Deadstick Rods - Targeting Panfish

[hillestadj]

I've tried searching and most results end up walleye-centric from what I can see.  I've got a St. Croix Custom Dead Eye for when I get serious about chasing eyes.

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Looking for what you're using/liking for panfish centered deadsticking - mainly crappie, but bluegill and perch wander in as well. Fishing pools 6-9 on the Mississippi 80% of the time, some nice fish to be had but sorting a lot of shorts in between generally.  Usually running bare hook and a rosy/fatheads.

Rods will generally be used inside a hub or Hideout XT but may be pressed into service using Sullivan Tip Downs once in a while.  Reels are Okuma Ceymar baitfeeders.

Price isn't the #1 criteria - BUT, I'm not spending money on TUCR/Thorne Bros deadstick rods....just not happening, lol.  I can (and do) rationalize the expense for jigging rods, just can't get there with deadsticks.

Haven't used Meat Sticks/Dead Meats but perusing specs looks like Dead Meats are all medium action - understand its about the tip on these, but can't see using medium action rods for panfish.

Have seen recommendations for Beaver Dam Glass Noodles - haven't handled one of these but leery they may be buggy whips and go too far the other direction.

So, whats the hot panfish deadstick for everyone?

[Remps17]

This is my take, if your running a baitfeeder reel (which I do as well), there is no need to run a dedicated deadstick.

I find deadstick are great at what they do and nothing else. Nice thing about running a baitfeeder is you can use any panfish rod that has more that one purpose as your “deadstick” rod.

I fish for walleye 90% of the time and I take one of my jigging rods, toss on my baitfeeder and a bell and I am rocking.

Deadstick rods aren’t used any more.

I unfortunately don’t have a recommendation for your actual question.

[matzilla]

beaver dam glass noodle is the best bang for the buck panfish deadstick out there
If you want to build a deadstick for panfish use this blank: https://www.vlinecustomrods.com/product-page/high-class-hooker

I've fished a lot in those pools - good tip downs typically out catch deadsticks in my experience/observations. The beaver dam rods work great on a traditional style wooden tipdown

[cwavs1982]

I use the JM Dead Meat Sticks for a deadstick.  You are correct, its all in the tip action.  That tip allows you to pin the hook and get a good hook set.  This is my go to rod for all species on the dead stick.  I use the 32", but you can get this in a 28" if you really need the reduction in length. 

[bigstorm]

I have the JT Customs Panfish Snare. It is a great deadstick and that is how it was designed. That said it is not cheap

[On The Lam]

32" Beaver Dam Glass Noodle for under $15 can't be beat for deadsticking.  Soft tip and decent backbone for larger fish.  I pair mine with Okuma Avenger 500 baitfeeders.  Any rod with a soft tip will do.

[CoachWalleye74]

I use a TUCR Deadstick and the 2B Deadstick.  Many attempts with different sticks (Dead Meat, Clam Team, Frabill, Noodle...), and these are what works best for the type of deadsticking I do.  That being said, there are two main types of deadstick strategy IMO.  I prefer to have a moderately soft tip that transfers into backbone quickly so that my Okuma baitfeeder starts spooling quicker while not loading up the rod too much.  With snares and the Deadmeat my experience was that the rod tip would load up so much that the baitfeeder rarely engaged/started spooling.  Especially with panfish.  Some prefer that, I don't.  Lots of ways to bake a cake but this is what works best for me. 

[slipperybob]

just about  any glass   ultralight rod  will do

[hillestadj]

Thanks all.

Needed to stop at Farm & Fleet after work today and walked through the ice fishing stuff, sure enough they had Dead Meats and 32" Beaver Dam Noodles in.  As suspected the Dead Meats are way overkill, Beaver Dams seem like they'll suit their intended purpose nicely. Wound up digging through a dozen or so of them to find two that had reel seats mostly in line with the line guides. QC very much lacking but I guess what can a guy expect anymore for under $20.  Wouldn't order these online having seen the batch locally, but if you can cherry pick through should be good to go.

They were marked $17.99 but rang up at $13.59.  Can't really go wrong for under $30 all in, if they wind up being complete POS out on the ice I can pitch them without any heartburn...spend more than that on beer and pull tabs multiple times a week, lol.

[slipperybob]

The Beaver Dam Glass Noodles are great for shallower water and midwinter finicky fish.  9" crappies sort of feels like big fish at times. 

[Scranton Joe]

I like the ultra light tickle stick for dead sticking pan fish.

Durable, sensitive tip with a great backbone.

I have the beaver dam ultra light too, but the tickle is my favorite option for dead sticking.

[Iceassin]

I use this rigged to my homemade Jawjacker. Mostly for Perch using minnows. Cheap and works well.

https://www.schooleyicetackle.com/shop/arcticblue

[bart]

JM Dead Meat Stick and a Catch Cover Multiflex Ice-Rod Holder works well for me.

[panfishman13]

The HT ice blues rods make stellar dead sticks in a shelter, at a low price point.

Personally, I’m less about the brand of rod and more about what I can do with a given rod. My favorite dead stick is an old discontinued eagle claw; light power, slow action. I sometimes fish a bobber with it, but the slow action means that the fish often can’t feel the rod as they swim away with the bait, at least up until they hook themselves.

[slipperybob]

When you get down to the nitty gritty details dead sticking can be all dependent on the actual lure you're using.  The moment you set the rod down and do nothing, it's dead sticking.

So is it with a bobber rig?  Then a noodle rod is not my choice on such a rig.  I probably want something with larger line guides so that the bobber when hitting the tip guide doesn't bust or the worst part pinch up.

So if the lure is a spoon or jig, then a appropriate light action rod may be the preference.  After all you may want to jig the lure every now and then. 

The basics of line, hook, and sinker usually involves the glass noodle rod.  The softer tip and rod action allows one more visual detection as well as less bite resistance to the fish.

One thing that old school style rigs, involves a little bobber or bead on the line in between the line guides.  It often provides just the right visual cue.