Thorne Bros Dead Stick – rod tip

I purchased this TB dead stick rod well over 10 yrs ago. I have an obsession of buying fishing gear to the point that I have things I hardly use, but ‘had’ to have. This rod was one example, but ever since I bought it, I wondered about the rod tip. For an expensive rod, I always felt the rod may even be a blemish. I’m from SE Wisconsin so I don’t have access to seeing TB rods in person. This was ordered online by reading forums like this. Oddly, I never publicly questioned my thoughts about the rod until now because I want to dust it off and add a new Okuma Bait Feeder reel on it. So, was this the normal design for this rod tip back in the day? I hope the picture shows, but it looks like the tip is actually a regular guide modified because the tip was broken. I do like the feel and quality of the rod.

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That’s perfectly fine.In fact,I have built rods many years ago just like that.Take it out and enjoy it.

A tied eyelet puts far less strain on those thin tips than a regular tip-top with a ferrule. Way less likely to snap.

Sign of a well-made ice rod

That is very common with the thin rod tip. The rod tips I have found for that small of a blank tip normally are too small of an eye for my liking for a hard water rod. I normally tie a better guide on the tip instead of using a glue on ones.

Mine looks just like it.

I tie all my ice rod tip tops on also. I’m not sure if they make tubes that match the needle tip diameters very well, and if they did they would be heavier. Plus there are few options for regular style tip tops but nearly unlimited guide styles that can be tied on.

Looks good to me!

Interesting and thanks for everyone’s replies. Much appreciated.

Yep wrap all my rod tips like that even the heavier laker rods. That way the customer determines ring size and weather they want fly guides or ceramics like the ones on your rod.