ugly stik engineer brain

[WYIfish]

Anyone here on the list know a lot about ugly stik's make up?  Could you PM me please?

[Agronomist_at_IA]

Like what are you wanting to know? Ugly sticks are just an Eglass blank to my knowledge which make them really strong and tuff, but sensitivity with them suck.

[Agronomist_at_IA]

I was curious if stretching, pulling a jerking load, and sustained bendieness would be to an advantage when I get to the ice and actually catch fishes.

Can't quite understand where your coming from here....

[HWeber]

Whats the advantage to an E-glass blank, REALLY durable GREAT pulling power think catfish/musky rods

[HWeber]

Some people think they can buy themselves a big fish. I agree 300 is outrageous

[thinandgreasy]

Some stuff is designed to catch fish.  Some stuff is designed to catch fishermen.....

[slipperybob]

I've used my fair share of ugly stick and ugly stick lite rods.  Great rod for starters, and I still have a bunch of them.  Plus I like the twist locking reel seat.  If you can catch fish with an ugly stick, you can probably catch more on any other rods. 

[OldSailor]

I've heard it said that they are very good rods to use with Jawjackers. 

[IceholeFisherman]

Not ice fishing related, but an ugly stick is excellent, if not the best, for trolling crankbaits.... especially with non stretch lines.

[Unclegillhunter]

I've heard it said that they are very good rods to use with Jawjackers. 

I think that this is because of the price point. This season is going to be my first using Jawjackers so if at the end of the season I find I have ruined my more expensive rods why then I guess that I will take a look at ugly sticks.
Keep it safe! JDL

[Oscoda Ice]

Some stuff is designed to catch fish.  Some stuff is designed to catch fishermen.....

Very accurate.

[Dags Bait Maine]

Ugly Stiks are not just an Eglass blank. They start of with a spiral wrap graphite and then finish over the top with a glass. This blend of composites allows for the best of both worlds, but a master of none. Graphite has goods sensitivity, and strong rigidity to weight and diameter, but is relatively brittle. Glass has superior durability, but lacks that back bone and acts like a wet noodle. By combining both you can have a rod that has a firm hook set, but will not snap when you bend it from tip to tip or if you step on it.

-Dylan

[Light liner]

Ugly sticks are like an adjustable wrench.
They'll get the job done, but not the best tool for the job.
I have a couple of 28" mediums I use on jawjackers for pike and walleye work good.
Good back bone and they're built to last.
I wouldn't jig with them.
I love 6'6" one piece ultra light's for summer bass.
It's hard to beat for what they cost.

[BFTSkunkedAgain]

Agree with the Ugly Stick great for Jaw Jackin, I broke my Lightning rod last winter on the JJ and went to the Ugly Stik (US) and love them for that job... But I also bought some 4' US rods that are great for jigging deep lake mac... They are very stiff and have great back bone, combine that with a braid line and you're connected when the mac grabs a hold... Liked these rods through the ice so much I use them from the boat as well... I think in applications where you need the toughness they are a great tool... But they aren't my only tool so I use them when the time is right, and if a stiff graphite rod is more suited, then that's what I'll go with... Probably not a bad pick for a beginning rod, but there are still times they rise to the occasion... I will for sure keep one around, but like every rod you need to know what you're getting when you look at the rod rating, I almost always get Medium Heavy to Heavy rods, I don't like the noodles.... Later J

[Unclegillhunter]

Don't remember if it was on IS but there was a thread about Jawjackers ruining rods because of them being under a load all the time and developing stress fractures and permanent twisting. Bought a mid price medium heavy Fenwick as a test rod, time will tell. I have no problem using lower cost tools as long as they do what I need them to do. I think the Jawjacker is a tool that I am going to be using in the future so I may decide to go with a different rod. If the ugly stick has a good back bone and not so sensitive tip that would not impair the use of a Jawjacker as I think the sensitivity issue on the rod tip doesn't come into the equation because of how the trigger system on the unit works just my at this time untested opinion.
Keep it safe! JDL

[SLAYERFISH]

I have a couple I use for deadsticking, but for jigging, never-

[FG Steve]

I'm not embarrassed to report that I really like Ugly Stiks, and not just because of their ads, which by the way are great.

We use a 7-ft 2pc Ultra Light in the summer and 4'6" ULs in the winter, for jigging and dead stick both.

https://www.iceshanty.com/ice_fishing/index.php?topic=307841.0
http://www.iceshanty.com/ice_fishing/index.php?topic=295817.msg3095808#msg3095808
http://www.iceshanty.com/ice_fishing/index.php?topic=282774.msg2934631#msg2934631

Nothing but a high recommendation from me.  Like anything else, you need to match the action and length to your preferences.

IMO
YMMV

[fishermantim]

Lots of "ugly stick" comments as being a second rate or second choice rod for various uses, but very few follow up with the name brands of their primary "go-to" rods.

I have been using ugly sticks for many years fishing the surf, and they are only now starting to show their age. (We're talking 20 years here)
I have Shakespeare rods as well, one even older than the ugly sticks, that is still being used today.

Everyone has their favorite rods and reels, and what one person swears by, another swears AT!

Personally, I would never have a need or desire for a jawjacker, but that's just me.

[SLAYERFISH]

My style of fishing demands solid backbone with a sensitive fast tip. The ugly stick is none of that.

My jigging rods are St. Croix M and MH with 6-10lb braid and 4-10lb floro leaders.

[SLAYERFISH]

On your mark, Get set, Ugly sticks at 4 paces!

[Seamonkey84]

Ives used the light and medium action rods for fishing rattle spoons and mini crankbaits like chubby darter and rippin rap. With the heavier lures you can feel the load on the rod enough that it worked well for me for perch, bass and trout. I used those for a couple years until I got a couple of more sensitive rods like the meatstick

[stinkyfingers]

The Ugly Stik ice rods they came out with a couple of years ago lost a lot of stiffness compared to the earlier models. But they are all Tonka tough and if you're hard on equipment they may be an option. They're too slow for any kind of jigging in my opinion but they work dandy on a JawJacker or the DIY equivalent like I use for Northern. No finesse required, merely brute strength.For jigging I'd spend the cash for the upgrade to St. Croix like Slayer does.

[Ice Scratcher]

I like the older ones with cork handles..

I have one that's worked great for the huge walleye we have around here.. It won't snap in half on a heavy hookset like a couple graphite blanks have done on me..

<°)))>{

[FG Steve]

I like the older ones with cork handles..

The "new" Elite series still has cork.  Very nice:

[Agronomist_at_IA]

Ugly Stiks are not just an Eglass blank. They start of with a spiral wrap graphite and then finish over the top with a glass. This blend of composites allows for the best of both worlds, but a master of none. Graphite has goods sensitivity, and strong rigidity to weight and diameter, but is relatively brittle. Glass has superior durability, but lacks that back bone and acts like a wet noodle. By combining both you can have a rod that has a firm hook set, but will not snap when you bend it from tip to tip or if you step on it.

-Dylan

Sounds like what happens to ones manhood while you age.

[happyheber]

I've heard it said that they are very good rods to use with Jawjackers. 

yes thay are good for j.j. I like 28" inches long mediums 

[gorf37]

I'm a big ugly stick proponent.

I fish enough and with enough finesse to appreciate a good graphite rod.  Heck, I grew up casting a 9ft 5-Weight Sage.  My favourite soft water rod was a 7-6" 6-12# Fenwick HMG (RIP).  My favourite ice rod was a 30" MH Fenwick Aetos (RIP).  See the pattern?

When my little cousin snapped the tip off my aetos, and my son dropped his 2nd ice scoop down the hole, I adjusted my point of view in a real hurry.  I'll own good rods again - in about 20 years.  I now own 5 ugly sticks.

Hard
30" Med 'Pro Ice' - this thing catches innumerable burbot and has pulled in some monster pike and lakers.  I probably have more lakers over 10lbs on this rod than any other.  Love the cork handle.  It really does lack backbone in a fight with a big fish though, my hand gets some tired.  I regularly run 12lb and its rated for 4-8.  I'm sure it'll get pulled clean out of my hand before it ever breaks.
2 30" MH GX2 - these are the graphite with glass tips that came out a couple years back.  The action is in a word - 'gross'.  They were only $20CAD each though, so I'm not arguing.  I would say that taking the 'slack' out of the sloppy fibreglass tip when setting the hook has lost me a few fish.  They are fine for harder biting fish like pike and lakers, not so good for burbot.
Soft
9ft 10-20# Big Water - great for down rigging and trolling.  I haven't messed around with surf casting it yet.  Great feeling rod.  For trolling and down rigging, I don't really see the need for anything more.
7ft 6-12# GX2 - another graphite/glass monstrosity, the slack tip is less of a problem with this one b/c the bend feels more continuous than the ice rod, the trouble with it is it casts about 2/3 as far as it should.  Definitely annoying when your buddy is standing beside you casting with a graphite.

In all, I think ugly stick is fantastic at what it does.  If I was targeting daintier, softer biting species, I don't think I would be able to make much use of them, but thankfully I'm not, because I don't think my kids and car door would accommodate me any more if I did.

[wirenut45]

Sounds like what happens to ones manhood while you age.

so Aggy, i,m only 72, so when can i expect this to START happening to me? haha wire

[Agronomist_at_IA]

so Aggy, i,m only 72, so when can i expect this to START happening to me? haha wire

When the viagra pills wear off.......lol.

[dbad]

Ugly Stiks are not just an Eglass blank. They start of with a spiral wrap graphite and then finish over the top with a glass. This blend of composites allows for the best of both worlds, but a master of none. Graphite has goods sensitivity, and strong rigidity to weight and diameter, but is relatively brittle. Glass has superior durability, but lacks that back bone and acts like a wet noodle. By combining both you can have a rod that has a firm hook set, but will not snap when you bend it from tip to tip or if you step on it.

-Dylan

What Shakespeare used to refer to as the "Howald Process".