I have a wireless Marcum and am going on year 3 with it, fairly happy. As JoeMX said, it does move in larger increments than I wish, but the remote fob is a trade I am willing to make. Being able to just hit buttons to make adjustments instead of stooping down is nice.
Priority #1 before all others, especially with kids involved, is to stay warm and dry. NOTHING will ruin your day faster than being wet and cold. Invest in some nice, warm boots, chopper mittens, and a warm hat if you don’t already have them. Having the best, fanciest, flashiest equipment in the world will make no difference if you are wet and cold.
I just measured my Eagle Claw. You can fit up to a 40″ rod. The 44″ measurement you saw was likely the exterior dimensions
I agree with Stas- go as long as you can get away with. More length makes a more effective rod overall. All these little 24-28″ rods off the shelf drive me nuts personally. I can’t go shorter than 32.
As far as budget friendly rods go, the 32” Beaver Dam Glass Noodle is phenomenal. Hi vis tip, moderate action, nice big guides, enough power to handle large predators, and a reel seat for $15.
You’ll get plenty of responses saying to get a custom like TUCR, JT, etc. and while they’re nice rods you can get 7 beaver dams for the price of one.
My Amazon one never showed, so I went back to searching. I discovered this website that has TEN (10)!!!!! If anyone is still searching, here ya go.
I’ve been searching long and hard for one for my Helix 7. Be wary of online stores who claim to have them, like the one above- most are simply selling you a drop-shipped item on backorder which means you won’t have it for months. The best option is to contact them and find out if they actually have the item. I found one buried deep in the depths of Amazon that ended up being legit. Best of luck.
Just measured my Nanook XL Thermal- with seats removed, it’s about 13.5″ high from the floor to the top of the poles when folded down. You could fit it in a 14″ gap but it’d be a tight squeeze with the canvas. 15″ or more you’re good to go.
I have a #7 in hot steel that I’d let go, if the price is right.
Wow, just my luck. This must’ve just been made available in the last day or two. I’ve been looking for a while.
Pic:
I’m 5’11 190, wear 36-34 pants and Medium Predators is just right, though there’s not a lot more “room for error”. I went through the same exact thing a few years back when I was 170. I ordered large because I wore large in most things, and they were too baggy. I downsized and didn’t regret it one bit. Size Medium should be perfect for you.
Actually, the head unit that comes in the Helix 7 all-season package is a G3N head unit, the same as the one you’d buy for open water. Since it’s networkable, it’s compatible with link.
My plan is to get a helix 9 mega g3n and a helix 7 all season pack. In summer, the 9 will be at the steering wheel of the boat and the 7 on the bow. In winter, the 7 will be in the ice kit and the 9 on the dash of the truck. Waypoints will sync when the units are hooked together in the summer so I’ll have them on both units on the ice.
I’m Glad I’m not the only one. They are talked about as such a staple bait but I rarely, if ever, put fish topside with them. Every year I really give them a good hard opportunity, but they never produce. At the end of the day I’m always back to kastmasters, buckshots and tungstens.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07F9TG6PC/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_1?smid=A1N1FF1E67UMDH&psc=1
These don’t have a lot of reviews but could be worth the $10 gamble. They have 6s, 8s and 10s.
Okuma or Shimano size 1000, Pflueger size 25.
Small in-town pond here in NE SD has about an inch yesterday.
Staying warm and dry is often overlooked by newcomers. Get some warm, waterproof boots and warm gloves if you don’t already have them. If you aren’t warm and dry you will be miserable no matter how many other tools, toys, gizmos and gadgets you have.
Next is a reliable auger with sharp blades. Sounds like, in your situation, a hand auger and a drill attachment would do the trick.
After that is some sort of fish detector. Whether it’s an old, jerry-rigged circle flasher, a converted open-water graph or a dedicated ice sonar, something to tell if there’s fish below you puts you at a huge advantage psychologically. If your Helix is rated for the cold, you can just rig it on a Genz box ($30) and buy the transducer.
13 fishing defy silver are the best I have found at that price point. 49.99. They come in either 6’6 or 7 foot ultra light and light actions. They also come in both 1 and 2 piece. Fleet farm carrys them if you have one in your area.
Matt
Looks like an exact match, right at the top of my price range but it’ll do. Thank you!
I’m looking for a ~7ft Light or Ultralight rod under $40 that is NOT a two piece. It seems like every single L or UL rod 6’6 and up are all two-piecers, save for the high end rods.
Anybody looked at the new helix 8? Wondering what the difference is between the 7 and 9.
1 inch.
Lots and lots of 12″ walleyes with an occasional 14. If you’re lucky you’ll stumble into a a nice school of perch but they are far and few between. The lake gets absolutely hammered every single weekend, so expect to have plenty of company, along with finicky fish to match. Stay away from the south side, the ice on that end tends to be unpredictable.
Shimano Sienna, Pflueger trion or president, Okuma ceymar 10.
1/16 uv green rattle spoon, 1/8 gold-green slender spoon, #3 chrome perch jigging rap, and a gold 5mm tungsten. One of the four, tipped with red spikes or a minnow head, will catch any perch that swims.
Will the aerator only run off the battery, or can you plug it in at home to run, while the battery charges?
I don’t really have use for it other then every year we take a 4 day trip to Winnie for <em class=”ido-tag-em”>perch so that’s really the only time I use spoons
I wouldn’t buy a $100+ custom for a 4 day trip once a year, but that’s just me. Look at the Beaver Dam custom noodle. It’s a phenomenal noodle rod with a similar action to the Bullwhip, with fairly large guides to prevent freeze up.
Oh, also. It sells for a whopping $15.
Get a pair of Strikers and you’ll never look back.
Yes. It will work fine. Be mindful that an 8″ bit will chew battery fairly quick.
It’s the shinier green and gold one with the sharp black bars on the side.
UV Green and Chrome perch rise to the top of the box 90% of the time
