What line are you running on your TUCR Commander?

Hey IDO folks,

I picked up a 38″ commander earlier this year for targeting big walleyes. I primarily fish 1/4oz spoons, rattle baits, #7 jigging raps, and 1/4oz jig and minnow. I hole hop early in the season, but fish out of a pop up in January-February.

Now don’t get me wrong, TUCR makes a great product. The sensitivity of their rods is great.

However,

I am finding that I lose a ton of fish, especially big ones, with the commander. I am sure this is due to the super fast action of the rod, and the fact that it does not load deep into the blank. Although the commander does have a lot of backbone and I get great hooksets with it, it loads/unloads so fast on big walleye head shakes that I just cannot keep big fish pinned. There is virtually no cushion to absorb head shakes besides the stretch of the mono when I am using it. I found this has been by far the worst with spoons or anything with smaller treble hooks, but I still lose lots of fish on jigs too (not so much on raps or rattle baits, they seem to pin fish pretty well regardless of what line/rod you’re using).

I have tried 6lb mono, 8lb mono, 8lb braid and 10lb braid. Always running a swivel to a 6, 8, or 10lb flouro leader. I swear I lose more fish than I should be, regardless of what line I use. And just to add, I swap the trebles on all of my spoons to mustad ultra points, and am a freak when it comes to making sure my hooks are sharp. I run a stradic on this, and the drag is pretty much always perfect.

Sorry for the rant. Some help/recommendations here would be great. I really hate to say it, but I am on the verge of selling this rod and picking up a JT Black Reign instead. The action of that rod seems much more to my liking.

Cheers,
RJR

I run a 34″ Commander and have used 10-15# Frost Braid and 6# Sufix Advanced Mono both with success. The Braid I tie 8-12# Fluorocarbon on with a swivel. Have caught everything from Pike to Crappie.

I sold mine for the same reason. I prefer a slower action

I fished one last winter on two separate trips. I too didn’t like the action and found it extremely unforgiving. My buddy sold it off after drawing a similar opinion. Everyone has different preferences in a rod, but that one wasn’t for me.

buckybadger wrote:

I fished one last winter on two separate trips. I too didn’t like the action and found it extremely unforgiving. My buddy sold it off after drawing a similar opinion. Everyone has different preferences in a rod, but that one wasn’t for me.

Seems like the Thorne Bros Walleye SweetHeart be an alternate to this. I have a 38 Commander and it really doesnt flex much. That said it is super sensitive though.

I had my 38” commander, and my 42” Elliot greenback on lake Winnipeg yesterday. It’s good on larger walleye, had a tough time with smaller fish. The greenback on the other hand…. wow what a rod. Amazing rod. Action is better than any other rod in my otter case. Very impressed.

I use the 38” Commander as my hole-hopping jigging bait rod for baits 3/16oz and up. I’ll agree on the stiffness, but don’t feel I’m losing many fish with it at all. I really like the rod. It’s really easy to feel bites.

I use Seaguar Tatsu 8lb fluorocarbon or 4-6lb Yo Zuri Hybrid copolymer with it. Don’t be misled by the 4lb Hybrid; it has the same diameter as the 8lb Tatsu. I also tried the Sufix Advance Copoly in 6lb last year for a period and liked it. The Commander needs line with a little stretch.

The rod has a Shimano 2500-sized reel on it, so the like flows off the big spool nicely.

The Thorne Bros Walleye Sweetheart may be a good fit. I was thinking about trying it myself, just out of curiosity. I absolutely love the action of the TB Perch Sweetheart. It’s a 10/10 rod for general spoon fishing, but it’s a little light for jigging baits with any weight at all. Try the 6” Winn grip if you go that route.

Cameron white wrote:

I had my 38” commander, and my 42” Elliot greenback on lake Winnipeg yesterday. It’s good on larger walleye, had a tough time with smaller fish. The greenback on the other hand…. wow what a rod. Amazing rod. Action is better than any other rod in my otter case. Very impressed.

How do you feel the greenback did on the smaller fish?

olas88 wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Cameron white wrote:</div>
I had my 38” commander, and my 42” Elliot greenback on lake Winnipeg yesterday. It’s good on larger walleye, had a tough time with smaller fish. The greenback on the other hand…. wow what a rod. Amazing rod. Action is better than any other rod in my otter case. Very impressed.

How do you feel the greenback did on the smaller fish?

A lot better than the commander. No problem pinning smaller fish, were barbless so it’s a bit tougher at times. The commander is almost a big pike/laker rod in my books. But that’s just me. The Elliot is spot on action wise.

Cameron white wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>olas88 wrote:</div>

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Cameron white wrote:</div>
I had my 38” commander, and my 42” Elliot greenback on lake Winnipeg yesterday. It’s good on larger walleye, had a tough time with smaller fish. The greenback on the other hand…. wow what a rod. Amazing rod. Action is better than any other rod in my otter case. Very impressed.

How do you feel the greenback did on the smaller fish?

A lot better than the commander. No problem pinning smaller fish, were barbless so it’s a bit tougher at times. The commander is almost a big pike/laker rod in my books. But that’s just me. The Elliot is spot on action wise.

Awesome, glad to hear it. I hear a lot of good things about the Elliot rods. 42″ though, seems like a whole hopping rod for sure.

olas88 wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Cameron white wrote:</div>

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>olas88 wrote:</div>

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Cameron white wrote:</div>
I had my 38” commander, and my 42” Elliot greenback on lake Winnipeg yesterday. It’s good on larger walleye, had a tough time with smaller fish. The greenback on the other hand…. wow what a rod. Amazing rod. Action is better than any other rod in my otter case. Very impressed.

How do you feel the greenback did on the smaller fish?

A lot better than the commander. No problem pinning smaller fish, were barbless so it’s a bit tougher at times. The commander is almost a big pike/laker rod in my books. But that’s just me. The Elliot is spot on action wise.

Awesome, glad to hear it. I hear a lot of good things about the Elliot rods. 42″ though, seems like a whole hopping rod for sure.

Not at all. Fine in the otter. The length is no issue at all.

I had the same issue and picked up a 38 inch black reign. It’s the best ice rod I’ve ever used. Slower action and can handle the head shakes. Works basically every lure that I’ve thrown on it like a champ. The CCI Eye Raiser is almost identical to the black reign although I just added that this season so haven’t had much experience with it yet.