Hi everyone,
New to the business and new to rodbuilders. Want to build some ice rods. How does solid carbon compare to graphite? Does anyone offer a rod kit in graphite or solid carbon for ice rods?
Thanks,
Rick

Graphite is carbon.

A tube offers the most stiffness per weight. With an ice rod, the size of the rod means there will be little weight regardless. Thus solid rods are more than fine and offer more durability.

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Rick,
I have built many many ice rods over the years, since I am here in the upper midwest.
I have not built a hollow ice rods for many years.
The main reason is two fold:

1. For a hollow graphite rod to be soft enough for ice rod use, considering the very short lengths of ice rods, the diameters have to be very fine. The result is a rod that is much to fragile for decent ice rod fishing. When ice fishing, folks tend to move around a lot using various modes of travel. Especially when moving from hole to hole - it is tough to really give a very delicate the care that is needed. Also, with very fine diameter graphite rods, it is almost inevitible that the rod will fracture at some time during a hook set or a big fish running.

In the last year that I built hollow graphite rods, I think that almost every single rod ended up being broken for one reason or another. It was at that time that I decided to not make another hollow rod.

2. The 2nd reason is the stiffness of hollow graphite. For many ice rods, it is to the fishermans best interest to have a relatively soft tip. IN a hollow graphite, this is very difficult to achieve. But using either solid fiberglass or solid graphite, the blank can be ground to accomodate this soft tip requirement that will still result in a "Tough" rod that is much tougher and more resistant to breakage than a hollow graphite rod.

Finally, over the years, I have also tended to use many more solid fiberglass rods, than graphite rods. For any type of dead stick fishing or for a stick that needs to be super flexible for much of its length - I will choose fiberglass every time. This type of blank is relatively easy to obtain with solid fiberglass, but much more difficult to achieve with solid graphite. Solid graphite can achieve this effect, but again, you start to run into a very fine diameter rod, that tends to start getting more fragile again.

But, for a jigging stick that needs to be stiffer, then, I will always go with the solid graphite due to its inherent properties.

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For about 99% of the ice rods that I build, I will not put a reel seat on the rod for two reasons.
1. reel seats are cold. It is cold enough as it is when ice fishing and a fisherman does not need a cold piece of plastic or metal next to his hands to get his hands even colder.
2. Reel seats have weight. Why add weight to what could be a very light rod.
3. I will either use a solid cork handle - i.e. a Tennessee handle - and tape on the reel, or use a solid EVA handle - i.e. Tennessee handle and tape on the reel.
For either of these handle types, I will put a layer of tape on the handle where the front of the reel will be located, and a layer of tape on the reel where the back of the reel will be located. Then, even when changing reels, I will not take this iniitial layer of tape off of the handle. The reason for this, is that the tape protects either the cork or EVA from being ripped up by removing old tape. Rather, I simply unwrap the tape that is on TOP of the reel down to the iniitial layer of tape, and replace the reel or change the reel and tape the reel back on. That is why I always keep a roll of tape in my ice fishing tackle box for those mid fishing outing reel changes that might happen once a winter.

Remember, the size of ice rod blanks is very small.
Remember, the length of ice rod blanks is very short.

So, the choice of materials, whether it is solid graphite, or solid fiberglass has very little to do with the fishability of a blank.

This is in large contrast to a long soft water rod, which would get very heavy if it were a long solid fiberglass blank for example.

Take care
Roger

First off what type of fish are you using these rods for? If you are talking about blue gills and perch or maybe little walleye I would agree with Roger. But if you are after large lakers or large walleye in the 6-15 lbs range then I would be going to a hollow graphite instead . The rods I build are 30 to 36" long.

Rolly Beenen
Rovic Custom Rods

Rolly, I have some clients asking for the laker & walleye rods in that length. What blanks are you using?

Thanks!

Chuck

_________________________________________
"Angling is extremely time consuming.
That's sort of the whole point." - Thomas McGuane

CHUCK WE HAVE BUILT LAKER RODS FOR ICE FISHING AT MIDWEST ROD AND REEL...WE USE FIBERGLASS ROD BLANKS...HAVE MADE UP TO ABOUT 48 INCHS LONG

Bill@midwestrodandreel.com
www.midwestrodandreel.com

Chuck,
I have built many laker blanks using solid fiberglass blanks. We start with a 6 foot medium action glass blank and cut it down to the required blank.
A very very tough and excellent blank to use for lakers.

The blanks that Bill sells may be similar

Roger

I'm still on the hunt for a rod that will make a nice 40" heavy lake trout rod, I'm probably going to end up purchasing a 6'6" rx7 mag bass rod and end up cutting the butt off it, and then using some of the butt end to build the handle on, then arbor the blank in that handle section. The guys I have asking are looking for fish in the 20+ pound range. I would use fiberglass but they are fishing over 80'+ of water and need the sensitivity. The next best blank I've found is at Schneiders rod shop. The M-HTGB-31 is not a 6.5 tip as listed, but it's a size 4 tip, very light tip, is sold composite graphite and fiberglass and has considerable backbone. For my trout and small lake trout customers that model is nice!

I was using the unsanded Mudhole blanks and cutting them to lenght and power that I wanted.

Rolly Beenen
Rovic Custom Rods

Andrew,
Don't discount the use of a solid fiberglass rod for lake trout.
The solid glass rods that I have been building for several years, are all fished by fellows who fish deep water for big fish.
I have never had a complaint about a rod not having sufficient sensitivity.
Just because a rod is fiberglass does give it a lack of sensitivity.

For winter ice fishing and the extreme conditions that folks run into on the ice and the transport of equipment, the use of the solid glass blanks win every time.

Take care
Roger