I am looking at making a couple ice fishing rods as gifts. There is not any room to write a name on the blank. Does anyone know of another way to personalize a rod on the handle or other place. Also what would a person use for a handle and blank for a ice rod?

I've built a ton of ice rods thru the years; even with the tiny diameter, I was always able to, with an ultra-fine Sanford pen, write on these blanks. It took some practice, but it is possible. Other than that, I think that a little decorative wrap and finish over the top of it (this increases the blank's diameter) and a waterslide decal in the area where the tie-off of the decorative wrap is just above the fore-grip or handle area would work, too.

I always liked some seconds and was able to get some nice tip sections from 2 piece, 8' fly rods. Those worked pretty nice for pan fish, especially. I still have two of them that I'd built for myself and my wife on these. The sponsors on the left may have some of these or others may jump in with some info...

Many sell ice blanks, too, and I know Jann's-sponsor on the left- is one of these.

I used to make the handles from about 12 to 14 cork rings (6" to 7" handle length) and just tape the reel to the cork for the winter. Shape to suit; that's what custom is all about!

Putter
Williston, ND

I make up some nice short (42") rods for Perch fishing on Erie.Jann's Netcraft sells their 42" graphite blanks in 3 different actions for like 6 bucks a piece.They also handle a grapite Tennessee handle kit made for ice fishing rods.I've made up a couple using these handles and like them a lot.

A week or so ago I was asking about marbling a reel seat. The main reason I asked this question was really to see about putting finish around a spinning reel seat. I put reel seats on my ice rods rather than the typical tennessee type grip. So my thought, which worked great by the way, was to write on the reel seat and then to epoxy around the reel seat. I taped off the flat section of the reel seat where the reel foot sits, as the guys instructed for marbling, wrote on the reel seat, and applied finish. It worked great!

AC
FishinFreaks
Rogers, MN