Jason Mitchell too heavy?

[Jim Hudson]

LB

Same blanks.. Larger eyes on the "regular" model rods.

[Corey Bechtold]

Panfish! Panfish! Panfish!

The great thing about that rod is it can handle lots of different species due to it's backbone. Last year I caught just about everything that swims on that rod along with this little guy...

Brooke also used my rod to tackle this Meowzer...

Either way those rods are very universal.

Good fishing,

Corey Bechtold

[slipperybob]

Another thing is that heavy action rods tend to have more weight in them. That kind of stiffness is fine with lures 1/2 oz or greater. However look at the Berkly lightning rods. They have a big heavy handle and a small light blank. I think that the weight is too heavy for that. My ugly sticks seem to be balance but over all weight and sensitivity is dull. If you get a heavy action rod that's light to the feel in weight, the sensitivity telegraphed to your hand would be so much more clearer. In terms of rod blank the tip action of the Jason Mitchell's has great sensitivity combined with backbone to them.

I'd wish I've a line of the Thorne rods for use and comparison. Maybe overtime...those chubby darters put holes in my pocket...plus I'm trying to get material for insulating my portable. (project idea clam1060)

[fishinJohn]

What would be a couple good deadstick lures? I have only used minnows on a deadstick instead of a tip-up. Thanks for the good post here. What pound line should be used if you hope for a nice lake trout?

[TMF89]

Hanson thanks for the info, great post as always. When you get your Mitchells in, I'd really appreciate a comparision, where I work doesn't sell Thorne Bros (something about only selling Guide Series, or something...?), so I was looking into the Mitchells, for my employee discount, as well as the saved trip up to Fridley (though I COULD still probably make it to the ice show in two weeks, if I was convinced to go with the Thorne Bros). As far as what I was asking, you were dead on, and since you'll soon own both brands, I'd appreciate a comparison imensely! As far as a very light or ultralight rod goes, just for kicks when the big boys aren't out to play, what would you suggest?

[Reed1]

Hi,

In reading on the Mitchell HSOforum he recommends the meat stick for use with hali and other dropper rigs. I have not had a chance to see the rods in person, so do you believe this is a fair statement? I love my pilkies and would love to have a rod with the tip and backbone of the meat stick IF it will be more than a deadstick.

Thanks,

Reed

[slipperybob]

deadsticking doesn't always mean that you're setting it up in place of a tip up.

Sometimes you jig, you wiggle, your raise, you drop it, and then you deadstick.

[Borch]

If should work well for that application as well. In fact for those light biting fish the tip really works like a built in spring bobber for working smaller spoons or jigs with plastics. There appears to be plenty of backbone beyond the tip for fighting even bigger fish.

[slipperybob]

That's exactly what impressed me so much about the rod bend curve of the meatstick.

Before I used a flasher, it was relying on feel of a strike or the bobber going down or coming up and laying on it's side. As since ice fishing rod blanks have become very technique specific; weight balancing and matching a rod action to that of your lure = lure presentation and the nuances of you controling that. Pretty much gone are the days of hand fishing. Those single eye loop plastic/glass rod tips in the wooden handles with pegs to hold fishing line are archaic ice fishing museum parts. That's what the Jason Mitchell meatstick reminded me off (only like 10times better); flexible tip and strong backbone.

[brittlab]

after reading this post, I'm thinking maybe I should add one of these meatsticks to the arsenal. so could a guy jig with one of these or are they mainly for live bait applications??

[slipperybob]

I'd say anything 1/8 oz and lighter.

[Borch]

Quote:

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after reading this post, I'm thinking maybe I should add one of these meatsticks to the arsenal. so could a guy jig with one of these or are they mainly for live bait applications??

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It's design lends itself to the deadstick application. But like I said it definitely has other possible uses as well. Many folks can't afford a specific rods for every application so it really is nice to have rods that can do different things well.