A top quality, well-balanced, delicate ice rod is a fantastic factor. It transmits jigging strokes effectively, and supplies the texture wanted for staying in touch with the lure. Here are the 4 I take advantage of to get the job performed for walleye.
The all-rounder: for inland lakes with average-sized walleye
Every angler wants a flexible, on a regular basis rod. It ought to carry out nicely for aggressive jigging, however present a lightweight contact for finessing bites.
A 28′′ to 36′′ medium-light rod is an efficient alternative for 1 /8-to 5 /16-ounce lures, whereas a medium energy is probably going higher for 1 /4- to 3/8-ounce baits. Take these options with a grain of salt as energy scores differ between manufacturers. For occasion, Brand X’s medium-light could also be much like Brand Y’s medium.
The rod I usually use is a 32″ Thorne Brothers Custom Perch Sweet Heart, paired with both 5-pound fluorocarbon or 8-pound braid with an 18′′ fluoro chief. Despite its perch moniker, this rod is among the firm’s hottest walleye sticks. It’s completely balanced for jigging a 1 /8-ounce spoon, however handles 1 /4 and 5 /16 ounces with out challenge.
This rod has a crisp, responsive tip, which in my expertise is necessary. A flick of the wrist is all that’s wanted to present a lure a sudden, erratic motion to set off a strike. Hard, aggressive shakes to make a rattling bait sing are not any downside with this stick.
The heavy:Â for heavy lures and trophy-walleye waters.
I take advantage of two heavy ones. The first is a deceptively robust 34″, extra-fast customized rod with a strong graphite clean. It’s labeled medium, but it surely’s extra like a medium-heavy. The different is a 38″ heavy, quick motion rod. This rod isn’t a broomstick and is sneakily versatile due to its size and motion.
Both carry out flawlessly when jigging 3 /8- to 5 /8-ounce lures. Their lengthy attain, motion, and energy guarantee high quality hook units, and simply deal with highly effective head shakes and runs from huge walleye. Both see fixed motion on the Bay of Quinte. They’d additionally get used on a return journey to Lake of the Woods the place I’d anticipate run-ins with huge pike and lake trout.
I pair my heavy rods with 15-and 20-pound braid and a 20″ fluorocarbon chief.
The minnow soaker: for dead-sticking
My recommending a 28″ to 36″ dead-stick rod is possible unsurprising. I usually share the virtues of soaking a jig and minnow within the pages of OOD.
The dead-stick rod is an all-star for catching reluctant walleye through the mid-winter doldrums. Their mushy tip and a average motion telegraph a minnow’s motion. The higher half of the rod ought to bend simply for bites so it’s exhausting for the fish to detect any strain. Using 6-to 8-pound monofilament will increase the set-up’s sponginess.
Things change within the backside half of a dead-stick rod. Here, the clean supplies ample spine for wrestling walleye. The backside half of my dead-stick rod is a couple of medium energy.
The finesse stick:Â for sweet-talking hesitant walleye with small baits
For fussy fish, I am going with a 26″ to 32″ light-powered rod spooled with 4-pound take a look at fluorocarbon. The rod ought to stability nicely with 1 /8-ounce baits or lighter. This rod is nice for calmly jigging, or swimming 2 and a couple of.5-inch tubes and plastic minnows on 1 /16-ounce jig heads -a lethal mid-winter, daytime technique.
I take advantage of this one the least, however usually carry it in case there’s the chance to catch walleye in addition to crappie and perch. It’s no pushover although, I’ve unintentionally hooked and landed incidental double-digit lake trout with it.
Need a rod that isn’t full crap? Start your search with these dependable manufacturers:
Tim Allard is a full-time freelance journalist and photographer based mostly in Ottawa. He’s the creator of the multi-award successful e book Ice-Fishing: The Ultimate Guide.
Reach Tim at mail@oodmag.com
Originally printed within the Jan.-Feb. 2022 challenge of Ontario OUT of DOORS