icefishing rod's

[bim]

Hi all, I am a fisherman from Alberta Canada. I have never had the chance to fish in the U.S Alway's interested in learning what other's have success with.
Icefish for trout, walleye, pearch and white fish. Any suggestion's on hook's and rod's?
thank's bim.

[Guest]

bim, Welcome to Fishing Minnesota!

Check out this link for info on ice rods:

http://fishingminnesota.com/ubb/Forum30/HTML/003034.html

Feel free to ask questions. Someone is always here to help

Good Fishin,
Matt

[email protected]
Catch-N Tackle
MarCum

[Bruce Mosher]

Thorne Brothers have some great rods. Genz rods. Angel Eye spoons work good for Perch and walleye, even trout. Northland Tackle's Forage Minnow with the single or treble hooks works good. I like the glow models. The Deamon jig from Custom Jigs and Spins in the glow with the green or orange top works good. Nils Master has a good perch jig that is called the Hali. Swimming Rapala's (large and small). Don't forget about the Ice Buster Bobbers. 2- sizes for 1/16 and 1/4 oz. jigs. Absolutely hassle free! You know I think I could type up a huge Christmas List!!! Some of the Items can be purchased on this site. Bruce

[bim]

Thank's for the link's. I'm not familiar with alot of the rod names mentioned, but sounds like you use alot of rod / spinning reel combinations. I use these in the summer, but up here we tend to use more hand balm style rods.
Any good ideas on this style or do you use them there?
Real happy with the floater link, as I use alot of floaters in the summer for walleye, but I've never seen the up-hook style and it looks very interesting to me.
Anxious to hear if you guys use any hand balm style rods.
thx, Bim

[Northlander]

Whats a hand balm rod? Are you talking a casting rod with a baitcasting reel? Ya we use them too but not as much. Mostly for big pike and trout.

[bim]

sorry its been a few days, but i was hunting. what we call hand balm is a rod that we will usally just pull the line by hand for pirch or whitefish. although they don't have a conventional reel, such as a bait caster or spinning real, they do have a built in reel. The good one's will have all the features you need to fight the big ones.
Do you have any of these types?
keep in mind I'm not looking for the built in reels which simply hold the line. i'm intersted in those compact, easy to carry jobs that can truely play the big one's.
sorry again for the delay, and I look forward to your recomendatoin's and comments bim.

[Guest]

Try Thorne Bros. They make awesome rods. Call Pat, he'll set you up.

[bim]

Thank's for the info guy's.
I have looked at some of the stuff you've mentioned, and will be trying some of them.
I think I will be sticking with my favorite for the most part. Up here we have been using the "Marmish" rod and lure's. I have found this to be a very hot fishing combination. I don't know if you guys have heard of this as it's a fairly new Canadian product and may not be available everywhere down there.
I know that you can get in Wisconsin as a friend of mine was at Lake Delawan last summer and told me he saw it in one of the tackle shops. by the way, he said he caught a ton of crappies, bluegill, walleye and perch.
I carry about 10 of these in my tackle box and I've got a couple more on my Christmas list. Still interested in hearing about other hand rods and lures that I can add to my gear.
Always looking for new gear, Bim

[This message has been edited by Paul Waldowski (edited 11-20-2003).]

[IrishZit]

I have to put in a good word for the Thorne Brothers rods as well. I bought one of thier "custom" walleye rods and love it. It ran me about $60, but it's worth it.

I wish they would sell me just the blank so I could make my own.

[IrishZit]

I forgot to put in a plug for the St. Croix ice rods. I noticed this year they have the premier series which look pretty nice.

I bought a couple of the Avid series and love them.

The only thing I'm concerned about as I compare my St. Croix to the Thorne Brothers rod is how the St. Croix will handle a big boy. I've fought some big boys with the Thorne Brothers rod with ease and I'm not sure if my St. Croix will quite have the same backbone, but that is yet to be seen.

My hope is that I will be able to test the St. Croix on a big boy soon.

Good luck!

[fiskyknut]

IrishZit....What a handle there guy!!! I want to ask you if those avids can bend thru into the handle when you have a heavy fish on? I've always been a cork grip fan as the blank can bend within and with the cork when playing a fish that is sizeable enough to bend it this hard. I've been leery of the new fangled handles not allowing the blank to bend and creating a stress point at the handle. I pick up a few rods each ice season and have always been a fan of St Croix on openwater. I'll probably get a couple of those premiers because they have a cork grip. So tell me what you think of those avids in this respect please.

Thanks....Fisky

[IrishZit]

Frisky, thanks for the compliment on the handle. I'm sure if anyone understands what is derived from but that is okay.

The Avid handle is cork with a graphite wrap for the reel seat. The idea ofcourse is that the graphite will help transmit the vibrations. The graphite doesn't seem to go all the way to the blank, so how much does it helps is the question.

I wish I could give you better empirical data, but my thought would be that you would still have the same advantages of a cork handle due to it's foundation of cork.

It sounds like you would be just as happy with the premier series, so I would give that a try. I don't think you will be disappointed.

Good luck!

[fiskyknut]

Their blanks are the same animals. Will the handle bend if you tweak on them with 2 hands over the length of the handle?

[IrishZit]

Fisky, I guess that's hard for me to say. When I was fishing last year with the UL model it didn't seem to bend into the handle but I may not have been paying close enough attention.

I wish I had more information for you.

[fiskyknut]

Thanks, that's my concern with all of those new fangled handle variants. Cork Tn. styles will allow these short ice blank to bend thru/into the handle without much {any?} hindrance.

Thanks IZ

[Guest]

Need proof that thorne bros rods handle big fish hit this link and pick 24 x 46 muskie thru the ice video.
http://www.fishfever.com/actionvideo.htm

[thebears26081]

The St. Croix rods have got to be the nicest ice rods Ive ever handled. Where can we get more info on those Thorne Bros rods?

[Mr55371]

My first rod was a Thorne Bros., recommended to me by a friend. Really pleased with it, but for $20 you can get the St Croix, which too is a really good rod. The Thorne Bros. store is in Minneapolis on University Ave I believe.

[This message has been edited by Mr55371 (edited 11-24-2003).]

[This message has been edited by Rick (edited 11-24-2003).]

[thebears26081]

Do the Torne Bros have a HSOforum or a catalog?

[joshb]

mr.55371 - who are you? - i'm sure we know each other

[Northlander]

I have owned a lot of rods. Probably about every manufacturer out there. I really like the Genz Rods for the $ as well as last years ST.Croix. I just had a custom St.Croix made by Rod Engel who is a regular F.M. contributor. I got exactly what I wanted in the colors, handle, eyes, length etc. Shipping was fast and it was bubble wrapped in a triangular tube. Cost was less than some of the over the counter rods I see. Also has my name on the handle to keep honest people honest. Give Rod a try. If you want his e-mail just e-mail me.. [email protected]

[Guest]

I belive it's thornebros.com.

[icemaster]

try thorne bros. or genz rods, they're the best i've found.

[Tofishem]

The 24" Avid Series Ice Rod by St. Croix is the sweetest rod on the market, for the $$$! I have caught nice walleye and perch on it and never had trouble landing any fish. The blank and handle are so sensitive. When a walleye hits your bait...U KNOW IT. It's a big vibration "tink". I use a Shimano Sedona reel with 3lb Micro ice line. Very well balanced set-up. I've got a 24" Genz rod and like it too. But the St.Croix is far more sensitive. You have to remember to play the fish and be ready to back reel. Being able to back reel...that's the best drag system.

[Guest]

Bim I can't forget to mentioning the custom rod option. And in particular, custom rods made by Rods by Engel.

Rod has made me custom ice rods and some very special summer rods from time to time. Fine work, performance tip to butt, and at a very reasonable rate.

I cherish them all, every one a real joy to use. A very well made product from start to finish. Rod can make what you need to order, just the way you want and need it. If you need a special touch added, he will snazzy it up for you too.

By the way folks, Rod at Rods by Engel, well he is the Dad of our very own fellow FM regular & contributor, Scoot Engel.

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