Author Topic: Clam Ice Team Carbon Ice Rods  (Read 2702 times)

Offline slipperybob

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Clam Ice Team Carbon Ice Rods
« on: Dec 10, 2017, 04:51 AM »
Preliminary Review: Clam Ice Team Carbon Ice Rods

These appear to be exclusively sold at Cabela's at a retail price of $35.  I saw them and played with them at the store.  The rubberized coating on the real seat will help out with grip and reduce cold transfer in the outdoor element.  There is a unique honeycomb pattern detailed onto the reel seat handle and onto the lower section of the rod up to the first line guide.  My first impression was wow, the rod flex has a familiar feel.  With the few limited choices on the store shelves, I picked up three of them at the sale price of $28 each: 26" UL, 28" L, and 32" ML.

Come home and I went to verify that familiar feel.  I put them next to my very old Thorne Bros, Panfish Sweetheart and Perch Sweetheart rods.  I checked each rod flex over several times.  The 28" L model matches the Panfish Sweetheart, and the 32" ML model matches the Perch Sweetheart.  It's like an identical replica of the rod blank in terms of flex and feel, minus the different line guides and actual blank diameter.  Can it be?  The realization that another company has duplicated the industry pioneer in propriety rod blank action that recreated a full length rod action in an ice rod length.  The price point difference of these rods are more than a two to one in difference.

Now if Clam would just expand the line up.  For one thing, I'm not a fan of varying rod length for difference in rod power.  I would like one standard length more like how St Croix builds their rods.  Of course this may affect the line guide placement.  As current the 26" UL has three line guides plus tip.  The 28" L has four line guides plus tip.  The 32" ML has four line guides plus tip.  These are the optimal line guide placement for the number of line guides for each rod at the 90 rod tip flex.  With spinning reels mounted on them, I noticed that the reel stem did not line up on the 32" ML.  It appears to offset the line guides to the right by about 5 degrees or so.  Since I'm a right hand cranking orientated, the offset balance sort hides this.  The other two rods were perfectly aligned.

I am simply amazed at how fast the ice fishing industry has changed and how the quality and variety of ice fishing rods have become available.  I will always hold Thorne Bros rods in high regards and St Croix Rods as an industry standard.
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Offline slipperybob

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Re: Clam Ice Team Carbon Ice Rods
« Reply #1 on: Sep 16, 2018, 02:07 AM »
Recap from last season's light use.  Although I wish these rods would be an awesome cost alternative to custom off the rod rack at Thorne Bros rods, there's just something missing from that feeling.  Probably the biggest factor is the use of only stainless steel rings inserts on the line guides.  While the rod load bend is an immitation of a Thorne Bros rod, the feel isn't as crisp.  If that is how to describe it in words.  The best part of the rod is truly in the rubberized coating of the reel seat and the composite cork grips.  The few metal components on the reel seat are definitely cold obvious.  If I was comparing these rods to the old St Croix Premier with reel seats, the Carbon Ice rods would easily replace them.
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Offline Iceassin

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Re: Clam Ice Team Carbon Ice Rods
« Reply #2 on: Oct 15, 2018, 05:44 AM »
Preliminary Review: Clam Ice Team Carbon Ice Rods

These appear to be exclusively sold at Cabela's at a retail price of $35.  I saw them and played with them at the store.  The rubberized coating on the real seat will help out with grip and reduce cold transfer in the outdoor element.  There is a unique honeycomb pattern detailed onto the reel seat handle and onto the lower section of the rod up to the first line guide.  My first impression was wow, the rod flex has a familiar feel.  With the few limited choices on the store shelves, I picked up three of them at the sale price of $28 each: 26" UL, 28" L, and 32" ML.

Come home and I went to verify that familiar feel.  I put them next to my very old Thorne Bros, Panfish Sweetheart and Perch Sweetheart rods.  I checked each rod flex over several times.  The 28" L model matches the Panfish Sweetheart, and the 32" ML model matches the Perch Sweetheart.  It's like an identical replica of the rod blank in terms of flex and feel, minus the different line guides and actual blank diameter.  Can it be?  The realization that another company has duplicated the industry pioneer in propriety rod blank action that recreated a full length rod action in an ice rod length.  The price point difference of these rods are more than a two to one in difference.

Now if Clam would just expand the line up.  For one thing, I'm not a fan of varying rod length for difference in rod power.  I would like one standard length more like how St Croix builds their rods.  Of course this may affect the line guide placement.  As current the 26" UL has three line guides plus tip.  The 28" L has four line guides plus tip.  The 32" ML has four line guides plus tip.  These are the optimal line guide placement for the number of line guides for each rod at the 90 rod tip flex.  With spinning reels mounted on them, I noticed that the reel stem did not line up on the 32" ML.  It appears to offset the line guides to the right by about 5 degrees or so.  Since I'm a right hand cranking orientated, the offset balance sort hides this.  The other two rods were perfectly aligned.

I am simply amazed at how fast the ice fishing industry has changed and how the quality and variety of ice fishing rods have become available.  I will always hold Thorne Bros rods in high regards and St Croix Rods as an industry standard.

This all got me thinking SB. So what determines the "classification" of a rod...UL,L,ML,M, etc.?  I have 2 rods in question...1 is UL (36') and the other is Heavy (48") yet both have near identical diameters/action at the tip...which is how I have always viewed what the rod action is? I never went by what the rod was classified as anyway...I always go by looks and feel of the tip along with the apex of the rod bend. Have I been wrong in my thinking :-\

I did find this...accurate? Maybe it depends on rod manufacturer? Still  :-\

A fast action rod will bend in only the top third or less of the blank, a medium or moderate action will bend in the top half or so and a slow action will bend starting in the lower third of the rod. Sometimes slow action rods are termed 'parabolic', meaning the bend of the rod is similar throughout the length.
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Offline slipperybob

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Re: Clam Ice Team Carbon Ice Rods
« Reply #3 on: Oct 16, 2018, 06:54 PM »
This all got me thinking SB. So what determines the "classification" of a rod...UL,L,ML,M, etc.?  I have 2 rods in question...1 is UL (36') and the other is Heavy (48") yet both have near identical diameters/action at the tip...which is how I have always viewed what the rod action is? I never went by what the rod was classified as anyway...I always go by looks and feel of the tip along with the apex of the rod bend. Have I been wrong in my thinking :-\

I did find this...accurate? Maybe it depends on rod manufacturer? Still  :-\

A fast action rod will bend in only the top third or less of the blank, a medium or moderate action will bend in the top half or so and a slow action will bend starting in the lower third of the rod. Sometimes slow action rods are termed 'parabolic', meaning the bend of the rod is similar throughout the length.

Yes.  Well first off it's manufacturer classification, then compared to industry as a general rule.  Rod action when comparing full length rods of like 7 feet for example, fast, xtra-fast, or moderate, references the flex of the tip down to rod.  So you summed it up pretty much.

When it comes to rod power, in reference to load on rod.  The light and ultra-light rod power will require less weight to start flexing.  Whereas medium power or heavy power will require more weight to show a load curb
For more information read my MN nice journal

Offline slipperybob

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Re: Clam Ice Team Carbon Ice Rods
« Reply #4 on: Dec 17, 2019, 11:23 PM »
2019 they redesigned them a little bit and only comes in Combo's only.

For more information read my MN nice journal

 



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