Thorne Brothers sight fishing rods

[Captain Happy]

Has anybody had any experance with the Thorne Bro. rod, sweet pea or finesse plus rod, and what is a good reel to match up with these. Plan on buying one of these, fishing for perch in 5-6 feet of water.

They also have a Sweetheart Perch rod in 28" and 32", whats the differance?

And what brand line would you recommend for fishing in clear water.

I'm a newbie to the sport, any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

[Corey Bechtold]

Welcome to FM! For a guy just starting Ice fishing you are definately looking at some fine equipment. Thorne rods are some of the best tools you can take with you out on the Ice. As far as choosing the right rod, it's just a matter of personal preference (same as 28" or 32" Sweethearts). If you like to hold the rod over your knee or thigh while sight fishing than I would point you toward their shorter rods. They have rods that are Graphite and Fiberglass. If you plan on staying in a shelter than Graphite rods have better sensitivity to feel light bites and offer a quicker tip for better hooksets.

As far as selecting the right reel there are good options as well. I use a lot of Tica reels and have had great luck with them. They have a very smooth drag and have instant anti-reverse. Some other reels have come on strong the last few yars. I also have a Mitchell 310X gold and it is a great reel. Abu Garcia has also came out with a 100U reel that looks like it will be a true performer. As far as reels go just look at which ones have the smoothest drag system. Bearings are not always the answer for true performance.

Line, for clear water and shallow fishing conditions I would point you to a florocarbon line like Vanish. Spooky fish can't see the line and it can only help put the odds in your favor. If florocarbon lines aren't necessary than I like to use Trilene Micro Ice. The 3 lb line has been my favorite for a long time. I even pulled out my Ice rods to check the line and it still looks and acts like I just put it on the reel.

I hope this helps you. If you want a ton of good information than this is the right place. If you have a chance you could learn more by just visiting the St.Paul Ice Show.

Good luck this season,

Corey Bechtold

[Matt Johnson]

First off, welcome to FishingMinnesota.com!

Now, on to getting you rigged up with a couple new rods...

The advantage of going with either the Finesse Plus or Sweet Thing Plus is that they can be doubled as an effective jigging rod as well. Where I see the Sweet Pea rod as mainly a sight fishing rod. The Sweet Pea runs 16 inches. While the Finesse Plus and Sweet Thing Plus run 19 and 24 inches respectively. If I were to choose one that would best fit my shallow water perch needs, I would go with the Finesse Plus for the situation you'll be using it for. You will get more out of the rod.

I would match that with a lightweight reel. You're going to want a reel that will allow you to have complete control over your set-up. An ultralite reel is the way to go in this situation. The line of Tica Cetus reels are very nice, however, they can run a little on the heavy side for a situation like this. Check out the Silstar Tiny 20. It's a very lightweight reel that will work well on the Finesse Plus rod. Spool it up with some 2 pound test P-Line Floroice and you're good to go.

As far as the difference between the Perch Sweet Heart in the 28 inch and the 32 inch, it again comes down to what you'll be using it for. If you're going to be hole hopping outside targeting deep water perch then I would go with the 32 inch. If you're going to be inside a portable most of the time or working over a shallow spot, then go with the 28 inch. And if you're going to do a combination of the both, then I would also go with the 28 inch. The 28 inch is more versatile in my opinion, but they both have they time and place...

Another option for a perch rod from Thorne Bros is their Perch Sweet Heart Outside rod. This has a longer handle and larger fuji alconite guides that help reduce freeze-up. It's a 32 inch rod that is ideal for the run and gun style perch angler who prefers to cover a lot of ice outside of the portable fish house.

Again, welcome to the site and feel free to ask anymore questions you might have...

[CrappieJohn]

Welcome indeed!

Corey and Matt have made it hard to add anyting to this. The Thorne rods are excellent pieces of equipment and will serve you well no matter what you decide on. Being premium rods you will have the very best from the get go.

And again, welcome to FishingMinnesota.com.

[92python]

I have the sweet heart plus and like it a lot. Great for fishing light jigs / eurolarve combos. This would make a good finesse rod for perch. I have tried some of their other rods and like them as well.

However, if you are looking for something only to be used for sight fishing you can get by with something much less expensive than a Thorne Bros. rod.