I'd been wanting to add ML rod to my arsenal for a while now for perch and some of my smaller walleye jigs and just couldn't find anything I liked locally so finally decided I better order something. Found the St. Croix Premiere, Fenwick ELITE-Tech, and Clam Ice Team rods on the Cabelas site all on sale for like $22.50 each. I'm a Wisconsin guy, and St. Croix is the rod that needs no introduction, but after reading WAY too many bad reviews that one was out. The Fenwick I really liked but they only had it in 26" and I really wanted a 28" so I went with the Clam.
Out of the box I was really impressed. It's a great looking rod, light weight, guides are laser straight, really thin flat black blank with a lot of backbone, and the classic plain cork handle with rings. I did notice right away though that the guides seemed a bit on the small side. It was also a bit stiffer than I was expecting it to be. I laid it and my 28" M Bro next to each other with the same lure and they loaded up almost the same, that said the Clam has a bit more bounce in the tip, and a much faster taper.
Got it on the ice tonight for a couple hours, it was a slow night so I didn't get to give it too thorough of a workout but I did manage one short Eye on it. The guides are indeed a bit small, I had a to pull my swivel through the last couple guides by hand or really pop the rod tip to get them to go. It's good and sensitive, the one fish I did manage came right after the drop when my spoon had fluttered outside the ducer cone so he took me by surprise but I felt him just fine, and the fast taper drove the hook home quick.
All in all it's a good rod for the price, but I wouldn't go with it if I fished primarily outside in the elements as I think the tip would be iced up constantly. It's a bit stiffer than I expected a ML to be, it's very close overall to the Bro M just different taper and bit softer tip, but maybe that's my bad and I should have gone with the L.
Would I buy another one? Probably/maybe. I will say this though, if they put bigger guides on them I would for sure add a couple more to the collection.