ice rods ??

[mark in mn]

Fellow ice fishermen - Seems to me like more and more companies are entering the ice fishing rod market. I am a walleye angler primarily, though I target panfish as well. With all the rods out there, I am somewhat confused on what to purchase. Any suggestions on rods to purchase??

Thanks

Mark

[sdhusker]

I bought a Jason Mitchell "perch" model last year and I really like it. I use it for both perch and walleye. He has a walleye model that is a little more stout, for when you go to chubby darters or heavier spoons.

The others that I really like, that I doubt you can find anywhere anymore, are the old Berkley Genz ice rods. Not the ones that he has now with a different company. They quit making the Berkley ones like 3 years ago. I found some on ebay the year they were discontinued and bought about 5 different models for about $8/each (retail was $30). I found some at a local tackle store last year and, as it turns out, I should have bought more because I have had quite a few friends asking where to get one.

[Bob Jensen]

Ice anglers didn't have much choice just a few years ago. In fact, much of the time, anglers used just a piece of kind of flexible wood or maybe the tip section of a broken rod, and, sometimes monofilament wrapped around a piece of plastic. The purpose of the plastic was to store line, you fought the fish just like with a tip up, line in hand.

Now there are lots of rod choices, and a rod designed for a specific purpose can help you present a bait more effectively. I've had experience with Berkley, Northland, and Frabill rods. Brian Brosdahl designed a series of rods for Frabill.

You should go to Cabela's and shake several rods and determine what is best for you. If possible, get the rod that will best fit the way you fish the most. It would be wonderful if there was one rod that did a great job for every ice-fishing application, but there isn't, just like there isn't one golf club that does the job for every golfing situation.

Good question Mark in MN.

Best Fishes,

Bob Jensen

[Speedy]

I like the old Berkely Genz rods for perch and walleye as well. I love my Thorne Bros. Sweet Pea for sight fishing pan fish. I also have a couple of berkley 18in. ultra-light rods that I cut the handles down on to make them pretty good sight fishing rods. I also make spring bobbers from flint springs out of bic lighters, that work as well as the Thorne Bros spring bobbers and don't cost 6 bucks. Have your friends that still smoke keep the empty lighters for you.

[TrentGraphics com]

I guess im somewhat of a rookie, but i purchased 3 Frabill Bro series combos this season and i love 'em. I have the ultralight, light, and medium combos. The rods seem to be very sensitive, and the reels seem to be great for the money. Best combo/price available in my opinion. $39 bucks retail.

Trent

[butter101]

frabill rods work great!!

[Backwater Eddy]

I have lots of "Favorite ice Rods" depending on the end use intended.

I have a couple custom sticks that I truly cherish and will never part with, long rods made to order. Not too portable shack friendly as they require a lot of room to set a hook properly, but they are excellent hit and run open ice rods.

We as ice anglers are very fortunate as the selection now is amazing right off the shelf.

The new Frabill Bro Rods are very good, the Gary Roach Mr. Walleye rods really caught my eye...nice functional long rods that the market was lacking in...like them a lot, the Jason Mitchell Elite Series are excellent system specific rods and combo's, very well built rods indeed...Gander Mountains Professional Series is a high contender too...man the list go's on and on.

One of my personal favorite Go 2 rods for walleye is the Frabill Ultra Ice series, love the 32" Med and Med/Hvy....light weight, unbelievably sensitive, resists icing up....great sticks. The 30" Jason Mitchel is a tie for this purpose, with the 28" a very close second for lighter presentations.

Lots of options now, the market has certainly responded to anglers wish's and needs.