Best rod (icefishing) for panfish?

[NCLaker]

24" HT Ice Blues Ultra light. Good rods and inexpensive.

Got one of these for xmas. I have SC Legends, but I will definitely playing with this rod before the season is done. Glad someone brought it up. I like that it is cheap, and seems to be pretty tought so I'm not constantly working about it getting broken. I love my st croix Legend, but the spring bobber & rod tip are very fragile IMO.

[fishinJohn]

I can't say I know what the best rods are but I can say I prefer shorter rods. I thought I would like longer ones but I tend to adjust my flasher fairly often. Most of my pan fish are caught in shallow water so it can be a bit of work keeping the jig represented how I want it. That means being close to the flasher which I usually have at the back of the hole. A long rod just gets in the way.

[duckman5547]

I would get what ever feels best to you. I can tell you this though. I fish everyday all winter and I would not even consider getting any rod thats not a thorne bros. rod. I used the power noodle exclusively for about 10 years. Then I went to a 19.5 inch finnesse rod with a spring bobber for a few years, I got a quiver stick rigged with a courtland fly reel about 3 weeks ago and you couldn't pry it from my hands with a crowbar. IMO you get what you pay for. I also have 2 Jason Mitchell rods, they are nice, but not in the same class as thorne bros.

[TravP]

I would get what ever feels best to you. I can tell you this though. I fish everyday all winter and I would not even consider getting any rod thats not a thorne bros. rod. I used the power noodle exclusively for about 10 years. Then I went to a 19.5 inch finnesse rod with a spring bobber for a few years, I got a quiver stick rigged with a courtland fly reel about 3 weeks ago and you couldn't pry it from my hands with a crowbar. IMO you get what you pay for. I also have 2 Jason Mitchell rods, they are nice, but not in the same class as thorne bros.

Thats exactly what I've been saying. Until someone uses a thorne bros rod, they just dont understand. by the way, how do you like that fly reel? I bet you get next to no line twist.

[polarsusd81]

There is not much line twist with a fly reel. The only way you really get twisted is if your lure is spinning due to a foul hooked plastic or baits that tend to spin. I am looking into those options right now.

[NCLaker]

Fly reel on an ice rod? First time I've heard of that. Do you still tape it to the handle, or do use one of the other reel handle options for TB? Can you still pistol grip the rod with a fly reel, or do you hold it like an open water rod?

Duckman, it would be great if you could post pic's of your quiverstick with this reel setup.

Thanks!

[polarsusd81]

I will have to report back to you. I am thinking of trying it this weekend on the trip back from Lake of the Woods. Pat Smith showed me his TB Quiverstick today and he has a Cortland fly reel on it. The only thing I would try different maybe is finding a plastic one, cause metal would get cold if you were palming the reel. I might just try to design one myself and have a buddy run it through the CNC.

[Drewski]

I have a TB power noodle and a mitchell meatstick and love them both. If I had to choose one though it would have to be the power noodle.

Don't get me wrong, the meatstick is a great rod, but their is something about the power noodle that gets me. Plus, the orange tip is great for picking up bites visually. I also like the shorter length.

[erickol]

Thorne bros makes a budget rod, " the hardwater series" also that is made in china. I'm pretty positive their made by the same company that makes Jason Mitchell rods. I'm not saying anything bad about JM rods. Cove asked for the best, and TB rods are.

I picked up the 30" panfish rod from the hardwater series a couple of weeks ago. It is a great rod for the money. I think I paid 29$ for it. I have used it for panfish and some trout fishing up north.

I really love my sweet thing plus, my first TB rod. The panfish action spring bobber is right on. I have really fished the heck out of that rod since picking it up in the middle of this season.

[duckman5547]

I don't have a clue on how to post pictures if I did I would.

My quiverstick is set up identical to Pat Smiths'. I was fishing with him one day and used his, I had to have one. The next day he called me and said come and get it. As far as getting cold with a metal reel, Pat and I were out fishing saturday in the cold and wind. I did not notice my hand getting cold. Everything else, but not my hand.

With the fly reel you have absolutely no line twist. Kinda like the old school schooley reels. I have been using the old schoolys for years because of line twist issues. The fly reel takes it to the next level by having a drag. You can pistol grip it with no problems, but once you use one you will be holding it by the reel in the palm of your hand. Not only can you see the lightest bites, but feel them as well.

[polarsusd81]

So that was you in the pictures holding those pig gills Pat showed me today? Those were some nice looking fish.

How much did the Cortland fly reel run you if you don't mind me asking? Or did you go with a different reel. I found a list of 6 or 7 under 50 bucks and I want to get one soon for my Sweet Pea sight rod.

[TravP]

I remember seing that flyreel at one of Matt and Pats seminars a month or 2 ago now that I think about it.

[TravP]

You can send your pics to me and I'll post them if you want Duckman.

[email protected]

[IceHawk]

Funny- I was at Thorne Bros today around 2.00 pm just missed you polarsusd81. I alaso talked to Pat Smith today about rods and Bluegills and he showed me the pictures of the gills definately true pigs! His setup with the fly reel and quiver stick was really nice. I held it in my hand and it felt well balanced. The shorter handle made the setup real nice fitting very nicely in the palm of my hand.

[erickol]

Now I know where to use my hardy flyweight when its not on the 3wt.

using a fly reel on a ice rod seems like a great idea. I'm going to try that for sure. I have a Lamson 1 that is not paired with a flyrod right now. I think by the next time I hit the ice it will have 2lb P-line on it

[TravP]

duckman5547's quiverstick pics

[dan z]

I am found that the JM's are really nice to use

I have 2 24" panfish rods w/(6720) president reels on them

And the other one is a 24" spring bobber with a scheels tiny T reel on it.

all three rigs are tied with small diameter braid

[Dark Cloud]

There are alot of great rod options out there. I recomend checking out rods before buying - either at a store or useing someone elses.

HT's polar golds and lites are a real nice stick for the money, Mitchel makes a nice rod, Gander has a few out that are nice although I think thier line-up a few years back was nicer, Thorne B's are definatly the best made with the best components, St' croix has some nice options out there, plus the crafty person can build themselfs a great rod.

I spent alot of time on the ice this year, mostly targeting panfish and covered everything I ran into with a TB Finesse plus with spring, Quiverstick, Panfish sweetheart, a rod I built on a sanded St Croix blank, and I used the JM meatstick a little.

Personal preference and style really plays into the equation. It would be a long bloody battle for me to give up my TB rods...

Duckman - I really like the flyreel idea and the rod tube. A few questions.

On the tube - what kind of cap assembly is that?

For backing on the reel - is that just fly line backing?

That quiverstick looks to be a tad longer than stock?

I played around with one of my Ross fly reels on some rods last night and really liked it. Did some checking on reel weights also and most of the better made fly reels were much lighter than even the lightest spinning reels...

[Bottle Fish]

If you find fish any rod will do. Personally I like the cheap ones, you don't have to worry so much about breaking them.

[duckman5547]

The rod tube is made from a golf club tube. It is just cut down to the proper length. It works really good.

The backing is just regular fly reel backing, with about 50 yds of 3lb p-line wound on top of it.

My quiver stick is 26 inches long with a slightly longer handle than normal. I have big hands and wanted a bigger handle on it.

One thing I need to do yet is take the clicker ball out of the reel. Every time I pull line out the clicker drives me nuts, not to mention draws the attention of anyone fishing near me.

[duckman5547]

Polar,

The courtland fly reel retails for about $70 bucks.

[fishwater]

Guys, how fast can you drop line with those fly reels? Thanks.

[Dark Cloud]

Duckman - Thanks. The tube is the easy part, I was wondering about the little cap assembly on the reel end...