Ice Rod?

[huntervasili]

Well I stumbled across this and figured someone may be able to benefit from it... Its a good general guideline for those starting out. Hope you can read it... Feel free to add what you have used and like or dislike...

Edited December 20, 2007 by Bill Parker

[sonny]

I was impressed with the bob izumi series that i believe ht is making....

[johnnyb]

best ice rod I own is a nice little steel one that I picked up from LeBaron a few years ago...looks like a car antenna with 3 guides on it...nice and stiff and perfect for Lakers. Probably a touch heavy for walleye/perch though.....

[Grimace]

I like the St Croix ice rods.

[danc]

A Willow branch plucked from the roadside can't be beat. The price is right too.

[trapshooter]

I like the St Croix ice rods.

 

 

I agree.

 

I decided that there is no reason I should fish with lesser quality equipment in the winter then I do in the summer. When I'm jigging walleye on the soft water I like a nice quality graphite jigging stick to feel the sometimes subtle hits. No difference in the winter... sometimes they hit light and I want a sensitive rod.

 

 

Same goes for reels.... I lost a monster fish last winter because of one of those cheap ice fishing reels I bought with a combo. Cheap drag and low line capacity, I got spooled. Made me think... why do I use good equipment in the summer and 'cheap' ice gear in the winter?? No matter if it's hard or soft water I want the best advantages I can get so I use higher end equipment. No reason your stradic from the summer can't go ice fishing with you. I do double duty (winter and summer) with a few of my reels. Stradic 1000 size is very verstatile. Not too big for winter, not too small for summer.

 

 

It's a different story for set lines or tip-ups where you don't need the sensitivity and a lesser quality product will still bring the fish in.

 

My .02 cents.

 

Cheers,

 

Ben.

Edited December 20, 2007 by trapshooter

[Riparian]

The legend Elite series rod seems really expensive compared to whats out there in combo form. But I like the idea of the spring tip. Seems to be a better design than the panfish popper spring tip.

 

I use a medium light premier series for perch. I like it alot better than the ultra lights Ive had before.

Edited December 20, 2007 by Riparian

[Bojangles]

If you like your normal 5-6 foot ultralight rods or other specific jigging rods I don't see why it would hurt to stand 6 feet away from the hole... but this would only apply if you were fishing without a hut.

[Blake]

The new Bob Izumi Seroes HT Rods are really nice for the money and I also agree with putting a decent reel on the rod. A 1000 Stardic is ideal bit also a 1000 Sienna would do the trick nicely.

[wallyboss]

I picked up a couple of YAD's rod this year and I just love the actionof those rods. There 30" ultralight has amazing sensitivity for those light biting gills and crappies. Also got aYad Deadstick for walleyes and I just love the action of the light tip and lotsa of backbone.