Author Topic: Cudos to ThorneBros. (Read 4145 times)

Icenutter · « **on:** Aug 24, 2003, 10:07 AM »

What fast and great service.

I inquired about a new jiffy gas auger by e-mail to ThorneBros and they replied back within the hour. We sent replies back and forth and they were very helpful. I ended up ordering the auger and that was on Wed. Josh said he would ship out on Thursday and I received it on Saturday. Now that was from Minnesota to PA in three days. I would definately order from them again. Just bring on the cold weather now.

HIMO · « **Reply #1 on:** Aug 24, 2003, 10:15 AM »

hey perchhunter. what's their web address? with that kind of service i will deal with them any day.

walleye_hunter · « **Reply #2 on:** Aug 24, 2003, 08:12 PM »

http://www.thornebros.com

dogfish · « **Reply #3 on:** Aug 25, 2003, 06:18 AM »

I ordered some hogger spoons from them last ice season and found them very fast at getting the order out.
Dogfish

richstick · « **Reply #4 on:** Aug 25, 2003, 08:15 AM »

You guys ever try their ice rods? I never have, except to fondle them in the sporting goods store, but WOW!!!! They are the best made, even better probably than my beloved St. Croix rods.

HIMO · « **Reply #5 on:** Aug 25, 2003, 10:24 AM »

I went to thornebros. web site boy they have nice stuff at reasonable prices. when I am ready to buy it will be from them.

Icenutter · « **Reply #6 on:** Aug 26, 2003, 12:14 PM »

Their sweetheart rods look awesome. I may purchase a perch rod and try it out.

HIMO · « **Reply #7 on:** Aug 26, 2003, 12:19 PM »

those rods might be better then st. croix.

richstick · « **Reply #8 on:** Aug 26, 2003, 01:23 PM »

don't ever pick up a sweetheart rod - I saw one in a sporting goods store last year here in Wisconsin, so I picked it up - oh man, the 60 bucks was trying to crawl out of my wallet!! I ended up resisting the temptation. I love the St. Croix's, but I do believe that the Thorne's are the ultimate. Kind of like, Mercedes makes a really amazing car, but it's not a Bentley

They are like air - so light, perfect balance. You pick up a Berkley Genz rod after that and it's like a darn tank!!! If you can find Mammoth rods in your area, check those out - the guy designing those rods used to design for Thorne Bros. Those are sweet too.

One cool feature of the Sweetheart rods is the rodtip/springbobber combo you can get for it - the spring bobber is built right into the rod tip - very, very cool.

walleye1 · « **Reply #9 on:** Aug 26, 2003, 01:30 PM »

I don't know about you guys but I'd have a hard time shelling out that kind of cash for an ice rod. They take alot of abuse and I can see that rod laying in pieces after it bounced off the sled and crashed into the ice. I think I'll stick with the $20.00 rods. They catch plenty of fish and I don't mind so much if i break one. Their lures seem pretty reasonable though.

richstick · « **Reply #10 on:** Aug 26, 2003, 06:44 PM »

60 is steep, but probably worth it. Someday I'll own one

A good rod can make a huge difference in the number of fish you feel, hook, and land. Of course, with my vex, sometimes I feel like I could be fishing with a 2x4 and I could catch fish, it's doing all the work - but a good rod makes all the difference. Get a good rod storage system, and you can bounce them around in a portable shanty all day long without any wear and tear. The St. Croix's are 30 bucks, and worth every penny - they truly are an amazing bargain, considering the genz rods are in the same range, and they blow them out of the water. Consider what you spend for a good quality open water rod - ice rods are a total bargain!!

HIMO · « **Reply #11 on:** Aug 27, 2003, 04:01 PM »

yes you are right richstick. the st. croix are worth the money. you get a fair bang for your buck with those.

Mr.Seaguar · « **Reply #12 on:** Aug 27, 2003, 06:17 PM »

Thorne Bros rods are nice but there are rods that come pretty close. Cabelas ice XML is right up there and 2/3s the money. I Use an Ice XML 24" Lite for small jigs. The Thorne Bros Sweet Thing is nice but I prefer the Cabelas. More sensitive and faster action which is surprising. Other than that rod, the Thorne Bros are better but not by a huge amount. Perch Seethearts are really nice if using a small spoon or Hali. I spent a bunch of time looking for exactly what I wanted. My buddy asked for my Seethearts if I died. I told him I was going to will them to my sisters so I could pull a Ted Williams and use them again someday, hopefully. If one is fishing for trout, walleyes, pike, bass, ling even unpressured perch, $20 rods are fine. Its the lite biters that you catch when you upgrade to more expensive tackle. I`ll tell you something about Expensive rods. They are tougher than cheap rods. I beat the heck out of all my rods Thorne Bros, St Croix, Cabelas whatever. Less expensive ones always die first.

rgfixit · « **Reply #13 on:** Aug 28, 2003, 07:56 AM »

Let's see now... I have;
St Croix
cabela's
Ugly stick
Berkley
Browning
XM
a few I can't remember right now
and a variety of hand built

Each have their place...Thorne Bros look nice but you can build that same rod for 1/4 the price. They're not complicated.

RGFIXIT

HIMO · « **Reply #14 on:** Aug 28, 2003, 08:05 AM »

i guess it all boils down to"different strokes for different folks". a person can give their own choice but what is good for one, may not be good for another. It all boils down to doing your homework to be sure you bought the equipment best suited for YOUR needs.

rgfixit · « **Reply #15 on:** Aug 28, 2003, 07:15 PM »

Really I buy way more than any Ice fisherman needs...But then...Need has nothing to do with it!

It's all good for the economy!

RG

missfishylicious · « **Reply #16 on:** Aug 28, 2003, 09:18 PM »

your right RG and you can always share a little and get another guy hooked then he buys too much and shares and so on and so on .....

Mr.Seaguar · « **Reply #17 on:** Aug 28, 2003, 09:32 PM »

RG fixit, where does one find blanks for ice rods?

dogfish · « **Reply #18 on:** Aug 29, 2003, 06:28 AM »

Mr.S.
I got some blanks from a company called Janis Netcraft.(not sure if Janis is spelled correctly) I am wpuld think they have a website? The ice blanks were of good quality and reasonably priced. They also carry the rest of the components for rod building, plug and spinner building, fly tieing, net and trap making, ect. Worth a look if I gave you enough info?

richstick · « **Reply #19 on:** Aug 29, 2003, 10:31 AM »

Actually, it's

http://www.jannsnetcraft.com/

They do have all kinds of rod buidling supplies. Cabelas has a ton of stuff as well. I sometimes go over to the St. Croix rod factory in Park Falls,WI (1/2 hour from my house) and get fly rod tip sections, they make nice ice rods. The problem with all the blanks sold by these companies is that I don't believe they sell one that is solid carbon graphite. Premium ice rods are constructed of solid graphite, not hollow tubular graphite. The Genz rods, St. Croix rods, Thorne, XML, etc. rods all are solid graphite. That is what gives them the amazing action and great sensitivity, and also enhances their strength and durability. St. Croix actually sells the blanks for their new ice rods, my problem is I'm having a hard time finding guides that will fit well with the blanks. The St. Croix blanks cost 14-17 bucks, well, then you buy a handle and guides and hook keeper and thread and finishing epoxy - might as well just buy a finished rod!

dogfish · « **Reply #20 on:** Aug 29, 2003, 10:48 AM »

Yes that is it. Thanks for the back-up.
I bought out of there mag. but it has been a few years.

richstick · « **Reply #21 on:** Aug 29, 2003, 11:58 AM »

no problem

rgfixit · « **Reply #22 on:** Aug 29, 2003, 07:45 PM »

Mr Seaguar,
Janns is a great source, so is Pete's Fly Shop (on the web) Cabela's has some nice heavier blanks...there's a few others but I can't seem to find my file right now...I'll send them to you.

RG

Mr.Seaguar · « **Reply #23 on:** Aug 31, 2003, 09:16 PM »

Im happy using my finished rods.

cold_feet · « **Reply #24 on:** Sep 01, 2003, 07:05 AM »

Well now you all got me curious, I make most of my Ice rods out of rods that either Ive had or ou of one I find in garage sales. Bot after seeing some of those in stores say like Galyans some seem to be like a wet noodle. I mostly fish for panfish and even though I dont have problems with what I fish with, what do you all prefer a wet noodle or a rod with a very little backbone for a more solid hookset. Most of the time I'm over 30 to 35ft of water and figure that with the line stretch and a wet noodle blank you would miss more fish even though the action of the rod to the lure would be a little more subtle I also figred that when the fish want more of a stationary bait it would be hard to keep the lure from moving with the noodles. Most of my rods are very limber and you can detect strikes without the use of indecaters if you wanted to do so but I still use a spring on some and slip floats on others. By the way some of my rods are made of older glass fly rod blanks that have beutifull action and a few have been made out of ULite blanks that Ive had around or found. Thanks for your input
Cold Feet

Mr.Seaguar · « **Reply #25 on:** Sep 01, 2003, 07:53 AM »

When and if you go to a high quality solid blank such as Thorne or StCroix, you will find a tremendous difference. At first you will be popping hooks off due to compensating for stretch you no longer have. I ended up switching from 2# mono to 4# seaguar and only setting the hook with a quick handflip. I fish with guys who were extremely skeptical about Thorne Bros and the cost. Now they all want high end rods after feeling the difference. You will be able to detect bites better with faster action rods. I dont use springs or floats on my spinning rods. You can tell by the rod tip. Or by feel but i dont always hold my rod.

cold_feet · « **Reply #26 on:** Sep 01, 2003, 08:32 AM »

Mr Seagar
I know you stated a fast action but at what point in the rod is the tip softer 6inches from the tip or what? and what is the total length of your rigs? Some of mine are 2 ft of blank with a soft tip about 1 ft long . As with you I dont always hold my rod here in NY we can fish with 2 and I'll use 2 after we set up on fish keeping one in my hand jigging most of the time while the 2nd is close by to jig or set still for the finikey fish trying to figure out what the fish want that day If they are on fire I go back to one rod to make it easy on me. Most of my rods I dont need to put springs on but I do it to see the hits better when their on the light bite. But I'd like to know if your rods have a noodle tip or a little heavier. I get the mid to butt section of the blank. Just not sure about the tip section.
Thanks
Cold Feet

richstick · « **Reply #27 on:** Sep 01, 2003, 03:27 PM »

Cold Feet -

Not to answer for Mr. Seaguar, but most guys who fish with a premium rod for the first time are pretty surprised at just how fast the action is. Typically 1/4-1/3 of the rod blank is where you'll see the majority of the arc. Hooksets will be a wrist flip - handy in a cramped shelter

I dunno, most of my rods are 24-30 inches in length, any longer than that is difficult to work inside a shelter, with my vex, etc. Most of the time, I'm line watching for strike detection, it is much more effective than a spring bobber or any other means. I can detect horizontal, as well as vertical, takes by that method. I've never seen a premium rod with a noodle tip, unless it is sold as a deadstick rod - specifically designed to be used as a livebait rod to be set and left alone, then it needs to have a noodle tip so as not to alert the fish to the presence of "hardware". Otherwise, your typical highend rod will have a fast action tip that allows amazing jig control and incredibly fast hooksets. Once you try one and get used to it, you'll never use a noodle rod again

Mr.Seaguar · « **Reply #28 on:** Sep 01, 2003, 03:53 PM »

What richstik said. Especially about amazing jig control.

cold_feet · « **Reply #29 on:** Sep 02, 2003, 04:26 PM »

Mr Seaguar, Richstick
Thanks, I guess I'll try one or two this year Just have to find a place to see them for myself to pick out the ones with the right action to suit my needs and likeing. Don't get me wrong when I say I use a spring tip I still can see and have a good idea of when a fish will hit. But at my age my sight and reflexes are starting to go away along with my temper when I miss fish so any help will suit me just fine. Thanks again for the help and tight lines.
Cold Feet

News:

Author Topic: Cudos to ThorneBros. (Read 4145 times)

walleye_hunter

missfishylicious