IceShanty.com's Ice Fishing Community
Ice Fishing Tips -Check your local regulations! => Jigging => Topic started by: Bout-Time on Dec 24, 2010, 12:53 PM
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Ive been poking around looking for a new jig rod to add to my small collection. My eyeballs are bleeding from reading, so I figured maybe Id simply ask for some input here. Im not jigging for anything specific usually, so I want a rod that can overlap species. Im not talking big pike, but more the likes of panfish to a brown trout or the occasional pickerel. I have a 27" Rhino Indestuctable med action with graphite core that I really like, and a 24" HT Iceman med action that Im not too partial to. The HT is pretty stiff for what Id call a med action. Id like to get something that is lighter and longer to add to these.
Some things Im looking for in the the jig pole....
- At least 26 inch, but looking for 28 to 30" and not much longer than 32".
- Prefer glass blank.
- Prefer cork handle with reel seats.
- Hook holder.
- Light action, or maybe a med/light that isnt stiff.
- No snake guides.
- At least 3 eyelets plus tip.
- Under $30 would be sensible to me.
I dont need a reel combo deal because Id probably put my own reel on the rod anyway, but I WOULD buy a combo just to get the rod Im looking for.
A few that Ive found that I considered.... Any opinions of these?
- Northland Trick-Stick Classic 26" light action combo. I wish I could find this in just a rod, because Id give it a shot with one of my Shimano reels on it. Seems like it could be a pretty versatile rod. Not glass though.
- South Bend Thin Ice 27" light action. No hook holder and its EVA handle. I could add a hook holder for what the rod costs though, and its glass blank.
- South Bend FrostBite 27" med/light action. No hook holder and EVA handle. Again, I could add the hook holder myself. Not sure how light they are though.
Dunno, my eyes are bleeding again..... Any thoughts?
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Well, I cant help you much but I think I can a little. Do you plan to watch the tip for bites or feel them? If you are a tip watcher, I would suggest an HT Ice Blue in light action. The tip is pretty sensitive but not sensitive enough to move with light panfish bites (dont know a light action that will). It is a graphite rod with a glass tip I believe. If you plan to jig panfish and maybe catch a trout or pike, I would HIGHLY suggest getting an ultra-light action. Has plenty of backbone to handle a trout or pike with 3 or 4lb test. They retail for like $8 or $9 and are used by MANY serious ice fisherman, so dont let the price fool you. Believe they have a 30" version.
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Hey thanks for the reply BBK.
I would mostly be going by feel when jigging, but sometimes I set it in the rod holder to check traps/make coffee/take a wiz.
Occasionally I rig up a pole with a live shiner and just set it in the holder and let it swim deep too.
Was that the Blue Ice "Jig stick" or the "Pro" or the "Super flex" you were referring to? I was looking at the 30" Super flex on FishUSA but it has the snake guides and has a spring bobber tip that I dont want.
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Hey thanks for the reply BBK.
I would mostly be going by feel when jigging, but sometimes I set it in the rod holder to check traps/make coffee/take a wiz.
Occasionally I rig up a pole with a live shiner and just set it in the holder and let it swim deep too.
Was that the Blue Ice "Jig stick" or the "Pro" or the "Super flex" you were referring to? I was looking at the 30" Super flex on FishUSA but it has the snake guides and has a spring bobber tip that I dont want.
If you are jigging for panfish, you want the flexible tip. That is why the Ice blues, or the jason mitchell meatstick are so popular. The fish can pull on the tip without feeling the full strength of the rod. I cant imagine jigging with a medium light solid rod for panfish, you would miss more fish than you would feel, no doubt about that. UL for panfish and small trout (up to 20"). L for perch or hard biting crappie, medium light and medium for walleye/pike jigging. The ice blues do not have spring bobbers, they have a very sensitive fiberglass tip.
Matched with 2-4lb line, the ice blue UL can not be beat for panfish.
http://www.fishusa.com/HT-Enterprises-Ice-Blue-Super-Flex-Ice-Fishing-Rods_p.html
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Yeah thats why Im looking for a light action rod, so I can feel the bites better. The ultralights Ive tested have been like a wet spagetti noodle with little back bone. That would be fine for panfish, but Id like it to have a tad more strength. Hence why Im looking for a light action.
The link you posted isnt working, but from what I can see the Ice Blue Super Flex come with spring tips.
From the FishUSA site,
--The Ice Blue "Super Flex" is part of HT's Ice Blue Ultra Light Series and is one of the most sensitive rods we carry. They offer a sensitive spring bobber like rod tip for those light biting fish.--
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"Spring bobber like tips" Not spring bobbers. It means the very tip bends extremely easily allowing you to feel the bites. With a light action, you wont feel the light crappie and gill bites. You will feel them when they pull away, but that is about it. When you go for that extra backbone with a light action, you loose the ability to feel the light bites as you would with an ultra-light.
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Oh I thought they came with spring bobber tips.
Im going to have to re-think my search I guess, and look at some different UL rods now too. Great... LOL
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I saw the Frabill Enticer Deadstick 28" while digging too, Im assuming that has a very light tip as well?
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A 28" ML power St.Croix Premiere is one of the most versatile, most sensitive rod you can get for the price of $20. It's a carbon fiber rod.
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If you're looking to jig and tight line for panfish you should consider an UL rod. I recommend the frabill panfish popper. I have 3 in the UL and I cut off the spring bobber. In my opinion they have the perfect size guides and being 24" they work perfect in my fish trap pro. They have a very soft tip for the shy biters but solid blank for large fish...I have iced several bass to 5lbs and couple pike over 30". The reel is a little better on this years models but i still replace em with a pflueger president or trion. I also have a st croix premier UL that is a very nice rod also. It may be a touch stiffer than the popper UL but works very well for tight line jigging with 1-3lb line and tiny jigs.
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A 28" ML power St.Croix Premiere is one of the most versatile, most sensitive rod you can get for the price of $20. It's a carbon fiber rod.
There doesnt look to be reel seats on that model though, and that is a must have in my search.
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If you're looking to jig and tight line for panfish you should consider an UL rod. I recommend the frabill panfish popper. I have 3 in the UL and I cut off the spring bobber. In my opinion they have the perfect size guides and being 24" they work perfect in my fish trap pro. They have a very soft tip for the shy biters but solid blank for large fish...I have iced several bass to 5lbs and couple pike over 30". The reel is a little better on this years models but i still replace em with a pflueger president or trion. I also have a st croix premier UL that is a very nice rod also. It may be a touch stiffer than the popper UL but works very well for tight line jigging with 1-3lb line and tiny jigs.
Well thats the thing, Im not really looking to jig just for panfish. Im looking for something that can do an average job at panfish, but a good job at perch/trout/bass.
Im not really a jigging guy by nature, but I was looking to give it more effort this winter. I do know that I dont want a spring bobber tip though, and if they can be removed I would do that. Do those Panfish Poppers have a real tip underneath that spring bobber?
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The Clam Genz Power Stick 26" light action looks like one of the rods I'll be looking for in the stores to give it the eyeball test. Glass blank, cork handle with reel seats, hook keeper with a sensitive tip.
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How about a Shakespeare Ugly Stick Lite. 25" light. 26" ultralight. 27" medium.
I also like these rods. They can take a beating, but they're a little on the dull side. I personally don't have much use for the light power model, but it works decent as a slip bobber rod. The ultralight model is very respectable for lure weights of 1/8 oz. to 1/64 oz. The medium works okay with heavier lures and functions just fine as a walley rod especially for Jig'N Raps and Buckshots.
You will usually John Thelen from Lindy Fishing Tackle use an Ugly Stick Lite. ;D
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Actually Bob, I went back and looked (online) at the Ugly Stik Lite 26 UL rod. I have a 5'6" Lite Pro for open water and its a great rod.
Definately one I'll be looking for in stores and ebay. Thanks for the suggestion!
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I wish they would put a fast tip on those Ugly Stik Lite rods like from their baitcasting rods instead of using a rod tip like from their spinning rods. That would be like plus points for me for buying more of them. Even if they could just make them longer it would do it for me as well.
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I use to fish with a variety of Lightning rods and ugly stiks. A few years ago I won an ice-fishing contest and part of the the prize was a set of 3 Frabill Ultra-Ice rods, from 26" UL, 28" light and 30" ML. I haven't used my old rods ever since except for the attractor rod with a Pimple/Kastmaster. These are superior jigging rods for trout and panfish, have landed some larger lakers and pike on the medium light. They are excellent, have a cork handle with a woven graphite reel seat and oversize guides that rarely freeze up. I think they retail for about $30 at the Sportsman's Warehouses around here.
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I saw the Frabil Ice Hunter rods BrownTime, which looked like a good option for sure.
I havent seen the Ultra Ice rods yet, guess I gotta check into them. Thanks for the suggestion.
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I saw the Frabil Ice Hunter rods BrownTime, which looked like a good option for sure.
I havent seen the Ultra Ice rods yet, guess I gotta check into them. Thanks for the suggestion.
If you want Ultra-light action and do e-bay, there are two ultra's on e-bay right now for 16.99 ea plus shipping.
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Yeah Brownie, I try to scour ebay like a starving hawk. LOL Found great deals there on tackle.
Ive got a dozen or so jig rods on my watch list right now, but I wanted to glean some more info on the rods before buying one. (or 3) Theres so many out there its kinda hard to pick one!
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Well I picked up a South Bend Alpine 27" light action rod the other day, and it seems like a pretty good rod in my non-expert opinion. Its graphite blank, with a cork handle and locking (screw) reel seats and a semi fast tip. Hook holder too.
Now to decide on some better line..... Im seriously thinking of grabbing some Berkley Fireline Micro Ice in smoke 6lb test. Any opinion?
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If you are jigging for panfish, you want the flexible tip. That is why the Ice blues, or the jason mitchell meatstick are so popular. The fish can pull on the tip without feeling the full strength of the rod. I cant imagine jigging with a medium light solid rod for panfish, you would miss more fish than you would feel, no doubt about that. UL for panfish and small trout (up to 20"). L for perch or hard biting crappie, medium light and medium for walleye/pike jigging. The ice blues do not have spring bobbers, they have a very sensitive fiberglass tip.
Matched with 2-4lb line, the ice blue UL can not be beat for panfish.
http://www.fishusa.com/HT-Enterprises-Ice-Blue-Super-Flex-Ice-Fishing-Rods_p.html
+1 for the Ice Blue rod. I also like the Clam Ice Buster rod, it's their $20 combo and works great.
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Frabill has the bro series rods out and they have one called the deadstick. its 28 inches long and this rod is incredible. it has the back bone of a medium but it has the tip of a ultra light. ment for deadsticking live bait but can also be used to jig buddy was running a jiggin rap on it no problem. I know you wanted a glass blank but this one is graphite and has a cork hand with a screw in reel seat The combo goes for 44.99 on Reeds but if your a vip they knock 5 bucks off. i comes paired with a 5 +1 ball bearing bro series reel with the push button fold down handle. but like anything else its better to go look at the things in person and work them in the store like you would be jigging with them and when you find something that Feels right then you no its right then get that one. or better yet find someone who has some of the mentioned rods and try them out on the ice. and i will also give a nod to the ice blues. great rods at an inexpensive price a little fragile but whole lot of fun catching fish on them
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Frabill has the bro series rods out and they have one called the deadstick. its 28 inches long and this rod is incredible. it has the back bone of a medium but it has the tip of a ultra light. ment for deadsticking live bait but can also be used to jig buddy was running a jiggin rap on it no problem. I know you wanted a glass blank but this one is graphite and has a cork hand with a screw in reel seat The combo goes for 44.99 on Reeds but if your a vip they knock 5 bucks off. i comes paired with a 5 +1 ball bearing bro series reel with the push button fold down handle. but like anything else its better to go look at the things in person and work them in the store like you would be jigging with them and when you find something that Feels right then you no its right then get that one. or better yet find someone who has some of the mentioned rods and try them out on the ice. and i will also give a nod to the ice blues. great rods at an inexpensive price a little fragile but whole lot of fun catching fish on them
I looked online at a Frabill 28" deadstick combo, but Im not sure if its the Bro series or not. I think its the Enticer one. I was wondering if they were any good. Never heard of Reeds, I guess I gotta look them up.
Im looking to do more jigging this year, so I want to add some different rods to my collection to have some options out there.
How about the Berkley Fireline Micro Ice in smoke 6lb test for jigging line?
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Reeds is a sporting goods site alot of guys on here order from there. i forgot frabill has the 28 inch deadstick enticer that is fiberglass think its only twenty buck bet it has the feel of and ice blue.
heres a link to reeds for the enticer deadstick http://www.reedssports.com/Product/product.taf?_function=detail&_ID=18881&pc=3305 (http://www.reedssports.com/Product/product.taf?_function=detail&_ID=18881&pc=3305)
heres a link to reeds with the bro series deadstick http://www.reedssports.com/Product/product.taf?_function=detail&_ID=22922&pc=2510 (http://www.reedssports.com/Product/product.taf?_function=detail&_ID=22922&pc=2510)
Reeds is a good site Sign up for their vip membership its free and they offer lots of discounts thru it for example the enticer deadstick is 17.99 if your a member and 19.99 if your not yea its only two bucks but thats two bucks toward bait ya no.
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Yeah Ive been looking through the online store for a bit, thanks for the heads up.
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REEDS a great place to shop !
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Ok, I figured Id update my quest a little and ask for some more input. So far Ive got 5 jig rods for various uses. Im still trying to match the reels and line to them though...
27" Rhino Indestructible medium graphite core - Mostly for jigging large jigs and deadsticking a live shiner if Im sitting outside. The 6lb Fireline Fused Micro Ice line seems like it works well for this rod application, although it ices up quite a bit.
28" HT Arctic Bay QX light carbon - Kind of stiff for a light, so its for heavier jigs and deadsticking when Im outside. Im trying 3lb Micro Ice in steel color on this.
27" South Bend Alpine light graphite - I use the 2lb Trilene Micro Ice in steel color and jig with micro jigs. Works pretty good.
26" Frabill Amplifier light carbon - Dunno about this one.... Not real fast, but the rubber discs in the handle amplify every tic of the jig. Light jigs with 2lb line??? Dunno yet.
27" HT Polar Lite M-L graphite (very noodly tip section) - Awesome rod for 11 bucks at Wally World. Seems to be great for #10 Ratso jigs and micro jigs. This is the rod Im looking for some light line for.
Reels are mostly HT 4bb Accucasts (not bad reels IMO), with one Genz Power Stick reel (My shimano ULs drag sux in the cold)
Line is Trilene micro ice 3lb and 2lb steel color. Ive got some 6lb Trilene superline too, but Im not too fond of. Also some HT 5.9lb? ice mono in a kind of ice tea color, but it seems decent for mid-weight jigs. Going to try some Sunline 3lb mono/floro stuff soon. Dunno...
Id like to try Pline Floroice, but Ive read conflicting reviews here. Any thoughts on a good lb test for micro jigs? Seems like it breaks easy by some comments, and Im wondering if its worth taking a chance on the 2lb.
Id also like to try some Gamma ESP, but it seems its pretty hard to find. Any thoughts?
The Asso "ice heavy" is another line Id like to experiment with. Not sure why it only comes in yellow and brown though. Hows the brown do?
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I have 3 of the Frabill Ice Hunter rods. Bought them this year with a gift card I got from Fleet Farm for xmas. I got the 26" Quick Tip for pannies, 26" Light for perch/whities and the 26" medium for eyes. I picked them up for $29.99 / rod.
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I was going to try the Ice Hunter 26 light, but the wife gave me the hairy eyeball when I mentioned Id like to get one.
Seem like she is of the opinion I have "enough" ice fishing stuff. LOL I figure at this rate of searching for rods, I will end up needing 12 to cover my bases. That doesnt seem excessive to me... :whistle:
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You can never have "enough" ice fishing stuff. Just don't tell the wife.
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You can never have "enough" ice fishing stuff. Just don't tell the wife.
She seems to have a 6th sense though..... LOL
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Ok, time for update #3.
I have successfully caught fish on all 5 of my jig rods. Some I really like the way they feel, and some I havent figured out their calling quite yet. Im still a jigging rookie, but Im figuring out some stuff every trip out on the ice.
Ive come to the conclusion that the 6lb Fireline Fused Micro Ice is not for me at this time in my limited jigging experience. It is way too heavy and stiff and ice clings to it badly. Its like dental floss on steroids. Maybe I'll just use it for a backer line with an actual leader of 3-4lb test flouro. It would be great for toothy critters though...
I really like the 27" HT Polar Lite M-L rod. It is VERY sensitive in the tip, and works very good for 1/64th jigs. It has plenty of backbone throughout the rest of the rod for landing fish too. Best of all, it was cheap at Wally World. I spooled it with ASSO Heavy Ice flouro 2lb test in brown color, and wow! Im very impressed with the ASSO line. Its the best line Ive tried by far. Thank you to those that suggested it on various other threads. Im very glad I took your advice.
I also like the 27" South Bend Alpine light action graphite rod. It is a little stiffer than the Polar light, but still has enough sensitivity to feel the light "ticks" on the jig when a fish taps it. I spooled some 3lb Sunline Ice mono in dark smoke color on this rod, and the line seems pretty good. It will more than likely be sporting some 2lb ASSO next winter though.
The 28" HT Arctic Bay QX light carbon seems pretty stiff to me. Probably a bad buy, but hey. Im sure I'll find the right use for this rod at some point, but it seems good for 5mm Fiskas jigs to me. Maybe this will be my tungsten jig rod? Im using Trilene Micro Ice 3lb in cold steel color on this. This line also seems to get the little ice "dingleberries" growing on it after awhile. Im sure this is common with many lines, but I had higher hopes for the results. Still, I do like the setup for slightly heavier jigs. I just have to keep experimenting with it.
The 26" Frabill Amplifier light carbon seems kind of stiff too. Again with the carbon feeling stiff... Is this a normal conclusion? Im very impressed with the rubber discs in the rod handle though. It really does "amplify" the hits alot. I have to think this rod can handle bigger fish with ease though. I jigged my first fish on this rod, so I have a soft spot for it. Ive got Trilene Micro Ice 2lb test in cold steel color spooled on this one. 1/64th oz jigs seem kind of light for this set-up. Ive had better results with 4mm Fiskas on this. Maybe 1/16th oz jigs would be fine too. Gotta swap out the line onto another reel.... Dunno yet, Im getting sick of tying line I can barely see without my glasses. LOL
The Genz Power Stick reel is a complete piece of garbage reel. Junk....
I love jigging soft plastics and I really like the mini Wedgies for their incredible action. I have some tungsten jigs with fly feathers too, and they seem to be very productive for perch.
I think flourocarbon is the right line for me. (a rookie) Its very user freindly for those just learning the finer points of jigging tiny jigs. It has half the coils of most line Ive tried.
Unfortunately, I also found out I need at least 10 rods to cover my bases out there. Sooooo, I need to find a way to outsmart wifey.
Oh yeah, I bought a Clam Ice Armor jig box that I really like. Its pretty small, (4.5 x 3 x 1.5 closed) but it fits a bunch of stuff in there. I would highly recommend one if someone was looking at one.
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There's also a huge variety of flourocarbon line just like your typical copolymer/mono lines. What's great in one flourocarbon line may be terrible from another brand. Flourocarbon lines also take less to shock strength. You don't need the over emphasized TV hookset. A slightly slower or shorter hook set is fine with them.
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Thanks for the reply Bob.
Yeah, those tv guys really sell the hookset like they were in a Diehard movie. LOL
Im still pondering grabbing some Pline florice, but Ive heard it flakes and wears out fairly quick. My rods are out of sunlight in a HT rod locker, so maybe the key is to keep the light away as much as possible.
Any suggestions as to some good floro?
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Pline Floroice is pretty good line. I'm on third season with my 3# line. I had to ditch the 2# line within one month of use. I still like the few ASSO flourocarbon lines I've used better overall.
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The ASSO Heavy Ice is really easy to fish with, Im going to stock up over the summer.
I will also grab some Pline too, because I plan on getting a few new rods before next winter too.
I may even give Berkley Vanish a try also.
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Well Im back again, and I figure I might as well just use this thread again instead of creating another one to ask questions. I'll just keep updating this as I learn as I go, like a knowledge reference base for myself and others. Its a heck of alot easier for me to go back and research the great info given by helpful anglers if its on one thread, kinda like a personal jigging journey if you will. Im sure I'll have a bunch more questions later on too.... so please bear with me in this journey if I get annoying. LOL
Ok, Im looking at getting an HT Ice Blue "Super Flex" rod and would like some input. I was wondering if the 30" would be better than the 24" for pannies/perch/brook trout. Is the more compact size of the 24" less "noodley" than the 30", or are they about the same? Are these rods real noodley throughout the shaft? The 24" could be better suited as an "in shack" rod where space is tight though. If it came down to you buying the 24" or 30", which one would you choose and why?
I was also looking at the HT Ice Blue "Jig Stick", but it seems to be described as a much less sensitive rod with more backbone for larger fish. Probably not what I need at this time because I have other rods that fit that bill.
Then theres the Ice Blue "Pro" rod, which seems to have (basicly) the same blanks as the Super Flex but with a cork handle and different guides. The 26" UL Pro looks like a good option in these, but right now Im going to concentrate on getting a Super Flex for the time being.
As always, thanks for any replies to my questions.
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Anybody out there?
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Might as well add a pic here too. LOL
Heres my lineup so far....
(http://i922.photobucket.com/albums/ad67/Greenblood88/Boat%20and%20fishing%20stuff/EricsMisc053.jpg)
From bottom to top,
25" Fenwick Elite Tech UL with Pfleuger 6720
27" HT Polarlite L/M with Accucast ACR 104A
27" South Bend Alpine L with Accucast ACR 104A (older gunmetal version w/out holes in spool)
26" Frabil Amplifier L with Accucast ACR 104A
28" HT Arctic Bay QX L with Accucast ACR 104A
27" Rhino Indestructable M with Genz Powerstick reel
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How deep of water are you fishing?. If less than 20ft you are missing out by not using a fly reel.
It stops the jig spin a gets you more bites faster.JMO.
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How deep of water are you fishing?. If less than 20ft you are missing out by not using a fly reel.
It stops the jig spin a gets you more bites faster.JMO.
Hey WT.
Im usually fishing 4 to 30 feet, but usually under 15 feet most of the time.
I dont see my jig spin when Im watching it go down the hole, it basicly "swims" down. Im not a fan of fly reels, so I dont think they would be for me.
Any opinion on the Ice Blue rods?
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Picked up a 26" HT Cysco UL and put my spare President 6720 on it. Not too shabby of a set up in my opinion.
The Cysco UL felt alot like the Ice Blue in terms of action to me, but it has bigger standard guides so I picked the Cysco instead. Im probably going to get an Ice Blue later on though too.
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Picked up a 26" HT Cysco UL and put my spare President 6720 on it. Not too shabby of a set up in my opinion.
The Cysco UL felt alot like the Ice Blue in terms of action to me, but it has bigger standard guides so I picked the Cysco instead. Im probably going to get an Ice Blue later on though too.
enlighten me about these rods? never seen or heard of them
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enlighten me about these rods? never seen or heard of them
Well they're made by HT, they were out last year but I never did get one then. They seem almost the same as the Ice Blues, but have bigger guides and have a red corkalon handle. Theres blue corkalon on the Ice Blues. The blank is white-to-red fade in color with red wrappings, and has a bright orange tip like the Blues. If I remember correctly, the blank is made of "composite materials" like the Blues too. (gotta re-check that though)
It was $15 at Wally World with a junky reel on it. The Ice Blue was $17 with a junky reel. I like the guides on the Cysco better than the Blues, and its got damn near the same feel to the action to me.
This is the picture from the HT website. Same combo I got at Wally World, I just chucked the reel and put on my President.
(http://www.icefish.com/catalog/include/image_resize.php?h=500&w=600&img=/product_images/cys combo.jpg)
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thanks. i have the ice blue ultralight for my pannie fishing and love it. that does look like it has about the same sensitivity at the ice blue would have. i have a little quantum on mine, great little setup! definitly looking into expanding my jigging horizzons though, will look into the cysco rods. thanks :tipup:
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28" ul is my panfish rod
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thanks. i have the ice blue ultralight for my pannie fishing and love it. that does look like it has about the same sensitivity at the ice blue would have. i have a little quantum on mine, great little setup! definitly looking into expanding my jigging horizzons though, will look into the cysco rods. thanks :tipup:
Yeah I had the Cysco in one hand and the Ice Blue in the other, and they felt almost exactly the same. (noodle-wise) I think it will be a great panny rod!
I'll slap the red reel on another rod for the grandson, he could use some more gear too. LOL
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Yeah I had the Cysco in one hand and the Ice Blue in the other, and they felt almost exactly the same. (noodle-wise) I think it will be a great panny rod!
I'll slap the red reel on another rod for the grandson, he could use some more gear too. LOL
never too young too start compiling the gear!
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never too young too start compiling the gear!
True, true. LOL
By the time hes 10 in 2 years he should have quite a pile of fishing gear.
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Also, to describe the action of the Cysco UL, it flexes MORE than my Fenwick Elite Tech 25" UL seen in the pic below. I used the same toenail clippers on both rods and the Cysco has more bend. Its pretty damn soft!
(http://i922.photobucket.com/albums/ad67/Greenblood88/Boat%20and%20fishing%20stuff/EricsMisc054.jpg)
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Okay, just for S&G here is the 26" Cysco UL flex shot using the industry standard toenail clippers again. Heh
The angle Im holding the rod is slightly different, and theres a 1/64th jig on the line too, but its a decent visual comparison. The Cysco appears to have a slightly faster tip than the 25" Fenwick UL, and has more of a "noodle" feel.
(http://i922.photobucket.com/albums/ad67/Greenblood88/Boat%20and%20fishing%20stuff/EricsMisc055.jpg)
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I just ordered a Jason Mitchell Elite Series MEAT STICK ROD 24" med action.
I like the longer light action rods my self but bought this for fishing with the flasher.
That thing is awesome the tip is super sensitive but has great back bone.
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I just ordered a Jason Mitchell Elite Series MEAT STICK ROD 24" med action.
I like the longer light action rods my self but bought this for fishing with the flasher.
That thing is awesome the tip is super sensitive but has great back bone.
I was seriously debating on getting a Meatstick , but I really hate the taping-on-the-reel deal.
I was thinking of getting those rubber band reel fasteners, but I cant remember what they are actually called....
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Your thinking of shrink tubing it works but does not hold up well.
I love this stuff:
Frabill Specialized ReelTape is specially designed for attaching reels to ice fishing rods that have eva foam and cork grips. This tape bonds only to itself and will not damage the rod grip. This reel tape adds comfort to the grip and is anti-slip when wet. Frabill Specialized Reel Tape comes in a 60" roll enough to mount 3 to 4 combos and is rated to
-65F.
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I was seriously debating on getting a Meatstick , but I really hate the taping-on-the-reel deal.
I was thinking of getting those rubber band reel fasteners, but I cant remember what they are actually called....
Coldsnap reel wraps - type it in google it will get you to the site
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Coldsnap reel wraps - type it in google it will get you to the site
Ahhh there it is!
Thanks!
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Your thinking of shrink tubing it works but does not hold up well.
I love this stuff:
Frabill Specialized ReelTape is specially designed for attaching reels to ice fishing rods that have eva foam and cork grips. This tape bonds only to itself and will not damage the rod grip. This reel tape adds comfort to the grip and is anti-slip when wet. Frabill Specialized Reel Tape comes in a 60" roll enough to mount 3 to 4 combos and is rated to
-65F.
Yeah thats probably better, but its still essentially tape at the end of the day, dunno. If I want to swap reels out its probably just as much of a pain.... Im still experimenting/learning the whole jigging thing, so Im still getting my combos figured out.
I like the rubber band idea a little better at this point, but thanks for the info.
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I know combos are junk (mostly) but when looking at rods in the store how can you tell how it is going to react when fished? Just shaking it and seeing what the tip does/how it reacts? I was looking at this thread before and went to look at some HTs but the store only had some that had not been mentioned. I need something UL for mostly small pan fish with the occasional perch and crappie the size of two crappies. I was looking at the HT ice blue because it has been mentioned so much, is it a good way to go? How about reel? Not sure if I should order something online like from fish usa or should try and find something at the store (as well as let my fiance pick her own instead of gifting her a new rod). Also I want something with tip response, no spring tip/bobber. Sorry if I high jacked the thread but it seemed my question was somewhat on topic.
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I know combos are junk (mostly) but when looking at rods in the store how can you tell how it is going to react when fished? Just shaking it and seeing what the tip does/how it reacts? I was looking at this thread before and went to look at some HTs but the store only had some that had not been mentioned. I need something UL for mostly small pan fish with the occasional perch and crappie the size of two crappies. I was looking at the HT ice blue because it has been mentioned so much, is it a good way to go? How about reel? Not sure if I should order something online like from fish usa or should try and find something at the store (as well as let my fiance pick her own instead of gifting her a new rod). Also I want something with tip response, no spring tip/bobber. Sorry if I high jacked the thread but it seemed my question was somewhat on topic.
Im still trying to get my jig rod collection built, but....
Combos are usually lacking in reel quality, but a good way to get a good rod. I just get a good feel of how the rod tip reacts and make a guess as to what its capabilities/uses will be.
The Ice Blues seem to be a popular choice for pannies with alot of folks here, and they arent expensive. (big plus right there) I dont own one, but I checked out the 24" UL in Wally World. I liked the action and tip, but didnt like the eyelets. The Cysco felt exactly the same but with bigger, standard eyelets so I bought it. I think its going to be a great addition to my collection.
The Fenwick Elite Tech UL feels like a great rod too, cant wait to hit the ice with my 25" UL.
Another very light tipped rod is the HT Polar Lite in L/M. SUPER spring bobber-ish tip with more backbone down the blank like a deadsticking rod, and was like $12 at Wally World last season. Check them out if you can find them. I liked it alot and caught plenty of perch on mine. Cork handle with locking reel seats too.
As for reels, I like the Pflueger Presidents and HT Accucasts. Ive got 4 of the Accucast 104 (4 bearings) and its very close to the Pflueger President 6720 for less than half the cost. I highly recommend the Accucast 104 or 106 for anyone looking for pannies on a budget. Excellent smoothness and drag on either brand though, the reels are VERY similar. The casings are even almost identical. The Accucast 106 (6 bearings) at $20 bucks is a great price. The Presidents are superb reels, but pricey. No complaints with my two Ive got. The new President micro reels are the 6920 model. (used to be 6720)
Ive heard good things about the Tica Cetus reels too, but I havent held one yet.
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I bought those combos for years and fought with the poor quality reels frosen eyes and cheap stiff line.
I'm done with that now.
last year I put at the top of my Xmas list a president reel and ice magic line put that on one of the cheap poles I got and wow. I will never buy the box store junk again I wish I had bought quality years ago.
I have two drawers of junk ice rods that added up could have been 2 or 3 quality setups still in my rod case.
That president is now taped to a brand new meatstick and hoping Santa brings me another 29" meatstick ;D
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Thanks for the responses to my questions. It looks like maybe I can pick up (and should) the HT combos. We're in a heated shanty 95% of the time so maybe the eyelets on the blue ice won't be too troublesome. I liked the tip sensitivity on both. Most of the fishing we do is under 10 ft so if we go out with crappy reels that decide they are done working it's not the end of the day. Can always buy nicer reels later. I was looking at Farm and Fleet and found some different "cheaper" brand combos that I really liked the feel and tip action of as well. I know you get what you pay for but if it looks like what I am looking for I might as well try it out. If nothing else it's a backup.
Thanks again!
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I always end up chucking the reels that come on combos anyway, I just basicly look for good rods and put my choice of reel on them.
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so is this a decent combo
http://www.fishusa.com/HT-Enterprises-Ice-BlueAccucast-Ice-RodReel-Combos_p.html
or is it better to pair that rod with a higher accucast (4 or 6 ball bearing)?
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so is this a decent combo
http://www.fishusa.com/HT-Enterprises-Ice-BlueAccucast-Ice-RodReel-Combos_p.html
or is it better to pair that rod with a higher accucast (4 or 6 ball bearing)?
Ive never used the Accucast 102, so I cant say how it will be. I do know that the 104 is great, so Id say go for it and upgrade the reel if needed.
As a matter of fact, I just picked up an Ice Blue 24" L in a pawn shop tonight for 5 bucks! Woooooo!! (complete with a jig tied on already)
(http://i922.photobucket.com/albums/ad67/Greenblood88/Boat%20and%20fishing%20stuff/EricsMisc056.jpg)
Only problem is its got an HT Intrigue reel on it, which appears to be a piece of crap. But hey for $5 I can get a Accucast 106 or something later. The Ice Blue is pretty good feeling, you will like it once you get one.
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I'm thinking about ordering the combo, getting a 106 and putting the 106 on the combo and putting the 102 on a cysco from walmart. That leaves me with the reel off the walmart rig that I can have as a backup or something else. The nicer reel goes to my lady, gotta keep her happy fishing (and happy about me continuing to spend money).
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I'm thinking about ordering the combo, getting a 106 and putting the 106 on the combo and putting the 102 on a cysco from walmart. That leaves me with the reel off the walmart rig that I can have as a backup or something else. The nicer reel goes to my lady, gotta keep her happy fishing (and happy about me continuing to spend money).
You could just buy the Ice Blue rod without reel from FishUSA (possibly the Ice Blue Pro) and order an Accucast at the same time. (1 good combo down) Then use the red Optimax reel and Cysco as the combo they are anyways. (1 ok combo down)
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Well I thought I had my plan of attack figured out but now I don't know! Is the 106 worth it over the 104? $3.oo isn't much but it's half the cost of shipping.
The difference between my two plans is $11 and the walmart rig gets the 102 (off the combo) or the walmart rig stays with the optimax. Walmart also sells the ice blue with optimax for 17.96. It's definitely worth getting a better reel right away right? Sorry for so much nonsense on my part.
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I only have the 104s, and they are great in my opinion.
Im assuming the 106s are a bit smoother, but thats just a guess.
My plan of attack has changed a dozen times in 1 year, so dont feel bad. LOL
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That's a pretty awesome thrift store find by the way!
I'm still debating what to do but I'm kicking myself for not moving faster and getting the free shipping yesterday.
We still have a ways to go before the ice gets here anyway.
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Yeah theres still some time.
Where are you located?
Do you shop on ebay?
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Wisconsin and yup, too much sometimes lol.
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Ahh a cheesehead? Packers look freakin good on offense, wish my Jets did.....
Youve probably seen all the ebay ice fishing stuff twice over same as me then. LOL
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Actually no. Spent more time there during archery season than ice fishing, never really considered looking there. And yes, definitely a cheese head. Have my radio ready for on the ice.
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Theres a ton of ice fishing stuff on ebay, Im watching 178 things on my list right now. (if I had $$$ I would own alot of it too. ehh)
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so is this a decent combo
http://www.fishusa.com/HT-Enterprises-Ice-BlueAccucast-Ice-RodReel-Combos_p.html
or is it better to pair that rod with a higher accucast (4 or 6 ball bearing)?
I bought one of them 2 years ago the reel is toast now lasted 2 years.
But I love that rod in 30" it seems to be my lucky rod.
I just put a Dave Genz Power Stick Reel on it now it's ready to rip some more lips.
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I bought one of them 2 years ago the reel is toast now lasted 2 years.
But I love that rod in 30" it seems to be my lucky rod.
I just put a Dave Genz Power Stick Reel on it now it's ready to rip some more lips.
The 8815? Two years isn't too bad for a reel in my opinion. Still kicking around what to do.
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I bought one of them 2 years ago the reel is toast now lasted 2 years.
But I love that rod in 30" it seems to be my lucky rod.
I just put a Dave Genz Power Stick Reel on it now it's ready to rip some more lips.
I have a Power Stick reel and I dont like it at all, drag fetches up and the bail assembly flops all around.
I dont even use it any more its so bad....
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The 8815? Two years isn't too bad for a reel in my opinion. Still kicking around what to do.
Id stick with the Accucasts if youre debating on a reel, its the best HT micro reel Ive used.
They are so similar to the President 6720 that its a slam dunk. The President 6720/new 6920 are around 50-60 bucks, where the Accucast 104/106 is $17-20.
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so is this a decent combo
http://www.fishusa.com/HT-Enterprises-Ice-BlueAccucast-Ice-RodReel-Combos_p.html
or is it better to pair that rod with a higher accucast (4 or 6 ball bearing)?
Your better off spending a little extra money on a better reel. You can skimp on the rod a little. I've never seen/felt an HT reel I would use myself.
This (500FD)
http://www.fishusa.com/Shimano-Sienna-FD-Spinning-Reels_p.html (http://www.fishusa.com/Shimano-Sienna-FD-Spinning-Reels_p.html)
and This
http://www.fishusa.com/HT-Enterprises-Ice-Blue-Super-Flex-Ice-Fishing-Rods_p.html (http://www.fishusa.com/HT-Enterprises-Ice-Blue-Super-Flex-Ice-Fishing-Rods_p.html)
http://www.fishusa.com/HT-Enterprises-Ice-Blue-Pro-Ice-Fishing-Rods_p.html (http://www.fishusa.com/HT-Enterprises-Ice-Blue-Pro-Ice-Fishing-Rods_p.html)
I know the rod and reel add up to twice the price of the combo you listed in the link however the rod/reel I posted is a far better combo and the reel will actually last, have a smooth drag and will spin smooth.
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I have a Power Stick reel and I dont like it at all, drag fetches up and the bail assembly flops all around.
I dont even use it any more its so bad....
I bought 2 they both seem solid to me.
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I bought 2 they both seem solid to me.
The red ones?
Dunno, but I couldnt even use it in 15 degree temps the drag was so bad.
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Your better off spending a little extra money on a better reel. You can skimp on the rod a little. I've never seen/felt an HT reel I would use myself.
This (500FD)
http://www.fishusa.com/Shimano-Sienna-FD-Spinning-Reels_p.html (http://www.fishusa.com/Shimano-Sienna-FD-Spinning-Reels_p.html)
and This
http://www.fishusa.com/HT-Enterprises-Ice-Blue-Super-Flex-Ice-Fishing-Rods_p.html (http://www.fishusa.com/HT-Enterprises-Ice-Blue-Super-Flex-Ice-Fishing-Rods_p.html)
http://www.fishusa.com/HT-Enterprises-Ice-Blue-Pro-Ice-Fishing-Rods_p.html (http://www.fishusa.com/HT-Enterprises-Ice-Blue-Pro-Ice-Fishing-Rods_p.html)
I know the rod and reel add up to twice the price of the combo you listed in the link however the rod/reel I posted is a far better combo and the reel will actually last, have a smooth drag and will spin smooth.
I agree on getting a good reel to put on the Ice Blue. (love to get a Pro myself too) But the Accucast (metal 104 and 106) IS a quality reel and has silky smooth drag that worked at 0 degrees outside. Its nowhere near the junky reel the Optimax and Intrigue that come on the combos are, its a very good reel in my opinion. The plastic Accucast 102 is pretty junky though.
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The red ones?
Dunno, but I couldnt even use it in 15 degree temps the drag was so bad.
Yes the red one
How do they work inside?
I have not used them in the cold yet seem in my basement.
Man I hope you just got a bad one or I'm stuck with 2 more junk reels.
I'm ordering a Pflueger 4520GXX Trion to have on hand in case they bomb out on me.
If they do I'm gona be writing to Mr Genz.
This is the description of the reel.
Dave Genz Ice Fishing Reels – There’s a reason they call him “Mr. Ice Fishing”. Dave spends as much time as anyone and much more than most ice fishing. His line of ice fishing reels have been put through the wringer with vigorous use in pursuit of multiple fish species. Numerous tweaks and adjustments were made before Dave would put his stamp of approval and name on these combos.
•Powerstick Reel (8815)
•Lightweight 2+1ball-bearing reel
•Infinite Anti-reverse
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Yes the red one
How do they work inside?
I have not used them in the cold yet seem in my basement.
Man I hope you just got a bad one or I'm stuck with 2 more junk reels.
I'm ordering a Pflueger 4520GXX Trion to have on hand in case they bomb out on me.
If they do I'm gona be writing to Mr Genz.
This is the description of the reel.
Dave Genz Ice Fishing Reels – There’s a reason they call him “Mr. Ice Fishing”. Dave spends as much time as anyone and much more than most ice fishing. His line of ice fishing reels have been put through the wringer with vigorous use in pursuit of multiple fish species. Numerous tweaks and adjustments were made before Dave would put his stamp of approval and name on these combos.
•Powerstick Reel (8815)
•Lightweight 2+1ball-bearing reel
•Infinite Anti-reverse
Maybe I did just get a bad one, but it just feels cheesy, functions poorly and looks cheesy to me. (plastic plastic plastic) Inside the shack the drag worked better, but it still had hitches. I was using the reel for toothy critters like chain pickerel with Fireline Ice Fused superline on my broomstick Rhino Indestructable M, so the drag working good wasnt TOO much of an issue as long as it worked a little. I thought it shouldve performed way better than it did though, and with lighter line and a lighter pole it would be troublesome. I loosened up the drag to play out line and lessen the hitch's, but that seemed to make the bail assembly even floppier. I just think this is a piss poor reel...
His True Blue reels look to be better quality, but I havent used one yet.
I havent used a Trion yet (I have a couple Presidents), but I guarentee its 3 times the reel the Power Stick is.
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As a matter of fact, I just picked up an Ice Blue 24" L in a pawn shop tonight for 5 bucks! Woooooo!! (complete with a jig tied on already)
Only problem is its got an HT Intrigue reel on it, which appears to be a piece of crap. But hey for $5 I can get a Accucast 106 or something later. The Ice Blue is pretty good feeling, you will like it once you get one.
Haha, I'm an idiot. I think that same combo but UL is what I ended up ordering online because they price wasn't bad. I finally made a decision today and it was the wrong one (of course). Anyway, it wasn't more than it would have been in the store for an ice blue combo, will just probably want to replace the reel soon. I think I'll end up picking myself up the cysco yet and seeing how the crappy reels go. If they are terrible (or if extra dough shows up this month) I'll order the 104 accucasts.
Thanks again!
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Haha, I'm an idiot. I think that same combo but UL is what I ended up ordering online because they price wasn't bad. I finally made a decision today and it was the wrong one (of course). Anyway, it wasn't more than it would have been in the store for an ice blue combo, will just probably want to replace the reel soon. I think I'll end up picking myself up the cysco yet and seeing how the crappy reels go. If they are terrible (or if extra dough shows up this month) I'll order the 104 accucasts.
Thanks again!
Did you order the Ice Blue/Accucast combo from FishUSA you mentioned before? I think you will be ok with that for a little while, but yeah adding a 104 would be better when you can. I think the combos are all L action though (they are very light though, and sensitive). Are you sure you got an UL?
The Cysco reels are Optimax if I recall, not as crappy as the Intrigue at least.
The line is pretty heavy on them, Id get some better line too. Trilene Micro Ice 2 or 3 pound test should be easy to find, and is pretty good but inexpensive.
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No I bought a Model No.: IB-24SC, Length: 24", Power: Ultra-light off a different site. I think it's exactly what you got for $5.00. Oh well. I think you're correct about them being Light, even though they are labeled ultra light.
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Mine is a L, but very light.
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Yup, very likely going to be the same thing. I picked up a Cysco today and noticed that it has the optimax reel but the ice blues have the intrigue reel at the store also. The rods look nice at least. Definitely more sensitive than others in the combo racks. I've been tapping racks and shaking poles like a crazy person everytime I go in the store.
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Yup, very likely going to be the same thing. I picked up a Cysco today and noticed that it has the optimax reel but the ice blues have the intrigue reel at the store also. The rods look nice at least. Definitely more sensitive than others in the combo racks. I've been tapping racks and shaking poles like a crazy person everytime I go in the store.
Heh, you sound like me in the fishing aisle. I think the Wal Mart dude in sporting goods thinks Im slightly insane....
The Optimax might actually have some use in it, it seems a little more functional than the Intrigue. I put mine on my Frabill Amplifier and I'll use it as a spare combo. The Intrigue will go in my "fishing junk bin for misfit toys". LOL
Hope you do well with your new stuff, especially the Cysco. I bet that rod is going to be great for pannies/perch, and I cant wait to experiment with mine.
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All righty, I got some new stuff to try this winter and Im almost ready to hit the ice.
New Rods..
25" Fenwick Elite Tech UL with Pfleuger 6720
26" HT Cysco UL with Pflueger 6720
24" HT Ice Blue L with Accucast 104
25" Berkley Hot Ice M with Berkley reel (nice limber glass blank, reel is questionable)
18" HT Shanty Stix L with Shimano AXUL reel (shorty for inside jigging and reel likes it warmer)
22" Frabill Enticer UL with Frabill reel (glass rod and shorter for inside, reel is questionable)
Added to my already existing......
27" HT Polarlite L/M with Accucast 104
27" South Bend Alpine L with Accucast 104
26" Frabill Amplifier L with Mitchell Spidermite reel
28" HT Arctic Bay QX L with Accucast 104
27" Rhino Indestructable M with Genz Powerstick reel
I also built a jigging sled to use out on the ice, and to store up to 16 rod combos inside.
(http://i922.photobucket.com/albums/ad67/Greenblood88/Boat%20and%20fishing%20stuff/EricsMisc168.jpg)
(http://i922.photobucket.com/albums/ad67/Greenblood88/Boat%20and%20fishing%20stuff/EricsMisc170.jpg)
I got some more ASSO floro (3lb) and HT ice mono (2.9lb) too, plus some jigging spoons and such. Pimples and Frostees mostly, so I can branch out from micro plastics.
CANT WAIT!!
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like your sled!!! ;D are the rod holders, swim noodles??? ive been eyeing up the HT ice blue rods for me and my dad, he likes a thin flimsy rod for his gills
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like your sled!!! ;D are the rod holders, swim noodles??? ive been eyeing up the HT ice blue rods for me and my dad, he likes a thin flimsy rod for his gills
Thanks Brad, and yeah I sacrificed one of wifeys pool noodles. LOL Works superb to stick the handles in, and are zip tied on.
The HT Ice Blues are quite flimsy, as is the HT Cysco. (with bigger/better eyes) Cant go wrong with either one in my opinion.
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The new fenwick 25 inch ultralight looks nice. Anyone use these yet?
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The new fenwick 25 inch ultralight looks nice. Anyone use these yet?
Used mine today and LOVED it.
Im going to use it for my Fiskas tungsten rod, it sems to be able to take slightly heavier jigs.
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Jigging sled trials
(http://i922.photobucket.com/albums/ad67/Greenblood88/Boat%20and%20fishing%20stuff/EricsMisc182.jpg)
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An update to my journey.
The jigging sled has been working amazingly well. The seat is the perfect height and firmness (originally I thought it was too stiff), and keeps my buns warm. The foam rubber blocks inside the box keep the rods pretty well kept with few tangles, but I may glue the bottoms in place. Possibly slice into the foam to hold the rods better too. The Wally World drink holders cracked in the cold though, so those need to be redesigned/replaced with something better like a good one for a bike. Im still looking around for some tiny blue bungee cord so I can strap 2 traps and my skimmer on the sides too. Next season I will add brackets to hold a hand auger that I will get. That way I can fish a day just by bringing this sled, as everything I would need will be right there on/in this unit for a day of med/light fishing.
The 25" Berkley Hot Ice M has been proving itself worthy of purchase. Caught a bunch of perch on it, but it could handle more. Its pretty sensitive with just enough meat. The sliding reel seats were too loose and the reel fell off, so I put a wrap of electrical tape on first. They fit snug now. Going to try some Frostee spoons on it this weekend because the 5 of diamonds worked superb on it. The reel that came on it hasnt let me down outside, so I guess it can stick around for this season. I may throw a Pflueger Trion on it for next winter though.
The 25" Fenwick Elite UL is a dream rod. Simply perfect feel with the Fiskas 5mm. I noticed the handle material is always cold outside though, so I use a fingerless glove. The President reel balances out the heavy tip section good. Need to get into more (bigger) fish with it to really give it a good review.
The 26" HT Cysco UL is freakin awesome! GET ONE if you like the Ice Blues. Finesse micro plastic with ease and feel everything. Im getting more of these, but they are a tad long for in the mini shack, in the 4x8 it is fine.
The 24" HT Ice Blue has been skunked so far...... Damn Genz Bugs!!
The 18" HT Shanty Stix is an average rod that does things average. Decent feel, but good backbone to tangle with some fattys. Great size for in the shack though, so Im going to look for some other short rods this summer. The Shimano AXUL is on its last legs I think, as its 25 years old and has seen too much abuse.
The 22" Frabill Enticer UL has held its own with Fiskas 5mm jigs due to its stiffer feel. Still experimenting with this one... Possibly a light spoon rod? Great length for inside though. The reel is complete junk.... I put an Accucast 104 on it and its good to go.
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New update...
Well the Ice Blue has been producing finally! Took the damn Genz Bug off and tied on a glow white Ratso and BINGO!! Hell of a good feel with this rod. Almost too light though, because I dont even notice/feel the bite a lot of times. The fish is just "on" and its off to the races. I guess this would be a rod to watch the tip section more than going by feel. Learning more every trip out...
Iced a barely legal 14" brownie on the Frabill Enticer while jigging perch, and boy oh boy was it fun. 5mm Fiskas work very well on this rod and it has good backbone for those stronger fighters. The reel seats seem to be getting looser though, so I may need to get the tape out again.
(http://i922.photobucket.com/albums/ad67/Greenblood88/Boat%20and%20fishing%20stuff/ebaystuff069.jpg)
The Fenwick and Pflueger combination is a perfect fit, and has been performing superb.
Ive decided I want to try some 6mm Fiskas to see where they can fit into the lineup.
I cant say enough about Trilene Micro Ice, its been holding up to some serious abuse. I like the 2lb better than the 3lb though.
The HT Accucast 104 reels have had no issues of any kind into their second season. These reels are an excellent buy and anyone looking for a good reel for under $20 should try one. Im definitely getting more of them, probably the 106 next.
Also, I need a few more rods for next winter.....Heh. Some short ones in the 18-22 inch range, any suggestions? Im already going to get an 18" Ice Blue, but need some more choices.
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frabill 27"quicktip has been my go to rod this year. Awesome for gills and crappie.
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frabill 27"quicktip has been my go to rod this year. Awesome for gills and crappie.
Is that the Ice Hunter or the Bro series quick tip?
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Bro series, I have one with the straightline reel and another with a reg reel. Sportsmans guide had the best deal. No more need for springbobbers which I never liked.
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Ok, thanks Mpike.
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For the 18-22" range, maybe look at the 22" Ice Hunter Quick Tip or the 17" Jason Mitchell rod, I have been looking at getting one for sightfishing.
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For the 18-22" range, maybe look at the 22" Ice Hunter Quick Tip or the 17" Jason Mitchell rod, I have been looking at getting one for sightfishing.
I picked up an 18" bro rod for sight fishing and I love it! It was always akward using longer rods sight fishing. Next year I'll be buying some more small rods for in the shanty.
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if you can't find a brand name one you like, you can make a custom rod in an hour or so. JannsNetcraft.com and other tackle sites have all the parts.
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For the 18-22" range, maybe look at the 22" Ice Hunter Quick Tip or the 17" Jason Mitchell rod, I have been looking at getting one for sightfishing.
Thanks for the suggestion Sinx, Im looking into them.
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Ugggghhh... I broke the tip on my 28" HT Arctic Bay QX today......
Now its a 25". DAMMIT!!
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Found some white perch with the Fenwick/Pflueger combo using a 5mm glow pink/white Fiskas jig. (nearly tore the pink tail off on this one)
(http://i922.photobucket.com/albums/ad67/Greenblood88/Boat%20and%20fishing%20stuff/EricsMisc289.jpg)
Im getting the hang of this!
No meat used yet in nearly 2 seasons, just plastic tails.
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Found some crappie, they were hitting a green ice pimple with a yellow blade.
(http://i922.photobucket.com/albums/ad67/Greenblood88/Boat%20and%20fishing%20stuff/EricsMisc309.jpg)
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Found some fallfish today. They were hitting the glow joe 5mm Fiska with a pink tail, using the 18" Shanti Stix and Shimano UL reel with HT 2.9lb ice mono.
(http://i922.photobucket.com/albums/ad67/Greenblood88/Boat%20and%20fishing%20stuff/EricsMisc316.jpg)
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I picked up a few new rods recently, and like them overall.
Got the Ice Blue in 18" length, and its good for in the shack. The tip section isnt as noodly as my 24", which makes it easier for me to feel bites. I put an Accucast 104 on it, but it needs a way lighter reel to balance out right and a short reel foot. Possibly a Shimano UL.
Also got a 24" Frabill Fin-S UL combo. (graphite blank) Not real sure about this rod yet because I havent had it long, but the reel is pretty good that came on it. Im not fond of how the rod flexes though.... Took the spring bobber tip off too.
Lastly, I got a 24" Berkley CE UL combo. (fiberglass blank) The reel is nothing great, but this rod is one of the BEST feeling/reacting rods Ive jigged with. I love this thing. Gotta put a good reel on it for next season though. Caught a late day brookie on it today too!
(http://i922.photobucket.com/albums/ad67/Greenblood88/Boat%20and%20fishing%20stuff/EricsMisc339.jpg)
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Ok time for a near end of season report.
Ive jigged this winter looking to get more in depth info on my gear and presentation 1st and foremost, and figured the fish would come eventually. And they did. I jigged up crappie, white perch, brook trout, yellow perch, fallfish, brown trout and pickerel.
I learned a bunch of stuff in my "sophomore year", and also started leaning more to jigging for brown trout in the latter half of the season. They are a great fish to land on a jig rod, and take some searching and effort to get. I like that. I found that they like yellow/chartreuse colors, and will bite on smaller profile jigs such as a 5mm Fiska. They did hit pink on occasion too though. I caught them near bottom in 24 feet of water early on in mid January, and noticed they moved shallower and higher in the water column later in Feb/March. I will probably devote a bunch of next winter on chasing browns.
I also got more used to "line watching" while using the Ice Blue, Cysco and Polarlite. Not easy outside in the wind, but I got the hang of it in the shack.
Some of my rods got different line and reels, to find better end results. I cant say enough about 2 and 3lb Asso Ice Heavy in brown color. Its my favorite line so far. Berkley Micro Ice in 2 and 3lb test is another superb line that takes a ton of abuse.
As usual, I found the HT Accucast 104/106 reels to be worth their weight in gold. I think these reels out perform the Pflueger Presidents I own, at least in the drag department. They are a little lighter too.
The gear and my thoughts...
25" Fenwick Elite Tech UL with Pfleuger 6720 - Gave this rig some 3lb test Asso Ice Heavy in brown, and wow what a killer perch/crappie/brookie rig it is. Insane good setup that will need no further tweaking
26" HT Cysco UL with Pflueger 6720 - The Pflueger reel is too heavy for this rod, gotta get this one figured out over the summer because the rod is awesome. I will keep using the 2lb Micro Ice on this rod though.
24" HT Ice Blue L with Accucast 104 - Perfect setup for the lightest of jigs, and the 2lb Micro Ice will stay.
25" Berkley Hot Ice M with Berkley reel - This rod needs a good reel, possibly a Tica Cetus SS/SB/SE if I can snag one. The rod is multi-use, and can handle bigger spoons and bigger fish with ease without giving up sensitivity. Havent got a line decided yet fot this rig. Could take the weight of the Pflueger 6720 I swap off the Cysco with ease though, so Im leaning towards that.
18" HT Shanty Stix L with Shimano AXUL reel - Good enough as is with 2.9lb test HT mono. Great in the shack for multi uses. The reel is over 20 years old now, so it makes some odd noises at times. Could use a good cleanout and fresh lube to prolong its life a little.
22" Frabill Enticer UL with Accucast 104 reel - Perfect as is with 3lb test Micro Ice for in the shack. This rig can stand up to heavy brownie action too.
27" HT Polarlite L/M with Accucast 104 - Lightest tip Ive ever felt, and great rig for micro light ice flies on 2lb Asso Ice Heavy brown. Will stay as is.
27" South Bend Alpine L with Accucast 104 - GREAT rod and GREAT rig spooled with black 2lb Sunline Ice mono. I may re-spool with slightly heavier pound test of a different line maker, because I think the light Sunline would work better on the Berkley CE.
26" Frabill Amplifier L with Mitchell Spidermite reel - Dunno on this one... the Mitchell reel is not good for ice fishing, but I may try it one more year with different line. I really dont care for the aluminum tube handle. This rod would be best used as a pimple or spoon rod in my opinion.
28" HT Arctic Bay QX L with Accucast 104 - Broke the tip off in the lid of my rod case.... Pretty much useless now except for a spare rod. Will take the reel off and put on the Berkley CE. Maybe the Berkley Hot Ice....
27" Rhino Indestructable M with Genz Powerstick reel - Uhhhh the Powerstick reel ruins this rig. Gotta get a Pflueger Trion for this rod, and will continue to use the rig with the 6lb Berkley Ice Fused for toothy critters.
18" HT Ice Blue L with Accucast 104 reel - Needs a lighter reel, possibly swap one of the junky plastic Berkley reels to it for now till I locate something better. Great rod for in the shack with multiple uses due to its slightly stiffer action than my 24" Ice Blue. Seems shorter than 18" in the hand though.
24" Berkley CE UL with Berkley reel - Insanely good rod, and easily one of my favorites. Superb feel and action, and is light enough to go small on jigs if needed. Needs a good reel and the 2lb Sunline Ice mono. Could land bigger/hard fighting fish if needed. Im impressed with the Berkley rods as a whole.
24" Frabill Fin-S UL with Frabill reel - The rig is good, and the reel is good, but I just havent found a handle on the action yet. The tip section is stiff and doesnt flex much at all, but the back half of the blank has the flex. Odd.... Maybe because it needs the spring bobber tip on? Needs better line though regardless, possibly try something new on this.
The jigging sled has been a huge asset to my efforts this winter.
(http://i922.photobucket.com/albums/ad67/Greenblood88/Boat%20and%20fishing%20stuff/EricsMisc178.jpg)
So comfortable to sit on for hours at a time, Im glad I didnt re-do the seat with softer foam. My drink holders shattered with impact to the tailgate in the back of the truck, so those will have to be replaced with better ones. Also the fatter rod handles seem to be effecting the tightness of the pool noodle zip ties as I jam the rod handle in there. Gotta snug up the ties a bit and be aware of what rod Im holding as I put it in the holder. Id like to redesign the inside foam to hold the rods in place better though, they move around too much for my liking.
What I want for next season....
A Tica Cetus reel. Ive been looking at these for a long time, and heard good things about them too. I want one!
A Pflueger Trion reel to swap onto the Rhino.
One more short rod for the shack. Im leaning towards a 20" Meatstick, which should let me expand my approach inside the warm shack. A Quick Tip would be my 2nd choice.
Another brand of line to try, gotta keep testing the limits of whats out there. Going to pick up some Stren Magnathin 4lb to go on the Amplifier at the very least.
I need my own camera so I dont need to ask wifey to use hers every trip...
A med/heavy rod for bigger game, to go with my Rhino.
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More thoughts....
Toward the end of the season I made a real effort to move/search more, thus drilling more holes. I wouldnt call my approach "ice trolling" really, because I dont cover a ton of ice and I dont move the hardside once set up. I would call it more of a "search & destroy" approach that fans out around my hardside in a 300ft radius. Doing this I located much more white perch/crappie/brownies as they shifted around. I found depth to be a much bigger variable in locating fish than distance though, as I set up on structure 80% of the time and the fish were usually there. Just had to find the depth they were hanging out at.
I paid more attention to my knot positioning too, and got used to how the knot effected the jigs action. I used mostly a horizontal presentation and found it to be my favorite approach. I liked that I could alter the presentation from there much more than a vertical presentation. Moving the knot a smidge would give me a few different actions under the ice, and that was sometimes all that was needed to get bit.
Vertical presentation... I will spend a little more time on next season, just to get more feedback and grow my approach more. Ive got a few different jigs for this, but probably not enough to experiment to a great extent. I like the swedish pimple, and figured out a couple things about presenting it. I only have a couple color patterns, so I will have to get a couple more over the summer. I didnt put much time into any raps/ratL traps/airplane jigs at all, and I have to put some work into them next season. I didnt have much luck with the frosty spoons in glow pink and glow blue... I may actually have to add some meat to my offerings in year 3 to get these to be productive, but thats not real high on my list of things to do. I will however swap out the useless red trebles for some bronze first and foremost. I HATE red hooks...
Spring bobber... Ive got one but never used it. I will pick a rod that it would be best suited on and give it a try. Im not sure what rod it would be best on though, so it will be more trial and error I guess. Im guessing a stiffer rod would work best. Any opinions anybody has here on spring bobbers would be much appreciated.
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Yep, knot position, a very fine subtlety. It will work for vertical presentations just like horizontal presentations. When you get around to using more vertical jigging lures...
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Hey thanks for the reply Bob.
I didnt see much of a (positive) change in vertical lures action when moving the knot position really, other than to make it perform in more of a 45 degree presentation. Is this what you do, or what you mean?
After awhile I just tied on a #14 swivel and used them this way so I could swap out spoons faster. I suppose its not the approach for optimum control, but the action actually seems better on the pimples this way.
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Yeap. It's changes the required dropping distance and gets some lures to start planing sooner. Especially when you get into using larger lures, it makes even more of a pronounced change in how you jig. Somedays you need be aggressive, but on those days that finessing is needed I'll move my knot position to achieve that effect.
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Ok, got ya.
Thanks.
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Yeap. It's changes the required dropping distance and gets some lures to start planing sooner. Especially when you get into using larger lures, it makes even more of a pronounced change in how you jig. Somedays you need be aggressive, but on those days that finessing is needed I'll move my knot position to achieve that effect.
Now that I think about it Bob, the planing time was quicker and more consistant.
That alone was a big plus.
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Any suggestions for these three set-ups? I mostly use Tip-Ups.
Frabill 26" 2-6lb w/ a P-10 subzero reel.(panfish popper). This is the one I received as a gift. Last season.
Never really go a chance to use it.
HT Ice Blues 24" medium IBM-24c w/ MC-II baitcast reel.
Zebco 4004 30" light action w/ a Ocean City #59 reel. The reel does not engage when you start reeling..
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I just picked up a Fenwick ELITE TECH- Ice Rod 28" ML and it is proving awesome for perch ......
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spend the $97 and get a stealth rod from Thorne Bros. Never look back. Bought two want two more!
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That sled Rocks
Thanks, I friggin love jigging with it.
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I love my meat stick....
I just picked up a black Betty in UL 24" and I think it's going to take some getting use to.
(http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e98/jallyn968/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG00520-20130110-1316.jpg)
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I now have 24 jig rods... wow how time flies!
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LOL... I'm not even going to count mine.
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Ugh... over 30 rods now....
I am not an addict....
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Ugh... over 30 rods
Ha! To your 6 year old original post - try looking at Sportsmen's Directs Extreme Taper Rods. Exactly what u were looking for, but maybe u already have a few by now? :)
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Ha! To your 6 year old original post - try looking at Sportsmen's Directs Extreme Taper Rods. Exactly what u were looking for, but maybe u already have a few by now? :)
I have a Extreme Taper Rod and love it.
I put my new Freefall on there and its a killer.
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I bought their Extreme Taper 24" and 34" glass rods as well as their 32" carbon fiber - they are really nice rods. I also bought their 32" Flat Line 2.0 glass rod, again just a sweet rod and IMHO a better made rod than the 13 Fishing Tickle Stick which I also own two of and both have broken tips.
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Ha! To your 6 year old original post - try looking at Sportsmen's Directs Extreme Taper Rods. Exactly what u were looking for, but maybe u already have a few by now? :)
I dont have one, but Im looking at them now. Heh
Thanks for the suggestion BB400!
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I dare say:
Add St Croix Mojo rods now and 13 Wicked Ice rods too.
Time for me to retire the old Ugly Stick ice rods and older St Croix Premier ice rods.