Frabill Quick-Tip Rods - Alternatives?

[DrewFlu33]

Well ladies and gents, it's getting to be that time again.  As I'm starting to think about ice fishing season's approach, I'm starting to think about my rod/reel situation for the upcoming year.

I bought a couple of the Frabill Quick Tip rods a couple or three years back when (Board Sponsor!!) FishUSA was selling the 371 Bro Series combos for $80 (note that the 371 reel alone is (was?) $75).  I absolutely love these rods for their build quality and incredible versatility - that quick tip makes sensing even the lightest bites from the smallest perch really easy, but they've got plenty of backbone for everything up to large walleye and the occasional accidental pike.    Now I have heavier rods that I use when targeting larger fish like large pike and lake trout, but having a single rod that can be used for multiple "smaller" species and techniques is really important for me as it's quite common for me to be up fishing panfish during the day then sliding out to the weed edge for the walleye bite as the sun starts down.   I'd really much prefer not to have to be switching rods for those situations, and it doesn't hurt to have a rod that can easily detect ultra light-biting 'eyes or that can easily wrangle the occasional up-biting crappie that rolls through while I'm walleye fishing.

Unfortunately it would appear that these rods have been replaced in Frabill's lineup with specific power-rated Bro Series rods and that the quick tip actions are no longer available.  Emails to Frabill have gone unanswered.  I've got only one QT rod left as I managed to break one of my two late last season (100% my fault).  It's probably worth mentioning that I have a Tickle Stick that works OK for being a substitute, but the durability and build quality seems to be lacking there....it's already lost the top most section after it splintered first time out, the paint has peeled off the tip, and the butt cap fell off early in its life as well.  I also see other companies offering these quick-tip style rods (TUCR, for example), but they seem to be rated as really light duty rods only. 

Does anyone have suggestions for rods I can look towards that might offer something similar for me without having to add a spring bobber or something to a different rod?

[Junkie4Ice]

I know that the TUCR bullwhip is supposed to have the sensitivity of the precision noodle but a stronger backbone. I don't have any personal experience with it so I'm just going based off what I am told. Not sure I would trust it with walleye though.

I like my ticklestick but would agree, the quality isn't there as I am running into the same problems you mentioned and last season was my first season with it.

Personally, I like my St. Croix Legend silver as my versatile rod. It does come with the attachment at the tip for a spring bobber and it doesn't have enough sensitivity to sense the up bite or finicky bites of mid-season crappies so I have to use the spring bobber. But for game fish, mainly walleye and I have even used it fishing whitefish in 50 fow, I just don't feed the line through the spring bobber and either remove the bobber or push it back so it is out of the way (it just slides into a rubber holder). I've been happy with this rod for the last couple of seasons.

[SINX53]

I do believe that they still offer the quick tip in the redesigned Bro series rods in 25" 30" & 35". I think  they also have a 30" in the Ice Hunter Line.

[matzilla]

You can find those QT rods for sale in many places - what length are you looking for? 30"?

Here's the combo for 50
http://sportsmensdirect.com/shop/ice-rods-combos/frabill-373-combo-30-quick-tip/

The No8 Snitch is a carbon quick tip rod as well

[lostbrit]

 I had the TUCR quick tip, it was nice but I like my DH al dente much better. 

[river rat78]

I have 2 in the 30" combo that I might be willing to sell.

[esox_xtm]

Dang. I've got a 26 and 27 QT and it doesn't seem like much but I far and away prefer the 27. As far as jigging whiteys I've got a "self-made" 30" rod on a glass blank with great backbone I've used in water up to 70' for the last couple of years. Coupled with 6# Nanofil I think I only failed to hook/land one fish in that time. I have one more blank I'm gonna build for "Jafer" as he lost at least 2 dozen (if not more) just last year due to poor hookset or not enough cushion in the blank once wired.

Bought a 13 Fishing open water rod this spring and so far it's been great. I may visit there for my next ice rod as much as I'm a homer for St. Croix products.

[RyanW]

I got a TUCR Bullwhip 2 seasons ago and it is an awesome rod. The tip can detect bites from 4" perch in 30' of water. It can handle spoons, jiggin raps, rippin raps, large tungsten jigs (5mm+), small minnows, etc. along with smaller jigs. I liked it so much I got a TUCR Precision Noodle the next season dedicated to 3mm and smaller tungsten jigs  and ice flies. Both work very well. I have a Shimano Sienna 500 on my Bullwhip that will soon be on PN. I'm putting a new Shimano Sedona 1000 on the Bullwhip. I'm also ordering anther PN this season. I also use sufix ice magic line in 3#.

The Bullwhip and the PN can also handle the random pike  and walleye. You can't go wrong with TUCR. I wouldn't let "light duty" deter you away from any TUCR rod.

[Junkie4Ice]

I got a TUCR Bullwhip 2 seasons ago and it is an awesome rod. The tip can detect bites from 4" perch in 30' of water. It can handle spoons, jiggin raps, rippin raps, large tungsten jigs (5mm+), small minnows, etc. along with smaller jigs. I liked it so much I got a TUCR Precision Noodle the next season dedicated to 3mm and smaller tungsten jigs  and ice flies. Both work very well. I have a Shimano Sienna 500 on my Bullwhip that will soon be on PN. I'm putting a new Shimano Sedona 1000 on the Bullwhip. I'm also ordering anther PN this season. I also use sufix ice magic line in 3#.

The Bullwhip and the PN can also handle the random pike  and walleye. You can't go wrong with TUCR. I wouldn't let "light duty" deter you away from any TUCR rod.

Have you ever tried out the 13 fishing ticklestick SUL? I feel like it would be similar to the bullwhip with a sensitive tip and stronger backbone, but obviously no where near the quality of a TUCR. I've been debating between getting the Precision Noodle and Bullwhip this year and am leaning towards the PN because I don't have a "true" noodle rod and if the BW is similar to the ticklestick I'd rather get something different. My ticklestick handles the rippin raps, jigging raps and spoons no problem but the smaller jigs don't load the tip as much as I'd like.

[DrewFlu33]

You can find those QT rods for sale in many places - what length are you looking for? 30"?

Here's the combo for 50
http://sportsmensdirect.com/shop/ice-rods-combos/frabill-373-combo-30-quick-tip/

The No8 Snitch is a carbon quick tip rod as well

Out of stock unfortunately. 

I did randomly find a 30 incher at Wal Mart, though I'd really prefer the  27 inch or even 24 inch as I generally use them in a shack.

I really appreciate the other suggestions people have made - I'll definitely take a look!  The suggestions and info on the bullwhip are especially helpful....it sounds like TUCR is maybe not giving it enough credit for the backbone it has.  For those that have them: would you feel comfortable enough in using it as your primary finesse walleye rod?  As I mentioned, the Tickle Tick I have does handle fairly similarly to the Frabills...I believe it's a L action. It handles my finesse walleye applications well again, save for all the issues with durability.

Maybe this is all really just a good excuse to get into building my own. It doesn't seem like it'd be that difficult to pull off.  Get a solid graphite blank in a power suitable for walleye, sand the tip down until you can see upbites on a 3mm tungsten, smooth it out, good to go.  Is that insane?  Maybe it wouldn't be possible to sand one that's heavy enough for walleye down that far without ruining the action or the durability.

[matzilla]

You'll have to sand the hell out of a "walleye" blank to see an upbite with a 3mm tungsten lol

off the shelf you're looking at getting a no8 snitch in 27 - it'll fit that light walleye niche

If you want to build check out this blank
http://www.mudhole.com/MHX-Ice-Rod-Blank-CIB-32UL-MHX

Sand from the tip down to 6", set it up with some light guides (Minima TI fly, Sportsmans Direct TI, or REC) and a very light handle. That blank will handle anything you throw at it in terms of fish and will beautifully work a 4mm - 3/16 oz bait. You can easily cut the blank to 27" or even 25".

Want even more backbone but the same fast taper?
http://sportsmensdirect.com/shop/Ice-Rod-Blanks/extreme-taper-soild-carbon-ice-blank/
Buy the 48" version, measure 27" down from the tip, cut, sand the first 6" and thank me later

if you want to see an upbite on a 3mm tungsten you're going to have to use a true UL panfish blank in carbon. You really don't want to whittle down a carbon blank beyond what its capable of - things tend to break lol

[DrewFlu33]

You know, I actually went and looked through my jigs with a digital caliper after reading this last night.  I have exactly one 3 mm tungsten jig and it's probably not been used.  I believe I've been under the impression that my 4 mm tungsten jigs were 3 mm all along.   I also sort of realize that the proposition was a bit unrealistic...I'm sure I've read a quote about trying to find a tool that does everything right leaving you with a tool that does nothing right somewhere along the line.  That still doesn't mean there's not a tool to do a lot of things right! 

Thank you for the tips!!

[mushroom_capd_1]

SINX53's right, it says on Frabill's site that the "Bro Finesse Panfish" rod has the QT action. I was just looking on there for any new gear for this year(nothing new yet) and I remembered this post so I looked at the rod section.

[RyanW]

Have you ever tried out the 13 fishing ticklestick SUL? I feel like it would be similar to the bullwhip with a sensitive tip and stronger backbone, but obviously no where near the quality of a TUCR. I've been debating between getting the Precision Noodle and Bullwhip this year and am leaning towards the PN because I don't have a "true" noodle rod and if the BW is similar to the ticklestick I'd rather get something different. My ticklestick handles the rippin raps, jigging raps and spoons no problem but the smaller jigs don't load the tip as much as I'd like.

No, I haven't tried any 13 fishing gear. However, the tickle stick does  seem pretty similar to the Bullwhip the way you describe it. The Bullwhip is really good for those same baits and works really well with 5mm and larger tungsten jigs but the tip doesn't deflect enough for smaller jigs, in my experience. You will still most definitely see down bites but up bites would take some laser focus, you'd be better off watching the line. That's why I later on purchased the PN. With the PN, a 5mm tungsten is just too much weight for it to be practical long term. So I use my PN for <4mm tungsten and occasionally I'll tie a nymph or a scud fly on a loop knot about 12"-18" above the jig. It detects both up and down bites pretty well with that setup. I wouldn't use any raps on the PN but a super tiny spoon would be ok for finicky panfish or something.

If you're looking for lighter loading tip, the PN is what you looking for in a TUCR rod. I enjoy them a lot.

If you're feeling ambitious, I highly suggest trying to build your own. It's super fun and a lot easier than you might think. I second the sportsmen direct blanks. I've built about 6 Noodle rods (nearly identical to most mainstream custom rods, minus titanium guides) on the 32" extreme taper fiberglass blanks. They sand down very well and are very affordable. You could build a nice rod exactly how you want it (including supplies for a first rod) for roughly the same price of these rods we are talking about. When I built my first ice rod a few seasons ago the total cost of materials and equipment was under $60. The rest cost me about about $15-$20.

[matzilla]

That pn will never have the feel of the qt however - just something to keep in mind between fiberglass (power noodle) vs the carbon blank in the QT

[DrewFlu33]

SINX53's right, it says on Frabill's site that the "Bro Finesse Panfish" rod has the QT action. I was just looking on there for any new gear for this year(nothing new yet) and I remembered this post so I looked at the rod section.

I've seen that in the descriptions for rods, but those descriptions also seem to say "new for 2015!" in them.  I don't know what I can believe in them...hopefully they'll stock them again this year and it'll all be a moot point.


Thank you to everyone for the tips.  I think I likely will try to build my own this year and experiment there - I've been wanting to get into it for some time, and ice rods should be a great primer for getting started.  I'd eventually like to build myself some open water rods as well. 

[mbart]

Frabill 27" Quick-Tip
https://www.ebay.com/sch/Ice-Fishing-Combos/179958/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_ipg=&_from=&_ssn=sportsmanssuperstore

[bigstorm]

So between the wife and I, we have the TUCR PN, the Bullwhip and the Quick Tip (Quick Tip is the only carbon rod out of the 3). The main difference between the PN and Bullwhip is the backbone, both rods seem to be just as sensitive on a visible bite at the tip. The Quick Tip is very sensitive for a carbon rod and you will visibly see a bite, but you will also feel it (and the fish might feel it too)

I also have a DH Customs Al Dente, this rod is the most sensitive out of all for a visible bite