I guess with the new "stick-to-itself tape" Reel seats are being eliminated from ice rods. Just had some high school seniors come in and order some Walleye ice rods with no reel seats. They want a butt a split and and a grip that they can tape a handle to. I started making them and am questioning the length? I made the platform 4" long and now it seems too short. thankfully I can remake em. Does anyone know what those lengths are? Don't want their hands hanging off. I think I may need to go to 5"?? - Thanks for your help !!

Marcus McCleery

That sounds about right to me. Many people grip the stem of the spinning reel almost like a pencil. The split between the butt and grip rests in the crotch between the thumb and forefinger

Ask the customer how long they want the grip. Everyone has different hand sizes and grip styles.

Marcus,
When I was building lots of ice fishing rods, I was buying 5 inch grips that worked very well. Since I was doing so many, it just made more sense to purchase the grips, ready to go.

For myself, every ice rod that I own uses a tape on reel seat. When fishing in the cold, the cork grip is much warmer than any sort of metal, nylon or other reel seat material.

Thanks Roger. I just made some with eva foam and made them 5" I like that better for my bigger hands. The other 5 rods I turned Basswood handles that are also warm and easy to tape reels on.

Marcus McCleery

This is a grip that I turned from Alaska - Diamond Willow. The client had brought it back with him after a trip to Alaska.

I ended up making several ice rods with these wood grips turned on a lathe.

[www.rodbuilding.org]

For the rod finish, I simply used 2-coats of flex coat thread finish and it has held up very well indeed.

Be safe