My concern for me with a much longer rod than I am using now is that where I fish the wind is wicked some days and that limber tip and spring bobber would bounce around so much that I might find it harder to detect the light bites. Plus most of the time where I fish with the stillfish the depth is 10 ft or less. Calm weather out of the wind I think it would be a hoot to play the big crappie and gills that we catch on the longer rod. As the fish move to deeper water I change to spinning reel and shorter rod.

Thanks Duke! I will try your suggestion. The stillfish rod and reel I bought now has a wooden handle and has a great feel and action but using the cork will be a lot easier for me than to try and reproduce the wooden handle without the right tools. I’m using a 48″ stillfish set up now and hole hop. I would like to build a tad bit longer rod and reel setup thus the inquiry

All the best,

I started using the pulsator rod and reel. Reel is on the end of a 48″ rod and the line runs up through the rod. I do exclusively hole hopping now. No worries getting lines tangled with multiple rod in the bucket plus standing for me is easier on my back and kneck compared to sitting on a bucket. Rod and reel is light and you can feel the slightest bite. I get them here in Wi for about $38. HT enterprises has what they call the jiggler rod, but it is a bit heavier and has a cork handle

I go with 5mm tungsten in open water during summer. Ice fishing most of the time I use 4mm and 3mm and rarely the larger size. Ialso willuse plastic on those two sizes with success. I usually don’t fish in over over 18 feet all winter long and catch good gills and crappie. Occasionally with the 3mm hook size I will lose a large crappie unless the swallow it deep. Hope this helps!

I use a 48″ pulsator rod and reel. Line goes through the center of the rod. I am tall and hole hop more than set on a bucket or in a shack. My back and neck thank me every fishing trip. Have been debating about getting a bit longer rod, but am afraid tha t on windy days the rod would whip around too much.