Inline ice reels.

[Agronomist_at_IA]

   

I started with okuma fly reels and kept at it for a few years all the way to a free fall.  black betty's, og 6061, eagle claws, cgi, spooler

I fish mainly for panfish but have to tussle with a cat or bass here or there.  after 5 or so years of this transition, i moved back to spinning reels.  there was 0 advantage and more disadvantages.  unless we were in a shack none of them would free spool a 3mm tungsten without help.   Their drags were mostly archaic compared to other options. 

my best friend never made the switch and i can't think of one time where "line spin" was the difference in him outfishing me.   

my buddy went on a guided trip with a guy who pushes inlines pretty hard all over the interwebs and tv and said the 2 days they went out the guy didn't have an inline in his hand once and they were fishing the exact conditions that would warrant one. 

I've seen a lot of the guys who started off using them, move back to spinning. 

In the end its a feel thing.  There are some who it just feels right in their hand and I get that.  But they were not for me.  seemed great idea at first but in the end fell flat in my scenarios.

This is exactly what my experiance was with them.........I was just stupid enough to spend a couple hundred on them before I realised it & dumped them.

It's kinda cool to see how many people love the schooley rod/reels. I've got three I have setup & one black Betty fly reel setup and two code blue fly reel setups on noodle poles I love. Going to ponds and gravel pits 10ft or less they catch fish like crazy. The 1-1retrive brings them in nice and slow with 2# line so it doesn't break.....always like having a few of them so when the big @$$ bass break off I don't have to retire that thin line.

[Unclegillhunter]

I have two 6061 reels I never had an issue with over run. I also never went away from spinning reels either. inlines, just another tool.
Keep it safe! JDL

[IceAddict87]

I used them for a couple years, have a couple eagle claws and a 13 decent (not a fan of the 13 fishing reel, all plastic) then went to basically all pflueger spinning ice reels. They are a good cheaper ice reel. After talking with a few guys last year i am going to give a black Betty freefall a try. My only complaint with the eagle claw is that it is hard to adjust your drag on the fly. Lost too many larger fish because of this.

[Rebelss]

My opinion is that the ice fishing world certainly seems to be a prime area for every new rod, reel, and gadget out there. The fish aren't the only ones that are getting hooked....

[Agronomist_at_IA]

I used them for a couple years, have a couple eagle claws and a 13 decent (not a fan of the 13 fishing reel, all plastic) then went to basically all pflueger spinning ice reels. They are a good cheaper ice reel. After talking with a few guys last year i am going to give a black Betty freefall a try. My only complaint with the eagle claw is that it is hard to adjust your drag on the fly. Lost too many larger fish because of this.

I got the free fall. It's ok. My biggest issue with it is when I'm fishing I tend to hit the trigger release on the reel.......

[Junkie4Ice]

My opinion is that the ice fishing world certainly seems to be a prime area for every new rod, reel, and gadget out there. The fish aren't the only ones that are getting hooked....

I see myself as a mid-season basin crappie. You taunt me with new gear and I'll take a look, maybe twice, but you leave it in front of me long enough and I'll bite eventually! Buying new gear is one of the best parts about ice fishing, even if it doesn't get used! 

[jimhaney08]

To each their own.  I have in-lines and really like them.  So for those of you who don't want that black betty freefall you spent $100 on, send me a message!  haha.

I do use spinning reels for my set lines and in case a guest would come out.  They'll all put fish on the ice if you're using the right presentation and lure in the right location.  Use what you like.

[DrummerManDrew]

So... I may have some insight or may not, either way just an opinion.

I personally like the inlines. I just saw this Pflueger president inline reel and am pretty impressed in comparison to the Black Betty 6061. I think as more time and feed back comes out, like anything the technology should produce better and it may be more appealing to others who don’t use them. Either way, different style of fishing require different set ups. I run it all and am goi g to order that Pflueger cause it looks pretty rad

[rdhammah]

i have a few of the Eagle Claw in-lines and love them. I fish for perch, blue gills and crappie. occasional Pickerel and bass. You guys that hate them and gonna trash them or just store them in a drawer,  send me a pm and I'll send you my address

 

[cerhardt161]

Had a friend who wasnt huge into ice fishing but was a good fisherman and we will sit in the same hub on our crappie lake and sight fish over some brush in about 10 feet and in the 5 times we went last year i outfished him easily 2/1. After every couple jigs his bait would spin in two or three circles just as the fish are coming in to take a bite and they physically cant! Its spinning in circles and there forced to wait for it to stop! Yes new line will help with this but my black betty has 2 year old 3lb and it might move 30° one way at the most. Alot of people dont notice it but if your bites are coming 5 seconds or so after you jig its probabky because the fish is waiting for the bait to stop spinning.

[hawg]

A swivel seems like an easy/obvious cure.

[cerhardt161]

Never seen a swivel that will work with a tungsten on it even the 4 and 5mm. If there is let me know and ill buy some

[Agronomist_at_IA]

Never seen a swivel that will work with a tungsten on it even the 4 and 5mm. If there is let me know and ill buy some

Try a spro swivel....they aren’t cheap....will cost more then the lure.

[Roccus]

First off, I own to much stuff.
Jigging is not my primary go to, that being said, I own about 15 jigging rods/reels,

I've gotba half dozen in lines, several of them Black Bettys, My newest one is an Allen Archer in line, that was a gift from my wife, for something made in China,  it's a well crafted smooth reel.. I like it alot.
I have a small Penn conventional that I use for lake trout jigging, its heavy but better than any of the finess reels made for ice fishing..

I've got several old quantum rear drag spinning reels that get 90 percent of the jigging duty.

[800stealth]

First off, I own to much stuff.
Jigging is not my primary go to, that being said, I own about 15 jigging rods/reels,

I've gotba half dozen in lines, several of them Black Bettys, My newest one is an Allen Archer in line, that was a gift from my wife, for something made in China,  it's a well crafted smooth reel.. I like it alot.
I have a small Penn conventional that I use for lake trout jigging, its heavy but better than any of the finess reels made for ice fishing..

I've got several old quantum rear drag spinning reels that get 90 percent of the jigging duty.

You mentioned that Ellen Archery reel a few times... I meant to check it out when we fished last season but forgot all about it. The pics I've seen look well made but maybe kinda tight to the rod grip?
I just ordered a Pflueger president inline, big fan of the president spinning reels so figured that was a good choice for the 1st try at an inline reel.

[Roccus]

You mentioned that Ellen Archery reel a few times... I meant to check it out when we fished last season but forgot all about it. The pics I've seen look well made but maybe kinda tight to the rod grip?
I just ordered a Pflueger president inline, big fan of the president spinning reels so figured that was a good choice for the 1st try at an inline reel.

Yes, it is very tight to the seat, and is a little heavy,probably my only complaint,  it has the best drag of any in line ice reel I own..I use a rod with a longer butt to  combat the close reel seat.

[Roccus]

You mentioned that Ellen Archery reel a few times... I meant to check it out when we fished last season but forgot all about it. The pics I've seen look well made but maybe kinda tight to the rod grip?
I just ordered a Pflueger president inline, big fan of the president spinning reels so figured that was a good choice for the 1st try at an inline reel.

We will just have to fish together so you can try it.. that is IF they let me over the boarder.

[800stealth]

We will just have to fish together so you can try it.. that is IF they let me over the boarder.

 

Ha, I won't tell.. pack some snow on the license plates.