Ice Fishing rods and reels

It has been a while since I bought ice sticks. What are some good rods out there?

Gonna need reels too. Anyone here of the a reel called Tica cetas 500’s?

how much are you looking to spend?

I dont mind spending the money for a good rod as long as it has value.

I looked at some St. Croix rods today and that price didnt scare me.

Nothing beats a custom ice fishing rod.
Also with the new Shimano 750 series reel…

check out http://www.thornebros.com for all your needs on a custom rod and reel!!!

I looked at thornes sweatheart rods, but are they worth 20-30 bucks more than a st. croix? That is what I am struggling with.

you can’t go wrong with either one! i second the shimmano 750 series i own one and i love it. those are also pricey if i remember right though .

Have you ever thought of designing your own? Having one made the way YOU want it?

Shoot HOF a note, I think you’ll be surprised at how little he can get you a rod made just the way you want one to be.

FYI~ Mike has made me 4 custom cat rods. Each has a differant use… and they are perfect. I expected to pay more for the first one. Once he told me the price…I bought TWO! No kidding!

http://www.hofbaitandtackle.com

I will second the HOF rod prices. I PM’ed him one time about making a walleye rod with an Avid quality blank. When he told me the price I was shocked, way way way cheaper than buying off the shelf

HOF makes some really great custom rods with St. Croix Avid blanks. Very nice rods. And they ship rods too. Mike Smith at HOF 507- 282-4982
Thanks, Bill

Thanks, I’ll certainly give HOF a call. I need some sticks by this weekend though. Last minute louie here brushed the dust off the ice bucket that I havent used in years and just said that aint gonna work… going up to winni for a week. I need some stuff that is going to last some hard fishing.

Hey thanks guys, looks like a good source for a lot of things. I have some pinnacle reels I love that need to be repaired.

I still say HOF The last time I was in there, he had a bunch of them hanging up that were for sale Give him a call, I bet he has some rods that will be perfect for you and can have them mailed in a flash

If i had the money, i would go out and by a few more of the frabil panfish popper rods. Sure, those st. croix are great, but its something about the panfish popper rod that i really like. It has a great feel to it, and it is so light and really fun to fight the fish on. the handy spring bobber on the end is great too…personally, i hate those ones from st. croix or any of the wire type springs, the best kind are the ones that you run your line straight through. If i had the money i would buy 4 or 5 panfish poppers and maybe one st. croix, or 2. St. croix’s are more expensive but that doesn’t make them “Better.” Im happy with my panfish popper!

Hi guys, I just got back from Gander, the St Croix rods are on sale for 19.99. I picked up 2.

Were those premiers?

20% off all ice rod and rod and reel combos at gander! i almost bought another panfish rod but i don’t need any more, besides im saving up for an LX-3 that scott has waiting for me

The Tica reels are actually Pfluegger’s that Cabela’s brands. I actually have a couple and really like them.

Call me cheap and ignorant….but all my personal rods have tiny 20’s on them. With a little blue lube they’re great. $20

You’re cheap and ignorant!!

Me too. My rod was a $19.99 Gander Competitor 30″ rod with a Guide Series reel. I really like that cheap rod and if I spent more time up there I would get a few more

As for Reels, I use Tiny 20’s or the Scheels Brand Reels that are made by Pinnacle I believe. I pick them up when they go on sale every year after Christmas for $19.99

I am using Mammouth Rods this year. They are the best I have found so far

Would you pay $50.00 for a great walleye rod for summer fishing?

Is catching a walleye in the winter not as important as in the summer?

Thorne Bros. sweethearts are a step above anything else I’ve used.

Once you use one, chances are you will buy another.

Who makes the Tiny 20s???

They’re called silstar tiny 20’s. You should find them in quick search.

good to hear that im not the only one buying cheaper ice rods. quality can come at a good price….If you are paying 50 dollars for an ice rod, either take it back and get 2 seperate panfish poppers for $24.99 or you should put it in your house on display. i payed $30 for a nice combo and thats about all the higher i feel i need to pay. I saw st. croix rods in a little tube at cabelas, keep in mind this is just the rod, for 55 bucks. That is insane if you ask me. Like flashers, cameras, anything else, your equipment doesnt catch the fish for you, these are all just tools that help you locate active fish. The important part is choosing the right lure, the right depth and establishing a pattern. So for those of you that think a 50 dollar rod will make a bluegill bite better than a 25 dollar rod, let me tell you right now, i think you are wrong .Its all about preference! I personally have caught fish before on a stick with 10 feet of mono tied on to it (a 17″ smallmouth) back when my friend and i decided to be pioneers. It didn’t cost me a thing

Ok, I will weigh in here with my opinion. I have a bunch of scheels combos, great rods, cheap reels, the drags suck on the combo’s. Now, like the reel that scott mentioned, I also believe it is a pinnacle reel, and scheels stamped their name on it(this is not the same reel they put on their combos). This reel is a great reel, awesome drag. I believe the most important feature of a reel is the drag, especially when you are using 2 lbs test line. I have landed six pound bass, through the ice, on an ultra light, this wouldn’t have been possible without an excellent drag on the reel.
Let me be the devil’s advocate, we spend upwards of 350 for a loomis or a croix for open water, what is 50 bucks for a great ice rod, from croix or thorne bros? I believe these ultra sensitive rods help me put more fish on the ice than an ugly stick, especially, when they are light biters. In my opinion, just as in open water, you can’t put a value on a high modulus graphite rod.

Here is a picture of the scheels combo-

And here is a picture of the scheels reel made by pinnacle, really great reel, awesome drag- and a great price!

Last, but not least, my favorite ice combo for panfish-
St. Croix 28″ Ultra light avid comboed with an abu garcia c100u. Really sensitive rod, great reel with a great drag!

Thanks guys, I ordered some reels and rods from Thorne Brothers and picked two St. Croix at Gander. Heck of a sale.