Trying to build a ice rod for a friend in ND. Planning on using the V-line 36" Walleye wrecker. I need all information for the build; handle size, handle length, guide size and location....etc. Being from Florida, I have not made an ice rod before. I appreciate any input. Thanks.

Mark,
Use a 6 inch long grip.
Use 4 guides starting with a size 10 and then go to a size 5 to the tip top.

Place the first guide at 12 inches and space the rest as needed.

Best wishes

I built a couple for my buddy in Chicago. They were 39" so I used 5 guides. What Roger said is what I would do on the 36". The reel seat needs some research. Ask your friend to send some pics of his ice rods with closeups of the seats. Seafoam and hot pink looks pretty nice for ice. Wrap the blank section just before the tip with 3/4" of hot pink for low light conditions. Gotta use CP to retain the bright colors.

for an Ice Reel Seat I just use a straight Cork Grip(Tennessee) and then use Silicone Tape to attach the Reel to the Cork, no reel seat needed.

Stan,that seems to be the most popular way to affix the reel to an ice rod.

What kind of guides would work best? I have an assortment to choose from.

Eric Vossler is the designer of V-line blanks and a very highly regarded rod builder (the blanks are also sold through Mudhole.) This chart is his recommendation for number of guides and placement. [www.vlinecustomrods.com]

As to guide size. Ask your friend what size spinning reel he plans to use to determine the stripper guide size - usually a 1000 size or so for a walleye rod.

Tape the guides on and do a static test with a similar size reel to double check the guide placement, AND to check for "line thump" when reeling with a load on the rod and adjust the stripper placement and or size if needed.

My guides for that rod would a size 12M (match) stripper, an 8 SV, and #4 size wire fly guides for the rest of the rod including wrapping one on as the tip top.

Pac Bay Minina, or Mudhole's CRB MXG and VXG guides are my preferred guides along with wire fly guides. No need for titanium "flex" guides - just because they're more expensive doesn't mean that they're better... A wrapped on fly guide or a tube style tip top is fine and a matter of personal preference. I generally avoid tip tops with ceramic inserts on ice rods as they have more surfaces that gather water and lead to the tip icing up more.

Good luck.

Dan,
Since there is no casting with an ice rod, one can normally use one size guide from the start to finish. This is particularly if one uses one of the new level wind reels.

Of if you are using a spinning guide, I like to use one tall match guide is about a size 8 or 10 - to minimize line drag and then size 4 to the tip. Or, if fishing in icing conditions- then go to a size 6, 8 or 10 depending on the amount of icing that you may experience.

When I build ice rods that are routinely used out of doors with no shelter in -20 to -40F with 40 mph winds blowing, I never put anything smaller than a size 10 guide on an ice rod. For these rods, I don't use guides that have inserts in the guide. Then, when the ice gets bad, just wack the rod against the ice and all of the ice falls off.

Normally, for these conditions, I only use fiberglass for the blank construction. Fiberglass is many times stronger than graphite - especially in very frigid conditions.

Be safe

Thanks everyone,