Too much Equipment?

[Rippinlip]

It is starting all over again, when I open watered fished and did some club tournaments, I thought I needed 13 rods on the deck rigged with everything ready to go.

More than 1 ocassion I would only pick up 2-3 during the whole day.

Now I see myself doing the same for ice fishing. I have 9 rods rigged up with different line sizes, spring bobbers, etc, etc..

Is this just too much, should I simplify?

I do fish mainly for pannies, some times toss a dead stick down for bigger fish.

Since i have 9 already rigged up, now I need a place to keep them all, I have a soft sided bag now, looking at making a hard case to store them all.

What do my fellow fisher people do?

Mark

[shnelson]

9 might be a little overkill. I'll typically bring 3 or 4, my goal is to be able to have a line in the water while I change out another rig if I need to.

I've had up to 6 or 7 before, but that was because I was outfitting a couple people for the day as well as myself.

[Trytti]

I am in the same boat and continually have to fight myself not too take too much stuff along. I usually take 3 rods because that is what fits in my rod carrier and 1 tip up. That way I can have a line set up light for panfish, a medium one with a jigging set up, and one heavy one with a chubby darter or the like. That way I have most of my bases covered without having to re-tie that often. Now if I am going to my big shack, then I bring everything but the kitchen sink.

[pulleye16]

2 poles and 3 tip-ups. I only fish one pole at a time and rig the other one up when I fishing the other so i can do a quick swap. Sometimes I use two tip-ups and keep the 3rd on standby for when things get tangled or torn. Other then that I've seen no need for any more. I can place all those items in my clam chair including the takle. I like it simple and light. I do only target pan fish and northerns in the winter though. Summer fishing....well thats a hole new ball game as my boat can hold ALOT of poles.....

[jigging-matt]

I have 6-7 rods, but I have some spring bobber rods and some set with just a bobber. I have a tip up also but I have something for just about every presentation I can think of, so I am always ready. I have my main 3 in their own bag so I am always ready to go.

[Phred52]

Sounds like Rippinlip has reached the point of "Full Saturation" Sometimes, a guy just has to ask when "Enough is Too Much". Phred52

[jwmiller33]

i would definitely say 9 poles is too many... if my fishing partner was bringing 9 poles, i'd tell him to leave at least 4 or 5 of them in the truck, because theres no reason you need that many poles. when i go out with one other person, we both try to pack as light as possible and bring only the essentials because this time of year we are walking out on the lake and pulling the sleds. 9 poles is just way too much extra gear but if you are by yourself, and dont mind dealing with that many poles, go ahead.

[Genofish]

I keep a dozen rods in the boat and used to carry at least 8 ice rods. This year i am carrying much less, 2 panfish rods and 2 walleye rods

[jigginjim]

It depends on what your target fish are. I have 3 panfish rods 1-jigging, 1-slipbobber, 1-spare, but always have a tip-up with. If going for walleyes 2 rods and 2 tip-ups. All tip-ups have 18lb dacon line, with swivel to attach leader line to.

[Esox_Magnum]

I fish a variety any day on the ice, I have 11 combos in the shack they all have their uses. Wife has 5 I have 6. Open water we carry around 20, Muskies I carry 3 always sometimes all 5 combos. There is no 1 rod does all you have to have rods for every application.

[zamboni]

He who dies with most toys, wins.

Can never have too much stuff. When you don't have enough stuff, that's when you wish you had more stuff.

[Esox_Magnum]

Keep in mind I'm not counting the dozen or so retired/loaner combos laying around the house

[scoutWBL]

I'm with Esox... Although I have my go-tos one can never have too many combos. Just keep them organized and ready to rock.

[NCLaker]

I usually have 6 combo's with me on the ice. If the bite is slow, I will switch up a lot to try to entice some biters. I hate wasting time retying. My eyes have a hard time seeing that 2-3lb test mono out on the ice.

For panfish:

- 2 spring bobber rods

- 1 regular UL with bigger guides for outdoor use

- 1 light setup with a swivel+18" floroleader+snap for jigging spoons/raps/darters

- TB deadstick

- Med action rod setup incase we run into some walleye/pike bite

All fits neatly in 2 rod bags (one's with the hard tube), don't take up much room.

[thatoneguy]

Depending on what I'm chasing/how the bite has been, I'll have 3-6 rigs with different lures/colors. Usually 1-2 different deadstick options, and the rest for the jiggin' hole. I'd much rather hassle with carrying a couple extra rigs in the sled than have to cut & retie frequently.

[WinterHaven]

I bring no more than 3 poles out at anytime.

[minnbowhunter]

He who dies with most toys, wins.

When you die we're splitting up all your gear!!!!

[Rippinlip]

Any recommendations on a hard sided carrying case?

I was referred to using a arrow case. Any others?

[EBass]

OCFD - we all have some level of it.

I carry 4 ice combos. 2 pannie and 2 walter setups.

[magicstix]

I carry 3-4 but have many combos[12+] at home. I'm guilty of taken too much stuff also, I'm working on trying to downsize but its hard to do.

[Fred_Bear]

I usually ice fish with my father and we have 1 rod bag for panfish and 1 rod bag for walleyes. The panfish bag has 2 combos for each of us, 1 set up for plastics and 1 set up for small ice jigs with euros (plastics set up gets used 90% of the time). The walleye bag also has 2 combos for each of us, 1 set up for jigging and 1 set up for deadsticking (both set ups are always used). Usually only 1 bag comes with unless we plan on hitting panfish and eyes on the same lake (very rarely does that happen).

Since we target panfish about 90% of the time, we each have a small tackle box with all the jigs and plastics we could ever need that fits very nicely into our vex pro packs. The walleye tackle box just stays in the walleye bag.

[bogwalker]

I learned to fish from a man who taught me after my dad passed away. He owned 3 fishing rods ( never took more than 2 at a time )and I think he only owned 2 ice rods (no reels, just the old sticks ). He had a small tackle box with a hand full of tackle. He always caught fish even when other fishermen came in with no fish. I think of him each time I start buying too many new lures or new rods.

[anyfishaldo]

I go with 3 panfish and two walleye. Learned last year I only need to bring three as I snapped 2 rods in one week dorking around when they got tangled in my one man clam. With a heater I can always retie. Just set the kids up with my extra panfish rods so i am done buying and ready to start catching. I also keep panfish jigs in a a little plastic container in one pocket and walleye in the other. Carry them around all winter even at work.

[JeffB]

I only bring 4, and there is always a rattle reel above each hole.

[walleyeslammer]

I am guilty of carrying a lot of gear, but as has been stated above they all have their uses. I have 3 jigging sticks and I like certain lures feel on each of them then I have a meatstick for deadsticking, a couple of bobber options, and a couple tip ups normally. And then some other options in the basement in case I get a wild hair or have some people that want to try the sport. But if I am hole hopping, it's 2 rods, some tackle, the marcum and a bucket. I, like many others just like to have all my options open.