Ice Fishing Reels

  • machine
    Posts: 98
    December 11, 2008 at 6:12 pm #1299853

    Anyone have any strong recommendations for a new reel? I know shimano makes a heck of a reel, but they also seem to be the most expensive. Anyone?

    MFO
    Minneapolis, MN
    Posts: 1451
    December 11, 2008 at 6:20 pm #727901

    I like the 300U Cardinal for $40 or a 310 Mitchell for $30.

    mrwalleye
    MN
    Posts: 974
    December 11, 2008 at 6:24 pm #727903

    I have Quantum XTSOO reels that I really like and only $38.00 each.

    wade
    Cottage Grove, MN
    Posts: 1737
    December 11, 2008 at 6:24 pm #727904

    I just picked up a couple Cetus Tica 500 and they seem to be very nice and were under $30, I am getting them out on the ice this weekend for the field test hopefully!

    jon_jordan
    St. Paul, Mn
    Posts: 10908
    December 11, 2008 at 6:28 pm #727906

    You can get a decent Shimano fo runder $30 >> Solstace

    One thing you may want to do with any reel you get for ice fishing is pull it apart and clean out the lube it it shipped with and re-lube with a product like Hot Sauce >>

    Hot Sauce

    -J.

    wade
    Cottage Grove, MN
    Posts: 1737
    December 11, 2008 at 6:31 pm #727908

    Quote:

    One thing you may want to do with any reel you get for ice fishing is pull it apart and clean out the lube it it shipped with and re-lube with a product like Hot Sauce >>
    Hot Sauce

    -J.

    Can I ask why is that a low temp lube?

    bret_clark
    Sparta, WI
    Posts: 9362
    December 11, 2008 at 6:31 pm #727909

    Pflueger President Ultra light

    birddog
    Mn.
    Posts: 1957
    December 11, 2008 at 6:37 pm #727913

    After running a Abu Garcia 100U for a couple years and it’s still smooth, never freezes up or gets stiff has a smooth drag…it’s been flawless/tough. I’ve since bought a few more and rigged the rest of my crappie, walleye rods with the same. The only rods I have rigged with different reels are my laker rods…for obvious reasons I went with larger reels which are shimano’s.

    Can’t go wrong with the Abu 100U!

    BIRDDOG

    fish_any_time
    Champlin, MN
    Posts: 2097
    December 11, 2008 at 6:38 pm #727914

    Quote:

    Quote:

    One thing you may want to do with any reel you get for ice fishing is pull it apart and clean out the lube it it shipped with and re-lube with a product like Hot Sauce >>
    Hot Sauce

    -J.

    Can I ask why is that a low temp lube?

    From my experiences and what I think Jon is getting at is the factory lube can become very stiff in cold temps making it very difficult to operate (reel) the reel.

    jon_jordan
    St. Paul, Mn
    Posts: 10908
    December 11, 2008 at 6:44 pm #727918

    Yes, the hot sauce will work great in sub-freezing temps. Stock greese can get really stiff.

    Birddog,

    I have 2 of the U100’s and like them for ice fishing. I did a brief web search and didn’t find any for sale retail. Did they stop making them?

    -J.

    Mike W
    MN/Anoka/Ham lake
    Posts: 13310
    December 11, 2008 at 7:02 pm #727921

    What are you planning to catch on it. This is my favorite panfish reel.

    Not as good as the old Mardo version of this reel but still works and only $10.

    I dont think the reels will fit into standard reel seats. taping them on the rods holds them very solid.

    reel

    wade
    Cottage Grove, MN
    Posts: 1737
    December 11, 2008 at 7:26 pm #727926

    Is it hard to remove the factory grease?

    Steven Krapfl
    Springville, Iowa
    Posts: 1774
    December 11, 2008 at 7:30 pm #727930

    Quote:

    Pflueger President Ultra light

    I’ll second that. Sure go nice on a Legend Ice Rod!

    fishthumper
    Sartell, MN.
    Posts: 12103
    December 11, 2008 at 7:33 pm #727932

    I re- grease all my reels with hot sauce both summer and winter. It is great stuff and will prolong the life of you reels for sure!!!!

    jon_jordan
    St. Paul, Mn
    Posts: 10908
    December 11, 2008 at 8:32 pm #727942

    Quote:

    Is it hard to remove the factory grease?

    Pull the side plate off. I just hit it with a couple shots of brake clean (or a carb cleaner like Gumout) then hit it with compressed air to blow it out dry. Then apply the hot sauce and re-assemble.

    -J.

    wade
    Cottage Grove, MN
    Posts: 1737
    December 11, 2008 at 9:25 pm #727956

    Quote:

    Quote:

    Is it hard to remove the factory grease?

    Pull the side plate off. I just hit it with a couple shots of brake clean (or a carb cleaner like Gumout) then hit it with compressed air to blow it out dry. Then apply the hot sauce and re-assemble.

    -J.

    Thanks Jon, I will be doing that would the product reel scrubber work for that, I have used it before.

    jon_jordan
    St. Paul, Mn
    Posts: 10908
    December 11, 2008 at 9:43 pm #727961

    Anything that breaks up the greese will work.

    -J.

    birddog
    Mn.
    Posts: 1957
    December 11, 2008 at 10:44 pm #727975

    Quote:

    Birddog,

    I have 2 of the U100’s and like them for ice fishing. I did a brief web search and didn’t find any for sale retail. Did they stop making them?

    I don’t think so…I bought two of them at the ice show. Joes had them for $14.99!!

    Here’s a COMBO at Joes, I have one of these combos, it’s a decent rod for the price. Not my jigging rod but works well for a bobber rod.

    Here’s the REEL .

    BIRDDOG

    luke_haugland
    Iowa City, Iowa
    Posts: 3037
    December 12, 2008 at 1:29 am #728002

    stradics or ticas on all my thorne or st croixs!!

    DSchuh
    Golden, CO
    Posts: 110
    December 12, 2008 at 3:29 pm #728113

    Quote:

    Pflueger President Ultra light

    I agree, very smooth reels.

    chomps
    Sioux City IA
    Posts: 3974
    December 12, 2008 at 4:34 pm #728134

    I’ll stick to the Tica’s, been very happy, and in the last 4 years I’ve never had stiffness in the reel, the Cardnal’s on the other hand get real stiff, so maybe a shot of the juice might be in order.

    steve-lujan
    prior lake,mn
    Posts: 65
    December 13, 2008 at 1:52 pm #728289

    I have six rods with 3 having abu garcia 100u,2 with pfueger president ul,and 1 with guide series tournament gst.All are great and you will happy with any of them,I am.

    rcn_brian
    Andover, MN
    Posts: 62
    December 14, 2008 at 4:55 pm #728453

    I love my Shimano Sahara SH 750. They are on sale now for $29.99, normally $49.99 because Shimano is updating reels. I have 3 – 2 for ice and 1 for summer. I use St Croix Legend for ice and Acadia rods summer. I also bought 1 for my dad. Maintenance port in side for greasing. Sturdy, quiet, smooth reel. My pick of the litter anyway.

    James Holst
    Keymaster
    SE Minnesota
    Posts: 18926
    December 14, 2008 at 4:58 pm #728454

    Quote:

    I love my Shimano Sahara SH 750. They are on sale now for $29.99, normally $49.99 because Shimano is updating reels. I have 3 – 2 for ice and 1 for summer. I also bought 1 for my dad. Maintenance port in side for greasing. Sturdy, quiet, smooth reel. My pick of the litter anyway.

    I just strapped on a pair of those 750’s (sedona variety) on my Legend Ice rods and love them. The drags are very good which is important when you’re using 2# test line and a big slab or small bass comes a callin’.

    lundgeye
    Rochester, Minnesota
    Posts: 1209
    December 14, 2008 at 6:05 pm #728478

    I have some Shimano 750s and some Okuma Ultralites…both work great.

    dandorn
    M.I.N.N.E.S.O.T.A.
    Posts: 3211
    December 15, 2008 at 1:08 am #728601

    Quote:

    One thing you may want to do with any reel you get for ice fishing is pull it apart and clean out the lube it it shipped with and re-lube with a product like Hot Sauce >>
    Hot Sauce

    -J.

    Hi Jon,

    Do you replace with the Hot Sauce grease or oil?
    Or do you use both?
    I found them both on the shelf at the man’s mall and
    wasn’t sure which I needed, or if I needed both.

    Thanks!!

    jon_jordan
    St. Paul, Mn
    Posts: 10908
    December 15, 2008 at 2:36 pm #728729

    Quote:

    Do you replace with the Hot Sauce grease or oil?
    Or do you use both?

    Oil only. Don’t need much on there.

    -J.

    dandorn
    M.I.N.N.E.S.O.T.A.
    Posts: 3211
    December 15, 2008 at 2:43 pm #728734

    Thanks -J.

    chrispy003
    Superior, Wisconsin
    Posts: 19
    December 15, 2008 at 8:46 pm #728882

    Quote:

    Quote:

    One thing you may want to do with any reel you get for ice fishing is pull it apart and clean out the lube it it shipped with and re-lube with a product like Hot Sauce >>
    Hot Sauce

    -J.

    Hi Jon,

    Do you replace with the Hot Sauce grease or oil?
    Or do you use both?
    I found them both on the shelf at the man’s mall and
    wasn’t sure which I needed, or if I needed both.

    Thanks!!

    I have stiffness in my drag and am gonna replace the lubricant. I would replace the lubricant in the side port would this cure my drag problem or do i need to put some under the spool too?

    tom_gursky
    Michigan's Upper Peninsula(Iron Mountain)
    Posts: 4751
    January 12, 2009 at 2:47 am #736231

    Quote:

    Quote:

    Pflueger President Ultra light

    I agree, very smooth reels.

    I’ll be the fourth to pick Pfleuger…they are really winning me over…most of the reels mentioned are all very capable!

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