Ice Rod Evolutions
By Carl Madson

Ice angling has been quietly undergoing the same evolutions that have already occurred or presently occurring in the open water bass and walleye fishing worlds. Many seasoned anglers can remember when most fresh water open water rods all looked the same, about six feet long. There was also a time when few companies really built a rod specifically for walleye, walleye guys used rods designed for bass fishing for years. These days, we have rods specifically designed for pitching crankbaits, drop-shotting, Texas Rigging and the list goes on. The walleye market followed the example with rods designed specifically for live bait rigging, open water trolling, vertical jigging, etc. This evolution of using equipment to excel at a specific presentation is now occurring on the ice.

Many anglers not intimate with ice fishing assume that fishing through a hole in the ice is pretty straightforward, not a lot of room for a varied presentation. Nothing could be further from the truth. Ice anglers riding the cutting edge are becoming adept at several types of presentations. The cutting edge is now becoming proficient at mastering contrasting presentations. Successful anglers on the ice today are masters at matching their presentation to the reaction of the fish. Unless you are sight fishing, electronics like Vexilar and Marcum flashers or Lowrance TIFF Screens are crucial for giving you the information needed when adjusting the presentation. You have to know when there are fish below that are ignoring what you have to offer. The trouble that many anglers have is the dreaded comfort zone. I know that we all have our tried and true program that works for us and… that is what we usually stick to. As a student of fishing however, don’t believe that your way is the only way to catch fish.

The real joy of fishing can stem from the learning that is involved. There are anglers right now for example, that believe spring bobber systems are the only or best way to catch panfish. There are other anglers that believe aggressive presentations with sensitive, fast-action, graphite rods are always the ticket. Keep fishing enough and you will come to the conclusion that each "style" or presentation has a place and each day is different. Become a master at adapting to what the fish give you by mastering several presentations. The next step that many ice anglers are taking is rigging numerous rods for specific presentations. Some anglers are using hard bow cases that have soft foam inside for carrying multiple rods on an ATV or snowmobile. Other anglers rig extravagant rod racks in their vehicles. Many anglers build custom rod carriers inside their portable fish houses. Soft sided rod bags are carried that can often hold several rods. The best anglers aren’t showing up on the lake with one rod anymore. Also note however that these same anglers aren’t necessarily using more than one rod at a time. Each rod is designed and rigged for a specific task. Anglers move through the presentation spectrum until the best presentation is found for the task at hand. The fact that anglers can broaden their horizons and demand specific rods for specific applications in ice fishing is exciting. The past couple of years have been very exciting for ice fishing and during this time, no company has listened to ice anglers or pioneered the concept of presentation specific rod designs like the Jason Mitchell Elite Series line up of Ice Rods.

Legendary ice fishing guide and long time member of Devils Lake’s famed Perch Patrol has taken this concept to a new level with a line up of premium rods that bear his name (www.jasonmitchellrods.com). "There is a time and place for all styles and presentation and the best ice anglers are flexible and versatile," explains Jason Mitchell. "Using tools designed specifically for the presentation make you a better angler." Case in point, the line up of Jason Mitchell Elite Series Ice Rods offers a broad range of panfish and perch specific rods. Ranging from feather light HYPER High Modulus Fast Action Graphite Blanks to a fast action noodle rod called the "Meat Stick" which is basically a noodle rod with a fast backbone for better hook sets. This innovative company also designed a premium spring bobber rod that is getting rave reviews from editors, competitive ice anglers, guides and ice fishing addicts. The advantage of the Jason Mitchell Spring Bobber system is that the spring bobber is permanently fixed to the rod, movement is easy to see no matter how you hold the rod and the wire is adjustable and ice resistant.

Now for the million dollar question, when to use each rod. "The answer is up to the fish," stresses Mitchell. There are times when the fish want a hard pound on the lure and a small spoon like a Lindy Frostee Jigging Spoon, Northland Forage Minnow or Custom Jig and Spins Demon will just get thumped by perch for example. If you let the lure sit still, the fish just drop back down to the bottom and won’t eat. This might not be the best scenario for a spring bobber or noodle rod since this extra give or flexibility in the tip acts as a shock absorber diminishing quick hook sets. In this scenario, the fast-action, sensitive graphite rods come into play.

Another day or even later in the day, these same fish mouth the bait as the spoon comes to a momentary stop but distinguishing these light suck ins becomes difficult, maybe most of the fish you mark won’t commit or scatter when you move the lure. Time for a change. Now all of a sudden, the spring bobber rod is on fire. Switching the spoon for a small horizontal jig like a Marmooska or Fiska, the fish seem to prefer the subtle bob that can be achieved with a spring bobber system. The spring bobber now excels at distinguishing the hits that come as a fish momentarily mouths and holds the bait in place. Still another day, some movement seems to bring fish up to look but less becomes more as the fish inch closer. The timid bites often come as the lure sits for periods of time. Usually as the lure sits still, the lure spins until finally the lure either stops momentarily to turn the other direction or quits spinning from built up line twist and this is when these fish usually hit. This is a scenario where the Meat Stick shines; the Meat Stick is a fast action glass rod with a noodle tip that quickly loads to some hook setting backbone.

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