HT Ice Blue combo

[Iceman Cometh]

Anyone buy one of these? I love the rods, but I heard the reel on the combos are junk--is this true? Also, I must be able to use my right hand to reel, switch the handle from left to right side, and the reel must be able to be folded down. Can you do this?

[ny_angler]

I find most combo reels are junk. The rods are great for shallow water jigging for perch and pannies.I use the ice blues the most of all my rods.  For pan fish and perch  reels have to hold line and reel in fish even with light line the rod takes up most of the shock.If you were using it for bigger fish such as walleye pickerel pike and trout I would just buy a rod and pick up a better reel. As far as right hand retrieve most open space spinning reels is simple swap . Some fly style reels dont swap and the eagle claw inline is the most complex reel I have swapped to date. Not saying it was a hard swap but more steps to complete the swap. Hope this helps.

[Iceman Cometh]

thanks for the info. was gonna buy the combo, but now I'll just get the rod. I love them. I bought one when I started ice fishing again. Man how things have changed! I wish I had money for all the toys I want, plus ICE, I live in central il. and we're lucky to ice fish 1 week a season some years!

[Derik]

I just picked up one of these rods, found a junk fly reel that I'll put on it and hopefully I'll get into the crappie and perch a bit this year.

[Swift]

Ice blue rods are fine, troll the bargain bins online or in stores. Amazing what can be stumbled on for half or better off in reels this time of year

[UFCreel]

HT a make's a  four ball bearing reel that's pretty good. For a spinning reel. Look to one of the fly type reels Black Betty etc. Yep the reel will cost ya, but it will last and is well worth it!

[scmelik]

I think most of the HT products on the market are complete garbage but I do have 3 HT AccuCast spinning reels that in my opinion are the best inexpensive spinning reel on the market.  I say inexpensive, not cheap because cheap makes it sound like its junk and it is far from junk.  They have a nice smooth drag system, decent sized arbor a long enough stem that I can fish it with my mittens on.  After a little Hot Sauce on them they are preforming as well if not better than my Ticas which cost almost 3 times as much.

[bluemountainlaker]

I use the iceblues with a phlueger trion reel with 3 pound test. great for crappy and perch. I also run a ht ice blues heavey jigrod for yankng leadcore for lakers in the summer.

[Perfect Hook Set]

the 1st rod i bought was an ht ice blue. the one I had was durable as all hell but, I might have had a feather light rod because, it would bend on ANY fish.

I have bought reel combos and usually the reels arent the greatest.

One of my reals is one I picked up at the end of the open water season.

a seriously nice mitchel for $30 half off
I found a northland rod at cabelas on sale for I believe $15
Bam awesome combo

I still like my cheap reels though. They never freeze nor have they locked up on any fish ive caught.

Buy a reel that was freeze up in the cold temps.

4lb test is what i usually use some times 6lb.

This year I am going to set my rod and reels up a little better though.

maybe have one for pan fish / small bass which is usually what i find at this early to freeze small pond
have one for bigger fish such as pike

and the rest for lmb or lakes where I can find average size multiple species of fish..

1 tip up
1 jigging rod
1 bucket to sit on and use for bait or just a chair and small bait bucket
an auger
spud bar

and your set.

some times there is no need to get fancy
if all else fails go with someone who has most of the gear and knows where to "find them: