What's the difference?

[Ice Ranger]

In all honesty... What is the difference between a custom ice rod and a rod that you can buy relatively cheaper at a sporting outlet? All I really look for in a rod is the sensibility, length, and if it looks decent. The only difference I see is the price.

[Sandmannd]

Just like open water fishing they make a difference. I don't have a custom rod but have a St. Croix spring rod. I caught a lot more fish using that one. Tip brock so I have to have it fixed but if you have the money I would look into some of the nicer rods. The combos work just fine, it's just the next step IMO.

[Ice Ranger]

Well I've got a couple of Jason Mitchell ice rods... And a couple of Berkley Lightning rods. They run at a decent price.

But I was just looking at the Thorne Bros. custom rods selection, and I noticed they were quite expensive. What puts them over the others?

[polarsusd81]

Those guys have been designing and building rods for a long time. When you get one and use it, the difference is quite noticable. They have everything a person could want in a rod, sensitivity, light weight, awesome guides spaced perfectly to give the optimum action on the rod, a variety of lengths from 16" sight rods on up to 42" laker rods and beyond. They have a rod designed to meet any specific need you can come accross on the ice, and the research and development they do on the rods is second to none. I can't wait until I can afford to get more.

For panfish, the new power noodle rod looks like one that is hard to beat. I have seen it in action, the fiberglass tip section acts just like a spring bobber. Really awesome rods.

And let me tell you...for 27 bucks, the Glass Sweet Pea is unbeatable for sight fishing. If you plan to use a braid main line and a flouro leader, the action of the rod is superb. You can sit there trying to hold the lure perfectly still, but just the lightest little shake from your body, hand, whatever is transmitted to the lure to give it just enough action to entice a strike from a negative fish.

Are their rods a bit higher priced than the competition, yes on some fronts, but the quality is in my opinion 10 fold.

[Borch]

Polarsusd81 hit many of the differences.

Here are a few more.

Rods come in varying actions. Even the ultralight panfish rods have backbone with a relatively fast action.

Every rods has the blank spline check. Helps to create and incredible feel and difference is very noticeable when fighting bigger fish.

Very few quality issues occur with this level of custom rod. They are hand built by people who know what a fisherman wants in a rod.

I used to think in much the same way as you do Ice Ranger. If you want to save money then avoid them because after you buy one and use it the difference will be very noticeable and you'll end up with more of them. Two years ago I didn't own a custom rod. Now I have 6 thorne rods, 6 Jason Mitchell Rods and 1 Scotty's Custom rod. Most of my other rods have taken on slip bobber duty.

Good Luck!

[David Kasten]

I was in sportsmens the other day looking at rods (specificly a ultra light crappie rod) and was thinking the same thing, you braught up a good point. I have two genz rods (berkely) a 23' and 27' and like them a lot. I cannot justify spending 50 dollars on a rod alone. If you look at enough of them chances are you will find a combo that suits you. The average "custom" rod over at thorne bros runs 53.99, the average combo 23.99. I have 9 ice fishing poles, so price makes a difference to me.

[hanson]

The use of high quality components and attention to detail when building the rod are the 2 biggest factors in determining the rods price.

With a Thorne Bros rod, you are getting the highest quality graphite rod ice fishing blank on the market. Add to that high quality guides and cork and the raw material cost in the rod alone is much higher than a "factory" rod.

The boys at Thorne Bros hand build each and every one of their rods. The rod blank spline is aligned correctly, the guides are perfectly spaced and wrapped, and attention to detail in overall assembly is top notch- from spacing the guides, wrapping the guides, epoxying the wraps.

Their line up of ice fishing rods includes a rod to fit every technique, species of fish, or unique fishing style (sightfishing, deadsticking, etc).

On the ice, a high quality rod will really show its colors in 2 areas - Feel & Fight.

Feel- I jig nearly 80%, maybe even 90% of the time while on the ice. That means no bobber or no setting the rod down. Its me, my rod, favorite jig, my flasher, and the fish. On a high quality rod, I can absolutely feel everything that is going on down there. I can tell when my spoon snagged my line, I can tell when I jigged my minnow head off, I can feel the bottom, and I can feel very subtle bites.

Fight- When I fight a fish on a high quality rod, it feels like I am fighting the fish and not the other way around. Too many production rods have absolutely no back bone. The blank bends straight into the rod handle. Not good. If a production rod does have a back bone, it also has a broomstick for a tip. This is equally bad.

All Thorne rods have a super sensitive tip and loads of backbone. For example, I can fish a #12 ice jig on a Panfish Sweetheart in 30' of water and feel what it is doing. I can fight the pannies just fine on this rod and it is fun. However, if a 10lb Pike decides to grab my #12 ice jig, I will be in for some fun, but the rod will do the work for me. There is enough backbone in the blank to fight the pike, and enough give through the tip section to allow the rod to flex and protect my line from breakage when he runs. The obvious key to this pike scenario will be a decent reel with a good drag.

For those of us who are fanatics about ice fishing, high quality rods are important. Everyone may not need a Thorne Bros rod but I'd urge you to try one once. The differences are absolutely noticeable on the ice.

I prefer not to do the math but my rod rack has 8 Thorne Bros rods, 8 Jason Mitchell rods, and 3 St Croix rods sitting on it. I use them all as I can pretty much cover every species and techniques used to catch them, on the various lakes they inhabit in MN.

[Uncle Hanny]

I agree w/ Hanson!!!! I started using the St. Croix ice fishing rods last year and will never swith to anything else. I use the light action Legend model and I can feel EVERYTHING. You will never miss a fish! unless your not paying attention. These rods along w/ a good reel hold up to big fish too. Was fishing in Grand Rapids first part of Jan. using this rod and caught a 33" pike and the rod held up perfect. Just my thoughts on rods that cost more, but just like anything you get what you pay for!

[CraigM]

I also never realized the difference until trying better rods/reels. I had good quality open water rods and they make a huge difference, but never thought spending the money on a little ice rod would be worth it. Boy was I wrong. Even my 10 y.o. son can tell the difference. Last winter he had some x-mas money burning a hole in his pocket and wanted to get himself a new ice fishing set up. I had given him my old $25.00 combos when I upgraded my equipment. He picked out a St. Croix panfish rod with a Tica reel. On our next trip to Upper Red he was reeling in a walleye and said "It sure is easier catching fish with a decent rod & reel" I'm thinking if a kid can tell the difference, you should be able to.

[rockman]

I have 11 Thorne Bros.rods in my arsenal.I bought my first one in 1996.The main reason I purchased it was the measured give of the rod.The action was, and is, perfect.That rod is the 28 in. Panfish Sweetheart.Back then those guys used Sage blanks,which I just found recently out from Matt Johnson. Awesome blank to use for an icefishing rod.The 'feel'of that rod/blank was compared to other brands, and won hands down in the comparison test.There are many other decent rods out there today, and some for less cash than a custom.For jigging as the technique of choice with a flasher, a custom rod is the only way to go.If a guy is going to put a bobber on the line for a bobber/set line rig, go with a cheaper rod if the cost is an issue.I am a firm believer in you do get what you pay for when it comes to ice fishing rods.I do have other brands, but my go to rods are any one single rod of those 11.If anyone is looking to check out Thorne Bros.rods,stop by the store in Fridley, and talk to Matt Johnson.He'll help find what you're looking for.

[Eric Wettschreck]

Let's be honest, I'm a tight wad and yes, price is an issue. I've been ice fishing for a great many years. Started out hand over hand with line, moved up to discount store package combos, then moved up to custom rods.

For me it's all about the feel. With the custom rods I can feel every little tap that in the past I would have never noticed. I especially notice it when the panies are on a light bite. I can ice them when others can't. The reason isn't because I'm Mr. pro guy, it's the rod. To me, in ice fishing the rod is everything. I have some very nice rods with very cheap reels attached to them. (See statement #1 above regarding price. I'm not wealthy)

One could, in a way, compare rods to wrenches. A box store 1/2" wrench will still turn a nut, but a Snap-On 1/2" wrench will turn that same nut better, while it's rusted on, and you hit it with a hammer. Plus, if it breaks, it's replaced. If your repairs are limited to an oil change you can prolly get by with the cheap stuff. If you do some serious wrenching there will come a time when you decide you need the high quality stuff.

[slipperybob]

If you only see price, then you're missing out on the details. look at the line guides, Fuji SiC or Alconites line guides vs your typical stainless steel or aluminum oxides. You've got an ice fishing rod that loads very similar to a full length rod giving you tip action and backbone that which most typical ice rods lack.

I've been pulling 20" pikes with such ease, on my panfish setup it's astounding. Now I wish I didn't buy all those St. Croix and Jason Mitchell ice rods and saved that towards some T.B. ice rods.