I am looking for an article or information on Ice Fishing Rods. I know that their has been a lot of development on these rods in the past couple of years but not much information is available about them. It seems that in this case the commercial market is ahead of the builders.

Seth, excuse my ignorance but how much better can you make an ice rod..lol.

Seth,
I have been building ice fishing rods for many years. Thorne Brothers in Minneapolis has always been on the tip of the ice fishing spear and helped to prod the industry with their innovative blank designs.

Best wishes

Ice rods are some of the most custom rods available. Many ice rod builders refine tapers of solid carbon and fiberglass blanks to fine tune rods for specific lure weights and presentations.

RodMaker did a task specific article on ice rods a few years ago. I'd have to go back and find that issue when I have more time. Or you can search for it on the back issue page.

.........

Hello Tom.

Is this the one you are talking about?

V/I - Name - Written by - page
20/1 Complete Guide For Building Ice Rods. By Buzz Butters. 16



Tight Wraps & Tighter Lines.

Bob,

New Bern, NC.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/07/2021 03:14PM by Robert A. Guist.

in the last couple of years, there has been the emergence of of the "Palm" Rod and nobody has components for these. Also, the differences in Material used, Taper, and length are changing a lot in the industry with the manufacturers of Ice rods racing to catch up. Many people want extra sensitive tips and a lot of back bone. I have trouble finding blanks like this. Most of the blanks available are very stiff and not suited for today's ice fishing. Check out the subject. this is becoming an interesting area of discussion for these rods.

Does anyone use braided line or do they still use mono?

Many use 1lb test flouro and smaller

Ben,
If you fish out of a heated ice hut, you can use braid very well.

However, if you fish out in the open when the temp is -20F, braid simply does not work.

Braid is woven and it traps water. When the line is reeled up onto the reel, the trapped moisture in the line freezes solid and rather than having line on your reel you have a block of ice on your reel. Tough to unspool ice.

Best wishes.

Makes sense to me. Never lived anyplace where it got cold enough to ice fish, thank God.
Norm

roger wilson Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Ben,
> If you fish out of a heated ice hut, you can use
> braid very well.
>
> However, if you fish out in the open when the temp
> is -20F, braid simply does not work.
>
> Braid is woven and it traps water. When the line
> is reeled up onto the reel, the trapped moisture
> in the line freezes solid and rather than having
> line on your reel you have a block of ice on your
> reel. Tough to unspool ice.
>
> Best wishes.

In the open at -20F ? surely you jest..lol.

Ben,
Actually, I have built a lot of ice rods for a group of Canadian fishermen who fish lake Winnipeg in the winter.

Yes, they will hole hop in the open when the North west wind is blowing and the temperature is at -40F in the open.

They catch lots and lots of fish - by moving.

Best wishes.

Your question reminded me of the time when I was with a group of fishing friends who were up north for a bit of ice fishing.
No, we were not fishing in the open, rather we would drive out on the lake and go into heated and prepped ice houses that had all of the comforts of home.

However, it was on the last day of the trip when I went out to my buddies truck for the return trip home. At the time it was about -35F.

My buddy got into his truck and I closed the door - hard enough so that the door would latch in the severe cold.

Crash - the side door window shattered, scattering gun shot sized pieces of glass all over.

Then, the fun part was driving the 250 miles hole being next to a broken window in the sub zero weather.

I took a spare coat and wrapped it around the door and closed it, which kept the worst of the cold out, but no doubt - it was indeed a chilly day. But, we had had a good time and had caught plenty of fish.

Fish in the winter on the ice. Yes, it works fine as long as one is prepared.

Be safe.

The average arctic winter temperature is -30F says google..that,s average..there is probably some -40F days..