Favorite Panfish Rod

In this day and age everything seems to be specialized so what is your favorite panfish rod or rods and why?

For my best tricks, 1/64 jigs or tiny spinners @ tiny worm piece the shakespere IMF 7 in ultralight action really shines. However, I suspect line has a great deal to do with the success of most panfish techniques. My favorite is 4# hi-vis in any brand I can see jump. Can we add favorite line to the question?…….B

Oh MERCY!!! A favorite for panfish………………….that’s a tough one Bill, it REALLY IS! If I’m fishing in a lake where there’s little threat of “surprises”, I’ll use a 7’6″ Lamiglas custom that was built with a 4 power fly blank. Super light, super sensitive, and helps with extending into weed patches if necessary. If there’s no concern over weeds, I’ll use a St. Croix Premier 4’6″ UL.

If I even THINK there could be a “surprise” fish or two, I grab my G Loomis IMX SR782. Plenty of give for a small fish fight but better backbone to handle surprises.

Now, I have a different rod of preference for bobber fishing and travel rod I use frequently too so…………………yes, you are correct in assuming I’m absolutely NUTS! I’m just a big UL fan and WAAAAYYY over purchased. It makes it tough to have a favorite

I use both the sjr720 maglite and sjr721 by G-Loomis. eyenuts

Ninety % of the time I’m fishing for panfish with a ten & a half foot Fenwick medium light spinning rod. The big eyes allow for the line to flow with ease. I’ve got pinpoint accuracy up to 30 ft. away. I can reach down to 10 ft. of water & get my jigs back which more than pays for the $100 dollar rod. A fly reel & 4 lb. solar line makes it easier to see the line twitch. Cabella’s has them. {John}

Gills,

That sounds like a fun combo! Wouldn’t mind trying something like that myself!

A 12′ cane pole and a wingdam…….what more could you ask for…….then hang on.

Jarrad:

Where do you find the gills on the dams? In front, behind, right on the rocks? Do you usually fish the same dams that hold alot of walleyes and smallies, or smaller dams? Dams near backwaters, or out in the channel?

Curious because my wife likes to get out and fish them, but we always seem to catch a ton of little ones in the backwaters.

I have been finding them on all the wingdams in the main channel. In front and on top as been the key. It hasn’t mattered how deep they are. I have caught them anywhere from 2′ -15′ of water. They are in the same spots as the walleyes. If you are targeting panfish switch to a ice fishing jig and you will catch 10x more. What happens I usually put one live bait out and the other is cranking or topwater for bass and walleye. I hope that helps.