thorne bros vs midwest rod and reel

[cory]

i'm looking for a couple of new rods. a 32" med for walleye and a 28 or 32" med-lite for walleye and perch. i have a 32" med and 28" med lite St. Croix. i like the blanks but not the assembly. the midwest rods are built on st. croix blanks. i use the med-lite for small jigging spoons and jigs(1/16 and 1/8) for both walleye and perch. how does the thorne bros jumbo perch rod compare to a med lite st. croix. would u get it in a 28" or 32".

in both actions which rod do u guys like better and why

cory

[Matt Johnson]

I personally use the Thorne Bros 28 inch Perch Sweet Heart. It can be used for both perch and walleye, as well as bass and crappies. I have it set-up with a Tica Cetus SS500 spooled with 4 pound test P-Line Floroice. A great rod in my opinion.

If you fish outside a lot I would recommend the Thorne Bros 32 inch Perch Sweet Heart Outside Rod. It has a longer handle and oversized guides to help reduce ice-up. This rod is very nice and it'll be one of my next Thorne Bros purchases...

Thorne Bros Perch Sweet Heart Options

Good Fishin,

Matt Johnson

[cory]

Matt which walleye rod do u like better the 32" walleye sweetheart or the midwest 32" medium.

cory

[rangr]

Cory, I have 3 rods from Midwest UL,ML and M all in 28". If you like the St. Croix blanks but dont like the way they are set up talk to Bill at Midwest and he will customize it for you.

[Bob Horn]

Cory, if you have used St. Croix have you tried there new Legend rod. It`s sweet. I would also say that Thorne Bros. sweetheart is a good choice. I have not used the Midwest rods but the guys that have them love`m. I don`t think you can go wrong with any of these 3 rods.

[Captain B.R.K]

If price points are your worry, then the Thorne Bros. rods are going to be a tad ( I said tad, not a LOT) cheaper than the Midwest Rods.

I personally don't have any of the Midwest Rods and have not used them. I have several TB rods including the walleye and perch sweetheart models.

Hands down you'll be a happy fisherman with one in your hand.

[Jim Hudson]

Cory,

Either way you go, I think you will be satisfied with what you will get from either company. The Thorne Bros line of rods are hands down a great investment for any hard core ice addict. Where you can just buy the rod as seen on their HSOforum or have them tweak a certain type of rod to your liking.

Personally, I have not used a Midwest rod but know a lot of guys who swear by them on the ice. I am sure these rods will suit your need also, and that you can customize them to your preference.

My suggestion would be to give each company a call and see if they meet your needs in what you want in a rod. We all have different preferences in a custom rod, and I am sure they will hook you up with what you need.

Also, be sure to take a look at the new Genz Stixx from Nature Vision. Quality rods at a quality price that come in different lengths and actions for the species of fish you maybe pursuing.

[Matt Johnson]

I personally prefer the 32 inch Thorne Bros Walleye Sweet Heart, but Midwest Rod and Reel makes a nice walleye rod as well.

And like Bob mentioned, the Legend Ice rods from St. Croix are outstanding rods as well. The spring bobber set-up they incorporate is incredible and will up your odds on the ice.

Thorne Bros has also come out with a new 32 inch Walleye Sweet Heart Outside Rod too. If you spend a lot of time jigging up walleyes outside of a fish house and want a rod with a longer handle and oversized guides to help reduce ice-up, then the Walleye Sweet Heart Outside rod is the walleye to go in my opinion.

One of the more popular walleye rods by Thorne Bros is the 28 inch Walleye Sweet Heart, but I still personally prefer the 32 inch version...

Have you checked out Thorne Bros line of deadstick rods?

Good Fishin,

Matt Johnson

[cory]

thanks for all the replys. i think i'm going with the thorne bros. rods. since i have 3 st. croix rods(i forgot that i have a 24"ul that i havn't used yet) i'll try a different brand. i've wanted a walleye sweetheart since the first time i saw one in their online store.

cory

[Deitz Dittrich]

Cory-no matter what decision you go with you will be happy. I will say this.. I just got a new walleye rod from Midwest and it became my new fave without ever touching the water. Please read my post I made in the sponsor section! This rod is gorgeous. Simply put!

Midwest Rod post

[ChuckN]

cory,

I have very limited use of Thorne Bros. rods, but I did get my hands on the Midwest Ice rods last winter. I put them through a lot of use and I tell ya these rods are the best I have ever owned. (I was so impressed with the fit/finish and customer service that I just ordered a new summer rigging rod last week. Fall specials on some rods too!)

For the ice rods, I have the 28" series Ultra Lite, Medium Lite and Medium rods. Obviously, the Ultra lite was excellent on those crappies and sunfish, but I also nabbed some incidental big pike and walleyes....FUN!

But, most times I found myself picking up the Medium Lite rod. This rod had the best feel in most situations, and while jigging spoons and other lures there wasn't a bite I couldn't detect. It had enough backbone to pull in some dandy fish last winter and the tip was oooo so sensitive.

The Medium rod was my go to deadsticking rod or when I felt the need to use for a slip bobber set-up. It definitely could handle the largest of fish and good hooksets on the small jig/minnow combo.

Either way you really can't go wrong. Just sharing my experiences with the Midwest that I definitely can't wait to break out of storage again.

[Northlander]

As everyone has said either way you will get a nice rod. Myself I have 2 TB rods and several Midwest rods. After getting my 1st Midwest rod I was so impressed I have ordered 5 others. You can get any blank you want threw Midwest as you can see in the sponsor forum. Right now they have great deals on some nice blanks.

As far as icefishing rods I like the 32" med for jigging spoons and the med/light for jigs and deadsticking. The 28" light is a great crappie/perch rod.

Give Bill or Al a call and Midwest and talk to them and see what you guys come up with. As far as price goes I dont think there is much of a difference. Midwest rods will have exact colors, action, power and your name on it.

I have 2 spiral wrapped Laker Ice rods that Bill made me and they are awesome.

[cory]

thanks for all the replys guys. so whats up with the wood handles? sure they look beautiful, probably hold up alot better than cork and are easier to clean, but how are they to use?

cory

[Deitz Dittrich]

Cory- the wood handles... I got my first one becuase I thought it was pretty... what I noticed right away is how much more I could feel the lure, and the hits on that lure. The wood handle is more sensitive in my opinion. And then yes, its beautiful, cleans easier, easier to change reels(a normal reel seat).

[Pete Riola]

I'm saying Thorne Bros with the Tennessee handle. Nothing against the wood ones but the closer to the blank I am the better the feel....a rod seat just gets in the way of the blank and the blank is what gives me feel for the nibble/bite. Just one guys opinion.

[Ray Esboldt]

I'll just throw in another vote for Midwest Rods. I used the 28" UL Tactical Ice Rod last year extensively. In fact, by the end of the year, it was the only rod I was using for panfish. If I were to design a rod for myself, that would be the one; sensitive, big guides, and a cork handle. I fish outside whenever the weather permits, and the large guides and cork handle make it a very comfortable rod amongst the elements.

I will say this, my next rod will be a 24". 28 inches is just a bit too long in my house. It is nice outside though.

[Paul Waldowski]

I am also a fan of the cedar handles. I really like the feel that I get with them, and the quick change seat, that coupled with the fact that they don't seem to get as cold, (I always fish barehanded - can't stand gloves) makes it the favorite rod in my bag. As a matter of fact I will hopefully be able to get over to see Bill this week to pick up a rod that I so stupidly broke the tip off of.

Looks like it is getting to be the time of year to start rigging for I.C.E. fishing with snow in the forecast and all

You can never go wrong with giving Bill or Al a call at Midwest

[Dennis Steele]

I haven't used the Thorne Bros rods so I can't really comment on them, but I do have three of the Midwest Rods that I got last season.

I am very impressed with them.

Good sensitivity and quality craftmanship.

If I was in the market for a high end rod I would deffinately take a look at them.

There is one thing that I never understood about rod making though. Maybee someone knows?

Why do rod builders take a sensitive blank and then put a cork handle on it?

Cork is a very porous material that absorbs vibration. They use it in building to deaden sound. (sound is vibration)

A hard wood handle will cary vibration much better and would seem a better choice for sensitivity. Maybee not as soft and comfy as cork, but when your talking sensitivity, why ruin it with cork??

[cory]

well i've decided to go with the midwest rods. i really like the look of the wood handles and if it makes them more sensitive all the better. i ordered a 32" med with the redwood cedar handle and the guides wrapped in garnet red and a 28" medlite with the butternut handle and the guides wrapped in blue.

i can't wait to try out my new rods . it hopefully won't be to long. it snowed today and its supposed to go down to -5 tonight(about 28`F)

cory

[Matt Johnson]

I personally feel as if I lose sensitivity when using a rod with a reel seat when ice fishing. Wood handles just don't suit my style of ice fishing, but that doesn't mean they won't suit yours. To me it seems to be one of those things that catches the fisherman by look and appeal rather then function ability. I don't personally choose a rod based on looks. I've used several different wood handle rods as well as various different rods with reel seats for ice fishing and I've always gone back to a cork handle. All of my current ice fishing rods have a cork handle.

The application of cork in conjunction with a sensitive blank has proved to be my mainstay for pannies (a species where sensitivity is priority in some cases). I spend a lot of time working over pods of ultra-negative bluegills, where sensitivity and feel can be key, and I prefer a short cork handle tightly connected to a compact graphite blank. Your hand positioning also aids in the sensitivity factor. And really, when it all comes down to it, one of the most valuable tools in detecting a bite is our own sight. Spring bobbers and line-watching is crucial when targeting pannies. For walleyes, you need to pay attention to your jigging sequences and understand what is suppose to happen and at what time. While sensitivity can play a huge role, control can also be just as important, as well as comfort and weight. Cork is light-weight, and your control is more distinct, especially when you add the weight of a reel.

While cork is indeed porous, certain corks are woven tight enough to act as if there are almost water resistant, which is the case in point with ice fishing rods. The sensitivity of cork doesn't seem to affect the makers of open water rods, preferrably top-end jigging rods like St. Croix, G-Loomis, etc, where sensitivity is of the utmost importance. There is definitely a reason for that.

I would challenge the assumption that wood handles (with a reel seat) indeed make the rod more sensitive. While that could be the case, I've just never seen that from personal experience...

Good Fishin,

Matt Johnson

[augernaut]

Dennis - actually cork is a very dense material. Don't let the light weight mislead. Cork actually transmits vibrations as well, or nearly as well, as a very dense hardwood (oak and above), or a graphite structure. If you want the ultimate in handle sensitivity, go with a woven graphite handle, such as on the St. Croix Avids and Legends. Also that gimmicky looking Frabill Amplifier is very sensitive - that handle is aluminum (can you say cold?). Personally for me, the most important issue with sensitivity is the ability to feel the weight of my jig - or more importantly, the LACK of weight of my jig - when I feel that, I know Mr. Fish has eaten it :-) Hits that are hard enough for any rod to detect are quite rare with panfish on ice - linewatching and spring bobbers are typically the way to go. Or when doing the Genz Pound, you are feeling the weight of the jig. Honestly I don't feel that you give up anything with cork over wood in terms of sensitivity. The downside of wood is that it is comparatively heavy, and you end up having to build a longer rod in order to get things to balance. Build a short (less than 28-30") ice rod with a wood handle assembly, and you end up with a poorly balanced rod.

[Jim Hudson]

Good points Matt and Auger... I love a cork handle!!

[Dennis Steele]

Good points...That explains a it a bit for me.

Thanks guys.

[devildog]

dennis, i am new to this site and i am currious if midwest rod and reel also makes anything other then ice fishing rods. i'm coming home on leave from the marines in late oct. and would love to get into some fall river walleye fishing, do you no how i can contact them to see if they can build summer fishing rods?

[Paul Waldowski]

devildog,

Yes, they do summer rods. You can find all of there contact information on there web site. Midwest Rod and Reel