Really boils down to what you are looking for. Everyone makes a good stick. I don’t know the makeup of every single other builder out there.
We improve things slightly each year including this one. Where we did upgrade our REC guides to a new formula that is really good in the cold like -40.
Also we have a few new products coming out still this season!
John
Really boils down to what you are looking for. Everyone makes a good stick. I don’t know the makeup of every single other builder out there.
We improve things slightly each year including this one. Where we did upgrade our REC guides to a new formula that is really good in the cold like -40.
Also we have a few new products coming out still this season!
John
John you boys have outdone yourselves. I know one guy with two thumbs who won’t be outside fishing at -40……this guy.
Really boils down to what you are looking for. Everyone makes a good stick. I don’t know the makeup of every single other builder out there.
We improve things slightly each year including this one. Where we did upgrade our REC guides to a new formula that is really good in the cold like -40.
Also we have a few new products coming out still this season!
John
A battery?
Yeah, there heated rods 🤫
Yeah, there heated rods 🤫
That’s what I’m thinking and I’ll be the first to buy. 
I come from a golf background and was a club pro for years and I relate the ice fishing industry same as the golf industry when it comes to equipment. All of these companies mentioned make a great product that as people have said… blindfolded or without company stickers or branding on them you wouldn’t know or care what the name is because they all work well.
So what I am saying is first start with the type of fishing you will do with the rod then you can isolate which rod from each builder would fit the bill and then you have to make a decision but I don’t think you can really go wrong.
I have tucr, jt, Thorne, Elliot and several smaller makers. No one maker makes a rod to suit every person or fishing style. Try them all for yourself, I’m seeing more and more posts from promotional staff flogging their products as the best, but I guess that’s what they are paid to do.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>tucrs wrote:</div>
Really boils down to what you are looking for. Everyone makes a good stick. I don’t know the makeup of every single other builder out there.We improve things slightly each year including this one. Where we did upgrade our REC guides to a new formula that is really good in the cold like -40.
Also we have a few new products coming out still this season!
John
John you boys have outdone yourselves. I know one guy with two thumbs who won’t be outside fishing at -40……this guy.
Fishing in those temps for 3 days sucked but it was worth it to find they work much better in cold temps than the standard formulas.
i’m cheap so i’ve sought out custom builders who charge a fraction of the price Thorne/TUCR/ACE charge.
With FB its pretty simple. my latest noodle is a Syren custom. It was built perfectly and I love it. it was 75% of the cost of these other ones.
i’m cheap so i’ve sought out custom builders who charge a fraction of the price Thorne/TUCR/ACE charge.
With FB its pretty simple. my latest noodle is a Syren custom. It was built perfectly and I love it. it was 75% of the cost of these other ones.
I don’t have a problem paying for quality. If you are getting a custom rod at a 75 percent discount quite simply you aren’t getting the same rod. Recoil guides are costly. I know a lot of people use the fly guides which look the same but aren’t. The folks at TUCR and Thorne Bros. Gotta eat and can’t sell them at cost.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>hnd wrote:</div>
i’m cheap so i’ve sought out custom builders who charge a fraction of the price Thorne/TUCR/ACE charge.With FB its pretty simple. my latest noodle is a Syren custom. It was built perfectly and I love it. it was 75% of the cost of these other ones.
I don’t have a problem paying for quality. If you are getting a custom rod at a 75 percent discount quite simply you aren’t getting the same rod. Recoil guides are costly. I know a lot of people use the fly guides which look the same but aren’t. The folks at TUCR and Thorne Bros. Gotta eat and can’t sell them at cost.
i picked out the parts for my current custom (i fish noodles 95% of the time). I don’t know what to tell you. the biggest different in costs for me are the blanks. some of these companies treat their blanks like gold. TB wants 40 bucks for their noodle blank!
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>hnd wrote:</div>
i’m cheap so i’ve sought out custom builders who charge a fraction of the price Thorne/TUCR/ACE charge.With FB its pretty simple. my latest noodle is a Syren custom. It was built perfectly and I love it. it was 75% of the cost of these other ones.
I don’t have a problem paying for quality. If you are getting a custom rod at a 75 percent discount quite simply you aren’t getting the same rod. Recoil guides are costly. I know a lot of people use the fly guides which look the same but aren’t. The folks at TUCR and Thorne Bros. Gotta eat and can’t sell them at cost.
I think it depends on what 75% of cost means. If it means $75 rather than 100, then yes, a small no name guy can make a rod and sell it for that. He won’t make a lot of money on it, but enough to buy more supplies and make himself a “free” rod if he sells a couple. If it means the same rod only cost $25 compared to $100, then yes, something has to be different and it’s likely the quality and cost of components.
My guess would be the rod cost was 75% of the cost of a big name, or basicaly 25% less but I could be wrong.
Adding to the discussion, in comparing some of the big names, I do like the Thorne rods, and especially the Perch Sweetheart. It has a soft enough tip that smoothly leads to a nice strong backbone. I haven’t found a good blank I can buy that truly compares to that particular blank. Many don’t have thr backbone, or if they do they don’t have the lighter tip or smooth but fast transition.
You can buy a heavier overall blank and sand it to the taper you like. It’s fun and rewarding to do, but it takes time. Fun to do for a 1 off, but ain’t nobody going into large scale production doing that, haha.
Tucker
the first rod i had built about 8-9 years ago was made by Eric Kruger. he basically was like i do it to fund other things on the side. My buddy bought a TB at the exact same time. Both great rods and basically identical. mine met its fate in a topper window accident.
I have TUCR and Thorne Bros also and I have favorites of both. The Bullwhip from TUCR is my favorite perch and crappie rod and the TB Power Noodle is my favorite Gill rod and probably my favorite all time rod ever. But I tried 2 of the Elliot 2B ice models and was impressed last winter. Then I go fish a tournament and get embarrassed by guys fishing $5.00 rods and schooley reels and get my ass handed to me.
Bearcat89 wrote:
I run Thorne bros. But another guy here has been building my rods and ill go that way. Half price. No big names. No surcharge for big name. Very impressiveBe willing to disclose info?
I agree with poutguy. Dollars to donuts you blindfold anyone and they couldn’t tell the difference. Most guys probably even a $30-40 rod off the shelf at fleet farm.
You’re fishing with a tiny rod. The big thing is the reel/drag if you really want to land more fish, IMO.
I gotta say though, Thorne needs to work on their branding. Walleye/Perch Sweetheart vs. Bullwhip, Precision, Commander, etc….that’s the biggest difference.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>glenn-d wrote:</div>
I have TUCR and Thorne Bros also and I have favorites of both. The Bullwhip from TUCR is my favorite <strong class=”ido-tag-strong”>perch and crappie rod and the TB Power Noodle is my favorite Gill rod and probably my favorite all time rod ever. But I tried 2 of the Elliot 2B ice models and was impressed last winter. Then I go fish a tournament and get embarrassed by guys fishing $5.00 rods and schooley reels and get my ass handed to me.Haha. Funny part is the pros customize those goofy things quite a bit. There was an article on it in target walleye last year I believe. So in a way they are fishing with custom built rods too, just a heck of a lot cheaper.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>glenn-d wrote:</div>
I have TUCR and Thorne Bros also and I have favorites of both. The Bullwhip from TUCR is my favorite <strong class=”ido-tag-strong”>perch and crappie rod and the TB Power Noodle is my favorite Gill rod and probably my favorite all time rod ever. But I tried 2 of the Elliot 2B ice models and was impressed last winter. Then I go fish a tournament and get embarrassed by guys fishing $5.00 rods and schooley reels and get my ass handed to me.Haha. Funny part is the pros customize those goofy things quite a bit. There was an article on it in target walleye last year I believe. So in a way they are fishing with custom built rods too, just a heck of a lot cheaper.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>glenn-d wrote:</div>
I have TUCR and Thorne Bros also and I have favorites of both. The Bullwhip from TUCR is my favorite <strong class=”ido-tag-strong”>perch and crappie rod and the TB Power Noodle is my favorite Gill rod and probably my favorite all time rod ever. But I tried 2 of the Elliot 2B ice models and was impressed last winter. Then I go fish a tournament and get embarrassed by guys fishing $5.00 rods and schooley reels and get my ass handed to me.Haha. Funny part is the pros customize those goofy things quite a bit. There was an article on it in target walleye last year I believe. So in a way they are fishing with custom built rods too, just a heck of a lot cheaper.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>glenn-d wrote:</div>
I have TUCR and Thorne Bros also and I have favorites of both. The Bullwhip from TUCR is my favorite <strong class=”ido-tag-strong”>perch and crappie rod and the TB Power Noodle is my favorite Gill rod and probably my favorite all time rod ever. But I tried 2 of the Elliot 2B ice models and was impressed last winter. Then I go fish a tournament and get embarrassed by guys fishing $5.00 rods and schooley reels and get my ass handed to me.Haha. Funny part is the pros customize those goofy things quite a bit. There was an article on it in target walleye last year I believe. So in a way they are fishing with custom built rods too, just a heck of a lot cheaper.
Yes I did just that after seeing that and it’s quite simple and inexpensive to do. The system works really well too.
I currently own St. Croix, Thorne Brothers, TUC, and have a JT on order. Of those I currently fish I would rank them TUC followed by Thorne Bro’s, then the St. Croix. I’m not sure where the JT will land in the rankings but with a spring bobber on it I have a good idea it will get fished the most. I find myself fishing a spring bobber rod 80% of the time. Having a custom rod with a spring bobber built in is going to be great. If I was TUC I’d get designing a short rod with a QUALITY spring bobber built in. The trend seems to be longer rods these days. For those who fish inside a larger ice house I get it. For those who hole hop out in the open a shorter rod works much better. On windy days it’s nice to keep the rod close to your body to block the wind and closely watch that spring bobber for the slightest twitch or upbite.
Just got a 30in JT Gold Digger to go between my TUCR Fusion and TUCR Commander. just from handling it, seems like a great fit in the middle between the other 2. Went with the JT because I like to try multiple manufacturers. Also have a few from DH Customs, but havent tried Thorne Bros or Elliot yet.
I currently own St. Croix, Thorne Brothers, TUC, and have a JT on order. Of those I currently fish I would rank them TUC followed by Thorne Bro’s, then the St. Croix. I’m not sure where the JT will land in the rankings but with a spring bobber on it I have a good idea it will get fished the most. I find myself fishing a spring bobber rod 80% of the time. Having a custom rod with a spring bobber built in is going to be great. If I was TUC I’d get designing a short rod with a QUALITY spring bobber built in. The trend seems to be longer rods these days. For those who fish inside a larger ice house I get it. For those who hole hop out in the open a shorter rod works much better. On windy days it’s nice to keep the rod close to your body to block the wind and closely watch that spring bobber for the slightest twitch or upbite.
I think a ton of guys much prefer noodle rods to spring bobbers. Spring bobbers can be a pain to deal with when you fish outside and it’s cold. I fish 36″ rods and primarily fish outside. You can stand up and keep your rod tip right on top of the water. Watch the tip and as soon as it drops at all you got em. Different strokes for different folks.
I agree with poutguy. Dollars to donuts you blindfold anyone and they couldn’t tell the difference. Most guys probably even a $30-40 rod off the shelf at fleet farm.
You’re fishing with a tiny rod. The big thing is the reel/drag if you really want to land more fish, IMO.
I gotta say though, Thorne needs to work on their branding. Walleye/Perch Sweetheart vs. Bullwhip, Precision, Commander, etc….that’s the biggest difference.
Blind folded would defeat the purpose many people have switched to noodle rods which is a visual strike indication. I would bet that if you grab your $40 fleet rack rod and go fish the same bite with someone running a custom you get out fished. I haven’t found a decent noodle of the rack yet.
Someone mentioned Elliot Rods in here. I played with one of their rods. It was a 44″ ultra light extra fast. It was like $130 and it took all the willpower I had to walk away. I think they would be a pretty cool rod for hole hopping pannies. I think they would also be a dynamite walleye dead stick.
Some people can feel a mosquito land on them, some people can’t. And it’s in the dark, so it’s the same as being blind folded.
I just had a chance to fish the new 24” JT panhandler with a spring bobber yesterday. I now can say it most likely will be my most fished panfish rod. This is the rod I have wished that TUC would come out with for a few years now. Don’t get me wrong, TUC makes a great rod and I’m sure my precision noodle’s will catch their share of fish this winter. As sensitive as the tip is on the TUC there are days that the bite is so light that you will not detect it without a spring bobber. The JT has just the right amount of fast tip and backbone. I landed a nice 4lb. Plus LM yesterday on 2lb. Test. It handled the fish just fine.
I think a ton of guys much prefer noodle rods to spring bobbers. Spring bobbers can be a pain to deal with when you fish outside and it’s cold. I fish 36″ rods and primarily fish outside. You can stand up and keep your rod tip right on top of the water. Watch the tip and as soon as it drops at all you got em. Different strokes for different folks.
I’ve never had a problem when fishing a spring bobber outside on a cold day – other than the same problems I have with a non spring bobber rod.
A 36” rod while standing up. You must fish on far more calm days than I seem to. The tip on the rod would be moving around far to much for me to notice the light or up lift bites I often encounter.
Like you said. Different strokes for different folks.
Someone mentioned Elliot Rods in here. I played with one of their rods. It was a 44″ ultra light extra fast. It was like $130 and it took all the willpower I had to walk away. I think they would be a pretty cool rod for hole hopping pannies. I think they would also be a dynamite <strong class=”ido-tag-strong”>walleye dead stick.
The hard part with these long rods is how to store and transport them… I have two 44″ TUCR LTP’s and not sure what to do with them. I am kind of wishing i would have gotten 38 or 40
the first rod i had built about 8-9 years ago was made by Eric Kruger. he basically was like i do it to fund other things on the side. My buddy bought a TB at the exact same time. Both great rods and basically identical. mine met its fate in a topper window accident.
Still doing the same. Get ahold of me.
Even blind folded you can feel the difference between rods. Some are so close to each other that the only way you will see the difference is to measure the blank for tip to butt and make a graph to zoom in on. There is only so much you can do with a solid carbon or glass blank. The placement of the guides will also affect the way the blank reacts. Most of the $$$ rods will be using some type of recoil guides. Popular materials used for handle are cork, Winn, foam, rubber cork, Syncork, carbon fiber, wood, ect. All the different handles will have a different feel to them and obviously the shape. On cheap rods you will have poor quality cork (it will be pitted and/or filled in). But cork rings with a select grade or AAAA grade will have the same feel to them. This is a difference you would have to take your blind fold off to see. The thread work does nothing for the performance of the rod, it just makes it look cool. Glow in the dark tip won’t add to the feel but can help with the visual bite. It all comes down to what you are looking for in a rod.
Go touch and feel both brands and see what YOU like not what 100 people from a forum like. As many people have said there are many good rod building companies and independent rod builders in the area and you would be happy with most of them.
Go touch and feel both brands and see what YOU like not what 100 people from a forum like. As many people have said there are many good rod building companies and independent rod builders in the area and you would be happy with most of them.
I agree with this 100%. For open water rods I just love St Croix. I love Daiwa reels and last year I bought a high end Daiwa rod. It just doesn’t feel as good to me as my St Croixes.
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