Rod for plastics

[Farley]

What rods do you like for fishing plastics for panfish?  I had a power noodle that I used 1 time and it broke on me due to my own fault, but it seemed like a good rod for it. I tried looking them up online but seems like they've sold or dissolved?  What are some other good brands?  

[monstermoose78]

For plastics I like a very light tip with good back bone to make sure I get the hook into the fish. I am searching for another plastics rod as well seeing the one I used last year broke from falling from my lap to the ice. I was playing with the ice rods at a big box store yesterday and had 3 or 4 different workers ask me if I needed help. I told them I was just looking. I can say most of the ones that I found with a light tip and back bone were around 50 bucks for the combo. I will post what I decided on sometime this week. 

[Farley]

I was looking today and there are some super thin rods out there now.  How do you not break them?  One that caught my eye were the Widow Maker by 13 fishing, anyone use it?

[monstermoose78]

Just do not lift the fish out of the hole with these rods, because you are right about them being so thin they do break.

[Northlander]

13 widow maker is awesome as are the DH custom rods ElDante and even the Jason Mitchel meatstick on the lower end. Limber tip with good back bone. Not too limber that you cant "pound" the lures. Make sure the rod you end up with can handle the weight of the lures you use most often. You dont want a under powered "mushy" tip.

[blue gill hunter]

The Quiver stick from Thorne Bros is what I use. It has a good backbone and a really sensitive tip. 

[monstermoose78]

I just got the Snitch 25 inch rod 

[papadarv]

I use the more simplistic approach for my fishing rod and reeks, I go to Walmart, start at the farthest distance from the isle (the cheap end) and look for a rod that has the desired action, stiffness etc. and only rods that have reels attached. Starting point selling price is usually around $8.00 than move up the isle. I usually get 4 or 5 combos by the time I reach the $20 units, have never gotten one over $25. Got one this morning that is a 28" Medium for walleye called Slick Ice. Reel is a intrigue to add to my 1/2 dozen collection. I configure each with a different plastic, live, jug, plug, etc. If one does not work in 15 min., try the next. Most important thing in catching fish is to find fish and put the bait they desire for the day in front of them. If one of my rigs break, its OK, just stop by Walmart and pick out another. Broke one end of last season I bought in the late 90's. Replacement is the one I bought today. Brother-in-law always buys best high end stuff available. I still out fish him with my cheap array of gear.

[Northlander]

Some guys on some days watch bobbers all day and outfish their buddies.

[papadarv]

3 hours ago, Northlander said:

Some guys on some days watch bobbers all day and outfish their buddies.

Thank You, my perception exactly. Find the fish, show them the right bait and you catch them. Value of the equipment is somewhat secondary.

[clayton08]

I personally use dh rods and have had a lot of success once I started using them. I fish alot of tourneys and am truly obsessed with panfish thru the ice. I have many different noodles for different situations. I love fishing with the noodle first, my go to for hole hopping is the longboard or al dente. But if things arent in my favor say we just had a cold front come in then I switch gears a little depending on the fish behavior. If its a negative bite I will go down to the palm rods. If you dont own a palm rod there 15$ tops and ive caught more big gills on palm rods on negative bites than most would think. Pretty much anytime we fish shallow water >10 ft I use a palm rod. There are various size indicators and its best to buy different ones for different weights. The thing about palm rods is it looks like a shark is hitting em and you dont miss near as much. There arent many people who use them and people always joke with me about them but when your smoking the competition they take note.

Last year I went soley plastics for the whole season I signed a contract with northland and did plastic in every tourney all year we got 3rd for team of the year in the upl and didnt have a finish worse than 7th all year in team extreme. I wont do it again thats for sure as it cost us some fish cause put it this way plastics work most the time but you still cant beat live bait some days. The year before we won a upl on a day were we totally forgot live bait and the Team Extreme National championship I tried a waxie once only to catch a perch. We won both those tourneys on soley plasstics.

I believe that fishing with plastics is truly an art and once you learn how to get that plastic to act the way that fish find it as being a natural bait then its hard to beat. There are so many plastic companies out there and if you dont like what you see shoot them an email and they will make it for ya. As far as rods I like noodles for agressive fish as you can control your jig really well and on the negative (cold front days) i like the palm rod or spring bobber if over 10. Its all personal preference but practice makes perfect.

Edited November 17, 2015 by clayton08

[Farley]

The DH Al Dente is the one I had that broke,not a power noodle.  I thought the company was DL custom rods, no wonder I couldnt find them on the web. What is a palm rod?  never heard of em.  Just a really short rod like a sightfishing rod?

 

Oh I've seen those I guess.  Never got into those types of setups.  Might have to try them this season.

[monstermoose78]

I also like the quick tips from frabill 

[tview]

I just picked up a 13 fishing tickle stick 27UL going to pickup another.

[Jim Panfish Uran]

I honestly haven't found a better rod for plastics and finesse jigging for panfish than the Frabill Quick Tip! Nice backbone and a nice soft and sensitive tip.

[Jim Panfish Uran]

I should add that the importance of balance is key, the weight and the resistance of the jig, the size of the line all relate to how well you can read what the jig is doing. The rods with the more sensitive tips allow you to do that with lighter line and lighter jigs. Those subtle movements you give are what triggers them to bite in most cases. 

 

So what I'm saying is, don't bite the bullet on a $100 rod when you can get the same action to your plastics with a rod at a fraction of that cost. You can buy a rod and customize it by playing with different line/jig combos and what balances it best.