walleye rods

[EXITPUPIL]

I'm looking to replace two of my medium action walleye ice fishing rods. Anyone have any suggestions? Christmas is coming don't ya know! I want something with backbone for big bay walleye but sensitive enough for feeling the light bit on smaller walleye baits for when the bite gets light and slow later in the season. Who makes the best....What experiences have you had and where to buy them.TY in advance

[eyeskater]

If I could only buy one really good walleye rod it would absolutely be a Thorne Bros rod. Liken them to a good Loomis or Sage, only built for ice. I buy my blanks from Thorne and build my own rods exactly how I want them. Last winter I took over 12 fish that exceeded 7 pounds, and 3 were over 11. My rods are 38" medium lights with straight 10" cork grips. One Thorne rod and YOU will be hooked too.

'Eye-Skater

[EXITPUPIL]

where do I look for them? Do you have a picture? isn't that a little long? TY in advance.

[Houghton laker]

they also pre-make there own....Thorne bros. ae the best!! Go to www.thornebros.com you will love the walleye sweatheart.....go with the heaviest one....I think MH ?? forget now.....but top quality!!.....the walleye solid graphite....28" is the one I have.....actually...I have 2 ;)

[EXITPUPIL]

Straight cork with tennesee handle or the graphite with the real seat? also 28" sounds right.....medium heavy give you enough sensitivity for lite bites late in the season? Also what do you think of the reel they suggest as part of the combo?

[Houghton laker]

I love the straight cork!!! I use a Tica cetus reel....You just use Electrical tape to put reel on!! I use colored from Home Depot....just make sure you get the quality kind to withstand cold temps!! .you can find the reels also on the thorne bros. site!!! Great reel also!.....I fish in Houghton lake and get a lot of 15-18 inch walleye....works perfect for them but can handle the big ones if needed....landed a 10 lb. Northern with no problems with it!!

[Houghton laker]

Oh yea...also have a st.croix avid rod.....26'MED....also a good rod.....just not a Thorne bros.!

[eyeskater]

I was taught by the walleye masters on Saginaw Bay to use a long rod. When fishing outside I prefer a 48" Professional rod. I use the 38" inside an Otter medium cabin. A long rod is much better for fighting large aggressive fish, as fewer will shake the hook or be able to cause line slack. I use to use short (30 & under) rods but found out how many fish I lost due to difficulty in playing the fish until it was tired and could be landed. I know, I know...95% of walleye anglers use short rods. I have the good fortune to hang out and fish with some of the best walleye icefishermen in central Michigan, and many of them endorse the longer rods. I go for cork grips; warm and good sensitivity. I recommend a small spinning reel (not the teeny tiny ones) with a very good drag system. I use Daiwa SS 700s, and own 4 of them. They cost me $90 apiece, but they don't break, don't freeze, and have the smoothest drag I've ever found in the middle of February.

'Eye-Skater

[Houghton laker]

I believe you to be right on the longer rods for big fish eyeskater....just don't need them on the lakes I fish....all my fish are more in the eater size!! I have fished quite often up in LBDN....and the rod size of choice even up there seems to be in the 30" range!

[walleyedreaming]

I have two st. croixs i bought in 1990. I pray nothing happens to them every year as i love them dearly. Very soft tip but enough backbone to land even the largest walleye the bay can throw at me. I can feel a bluegill fart fom 20 ft away :lol: :lol: :lol:

Jimmy

[gottafish]

so that's how those air bubbles get in the ice........

[EXITPUPIL]

ordered the thorne brothers walllye sweet heart 30 " med heavy with the cork handle. Cost me 70.00 but it looks great on the site . I hope it serves me as well as I expect it to! TY for the information I look forward to it arriving.

[Houghton laker]

You will love the rod....just make sure you keep it protected while traveling....I have a box I made inside my portable shanty....as soon as I am done fishing (I fish with 2 poles) I take lures off and put them away...and put poles in the box for travel.....it's dimensions are roughly 10"w X 30l"L x 8" high......top of box is covered only halfway so rods can be just slipped in and will not jump out while bouncing around!!

[UNCLE AL]

EYESKATER,
Where did you find the blanks on the Thorne Bros. site.

[Burksee]

Anyone get those "4 for $20.00" ice fishing rods from Jammin Jigs? I have plenty of lighter stuff, for panfish and perch so the UL stuff isnt really what I was lookin at. It would appear I need some "bigger" stuff for walleye and trout if I'm going to get serious about fishing them on Houghton and Higgins Lake this winter, I hope. I was thinking about getting two of the medium actions, 2 - 24" and two of the 28". At this time I dont fish enough to warrant the big buck fishing rods but for "4 for $20" its a very tempting offer! Thanks in advance for all advice received!

Deer huntings almost over, come on ice! :lol: :woohoo1:

[eyeskater]

Uncle Al:

They don't list the blanks on their website or in a catalog. I called them direct and spoke to one of the rod builders, describing what length and action I wanted. FYI: not much cheaper to build your own, but I love the challenge of crafting a really fine custom rod with all the touches I prefer.

Incidentally....Years ago I spoke to Doug Stange and he put me in touch with Greg Thorne and Paul Gaussman. I asked them to create a 48" medium-fast walleye rod that telescoped down to 38" ala flippin' stick style. They did this to my specs and we (my friends) bought about a dozen of them. They added them to the catalog for a few years, but demand was not great so they discontinued them. I still have 2 that have caught many hundreds of walleye on Saginaw Bay.

'Eye-Skater

[UNCLE AL]

Eyeskater,
I have some 36" blanks that I've tied up. I've got two rods that I use for everything.They have nice sensitivity for little guys, and a good backbone for the bigger stuff. Don't know where they came from, (a friend got them for me) but I'd just like to know where I could get some if needed. Thanks for the comeback.


AB