Walleye rod suggestions please..

[Ice Scratcher]

I thought I would post this after reading the other panfish noodle rod thread...

My preferences would be, 28-30", all cork handle "tape on style" or with the two sliding rings (tennessee handle) These are not average walleyes, most over 5lbs, with many 8-12.. Might be better of asking about a pike rod lol..

Thinking I might even want a glass rod for durability reasons.. I've snapped two graphite rods trying to bury the hook set..

I actually really like the older ugly sticks with the cork handles..

Seems like most medium action setups are a little on the wimpy side for these fish.. I see a lot of the rods online are suggested for perch/walleye, I need more of a pike/walleye..

These look okay, but I'd prefer to not have the screw front reel seat..

http://www.cabelas.com/product/jawjacker-ice-spinning-rods/2215612.uts?destination=%2Fcatalog%2Fbrowse%2F%3FN%3D1100502%26No%3D18%26Ns%3DCATEGORY_SEQ_104543280%26WTz_st%3D%26WTz_stype%3DSP%26recordsPerPage%3D18

Any other suggestions, thanks guys!!

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[chilly-willy]

What about ht ice blue series?medium to medium heavy action??  I know the ultimate fishing  show is coming in january what about checking our ice hoppers in say a medium heavy? Sportsmens direct will most likely be there.. like every year..also check out the gander atvantage series in a medium or medium heavy.. any how those are the rods I recommend to check out..


A quick check all they make is a heavy in the ht rods for trout screw lock seats.. and stopped the advantage series or their not listed any more.. now if you think any way you could stand a screw lock seat check out hwI or hard water in ovations  32 inch ice slammer in a medium heavy action..only other rod might be a clam Jason Mitchel but again screw lock reel seat.. I think for 17.99 the ice slammer are better rods but that might juse be me?? Also look at the ht ice blues in a heavy trout rod might be worth it?? 

[Ice Scratcher]

What about ht ice blue series?medium to medium heavy action??  I know the ultimate fishing  show is coming in january what about checking our ice hoppers in say a medium heavy? Sportsmens direct will most likely be there.. like every year..also check out the gander atvantage series in a medium or medium heavy.. any how those are the rods I recommend to check out..

Thanks for the ideas!!

The HT blues have a foam handle with a hardware store, no go..

That Gander Advantage series looks like a good candidate though, I could even cut the rings off the handle.. The price, holy smokes..

http://m.gandermountain.com/modperl/product/details.cgi?i=792606&r=view&from=grid#reviewsInfo

If their medium action is heavy enough that might do the trick!

The ice hopper rods don't have a tennessee handle either..

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[chilly-willy]

Those are just o ring or bull castration bands lols  on the advantage rods you can just slide them off.. if it is heavy enough??  if not I would look first before you buy it just to be sure??

[Ice Scratcher]

Those are just o ring or bull castration bands lols  on the advantage rods you can just slide them off.. if it is heavy enough??  if not I would look first before you buy it just to be sure??

Yeah I'm not too far from the Toledo store.. I'd pretty much have to check it out in hand before buying any rod..

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[chilly-willy]

Ever built your own?? If so look for the wood style schoolly handles and the white fiber glass blanks at Janns net craft  lash some eyes and epoxy them together and tape the reel on a cut down schoolly handle.. it's what I fish for almost 100% of fish get a schoolly spring bobber to add to it.. for light biters..

[Ice Scratcher]

Most of my guns.. These go out with me every time, except lake Erie..



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[chilly-willy]

This is mine a 14 inch version of a school very stiff good for deep water hook sets . And fairly unbreakable sorry reels are in the summer rods.

[Ice Scratcher]

This is mine a 14 inch version of a school very stiff good for deep water hook sets . And fairly unbreakable sorry reels are in the summer rods.

Those look pretty dang stout, like if you set it to hard you're going to bring up a set of jaws and no fish.. I would want something that bends more to help keep the line tight when the monster is near the hole..

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[Monticatgeek]

this is what I run when fishing bigger fish. the bait caster rod is a heavy action St Croix with a Chinese copy of a Abu Garcia but in a small ice fishing size. I have it set up for northern but could use it for walleye too. the bottom spinning reel rod is one I built myself. it is my Channel catfish rod for when I ice fish channel cats. they run 3 to 10 lbs and this rod handles them fine. you said you would like one with just a cork handle/grip, I could build you one for probably $20 to $30 if you where interested in one. I would have to price out the components to get a exact price plus what ever shipping would be to send it to you. once I have everything I could have the rod built in a day and then have the epoxy done overnight as the rod has to spin for 10 hours for the epoxy to dry and harden completely. the blank starts out at 36 inches but can be cut down to what ever length you would want.

this would be the blank. it is a medium action but being glass it would handle larger fish. I could also check with my local component supplier for one in a medium heavy or heavy action. he has been selling components and teaching rod building for 30 plus years.

http://www.mudhole.com/HT-Solid-Glass-Ice-Rod-Blanks?quantity=1&custcolicerods=6

if interested in me building you one send me a PM and I can get exact component prices. I still think I could build one for $20 to $30
 

[Monticatgeek]

here they are :

[Ice Scratcher]

this would be the blank. it is a medium action but being glass it would handle larger fish. I could also check with my local component supplier for one in a medium heavy or heavy action. he has been selling components and teaching rod building for 30 plus years.

http://www.mudhole.com/HT-Solid-Glass-Ice-Rod-Blanks?quantity=1&custcolicerods=6

if interested in me building you one send me a PM and I can get exact component prices. I still think I could build one for $20 to $30

Those look great!

That's certainly something for me to consider, thanks for the build offer...

Growing up right near Netcraft, I've always wanted to get into building myself.. I've been building anything and everything anyway, might as well get into rods as well..

I've often thought if I did build one for eyes, I would want the blank to be made of that old school clear glass. Something about it I like, might be nostalgia, or the fact I've never seen a broken rod made from it lol..

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[Monticatgeek]

one nice thing about building you own is you can customize it how ever you want. I have even taken summer open water rod blanks and cut them down and have built ice rods from them. but you are right when it comes to that big of fish the glass rods are the way to go. this is why I run them in both my ice rods and summer rods for the catfish and other large fish. the exception to this is the 2 St Croix rods I have with the bait casters. those are my northern rods.

another plus to building your own rods is that it get addicting and before you know it you have like 20 plus rods.

[chilly-willy]

Does not require a lot of equipment to get started all you need is a card board box a fly tying bobbin a wood dowel and a certain type of papper clip maybe $5 for all if you don't already own it.. the rest is epoxy and rod components threads etc..

[chilly-willy]

See if you can locate a ht ice blue ibm-30 same handle as at link below I think total cost is 9.99 like at this link for one rod but it fits your criteria of what your looking for..so see link..they have those  graphite ring reel seats that can be converted..


http://www.extacklestore.com/winter/Ice%20Blue%20Rods.htm

[Ice Scratcher]

See if you can locate a ht ice blue ibm-30 same handle as at link below I think total cost is 9.99 like at this link for one rod but it fits your criteria of what your looking for..so see link..they have those  graphite ring reel seats that can be converted..


http://www.extacklestore.com/winter/Ice%20Blue%20Rods.htm

Thanks for looking out!

Gotta be a cork handle though..

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[chilly-willy]

Thanks for looking out!

Gotta be a cork handle though..

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Ya it's made with that fake cork or foam rubber lols

[Ice Scratcher]

Ya it's made with that fake cork or foam rubber lols

I'm wondering about that Gander Mtn rod too, it looks like cork in the picture but for $10, it probably isn't...

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[chilly-willy]

It is a composite cork part hard rubber and part cork the same stuff used on expensive rods for fighting buts and  grip ends on cork grips.... it ware's out less fast , compared to regular cork is why they use it..

[Ice Scratcher]

It is a composite cork part hard rubber and part cork the same stuff used on expensive rods for fighting buts and  grip ends on cork grips.... it ware's out less fast , compared to regular cork is why they use it..

Sounds like it might be heavy?

I'll have to check it out.. The price is awesome!

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[chilly-willy]

Sounds like it might be heavy?

I'll have to check it out.. The price is awesome!

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I liked the lite the best for crappie. . But like said play with it in hand first cause one man's medium is another's medium lite.. by the way not much weight difference between cork and composite cork..

[Ice Scratcher]

by the way not much weight difference between cork and composite cork..

That's encouraging^ thanks again for all the info^

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[npauls]

What about a frabil like the one eric hateja designed or the gussy design. Both are meant for big fish like pike. Lake trout. And steelhead.

I own 2 of the hateja designed medium action series and they are a very durable rod that handles big fish well.

[Ice Scratcher]

What about a frabil like the one eric hateja designed or the gussy design. Both are meant for big fish like pike. Lake trout. And steelhead.

I own 2 of the hateja designed medium action series and they are a very durable rod that handles big fish well.

This looks like something I'd check out, except in the same page it says in details a solid graphite blank for sensitivity, and in features a fiberglass blank for smooth setting 

http://www.frabill.com/ice-fishing/ice-rods-reels-combos/rods/ice-hunter-serie-519.html

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[Ice Scratcher]

Doesn't anyone read anything before they publish it anymore..

I didn't grab a picture but for a little while Clam's website said their new Blazer shanty featured 300 denim fabric..





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[chilly-willy]

So which is it graphite or fiber glass?? Lols

[npauls]

I believe last years model was fiberglass and the new ones are graphite.

[Rags777]

I really like my cabelas pro guide medium 28", and walleye almost exclusively. Can't find it on their website site this year though, really wanted to pick up 2 more. Looks like they have possibly replaced it with Thier fish eagle series? Rod specs almost identical from what I can tell

[Ice Scratcher]

Can't find it on their website site this year though, really wanted to pick up 2 more.

Thanks, I swear that always happens to me, as soon as I find the perfect something, they quit making it...

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[filetandrelease]

I have been using 13 wicked rods for a few years now 28" meds for perch and eyes up to 24" for bigger fish I have been using 31" MH , some don't like them do to the short handles