Premium Ice Rods

[Craigums]

Why don't the "premium" rods come with straps to connect a reel to the rod? is there aftermarket straps that are available? What does everyone else do, I realize a lot of people use electrical or duct tape to connect there reel but forgive me for being so concerned about the asthetics but that just looks tacky. If im gonna spend 30-40 bucks on a ice rod shouldn't there at least be a handy way to connect my reel?

[Scott M]

Craigums, you kind of answered your own question in a way. Adding additional straps or special reel seats takes away some of that sensitivity and feel you are looking for in a custom rod.

The other thing is people all fish those rods differently. Do you fish it trigger-style like Genz? Do you jig up and down like you're a puppet master? Some guys hold the rods weighted forward with lots of handle, some want the reel right in the middle. It depends what the reel is and what it weights too. You can always buy a seat of adjustable or slippable reel seats if you want them.

I admit they do look tacky with all that electrical tape but we all look like (Contact Us Please) out there in -10 trying to pop holes and find fish (to the laymen). Function over style in my book.

Hope that helps.

[Hotspotter]

Craig:

I think there's alot of people out there that would agree with you, but personal preference is just that, personal.

I look to the Thorne Bros. line of custom rods, and they have many options to secure the reel handle. That's why many folks go with a custom rod; they can select which options they like and go with those only. Depending on the model selected, you can do anything from taping the reel on yourself, to a hidden-hood handle (front of reel seat is "embedded" in cork), to a locking reel seat with cork spacers, to a standard reel seat.

Personally, I prefer to secure the reel to the rod myself for a couple of reasons, and I'm assuming that this is why many of the premium rod options require you to do so. These options are typically the cheapest, and they also allow you the most flexibility as to where you mount the reel.

I'm a fan of the Thorne Bros. Tennessee Handle (flared on both ends of the handle) for my walleye rods, mostly because I like the lip it forms and how my hands rest on it. I like to mount the reel a bit forward as well so I can reach forward and put my index finger on the rod blank itself while jigging. This is the most comfortable to me, and I can secure the reel in any position I like!

Also, I'll pass along a sharp way to dress up your hand-taped reels that originated with Pat Smith of Thorne Bros. He passed it on to Matt Johnson, who passed it on to me.

Start by putting the reel onto the rod handle and gripping them together as you would fish the rod. Determine how far forward or backward on the handle the reel needs to be. Make a small mark with a pencil or your fingernail at the front and back of the reel seat on the rod. Take two peices of masking tape, a few inches long each, and wrap around the rod ONLY just ahead of and behind the marks, covering them. Now, place your reel on the masking tape, and line up the rod guides with the reel, centering the reel seat on the tape. The tape should extend past the front and rear of the reel seat only slightly, maybe an 1/8" or so. Now CUT four pieces of electrical tape, a few inches long each (long enough to go around the rod only once). Secure the reel to the rod, directly over the reel seat, covering it and the masking tape completely. Be careful to put the joints of your tape on the underside of the reel.

The masking tape keeps the black sticky residue of the electrical tape off of the cork should you decide to put a new reel on next year. It also provides a great measuring stick of sorts to keep your black electrical tape on-line.

This method avoids the sticky feeling you sometimes get when wrapping multiple loops of electrical tape and pulling it off, and it's also the lowest weight method for securing a reel to a rod. Minimal tape, minimal weight. It's silly to count 1/10 of one oz., but when paying top dollar for a custom lightweight rod, the last thing you want to do is add more weight to it.

Good luck!

Joel

[slipperybob]

I'll admit that I was against the tennessee handles, but after using different reel setups and finding there's a big disparity in reel weights, you'll eventually learn where and how you want to place your reel set up to help you be more comfortable ice fishing. It's not a like a regular rod where you've got enough rod blank in weight and distance that makes thing marginal. A short ice rod, and even shorter ones, affects more of how you'll jig your lure as well as handling a load on it.

At the moment I've gotten rid of my electrical tape and am using velcro straps. I've got to admit that little fuzzy stuff on teh velcro staps sure feels better than vinyl in the cold outdoor...might just be me.