Went up to Frontier yesterday (April 6). River was open about a mile west of Frontier, but none of that mattered to us because our boat wouldn’t turn over in the cold. Tried everything for three hours at the access and had to drive the 4 hours home. The only consolations were (1) it was brutally cold/windy so it woulda been miserable, and (2) every single boat that came out of the river while we were there said they were completely skunked (about 20 boats).

With how behind schedule things are with the spring run, is it possible Rainy River would be a decent option for fishing opener?

I know a lot of people naysay the Muck Artic Pros, but I have had no issues with my pair. I wear one quality pair of thermal socks in a boot one size bigger than my typical shoe size. I’ve never had cold feet with them. The only problem I’d say is they are sometimes TOO warm and my feet will sweat. Nonetheless, they don’t get cold!

I made the mistake of buying one Jason Mitchell meatstick. Not only did the guides freeze up faster, but the tip actually broke setting the hook on what ended up being a decent sized pike. That is something you likely would not have to worry about by using a TUCR bullwhip. I actually prefer the 30″ TUCR precision noodle most of the time for panfish. Detects EVERYTHING and so fun to real in slabs on it!

I’ve never had a problem detecting even the lightest bite with the precision noodle. I don’t know what an actual spring bobber would add to that rod…it’s honestly that sensitive. And a great backbone (especially with the bullwhip) to handle that occasional 15″ crappie or 3-5lb pike. Just be sure to have a good case to keep the rod safe and secure in transport, because the tip is so sensitive it can break if not careful.

Kahtoola microspike. Period! You could run wide receiver routes out there on glare ice with those things! They are also a great company to work with. Last year I lost one of them while trudging through some really deep snow and brush. I emailed them and they sent me a replacement for the lost set with no questions asked.

I’ve got the precision noodle and the bullwhip. Both are amazing rods. Bullwhip can suffice for all panfish applications, but if fish are biting really light the precision noodle adds a bit more sensitivity. Either way, you can’t go wrong with either of these rods (or any TUCR rod for that matter).