I got one about 2 weeks ago and love it. I also bought some marmish jigs to go with it. I catch a lot of small perch on it. I did catch a 14.5" walleye too and a few keeper perch. I usually fish with medium size shiners and if the big fish didn't want to bite I didn't catch anything. I will never get skunked again. I can always catch small perch on the marmish. Last week I even got some shiners on it in 29 FOW. Took them into 10 FOW the next day and caught a 20" walleye, a 21" smallie a 23" northern and missed one fish that practically tore the minnow in half. I caught 4 shiners and got 4 bites the next day, wouldn't touch the minnows I bought. One thing I hear people complain about is that you have to bring the line in hand over hand to land the fish. I don't mind though, I feel that it allows ME to play the fish instead of the rod. I've missed more fish on my ice pole this year than tip-ups or the marmish. It's great just give it a chance and use the technique that the folks at marmish reccomend and you'll like it.