New rod and reel for hard water?

[Guest]

I'm going to pickup 2 reels and 1 rod tonight! Leaving tomorrow for Alex MN to fish...slabs and Eyes.
St. Croix has new rod for $30/ Thornes Bros has wahoo ones for $50 any suggestion on rod and 2 reels for these applictions.... already have one lite pannie rod.

For rod what length are you guys using? I was thinking 30"

I have smallish summer reels, however want to go even smaller for winter rigs...

Thanks again!

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Peace Max

[Guest]

I picked up a 28" Walleye Sweetheart Plus and a Carninal 300 from Thorne Bros. Sweet rig.... spendy yes.... but she's sweeeeeeeeet. Might be a little heavy for crappies, but for 'eyes it's the shiz-nit

[Guest]

how much is spendy????

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Peace Max

[Guest]

I picked up the combo at the Ice Fishing Show for around $90 w/ tax. They also see the Cardinal 100... which is pretty nice as well. That'd save you $10. I must say.... their custom rods are NICE

[Guest]

I really like the Genz series by berkely. Great components. Graphite blanks, titanium guides, cork handle. Only $30. Great sensitivity but a strong backbone. I match mine with either a Tiny 20, ultralite Quantum, or other untralite reel. Thorne Bro's also makes a great product but a little more expensive.

Good Fishin, Matt.

[Guest]

wow! I'm the only one who thinks this: 90 bucks! Thats an unbeleivable amount to spend on 30 inches of graphite and a reel! MAybe if there was 8 months of hard water. Whatever tickles your fancy

[Rainman]

Hey, you gotta pay to play! Isn't that what they say!! But I agree you can go overboard!!

[lumpy]

Look at the Tica reels, they are very nice also, with 2 ball bearing and 5 ball bearing models to choose from. They are both smooth, just bought one of each this year and can't wait to get on the ice with them.

[widetrack]

Thorne brothers ice rods are top shelf. I have their 36inch walleye pro, and it is very, very nice. Another rod to consider is the frabill ultra-ice. The 34inch medium heavy is an excellent jig/spoon rod @ around 30 bucks.. very nice. Genz rods would be my 3rd choice. My very favorite is a custom sage rod a friend gave to me... I guard that one with my life, as I'll never be able to get my hands on another.

When you have thousands already invested in equipment don't skip on 2 things. Electronics and a good jig rod.

[This message has been edited by widetrack (edited 12-12-2002).]

[Guest]

I looked at one of those Tica 5-bearing models at Gander Mountain a week or so ago. The salesman told me that it was made by Pinnacle, but I have no idea if there is any truth to that. That thing is sweet, but I guess I don't see any reason to spend $60 (I think that's what it was) on an ice fishing reel. It looks kind of small for anything that I would use in the summertime. The instant anti-reverse would be nice with 1 or 2-lb panfish line though. Does the 2 bearing model have this feature and, if so, what's the tag on that one?

[CNY Tim]

I have 5 thorne brother rods and 5 Genz rods my favorite panfishing reels are Quantum UL002 you can pick them up as cheap as $14 sweet drag. I use Sedona 500's for my perch and deepwater blue gill rods. I love Abu Garcial Cardinal Premiers for open water nice reel for under $27 CPULF, CP1, CP2, CP3 and CP4 and you can get them at fisherman's factory outlet they are a discount store for Berkley and Abu Garcia.