What do you get for your money with a custom ice rod?

I’m all for paying for a rod when it’s worth it ( heck I’ve got a $1200 fly rod and I’m about to buy another) but I’m curious if you actually get better performance and durability from a noodle rod from a custom ice rod such as a tuned up custom rod compared to something like a 13 fishing tickle stick or comparable. Or are the custom rods just a bit of a way of showing off a bit of personality and stroking the ego a bit to know it was made for you. I’m looking for a pan fish rod as I’ve outgrown my HT rod/reel combo and would like something a bit more sensitive in the tip.

Night and day. Just like your fly rod you can tell the difference. Expensive guides and better handles for the most part. Lighter and more sensitive blanks in most cases. Can get some pretty good blanks on the market and if you know someone you can get pretty close action to the big boys for $70 instead of $120. I believe the big boys resort to sanding on their blanks to get a little lighter action on their rods I can’t find or duplicate the TUCR QT or BW. Anyone know where I can? Some of the store bought rods are getting closer but also closer in price $60-$100 I will buy a custom or now will go to my guy.

I highly recommend Tuned Up Custom Rods. Excellent rods.

For me, going the custom route did a few things. 1st, it got rid of the annoying, clunky, spring bobbers. Love what they do, hate using them, enter the Precision Noodle and the Bullwhip.

2nd, high quality Recoil guides that are about $30-$40 of a $100 ice rod. Makes for an unbelievably light setup for panfish.

3rd, I’m able to fish 2# line on a a rod that’s built to handle it. Goes along with my spring bobber dilemma. I don’t have to run 2# through a spring on a medium/medium heavy rod. Helps protect the integrity of the line.

4th, quick transition into a stout backbone. A rod built for 2# line that has the action to handle a 10# pike if it happens.

5th, owning something I know I can hand down to my kids that’s worth a damn. Sure HT’s work just fine but it’s still just a cheap $10 rod that nobody thinks of protecting because it’s a cheap $10 rod. If it breaks, buy a new one. Owning a custom kind of forces you to pay more attention to your surroundings so you don’t damage your rods.

I also like to own high end gear and custom rods help to fulfill that notion. It’s kind of like going from a hand auger to a power auger. They both drill holes but one can make the difference between fishing and working. Customs help me fish more instead of worrying about my gear. If I set it it up correctly, I have zero concerns about my setup. Which brings me to number 6: customs make for a smoother setup and operation allowing you to better match lure weight and presentation to rod action and rod necessity.

If you’re into $1000+ fly rods, I’m sure you have enough experience to tell the difference between rod performance. Ice rods are no exception.

TUCR Precision Noodle and Bullwhip have very sensitive tips. I use the Precision Noodle exclusively for 2mm tungsten jigs and ice flies. I use the Bullwhip for 4mm-5mm tungsten jigs. Both rods detect the lightest bites. And I built myself a custom for spoons and rippin raps with a less sensitive tip, no visual bite indication necessary for those lures.

I don’t think you will be disappointed in a custom ice rod. I obviously recommend TUCR Precision Noodle and Bullwhip, only thing I need now is one more of each

Depends on how you define the word “custom”. To me a custom rod is built to MY specifications. Therefore by definition, a custom rod is not an off the shelf item that a builder builds before hand and has on hand.

Not to say that a prebuilt rod is a bad thing. A prebuilt rod may very well be exactly what I am looking for.

The volume produced by the builder usually dictates how much attention to detail is put into each and every rod being built. All off the shelf “custom” rods are not equal and even some truly custom built rods are not equal.

What you get for your money is the skill of the rod builder in producing a finished rod which will meet your specifications. Most anyone can throw some components together and build a fishing rod. Not everyone has the skill to modify a blank and assemble the components into a well balanced and a well performing fishing rod.

I agree Dave. I have been thinking the same thing. No doubt that TUCR, Thorne Bros., and others make quality off the shelf rods, they are just that “quality” rods. And if they fit what you want, great, buy them with no wait time. But a “custom” rod is set apart from the others with your personal specs (I.e-custom lengths, colors, handles, guides etc.

You can order “custom” rods from both places and can buy them “off the shelve” as well. If you are wanting your personal specs, all you have to do is call up either one. Just got another new rod from TUCR last week and was ordered with my length, the handle I wanted and the wrap colors I wanted. Hard to beat the top quality blanks and guides that are built by people that know what their doing. Seems like the prices keep creeping up on them, but luckily most of mine are from a few years back when they were cheaper.

the idea of a custom rod is that its made to your specification. when it comes to noodle rods, i own 3 off the shelf noodles that cost from 25-40 bucks. they all work as a noodle rod but i feel the custom noodle rod has the better backbone. 2 of my off the shelf noodles have alot of wobble back in forth on the blank when i catch a fish. my Snitch doesn’t but its also much stiffer tip. so its like i have 1 or 2 things i like about each one. however with my custom i love all of it because i decided what i wanted.

btw, i’ve not paid more than 70 dollars for my customs. i like just standard 4-5″ of cork and fly guides. no split grip silliness or anything else.

I consider a custom rod to be built on a blank that I can’t get from another manufacturer. One that is proprietary and can’t be bought by any company out there. It’s been tested, refined, and re-tested until it is perfect for the technique it is designed for. I don’t care what color the wraps are, and I don’t want them hacking off the bottom 4 inches of the blank to turn a 32″ rod into a 28″ rod. The blanks are designed the way they are for a reason. I can take one of my dogs turds and put some pretty wraps on it and write your name on it, but its still a dog turd.

Everybody has their definition of custom. All I care about is getting the best rod for my money, and if it cost me 100 bucks to get that, I’ll spend it.

You get a builder that spends years on blank development. I know some of our designs are over 10 years old and through literally hundreds of revisions of some models you get the perfect one.

All rod builders have different definitions of custom and I respect that. We have the ability to build you a 35.33″ Precision rod just because your case only holds up to 36″ rod and you don’t want to chop the tip off.

REC guides I think in my opinion is one of the better things you get from a custom builder. Some factory rods are coming with them but they are really quite nice for ice rods.

Any of the custom rods will be nice and I think all the builders make good quality sticks.

Enjoy the purchase no matter who you buy from. They are an investment I feel, into your level of enjoyment of the sport.

I’m looking for a pan fish rod as I’ve outgrown my HT rod/reel combo and would like something a bit more sensitive in the tip

I think you answered your own question. Custom rods are built for specific characteristics. Like stated above, you are in part paying for the refinement into the details that give that specific rod the attributes it has. Additionally, its not a one rod fits all. Some guys want more backbone, faster tip, softer tip, slower action, faster action……and that is why there is a variety of builders out there

I may be in the minority here but this is my first year with a TUCR Precision Noodle and a Jason Mitchell Meat Stick and I prefer the Meat Stick by far.

So much so that I picked up 2 more and gave the TUCR to my dad.

I own a noodle and a perch sweetheart from Thorn Bros. Personally I haven’t noticed a big difference in the sweetheart compared to much cheaper rods when it comes to fishing for walleye. The noodle on the other hand is awesome for fishing panfish and I wouldn’t want to use a different type of rod for panfish after using a noodle!!!

Thanks guys. I guess I phrased my question poorly but actually think i got the answer i was looking for. I appreciate the info. Looks like I’ve just got to settle on exactly what I want in a rod and have it built.

The price of high quality cork is way up there.And those REC guides are not cheap.

I am not a fan of foam or EVA,or reel seats.My preference is a carbon fiber handle with graphite arbors and cork ends.Not cheap either,but very durable and light.Snap bands and tape don’t affect them.

A true custom rod is one that you truly enjoy using.I have made a few that I was not real happy with,just put them in a rework box for later.

X2

I’d definitely recommend feeling the rod in person before you order. I’ve said this before but IMO there are two different types of rods. “feel the bite rods” and “see the bite rods”. Personally I can’t stand the “see the bite rods” like the noodles. But that’s why custom rods are so great you can get exactly what you want!

I had the same opinion of custom ice rods until I was able to see a tuned up custom rod in person. Its unreal how light they are and how sensitive the tip is (precision noodle). They also look really nice, something to be really proud of, kind of like a nice deer hunting rifle. In my opinion 110 bucks isn’t a ton to spend on a rod that you won’t ever get sick of using.

bassh8er wrote:

I may be in the minority here but this is my first year with a TUCR Precision Noodle and a Jason Mitchell Meat Stick and I prefer the Meat Stick by far.

So much so that I picked up 2 more and gave the TUCR to my dad.

IMO you’re comparing apples and oranges. The noodle is way softer than the meat sticks. If you would have ordered a firmer custom rod it would have blown the Mitchel meat sticks out of the water. The action is everything when it comes to liking or hating any rod.

For the money the meat sticks are nice though.