Best ice fishing rods

[FISHINGURU]

The Pro Series is FTW too!

[TravP]

I so agree Chris For 40 years I've ice fished and have used just about every massproduced rod out there and there are some decent rods available,but when you buy a custom rod you are stepping up your game.

With Austin rods I can call Gregg and have him make anykind of rod I want. Length,action,guides...you name it...he can handleyour request.

I even went to having Gregg add the grommet to mount a St. Croix spring.

Some of the rods have just cork handle which are premium Porteguese cork and some have reel seats like the ones I use for larger species fish.

They load up great since he takes the time to mount the guides with the spline of the rod.

They are super durable too boot.

Every rod I own is an Austin and I will put one in anyone hands should the oppertunity present itself.

Idid with Chris and now he owns at least 3 of them. I do believe after he witnessed that 17" Austin working those nice tullies he's got the jones for one also.

They run about 40$ and in my mind I could not buy a better rod..next one is a 30" medium heavy with a reel seat for a baitcaster to use for lakers.

I wished you could have seen Chris catch and land that 26" plus eye on his 24"light action fast tip last weekend! That rod had plenty of power!

Here's Chris and Nick with there Austins in action.

[video:youtube]http://www.youtube.com/user/crappiekeith#p/a/u/0/Pu6XfsRtjJI

I watched that video. I'm not knocking the Austin rods as I've never used them, but my they sure don't look to have the backbone of a thorne bros rod. By the way, I pick guides, handle, rod length, the whole works when I buy all my thorne rods. The price of the austin looks good though.

[herefish101]

Thorne Brothers is the best, hands down!

[palisade1kid]

Those were light action rods with 2-4 lb tullibees being fought Travis.

There's plenty of backbone and they load up right.

[bikeoutback]

Take this for what it's worth cause I've never owned a TB or St. Croix. I started with cheap frabill panfish poppers from fleet farm and they caught fish and one I've had for 3 years now still works. But over the last 2 years as I've broken rods and had gift cards for GM I've bought some of their Guide Series combos. I really like them and they seem to work great for the $$ spent. But again I have no comparison point as most my friends think I'm crazy to spend $30 on a rod/reel combo for ice fishing.

[Borch]

Depends on what your using the rod for. I own several Thorne Bros, Jason Mitchell, St Croix, Gander Guide Series and Frabill rods. All have there place.

For the best overall quality I'd give that to the Thorne Bros rods.

Best bang for the buck would go to Jason Mitchell rods and I absolutely love my meatstick.

Best spring bobber rod would go to St Croix.

The new frabrill Bro series rods also have very good value.

All my other rods get used as slip bobber rods.

[zamboni]

If you take a GM Guide Series combo, then set it next to a St Croix Premier combo- they are almost identical, right down to the reel that comes on them. I have and love both, and they don't break the bank. I got a St Croix Legend rod on clearance at years end last season for $20, thats a $50 rod- I put a Tica Cetus on it and I love it. I also have a Jason Mitchell I like, but personally my hands down favorite in my collection is my Jig-A-Whopper. They supposedly quit making them, and if I ever see them again, I will buy more. I will own a TB someday, but right now I have 7 combos and 2 arms, but he who dies with the most junk wins, so I will get one.

[palisade1kid]

Cetus's are not bad reels but Pfluger Presidents last longer and they have smoother drags.The last 2 Cetus's I gave away after a winter with them.They both had a bit of a hang up after 2 foot of drag being pulled out.

I fish a lot and my gear takes a pounding. It' my expierence that Pflueger stands up to the duress too. I've burned up a bunch of reels in 2 years,but the Pfluegers are 4 years old and still operating flawlessly.

As to rods...I'm not a noodle stick guy. I'm sold on springs.Not all springs are created equal. In my opinion the St. Croix spring rock.

Next would be the HT flat style.Those HT's get modified. I used to shorten them down and hand tie them on with thread and glued with hard as nails polish in clear.

Gregg Austin makes whatever type of rod I require in any action. His glass blanks that he makes are durable,sensitive and have a great capability to load up just right.

The components are top shelf and he adds the grommet to accept the St. Croix spring.

I have turned on many guys to these rods and everyone of the guys that have tried them have bought at least 1 if not 3 ,4 or 5.

There are many styles and makers out there.My advice is to go fish with them.Get up with guys that use these brands your thinking about.

Check them out and decide.

The rods we are mulling over in this thread are all good rods. We all like different attributes...it sure is great having a choice to make.

One day I put a $300 open water rig into a guys hand. At the end of the day he could not tell the difference between that sweet setup and a 2x4 after landing a 100 fish.

Come to find out he was a cane pole fisherman.

[laughterin]

What kind of blanks are the Austin rods built on? I watched the video and I too thought they didnt look like they had much of a back bone. Built my own TB rod for crappies and man is that thing sweet. I believe it was the power noodle I built.

[portageman]

I agree that Thorne Bros makes an excellent product. I also agree that they are pricey. I have a Sweet Pea for sight fishing. I would sell it if somebody is interested.

[Acemac]

imo if you cant get 2 ice rods and reels for 25 bones you payed to much

[castmaster]

Portage,

Shoot me a pm or email me at [email protected] and let me know what your looking to get for the Sweet Pea. Have 1 already, great rods for sight fishing.