how do you jig them? i tried for first time this weekend and didnt have luck, did better on spoons.

Maybe im doing it wrong?

i was just bouncing it trying to make it rattle.

looks custom

i saw some video reviews, sounds like the app has some issues disconnecting sometimes, the sonar unit itself looks very nice and works well but the phone app you have to link it to needs work. its a new technology i would give it another year to mature.. all they need to do is improve the app and i would consider buying it myself.

i use palomar knot

is that the pipe?

appreciate the ideas guys, the water is around 2-3ft visibility. look forward to trying in a couple weeks, will report back with how i do.

i think the k-drill would be best for re-drilling because it has a center bit that keeps you from bouncing around, from watching others using it seems to work great. i beleive its max drill depth is 36″. lighter weight.

nils is more efficient and fastest at drilling new holes and it’s what i use, i have re-drilled my holes before but i have to be careful to center it properly before i drill, max is around 40″ i think.

nice thing about the k-drill/nils is you can use them with any 1/2″ high torque drill you have around the house and save a bit of money.

milwaukee and makita both have good 18v drills that have great torque for this, i use the makita

can’t speak for the ion.

save some money, buy a K-Drill or NILS USA convertible auger and get a cordless electric drill with 1000+ in/lb torque (milwaukee and makita have one for around $200) and then you have the best setup you can get for cheaper.

I got the makita and nils setup and i have drilled 60 holes in a day without running out of battery, its amazing.

If i did it again i might consider the K-Drill because its lighter weight.

i tried a few different braided lines last season, biggest waste of time in my life, they freeze up worse than floro.. plus they aren’t as invisible so you catch less fish, they dont sink as fast, harder to cut/clip line when tying new jigs etc..

unless you have a heated stationary or plan to spend all your time inside some type of heated shack, braided is not the way to go. the stretch on the best floro lines out there is so little that its not worth trying to go braided in my opinion.

Line will always freeze up.. I use P-Line Floroclear 3lb for panfish, 4lb for perch/wally (sometimes a 6lb leader of floroclear with tiny swivel depending on what im using). From what ive found it has the lowest memory, lowest stretch, but ice will always be an issue, just get rods with larger line guides (i like some of the beaver dam rods because of the huge line guides and their cheap) then you dont have to clear it quite as often

http://www.smoothdrag.com/

i got a 1/2″ makita (high torque cordless) drill and a NILSUSA CORDLESS CONVERTIBLE AUGER from fleet farm, the kdrill is very similar but made out of plastic and lighter weight, slightly less efficient at drilling than the NILS

i used it all last winter it worked great.. honestly the best ice fishing investment you can make is going electric for ice augers.

http://www.nilsmaster.com/website2016_010.htm

Tim Hurley,

Its this one:
http://stores.clamoutdoors.com/jason-mitchell/rods-combos/jason-mitchell-reel.html

Also HT makes one called accucast wide arbor
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00LDYJA4O/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A31RQKPZBVEW1B

Have and use both of them they are great, both around the same price.. i wouldnt use anything else personally

And as an added treat the sound of the drag is fun to hear!

Clam Nanook by far

Yes every now and then i have to take my thumb nail and grab the line and scrape the ice off.. which isnt a big deal, i actually have 3 different kinds of braided on different rods, some ice up less than others but i dont remember which brand i put on what rod! hah..

I tried the black betty and sold them immediately, they backlash too easily and drag is hard to set just right and doesn’t make any drag noise… i figured out to stop backlash by using my finger to slow down the drop before hitting bottom but just didnt like having to worry about the issues that come with using them so i went back to spinning reel… I recommend the Clam Jason Mitchel Elite reels, for everything PERIOD. They have a nice big spool that helps prevent the line from getting that spiral to it.. and i use braided for main line anyways.

Just attach a 24″ leader with the smallest swivel you can find, i like the little SPRO power swivels between the main line and the fluorocarbon or copolymer 2#-4# line.. then at the end of the leader i will put the tiniest fas-snap on the end for super fast switching out spoons/raps/etc.. If i am using light 2# for panfish i just pre-tie a bunch of jig heads to leaders with a swivel and wrap them around round styrofoam from shipping packaging or i wrap them around rubber or velcro rig holders that people usually use for spinner rigs, then in that case i tie the fas-snap directly to my main line and attach the panfish jigs leaders directly to that! super easy to swap out anything… either way there’s always a swivel for my walleye or panfish leaders and i never worry about line twist. There will still be a little bit sometimes but almost as good as an inline without the headache of dealing with the inline reels!

This setup gives me great feel with 4#-6# braided (i use fireline ice braid) on everything so there’s no stretch and fast hook sets, very low line twist, ultra quick fas-snap to anything on the fly, and as long as you keep good length on the leader the fish WILL NOT be affected by the swivel/fas-snap setup.

to recap:

Walleye rig: 6# braid main line -> tiny swivel tied to main line -> 4# 24″+ fluoro leader -> tiny Fas-Snap tied to leader -> then attach any rap or spoon or lure

^^ Best to replace that leader after every trip because they get weak over time

Panfish Rig: 4# braid main line -> tiny fas-snap -> tiny swivel tied to leader -> 2# 24″+ fluoro leader -> leader tied direct to jig

Tie a ton of leaders to all your jigs and store your jigs wound around the rig holder tubes or styrofoam.

Hope this helps i LOVE this setup, good luck be safe.