has 10-15# braid to a leader as this rod is jigged for Pike A LOT. It sees 3/16 spoons/Raps up to 1/4 with tubes ad big rippin raps.

Good to know I can rock some heavy gear on the commander! This winter is going to be a fun one!

Dave,

I have a few boxes full of TUCRs, and an assortment of both Precision’s and Commanders I’d be happy to let you play with the next time you hit Pete or the Rock (I recognize quite a few of your spots in your videos). I have varying lengths of Precisions from 30”-36”, all spooled with 6# Sufix 832 ice braid tied to a barrel swivel and fluorocarbon leader. I run most spoons and #4 Rippin Raps on those. The Commanders all get 8# 832 braid, same setup to the leader, and I’ll fish larger spoons and raps with those – if there’s any chance at deeper water or bigger fish (23”-24”+ walleyes) I’ll run a Commander over a Precision just to make sure I get good hooks into the fish.

Brandon

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I really like the idea of using the Commander for those bigger deeper eyes! I definitely know a few places that will come in very handy! I think I am going to spool it with 6 or 8lb P-line first but would love to come out and see how the braid performs! Ill try to give you a heads up if I am hitting ether up but its almost a guarantee Ill be fishing one of them a few times

Smaller line is better even deep. Set your drag, be patient, and you’ll be fine. I’m a huge fan of the Z-Viber from Eurotackle. I’ve had a lot of success with it. Just a different profile and sound than the Rapalas. I also really can’t wait to get my hands on that new rail shad though. It looks pretty sick.

iTinker wrote:

Smaller line is better even deep. Set your drag, be patient, and you’ll be fine. I’m a huge fan of the Z-Viber from Eurotackle. I’ve had a lot of success with it. Just a different profile and sound than the Rapalas. I also really can’t wait to get my hands on that new rail shad though. It looks pretty sick.

I have always fished lighter line than most I come across on the ice! This is why I have expensive reels with very good drag and bearing systems

That new Rail Shad does sound very interesting to me as well.

I used the Z-Viber last season and had to bait it to catch fish. The smallest one is great, but that single hook looses fish easy if you get slack in your line. The barb is too small and I had to change up hooks.

Another alternative is Yo Zuri Rattl’n Vibe and this year they finally release the mini version. Which can actually now target panfish and perch directly. The Yo Zuri Rattl’n Vibe is the predecessor of a liplish crank that actually falls down belly straight and shimmy without rolling off to the side. It was sort of a secret long before Rapala came out it the Rippin Rap and Northland Rippin Shad. I did try the good old Rat’L Traps too but they are too slow sinking and rolls too much sideways on the fall. I’ve retired Rat’L traps from the ice scene.

slipperybob wrote:

That new Rail Shad does sound very interesting to me as well.

I used the Z-Viber last season and had to bait it to catch fish. The smallest one is great, but that single hook looses fish easy if you get slack in your line. The barb is too small and I had to change up hooks.

Another alternative is Yo Zuri Rattl’n Vibe and this year they finally release the mini version. Which can actually now target panfish and <strong class=”ido-tag-strong”>perch directly. The Yo Zuri Rattl’n Vibe is the predecessor of a liplish crank that actually falls down belly straight and shimmy without rolling off to the side. It was sort of a secret long before Rapala came out it the Rippin Rap and Northland Rippin Shad. I did try the good old Rat’L Traps too but they are too slow sinking and rolls too much sideways on the fall. I’ve retired Rat’L traps from the ice scene.

I’ll have to look into the Yo Zuri Rattl’n Vibe I have never heard of them?

DWSDave31 wrote:

I’ll have to look into the Yo Zuri Rattl’n Vibe I have never heard of them?

They are kind of what some people refer to as sleeper lures. They work great but not talked about much. Sort of like Owner lures. A lot of people know about Owner hooks, but rarely about Owner lures. It goes back to the cost of the lure. Why buy a 8, 10, or 12 dollar lure when there’s plenty of 2, 3, or 4 dollar lures that have been catching fish.

I am definitely giving the mini Yo Zuri Rattl’n Vibe a swim this season. I would’ve really prefer if Yo Zuri made a smaller version of their 3DS Vibe. This lipless crankbait is more of a finesse version as it starts to vibe under less pull.

Gonna wait to see how they all work side by side with similar profiles from other manufactures.

I’m going to have to try at least one of the smaller ones