What size reel?

[Silverbullet555]

So I picked up a couple of celcius combos for like $13 each at Sportsmans just to give ice fishing a try.

http://www.sportsmanswarehouse.com/sportsmans/Celsius-Ice-Combo/productDetail/Ice-Fishing-Rods-Reels-and-Tipups/prod99990133444/cat114701

I don't want to spend a ton of money so I was thinkign of using Pflueger trions in a 20 size for ice reels. Are those too big?

I will mostly be looking for trout though I hear perch are good eating as well. 

[Doofus22]

I would just use what is on the combo until you decide if ice fishing is for you or not. If you like it and want to invest more than ultralite size reels, or maybe one size larger will work just fine.

[Silverbullet555]

I accidentally erased the line that said I am not sure I want to use the combos or buy something a little better. The reality is that if I decide I want to go better, the combos will be relegated to loaners.

I guess this is really a two part question.

Are the cheap combos ($20 and under) at Sportsman's\Cabela's good enough or am I likely to be disappointed in them?

If I were to buy a rod and reel separately, is a 20 size ok or do I really need to be in the 10 or smaller sizes?

[curt69]

If you already have the 20 use then . If you are buying new go with 10 . A lot of people are changing over to level winds .

[Doofus22]

I picked up a few Frabill's, and a few HT's about 6 years ago at the walmart in Williston, ND. all for less than $20 each, some less than $15 per combo and have had no problems with them. And believe me we used them ALOT!!!

[Duck-Slayer]

In my opinion the Frabill are the best combo that I've tried, got two, my jigging rod has a plueger president w/ a medium Shakespeare rod... I'm gonna get another of those rods and put my other plueger on it, no sense in having it on my soft water stuff..... my way of double using my soft water equipment.
Matt

[Bearsfan]

Go ahead and get it. Generally the rods are decent but the reels, not so much. For trout and perch it'll be the perfect setup. I have bought several of the $10-$20 combos, they catch fish and all but maybe one hasn't lasted more than 5 years. Sportsman's usually has good stuff.