Fishing is a very common sport in much of Canada and the northern part of the United States. This trend could be a result of the abundance of fish species inhabiting the many lakes of the region, the silent wilderness areas with no permanent human presence for miles around, or merely the breathtaking landscape surrounding the area, but whatever it is, the far north attracts thousands of fishermen every year. One would think that the only thing that could stop people from fishing in Minnesota, Wisconsin, or Michigan is a thick layer of ice, but even winter doesn’t stop these far northerners from having their outdoor fun. When the cold weather rolls around, these guys set aside their summer fishing equipment and break out their augers and ice fishing rods. “Why should people use a different rod when they go ice fishing?” one might ask. Well, as with any outdoor activity, different conditions warrant the use of different equipment, so when people go ice fishing, they have to carefully choose which kind of rod to bring.  Special ice fishing gear is a must if you want to land more and bigger fish.

Choosing the right kind of rod for the particular ice fishing trip you are going to take will determine whether you have to depend on the dry, stale camping food you packed for supper, or whether you will be eating fresh, tasty fillets for the duration of your vacation. Important variables to take into consideration are the style of fishing you plan to do, the kinds of fish you wish to catch, and even the air temperature on the days you plan to be on the lake.

The main aspect of your rod that you want to pay attention to when considering what style of fishing you plan to do is the rod’s action. The action of a rod determines where it will bend when a fish pulls on the line, and people choose rods with different actions depending on how they want to offer bait to the fish and how they will reel the fish in once it is hooked. Fast-action rods bend close to the tip, and are best for detecting the smallest nibbles. People who prefer artificial lures usually use fast-action rods. Medium-action rods bend from the tip to the middle of the shaft, and are better for people who use minnows or shiners as lures because the hook can be moved up and down without shaking off the bait.

When you’re thinking about what kind of fish you want to catch, you need to pay attention to the power of your rod. A rod’s power is how hard a fish has to pull on the line to make the shaft of the rod bend. The four categories for an ice fishing rod’s power are ultra-light, light, medium, and heavy. Pan fish are easily caught with the ultra-light variety, while slightly larger fish, like yellow perch, are best caught using light rods. Medium rods are best for walleye or rainbow trout, while heavy rods are only for big fish like pike or lake trout.

The last consideration you need to make when choosing your ice fishing rod is what materials were used to make it. Ice fishing rods are usually made from graphite, fiberglass, or a mix of both. While fiberglass is less expensive, it is also less sensitive, and the more expensive graphite is lighter and can detect softer nibbles. However, if it’s going to be particularly cold on your expedition, it would probably be best to go with fiberglass, because graphite becomes brittle in the coldest weather.