Ice rods

A specialized forum to discuss anything and everything about your favorite or not so favorite fishing rods.
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BRONZEBACK32
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Ice rods

Post by BRONZEBACK32 » Fri Dec 07, 2018 11:39 pm

What are some high end ice rods?

Also what action do you guys like for all around, trout, crappie, etc.

Oh, one other question, I see a lot of rods that don't have rod seats and would prefer not to use tape, what else is
there to attach a reel to the rod?

Thanks.

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BRONZEBACK32
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Re: Ice rods

Post by BRONZEBACK32 » Wed Dec 12, 2018 11:35 pm

None of you ice fish????

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Re: Ice rods

Post by poisonokie » Thu Dec 13, 2018 9:01 am

You should look up some In Fisherman articles. If I tried to ice fish, I'd drown before going into hypothermia.
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kstephes033
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Re: Ice rods

Post by kstephes033 » Thu Dec 13, 2018 9:27 am

Used to ice fish, hate staring down a hole and looking at a bobber... so in turn quit ice fishing other than maybe once a year when I go up north with some friends her in MN.

Usually panfish or walleye around here, and I will use mid range stuff in the 28”-32” range, UL to ML. I use braid to floro leader so never saw a need for an expensive ice rod. Custom is going to be the way to go if you want something really nice. A few places around me in Minneapolis area make them, most notably is Thorne Brothers, I hear nothing but great things about their custom rods. They make everything from super nice high end Muskie rods down to ice rods upwards of $100. Other than that I don’t have much for ya but at least it’s one to take a look at haha.

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Re: Ice rods

Post by TK_duluthbass » Thu Dec 13, 2018 3:54 pm

St Croix are the only ones I know of. The 13 Fishing ice gear seems like junk imo. Ice fishing stuff is ridiculously overpriced. I would have one custom built, you’d probably save money and end up with a better rod.

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Re: Ice rods

Post by TK_duluthbass » Thu Dec 13, 2018 4:03 pm

They make some sort of rubber band to attach the reels. I use a Fenwick for crappie, idk the specifications, it’s short and med-light. I use the same rod for small trout. I think the longer the rod and the lighter the action, the better your hook to land ratio will be, but if the rod is longer you sit further back from the ice hole so it kinda depends on what size of shelter you’re fishing in. Crappie are easy to land, but trout are crazy when you get them up to the hole so a longer rod with a slow taper will help a lot.

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BRONZEBACK32
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Re: Ice rods

Post by BRONZEBACK32 » Thu Dec 13, 2018 6:18 pm

I have a St Croix legend black ice on its way.

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Gone Phishin
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Re: Ice rods

Post by Gone Phishin » Thu Dec 13, 2018 6:57 pm

BRONZEBACK32 wrote:I have a St Croix legend black ice on its way.
Atta boy. If they had an UL in that series over 24", I'd order a couple.

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Re: Ice rods

Post by adam lancia » Sun Dec 16, 2018 3:40 am

I ice fish, but not with high and gear since its in brackish or salt water. We only really fish for smelt and it's really easy to feel when they're on. Most guys around here actually use what amounts to a cutoff broom handle, like this but round: https://fishingandhuntingheaven.com/fis ... stick-line They just pull the line up by hand after they feet a fish on. We usually use a sabiki rig with shrimp, squid, or worms. When they're running, it's a blast! Filling your 60 fish quota can happen real fast. I use a Eagle Claw inline reel on a Frabill Bro Series 28" ML rod. I have another inline reel combo but don't use it as much, it's a ML rod as well. I need to modify how the reel mounts, right now it's close to the blank like a fly reel, and it's metal so it gets balls cold! I need to make a reel foot extension basically, probably out of some sort of hardwood. Anyhow, that's what I use...

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slime king
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Re: Ice rods

Post by slime king » Mon Dec 24, 2018 12:12 pm

Look into tuned up custom ice rods as well as Thorne Bros customs. I like the Tuned up customs for non spring bobber rods and Thorne tripwire series for spring bobber panfish and light walleye applications. These two offer top of the line offerings with custom tapered blanks. PM me if you have any specific questions on rods offered by these two makers as I have fished most models they offer at one time or another.

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slime king
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Re: Ice rods

Post by slime king » Mon Dec 24, 2018 12:14 pm

I forgot to add that tape is the best way to keep these rods light as possible. Look into rescue tape or self adhesive silicone tape which sticks to itself and not to cork or the reels seat.

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Re: Ice rods

Post by HobeyBaker » Wed Dec 26, 2018 1:54 pm

BRONZEBACK32 wrote:What are some high end ice rods?

Also what action do you guys like for all around, trout, crappie, etc.

Oh, one other question, I see a lot of rods that don't have rod seats and would prefer not to use tape, what else is
there to attach a reel to the rod?

Thanks.
You can beat a Tuned Up Custom Rod. I use friction tape that plumbers use. It doesn't have any adhesive so it won't gum up the cork.

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Re: Ice rods

Post by HobeyBaker » Wed Dec 26, 2018 1:58 pm

It's hard to recommend a rod since they are just like open water and are technique specific. I like the TUCR Precision for jigging for walleye with small jigging raps and spoons. If you want to use a spring bobber, the St Croix's can't be beat. They have the best spring bobber on the market since the bobber can be adjusted based on the jig weight.

Make sure you get an in line reel and use a loop knot.

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Re: Ice rods

Post by slipperybob » Sun Dec 30, 2018 8:55 am

I totally don't like tennessee handles or the likes of taping it onto or reel foot bands. It's fine for little fish. Anything you could quantify as trophy makes too much flex in the system.

For high priced rods:
St Croix Customs
TUCR
13 widomaker
Elliot Ice fishing rods
Thorne Bros. ice rods

********
I did start with some off the rod rack with Thorne Bros. Sweetheart in a Panfish and Perch in 32" years ago in tennessee handles. Like them much at the time and got some custom made ones with reel seats. The Panfish Sweetheart custom made one I use over 90% of the time when using a myriad of a dozen other rods.

******
As the ice fishing goes...UL power rods are the key. However the majority of them are lame as far as fish fighting goes. Soft noodle tips on medium back bone rods became the hype to that problem. As visual strike indicator, they're great. Again as vibration indicator for hands, they're still shock absorption rods and are passe for fish fighting. Everyone is different as far as what they like and how they fish.

I'm still mostly a graphite/solid carbon ice rod guy. Still prefer a baitcasting set up over that of a spinning reel set up. Even though I have easily 4 times more spinning reel set up. It's because no one really makes a baitcasting set up - in essence of bfs for ice fishing.
slip bobbing is the laziest way to fish

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