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If you’ve been doing any sort of ice fishing you’ve probably seen people using these super tiny rods. You might be thinking, do I need to get one of those, and in this post, I’m going to be telling you why some of those rods are so short.
Some ice fishing rods are short because they make the rod more sensitive so you can feel bites better. They’re used mainly for smaller fish and aren’t going to be the best if you’re going after the bigger guys. If you’re going after something smaller like a Bluegill then you don’t need a big rod and you’ll be better off getting something smaller.
If you’re using a regular sized rod and are pretty deep then you’ll have a tough time feeling the bites of smaller fish. Shorter rods are much more sensitive and easier to use compared to a normal-sized rod. The second reason you’d have a smaller rod is to fit inside your ice fishing hut. Some of them are quite small and can’t fit a full-sized rod.
What Size Fishing Rod Should I Get?
If you’re going to be fishing in a hut or for smaller fish then you should probably use a rod that’s between 24 and 28 inches long. That’s pretty much the standard when it comes to smaller rods and is what most people use. Anything that’ll fit inside your shack would be fine as well.
I’ve even tied some fishing line to a stick and used that. When you have 4 dudes packed into a little hut then you’ll want your rod to be as small as possible and that’s where a small rod or stick with line comes into play.
If you’re fishing out in the elements then the size really doesn’t matter. The only thing that comes into play is how sensitive you want the rod. If you’re fishing in shallow water for smaller fish then a tiny rod will do. If you’re fishing for something a bit bigger then you’ll want a slightly larger fishing rod.
But as long as you get something in the 24-28 inch range then you should be fine. The majority of the ones sold and used by ice fishers are normally in this range, so I think it’ll be fine for you.
Can You Use A Regular Fishing Rod For Ice Fishing?
If you’re anything like me and want to go after the big boys then it’s perfectly fine to use a normal fishing rod. I don’t use a small rod myself because I’m not going after the smaller fish. If I’m going to be sitting out freezing my you know what off then I better be rewarded with a monster fish.
I don’t normally sit in a shack or hut but if I do then a normal rod wouldn’t work. If you’re sitting outside and are going after the bigger fish then it’s what you’ll want to use. I just use any ordinary rod and it’s worked fine for me.
If you have a 2-piece rod then you can always take it apart to cut down on the size and that works as well. I’ve had to do that a few times and it’s still been able to catch fish.
I’ll have to reel in and check it every now and then to make sure something small isn’t on but it’s not that big of a deal. I’ll also toss on some ice braided fishing line which is going to be much stronger than normal fishing line (I’d highly recommend it).
What’s The Best Ice Fishing Rod?
The best ice fishing rod I’ve used is the Ugly Stik GX2 (see it here). This is what one of my buddies uses and it’s been perfect (I’ll probably pick one up soon). It’s inexpensive, comes with a reel, and the quality seems to be great. I have an Ugly Stik rod on my baitcaster and have had no issues with it.
You can choose the 26, 28, or 30-inch rod and it all comes down to what type of fish you’ll be after. The 26″ is a light rod and will only be for small fish but the 30″ is medium-heavy and will be better suited for slightly bigger guys.
I believe my buddy has the 28″ medium version and we’ve landed fish that were 5 lbs no problem. It’s also a perfect rod if you have kids because it’s small and easy to use. We’ve also used it for fishing tight areas (not in the winter) when we don’t want to lug a big rod around.
Actually you know what, I’ve just talked myself into getting one of these so I’m gonna pick one up right after I finish writing this. It’s like 30 bucks so why not?
Until next time, happy fishing. If you want to catch more fish, use more hooks.
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