Author Topic: Beaver Dam Glass Noodle Rod 32"  (Read 6741 times)

Offline slipperybob

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Beaver Dam Glass Noodle Rod 32"
« on: Dec 07, 2018, 02:07 AM »
Preliminary Review: Beaver Dam Glass Noodle Rod

I have been overlooking the Beaver Dam Glass Noodle Rod because I always see the shorter version of it.  I do recall a few years ago I didn't like the shorter 26" rod version.  It was more like a noodle rod of which did not suit my style of fishing.  Then I happened to see the 32" version of it by chance.  Perfect...I'm a 32" kind of rod fanboy.  At $15 retail price is like buying an Ugly Stick...but these aren't that ugly.  Well they're cheaply made but cheaply produced with durability it seems.  Hmmmm it is a low cost alternative.  There are so many like rods available now, but they all seem to have fall short of my desired length of 32" long.  By chance that I've found one I did gave it the buyers flex test.  To my surprise the 32" rod was flexing to my liking.  The longer length of the rod also display a flex load more akin to a full sized rod that which the shorter version didn't represent so well.

In comparison to an industry pioneer Thorne bros Deadstick rod.  The Beaver Dam Glass Noodle rod share's a flex load quite similar that with an orange painted tip section.  It is not like that of a Jason Mitchell Meat Stick either.  It has a smoother transition from the tip flex onto the backbone of the rod.  Furthermore the packaging label says Custom Noodle Rod series.  Again that's hinting to me that it was model after a custom made rod --> Thorne bros Dead Stick or Power Noodle.  The rod is rated ultralight so it would be more similar to a Thorne Bros. Power Noodle rod.  The flex load on this rod is not in any finesse to replace a spring bobber.  I hanged some 1/8th oz lures on it and there was only a slight load bend from the tip.  It was no more than what is the same as a light powered 36" St. Croix Premiere rod would load with.  It is very close to what a full sized ultralight Ugly Stick rod in terms of load flex power.  It will perform a very good job as for deadsticking for walleyes and can be tasked with jigging panfish presentation jigs.

Only the first line guide is a standard stainless steel line guide while the rest up to the tip are single wire line guides.  This allows for a closer to rod flex feel as well as maintaining minimal weight in feel.  The wire line guides are good sized too, so no worries of icing up fanagle hole hopping.  The rod comes with a reel seat.  That's always a plus for me as I have begun to dislike Tennessee handles.  Rather I hate to painstakingly time to align and tape a reel to a Tennessee handle and then while fighting a larger fish have the flex and give from the cork onto the reel foot.  So while trying to mount my reel onto the reel seat, I found that I had to fiddle a bit and force open the reel seat lock onto the cork just to get the foot of my reel onto it.  Once accomplished it didn't take but a few turns of the reel seat lock to snug.  There is a hook keeper as well. 

Overall rod finish and components are on the cheap side.  Somewhat oversized line wraps on the guide foot and moderately heavy appearance of epoxy.  Even the cheap metal cap on top of the fore grip is out of place.  When it's cold, that metal cap will feel much colder.  The cork grips have some thin cork tape on them.  Upon close inspection, one could easily peel it off due to lack of adhesive or tape overlap wrinkles.  Of course checking the line guide alignment to the reel seat alignment...maybe I shouldn't had checked it, it sure was off and almost randomly aligned.  Hey this rod has personality.

For sure this rod will get some use for the upcoming ice season.

For more information read my MN nice journal

Offline slipperybob

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Re: Beaver Dam Glass Noodle Rod 32"
« Reply #1 on: Jan 11, 2019, 11:48 PM »
Initial field test.

After a few trips with the Beaver Dam Glass Noodle Rod.  I will say that dead sticking the rod, I observed something that I did not quite expect.  When I set the rod down in my rod holder as sometimes I do it quick, there is some tip shake vibration.  Well for the Beaver Dam Glass Noodle rod, it seems like that tip shake just went on and on and on.  I was sure that I missed some light bite because the tip was still shaking.

And so after pulling up a few small crappies of sizes 7-9" with the majority of them in the 8" length, it felt like every fish was a big fish.  Well that part if for sure not.  As for pulling up feeder perch, no problem this rod did just fine as well as the slight tip vibration of the bite and even the vibration telegraph through the rod to the hand thump on the bite.
For more information read my MN nice journal

Offline hnd

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Re: Beaver Dam Glass Noodle Rod 32"
« Reply #2 on: Mar 01, 2019, 08:39 AM »
good review.  i bought a few models of the mass produced "noodle" rods to try out and suggest for others who aren't as diehard enough to buy a custom rod.   

one of them was both versions of the beaver dam noodle rod.  and to call it a noodle is quite humorous, more like an unboiled noodle. 

bites were near undetectable for avg sized bluegills (downbite) and crappies (upbite)

its definitely a decent deadstick rod but i feel like most rods would be.   I've given them away to a guy who runs tipdowns.  he likes the rods for that use.

Offline Owentstr

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Re: Beaver Dam Glass Noodle Rod 32"
« Reply #3 on: Apr 05, 2019, 09:07 AM »
Thanks for the review and recommendation! May have to look into this as well.

 



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