what is the best pole?

[Bigman]

what is the best pole to use when ice fishing?

[{RPF}Rapala Pike Fisherman]

With a question like that you are going to have a hundred different answers, well in my opinion a nice cheap, and durable rod is an Ugly Stick Ice.

[iceturd]

what is the best pole to use when ice fishing?

My advice is to go to a gander mountain, cabelas, dicks or baitshop & pick up & check out several rods & combos just to get a feel for what you mite like to fish with. My preference at the moment are st.croix rods, but I also have a couple frabill rods, an HT blues rod, a couple gander guide series rods, & even a few others. I fish with all of them, but mostly the st.croix,s, because they serve my fishing styles the best. I don,t aim to confuse, but there really is no universal rod, other than the one in your hand. Any money spent on icefishing gear is money well spent! So just go out & search & keep experimentin, that,s the thrill of this great sport. GOOD LUCK & FISH SAFE

[Pasquatch]

I personally use St. Croix rods, but also like my HT rod.

[coboy]

After using some inexpensive rods,I bought a Thorne Bros.graphite Sweetheart Plus perch rod.I now own four made by them.They're sensitive and strong,and
alot of fun to catch fish on.They have great hook setting ability.I caught a 7lb. cuttbow on a 24" perch rod and even though the rod was u-shaped I was only
concerned about the line breaking.Though they're not cheap I don't think you would be disappointed if you bought one.

[walleymcjigger]

I like the ugly stik.

[Haywood]

for fishing what species?

[littlesturgeonguy]

i really like the frabill ultra ice rods

[Haywood]

i really like the frabill ultra ice rods

I have the HT blues, a few Croxton Ponds, a jig-a-whopper and I just bought a frabil UL, which I think is going to be my favorite, but IMO they are all great rods. You can't beat a UL for jigging crappies.  If you are going to bobber fish, save some money and buy a pick stick.

[Skipper]

I like St Croix Legend spring bobbers allot, but the rods are marginal. I would love to have a custom rod made with a decent blank, guides on the spine, and a legend spring on the end.

[jimmygunns]

Still have to go with any Thorne Bros rod.  Even though they don't have all the rods on the website w/ a hidden hood handle, you can get one.  Just call & ask.  If I'm spending over $50 a rod, it's not going to have tape on it!  Wish I spent all of the money in the past on their rods instead of others I bought.  Only thing close that I like is an older (don't think they make them anymore) St. Croix Avid 24"UL.  I liked the big eyes for outside when I was a Die Harder on the bucket before I got my shanty.  As far as reels, nothing but Tica's now.  I have about 5 of them & love 'em!

[IrishIce99]

defanately shakespere-awsome rods in my opinion for a decent price.

[travisj88]

Jimmygunns is right.  If you are going to fish outside make sure your rod has large guides.  One of the first rods I got had thesmall guides on it and I spent half my time getting the ice build up off the end of the rod.
Travis

[zamboni]

Burbot- Your Jig-A-Whopper the wooden varnished handled one or cork?

[crappiekid24]

Something with a spring bobber on it. The Panfish Poppers are not bad rods just the spring can and will freeze up. I have an Ugly Stick and they are good durable rods.

[Haywood]

Burbot- Your Jig-A-Whopper the wooden varnished handled one or cork?

I have a wooden handle one for dead sticking.  It's a nice rod, but it's about as sensitive as a telephone pole.  My cork handled rod is more like a noodle rod. 

[blackdogs]

I have a ton of different rods for gills, perch, and crappies.  I am finding more and more that a stiff rod is better than a noodle rod.  I seem to loose a lot of fish with the "bouncing" of a noodle rod, not to mention it is a lot harder to get a decent hook set with a noodle rod.

[Wicked_1]

what is the best pole to use when ice fishing?

What do you mean "pole"?  Are you putting up a fence?  They are called rods. (I thought I'd give you the same speach I got when I worked for St. Croix back in the day).  Or the owner told my wife the difference between a rod and a pole is about $250.  I use cheap Frabaill rods with spring bobbers.  This year I just bought a St Croix Legend to try.  Haven't used it yet though