Line and Ice question

Hi all,

My name is Tuan, all the way from Colorado. And i was wondering this forum and saw how awesome and knowledgeable you guys are. But anyways, on to my question..

So over the previous years when i hit a big fish that runs hard, ive always stuck my rod in the water to prevent the line to get cut on the ice. But ive been watching the videos online of James Holst hitting huge walleyes and what not, and he never sticks it in the water. And it makes me cringe every single time the huge eye shakes her head right next to the whole.

So what is your opinion on this? do you guys worry about it??

Oh i tend to fish with 6# test or so…

Unless you stuck your tip below the bottom of the ice putting it in the hole is pointless. The top of the hole is not where the line drags across the ice. That’s the bottom of the hole.

Often your fishing 20 plus inches of ice too. You would need a long rod to push in that deep and your lose all leverage on the fish.

but i guess it makes since about the thick ice. You guys dont really have a choice but to deal with it when it gets thick. In Colorado, it really only gets that thick in the mountains. If we fish lakes that arent in the mountains, the ice maxes out at 18″. most of the time i fish 3″ – 12″.

but every time i see the line drag on the edge of the ice (on the bottom) it makes we worried that it might bury itself into the ice or get cut.

You might want to try a super line like Spider wire,Power Pro or Suffix.Tie a mono leader onto the line and you should be fine.I have been an ice fisherman for over 30 years and I can’t remember EVER loosing a fish because of the line rubbing on the bottom of the hole. Paul

In 55 years of ice fishing I don’t think I’ve experienced or witnessed a line cut on ice. That doesn’t mean it couldn’t happen but there are probably other factors more likely to contribute to breaking off such as malfunctioning reel drag or damaged rod tip, etc.

I always have a good chuckle about this subject. Ice is slippery. Even more slippery when it’s wet. Haven’t you noticed that? It won’t cut your line.

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If we fish lakes that arent in the mountains, the ice maxes out at 18″. most of the time i fish 3″ -12″

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Yeah, we would need a 48″ rod in the dead of winter to get the tip below the ice.

Very good points guys. Thanks, for the inputs

I have stuck my rod in the water a few times but it was always for a big bass or walleye that bit while panfishing when the fish went on crazy drag screaming runs. If the line gets caught above the water on a piece of ice well then its a different story.

I feel the same way as you. I would cringe every time I get a trout to the hole and it starts rolling around. I started using a flourocarbon leader on my ice rods a few seasons ago and have never lost a fish to broken line since. You can either use a small swivel to connect the leader or a loop to loop connection. I use a braid for a mainline and then a loop to loop with about 10 ft of fluorocarbon line. This line is meant to take abrasion and it takes the ice friction very well.

Tom

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I feel the same way as you. I would cringe every time I get a trout to the hole and it starts rolling around. I started using a flourocarbon leader on my ice rods a few seasons ago and have never lost a fish to broken line since. You can either use a small swivel to connect the leader or a loop to loop connection. I use a braid for a mainline and then a loop to loop with about 10 ft of fluorocarbon line. This line is meant to take abrasion and it takes the ice friction very well.

Tom

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This is good information Tom, and I agree, floro is pretty abrasion resistant. Tuan, I see your concern, trout near the ice-hole get pretty crazy, much more so than many of the mid-western species I typically target more often. Nice discussion!

Joel

Awesome, i started to use 6# seaguar this year for open water. So i will be using it for the ice. Along with my new TUCR Precision rod … so i will try out not sticking the rod down the hole, but it will be very hard. I’ll keep you guys updated.

Thanks again