Frabill Panfish Popper

[CSP88]

I saw these for the first time today and was wondering what is everyone's opinion on these new rods? It seemed like they were very reasonably priced.

Thanks, Chad

[Dakota Iceman]

My thoughts exactly, they were 24.00 over at cabelas that was the rod and reel combo with the little springy thingy on the end eyelet correct? blue in color i believe. I dont really see how a guy can go wrong for the combo at that price. Its definatly for panfish but if thtas what your targeting....

[early007]

Can't wait to try them for gills. Good price too!

Jason Erlandson

[ivegottabite]

Gander has them for 19.99. i thought about trying them too. never tried anything with a spring bobber before.

[Mr.Seaguar]

Not to be a krabby patty, but I wasnt impressed. The rod alone is $10. Thats about what glass rods go for. I would get St Croix Premiers for $20. You will not be doing any measured jigging with the Panfish Popper. The tip bounces all over the place.

[ATM]

I purchased one at scheels and cant wait to get out spent last night spooling rods and clening my portable out. It is amazing what a guy finds when he does a little cleanup.

[augernaut]

I haven't seen the rod yet - but it's a composite blank. Looks to be the exact opposite of a high end rod - composite blank, whippy soft tip. Not a serious fishing tool.

[Rick]

I asked Frabill about the panfish popper and here is what they have to say:

Frabill built the Panfish Poppers to address the one of the varied needs of the panfish angler. We believe the panfish angler to be the absolute widest populace of all ice-fishing anglers. Our belief is that within this populace, there are two segments, or different techniques, for panfishing.

Segment one is the angler/technique that prefers/requires the use of a high modulas and in turn higher $ rod. One of the names mentioned were the St.Croix Avid; another are the Sweetheart rods from Thornes, Lightning rods from Berkeley and others. Frabill also has choices in high modulus rods in our Amplifier and Sensive families of product. This angler prefers to use the sensitivity of high modulus and their fingertips to FEEL the bite. The high modulus graphite transmits the feel like a Ferrari moves around a track, very fast!!!!

Segment two is the angler that prefers to SEE the bite rather than feel the bite. High modulus can be a deterrent to seeing the bite when the fish are extremely finicky. As one post put it the Panfish Popper tips and springs are “whippy”. Quite honestly that was our exact target. The whippy composite tips, with an ultra-sensitive spring bobber, allows anglers to SEE the bite rather than FEEL the bite. This angler does not require the expense of high modulus to accommodate the sight technique. My personal belief is that that an angler that pays the price for a high modulus graphite rod and then puts a spring bobber on it, is kind of like the guy with the Ferrari putting a snowplow on the front. An F-250 is way cheaper than the Ferrari and will work a whole lot better at the job at hand. This may be a bad analogy as the spring bobber/composite blank is not a PLOW, but it does in fact perform flawlessly for the technique it was designed to address.

You have a choice of techniques, gear and price points to accommodate the needs of today’s anglers. I believe that today’s anglers are much more sophisticated and informed than at any time in angling history. Make your choices wisely. Frabill accommodates the choices for a variety of techniques and species of ice anglers, at many price points. My personal (and VERY bias) choice is please choose Frabill, Inc.

Mark

Frabill Inc.

[Deitz Dittrich]

Nice post Rick.. very good to read for all!

[Rick]

Thanks Exudedude.

The Thanks really goes to the kind folks and Mark at Frabill.

[Cliff Wagenbach]

Rick,

My exact feelings also!

I have a couple of cheap Ice Blue, wimpy, 30" glass rods that I love for crappies and gills.

I am able to see the very lightest bites on them, long before it would show up on a bobber or before you could feel the bite with a graphite rod.

Being a walleye fisherman mostly, I usually set the hook way to hard with a graphite rod. The wimpy rod takes up the shock,and I miss fewer fish. It also is a hoot fighting the fish with.

I even use it for walleyes as a deadstick rod during a really light bite.

I have caught northerns up to 12 pounds on this rod while fishing for crappies.

The Frabill rods should fill this nitch very nicely for me and other fishermen & fisherwomen.

Cliff

[ATM]

Cliff, I also have 2 of those wimpy 30" ice blues and love them. In the summer I have a buddy that will only use ST. Crouix or something of that nature that just gets irritated when I out fish him with my cheap berkley or shimano rod. Bring on the ice. Adam

[augernaut]

I know alot of people like a whippy rod - but after I saw the light and started using higher end rods, St. Croix's etc, the last few years, I can't use a whippy rod. I have to be able to feel my jig, and more importantly NOT feel the weight of my jig (fish is eating it!). I also like the sure hookset of a stiffer graphite rod - sure hooksets in 30 FOW. Those Ice Blue rods have a good following - I'm sure the Panfish Popper will have a following too.

I hope nobody took it that I don't like Frabill - I have a couple Sensive rods that are fantastic fishing tools. That is a GREAT line of rods.