Alright I’m stepping out of the stoneage and planning on retiring the schooleys that have treated me so well over the years for a rod and reel. Bought a marcum last year and looking forward to chasing slab crappies. I fish almost exclusively on backwaters of rivers in iowa. Usually after crappies and gills but throw in the occasional bass and walleye. What rigs would you guys suggest?
Schooley’s are not stone age tools at all. I use Schooley reels on short, medium, and long rods. I carefully deburr the casting seams and lube the axle with a little Quantum Hot Sauce and I have a perfectly controllable drag. I mount the reels so my thumb fits in the spool’s V groove and I can let it slip or snub it down in an instant. I also put a bunch of used mono on for backing then 75 feet of good 2# ice line.
I use the same 5 ft. blanks that I use for the “line thru the blank” rods and put fly rod guides on the rods with the Schooleys or modified HT Ice Blues.
I almost only fish Wisconsin River and Mississippi River back waters. I prefer to stand up hole hop fishing.
I use short rods on brutally cold days when I have to fish from a portable.
I use one rod almost all the time for Panfish.
It is a 32″ Precision Noodle Split Grip. I love the split grip. and the noodle tip eliminates the spring bobber for me.
The backbone is very nice as well.
Pretty tough to beat the TUCR Precision Noodle. Not only do they function flawlessly, but they look great too.
I upgraded to the TUCR noodle last year and won’t look back. I use it as one of my primary rods for panfish and as my deadstick for walleye. All my reels are Sedona 500’s with different wt. lines on the spools; so if I’m planning to use the noodle for walleye, I’ll switch spools to one with heavier line.
I upgraded to the TUCR noodle last year and won’t look back. I use it as one of my primary rods for panfish and as my deadstick for walleye. All my reels are Sedona 500′s with different wt. lines on the spools; so if I’m planning to use the noodle for walleye, I’ll switch spools to one with heavier line.
Not anything on topic but I have to thank Ben for the no brainer I should have done last season with the same reels and spools just different line
Alright I’m stepping out of the stoneage and planning on retiring the schooleys that have treated me so well over the years for a rod and reel. Bought a marcum last year and looking forward to chasing slab crappies. I fish almost exclusively on backwaters of rivers in iowa. Usually after crappies and gills but throw in the occasional bass and walleye. What rigs would you guys suggest?
Another TUCR guy here but I have another option for you. The Precision Noodle as an amazing rod, but if you are more of a feel rod kind of guy check out the Quick Tip! It has a slightly heavier tip than the noodle and gets into the backbone sooner, but has way more sensitivity. I got my first Quick Tip part way through last ice season and love it!
I would give the boys at Tuned up a shout and they will get you all setup.
Thanks for the help guys! I’ll look into the suggestions!!
Hmmm, go ahead get rid of the schooley’s it’s only the number one winning reel in the UPL, NAIFC and Team Extreme circuits. Proof’s in the pudding here. This bass was landed on 2lb test yellow Stren while tightlining.
I have a TUCR Noodle which is a great rod, but when I’m after finicky Gills and Crappie, I pull out the D&H Custom Pantom. It had a titanium spring bobber mounted to the end.
For panfish sticks look to Thorne bros. I use 3 diffrent pan fish rods from them. My number one favorite rod of all time is the quiverstick it has unmatched sensitivity and unreal power without being a club with a whip tip. I also use a pair of tripwire quiversticks one with a medium wire and the other with a medium light wire.
Give Lonnie at Thorne a call he’s the father of custom ice rods!
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