Ice fishing rods.

[Acountdeleted]

So, just back from my second trip to Scugog and I must say we were met with much more success. All perch through the ice but there were some eaters and lots of hits.

 

I noticed though I was losing a lot of fish due to soft hits. I was using a 1/8th chartruse ball jig with small emerald shiners on it so that may be part of the reason, but I also have this clunker of an old ice fishing rod, I think its medium but I'm not sure.

 

Seeing as how I'm not married any excuse to buy new gear is a good one so I'm off to bass pro this week. Now, before I drop $50 on a rod I was hoping you guys could help me out. I love my 5 foot summer ultra lite ugly stick and can feel almost anything on it, will an ultra lite ice fishing pole yeild the same results and help me ice more perch? Realisticly I don't see myself going for 20 pound northerns or lakers in the neer future so I feel like the lighter the rod and line the better, was just wondering if anyone had any reccomedations.

Edited January 22, 2012 by jeremy84

[manitoubass2]

I purchased a few Fenwick EliteTech rods this year and I'm very pleased with them. The 28" med. is my fav, it will handle whatever, but it's very sensitive too.

 

The 24" ML is also a great rod, check it out if you get a chance.

 

I think I payed about $30 per rod

[kickingfrog]

Good ice fishing rods are relatively inexpensive, and now a days there is a lot of selection. A fairly soft tipped panfish rod will help, light line and a light reel will also be needed to balance the outfit. There is also the option of using a spring bobber on the tip of your rod. It's a small flexible piece of metal with an eye that you attach to the end of your rod that will move at the slightest touch from a fish.

 

Here is one type but there are others:

http://s7d5.scene7.com/s7viewers/dhtml/images/spacer.gif

 

If you are getting hits, but not hook-ups, then changing the style and or size of your bait/lure will likely help as well.

[OutdoorDan]

I don't own expensive ice fishing rods because they are often getting banged on things, throw around in the bucket, and getting dragged along shrubs on the way in. You can just take a spring (slightly larger and stiffer than the ones commonly found in pens), stretch it out, and attach it to the end of a cheapo rod. Works great and you don't have to worry about babying an expensive rod.

[cwpowell]

Ive never had much luck at bass pro for ice gear. maybe just me but the local tackle shops carry a lot better ice gear around here.

[SirCranksalot]

Or...........if you have a spare rod tip lying around, you could cut it to suit, drill a hole in a wooden dowel and stick the tip into it.

[richyb]

you can get a decent panfish combo at walmart or any tackle shop for around 15-30 bucks. You dont need big money equipment to catch perch but something with the right action is a good start. My fav perch rod is a 26" ( i think) berkley that was 15 bucks for the combo at walmart.

[Dabluz]

So, just back from my second trip to Scugog and I must say we were met with much more success. All perch through the ice but there were some eaters and lots of hits.

 

I noticed though I was losing a lot of fish due to soft hits. I was using a 1/8th chartruse ball jig with small emerald shiners on it so that may be part of the reason, but I also have this clunker of an old ice fishing rod, I think its medium but I'm not sure.

 

Seeing as how I'm not married any excuse to buy new gear is a good one so I'm off to bass pro this week. Now, before I drop $50 on a rod I was hoping you guys could help me out. I love my 5 foot summer ultra lite ugly stick and can feel almost anything on it, will an ultra lite ice fishing pole yeild the same results and help me ice more perch? Realisticly I don't see myself going for 20 pound northerns or lakers in the neer future so I feel like the lighter the rod and line the better, was just wondering if anyone had any reccomedations.

 

 

1/8 ounce....is not utltra light stuff.....it's medium or medium light.....so a wimpy rod is not what you want to use with such lure weights.

 

What you need is a very light rod (which helps detecting bites) yet a very fast action rod which will be stiff enough to make that 1/8 ounce jig move upward fast enough for it to bury it's hook past the barb.

 

There are lots of stiff rods but they tend to be a bit heavier so they work ok for such thing as fishing in 300 feet of water with a 2 ounce jig. Yes....I do that too.

 

The best I have seen (stiff yet light) so far is the St-Croix ice rod at around 50 dollars. Check out this rod before handling or buying another rod.

 

I do not have a St-Croix rod. I do not have the money for such a thing.....I'm married. I make my own ice fishing rods with broken rods people give me. I try to imitate the St-Croix rod as much as I can. No....I can't come close to imitating it but close enough to make me happy enough. Maybe the St-Croix rod is too stiff anyway.

 

I do a lot of icefishing for brook trout in the early spring and this is where a good rod really shines. I use 2 to 4 lb mono with maybe a maximum of 1/32 once of weight.

 

Yes....the Fenwick ice rod seems pretty nice too but it's almost the same price as the St-Croix rod. Anyway, it is not as stiff which may be better for fighting a fish because the St-Croix rod is amazingly stiff for such a light rod. Almost scary.

[archie_james_c]

Sounds like you werent getting light hits, just setting the hook too soon. Switch to an ultralight rod like folks above have mentioned, but change your fishing style.

 

With perch you get the usual "tap tap tap tap tap tap"...let them hit it over and over until they pull the ultralight tip down a couple inches then set the hook. Usually perch will suck in half the shiner and chew on it for a few seconds (sometimes a looong time) before they suck it right into their mouth.

 

Ditch the jig as well. Run a little williams wabbler with a 10" dropper down to a #14 or 12 treble hook, hook the shiner through the mid back and drop him down to them, dont hook them in the lips or tail, you'll lose more shiners than you can afford

 

Its that easy. Im going tomorrow mornign maybe I'll try and make a video.

[BucktownAngler]

With perch you get the usual "tap tap tap tap tap tap"...let them hit it over and over until they pull the ultralight tip down a couple inches then set the hook. Usually perch will suck in half the shiner and chew on it for a few seconds (sometimes a looong time) before they suck it right into their mouth.

 

i can confirm that. was watching them suck and nibble the shiner on the fishcam this weekend

[Harrison]

Alot of good advice in this thread.

 

Sometimes it is just the way they bite. On Simcoe when they are feeding on the shrimp you have be very fast and like Dabluz noted, have a rod that will show you the bite, but the back bone to drive the hook.

 

Sometimes you really have to scale down so they suck the whole bait in too.

 

Fenwick Elites are a very nice ice rod. For under $30 you can not go wrong. There are a few guys here who use them already and they seem happy with them.

 

Good Luck,

Phil

[Acountdeleted]

Thanks for the good advice everyone. Lots of good tips here. Its hard not to immediately set the hook when ice fishing, especially if its been an hour or two between hits. The last 2 times I went out ice fishing I figured using a crummy rod and some of my summer stuff would be sufficient with minnows tipping the lures. I'm slowly starting to learn. That being said after coming out twice this year I'm totally hooked.

 

I'll keep everyone posted when I go out again how things go. Thanks again.

[BillM]

Really liking my St.Croix PIR32M.. Real seat, decent guides and $30 or so.. I'm thinking of picking up the PIR36H for those bigger whities/lakers however.

Edited January 23, 2012 by BillM

[a.cortellessa]

I would check out the info on ice fishing rods at www.iceforfishing.com. There is a lot of info there on the type of rods that will suit your needs. I would avoid HT rods. They seem to dominate the ice fishing market but I find them cheap and poorly made.

[a.cortellessa]

If you are strictly going for perch like you mentioned, then a stiff rod would not serve you any good. A stiff rod will give you the backbone to set the hook on a fish with a bony mouth such as a pike, that is heavy and you can pull it in without breaking your rod. For perch, all you need is an ultralite, that gives you the sensitivity you need to feel every nibble. A perch has a very thin, paper like mouth. An ultralite is more than capable of getting a good hook set.

 

However, if you want a more all around rod, then a medium light would be better, or a medium if you plan on going for pike or walleye or anything along that line.

1/8 ounce....is not utltra light stuff.....it's medium or medium light.....so a wimpy rod is not what you want to use with such lure weights.

 

What you need is a very light rod (which helps detecting bites) yet a very fast action rod which will be stiff enough to make that 1/8 ounce jig move upward fast enough for it to bury it's hook past the barb.

 

There are lots of stiff rods but they tend to be a bit heavier so they work ok for such thing as fishing in 300 feet of water with a 2 ounce jig. Yes....I do that too.

 

The best I have seen (stiff yet light) so far is the St-Croix ice rod at around 50 dollars. Check out this rod before handling or buying another rod.

 

I do not have a St-Croix rod. I do not have the money for such a thing.....I'm married. I make my own ice fishing rods with broken rods people give me. I try to imitate the St-Croix rod as much as I can. No....I can't come close to imitating it but close enough to make me happy enough. Maybe the St-Croix rod is too stiff anyway.

 

I do a lot of icefishing for brook trout in the early spring and this is where a good rod really shines. I use 2 to 4 lb mono with maybe a maximum of 1/32 once of weight.

 

Yes....the Fenwick ice rod seems pretty nice too but it's almost the same price as the St-Croix rod. Anyway, it is not as stiff which may be better for fighting a fish because the St-Croix rod is amazingly stiff for such a light rod. Almost scary.

[DaveMc]

St Croix PIR24ML or PIC24ML.

 

an ultra light might be a little too soft for horsing the hogs out of deeper water, but the ML gives you a little more backbone to it.

 

I see you are in Mississauga, pop in to Angling Specialties - five chains, and have a look at some (assuming they carry St Croix ice rods)

[kickingfrog]

Another thing I didn't mention was to take a file/stone to your hooks.

[archie_james_c]

I suppose I'll agree with you on that one Bill, Croix ice rods trump the fenwicks elite techs all day every day.

 

I'll likely throw my Elite Tech in the closet and buy more Croix Premiers.

[archie_james_c]

If you are strictly going for perch like you mentioned, then a stiff rod would not serve you any good. A stiff rod will give you the backbone to set the hook on a fish with a bony mouth such as a pike, that is heavy and you can pull it in without breaking your rod. For perch, all you need is an ultralite, that gives you the sensitivity you need to feel every nibble. A perch has a very thin, paper like mouth. An ultralite is more than capable of getting a good hook set.

 

However, if you want a more all around rod, then a medium light would be better, or a medium if you plan on going for pike or walleye or anything along that line.

 

Agreed, but a ultralight with a fast action or extra fast would be ideal. As a perches throat (where the hooks usually end up) is very rough and tough. Usually when I haul them up the treble hook is barely caught in their. Their lips are soft though.

[Harrison]

I'll likely throw my Elite Tech in the closet and buy more Croix Premiers.

 

What??? Use it as a tomatoe stick at least.

Edited January 23, 2012 by Harrison

[BillM]

I suppose I'll agree with you on that one Bill, Croix ice rods trump the fenwicks elite techs all day every day.

 

I'll likely throw my Elite Tech in the closet and buy more Croix Premiers.

 

I had the PIR32M out for lakers the other day and it did an ok job. I wouldn't mind something with a bit more back bone and faster action for jigging however. That's why I'm going to check out the PIR36H... The reel seat is a nice addition as well, just another thing you don't have to worry about.

[EC1]

i can confirm that. was watching them suck and nibble the shiner on the fishcam this weekend

 

At the same time, don't you notice that a lot of the perch hits aren't felt or seen, even with a strike indicator until they spit the bait back out?

I've always thought that was the problem when I'm on scugog and missing hits from the dink perch.

[sleepjigging]

With perch you get the usual "tap tap tap tap tap tap"...let them hit it over and over until they pull the ultralight tip down a couple inches then set the hook. Usually perch will suck in half the shiner and chew on it for a few seconds (sometimes a looong time) before they suck it right into their mouth.

 

 

What do you do if you are using plastic minnows? The perch can tell that It's not real and spit it out.

[BillM]

I don't let perch bite, by the time you feel them, they've already been chewing on it.. First tap I set the hook..

[Acountdeleted]

So, as luck would have it, one of my co-workers pulled into the office yesterday with a ton of newly purchased ice fishing gear from Radio World in Woodbridge. After showing me his new ML St-Croix rod with an ultralite spring bobber tip (I think that's what its called) I'm sold on the whole idea. It looks like it will give me the sensitivity to feel even the dinkiest perch with the backbone necessary to set the hook if I happen to get the occasional walleye.

 

Problem is he came back with a bunch of other toys I want now too. Has anyone seen the hand held depth finders that are out there? This will defiantly either be an impulse buy or a short term saving's plan.