Determining Which Ice Fishing Blanks To Choose

Most ice anglers won't use slow-action ice fishing blanks.

These blanks lack the sensitivity to detect light strikes or the strength to play a feisty fish through an ice hole.

Fast-action rods flex mainly at the tip, medium action rods tend to flex to the middle of the blank, and slow action rods bend to the bottom of the handle.

Fast- and medium-action rods are preferred by most ice anglers for sensitivity and strength.

Ultra-fast and fast-action rods have limber tips to signal light hits, while the rest of the blank bends little, providing strength (or backbone).

This results in solid hooksets. Plus, backbone lets you muscle a trophy fish.

Fast-action graphite rods are top choices for most species when jigging or using artificials.

Medium-action rods perform well if using minnows when deadsticking or finesse jigging.

The rod's forgiving bend softens the jarring movements if jigs are worked aggressively to help keep minnows on hooks. They also absorb the shock from over-exuberant hooksets.

Testing rod action and power is easy.

Take a handle in one hand and the tip in the other, and then lightly bend the rod to test its action.

So, if you know what you're looking for, you can quickly try several rods to narrow down your choices.

Once you've short listed models, you can now scrutinize the finer details of rod design.

Blank Materials: Graphite vs. Fiberglass

Choosing ice fishing blanks material is a big decision.

Graphite, fiberglass, and composite blends are the main options.

Graphite is more expensive than fiberglass, but it is also lighter and more sensitive.

Solid graphite blanks offer more sensitivity than tubular or composite blanks.

Properly engineered graphite blanks feature fast, sensitive tips and the backbone needed to set hooks and play large fish.

A fast-action graphite rod provides the stiffness and the limber tip needed to let anglers quiver jigs-a critical presentation on ice to master if enticing shy biters.

In absolute terms, fiberglass blanks are not as sensitive as graphite, but high-end glass blanks give graphite a run for its money.

Fiberglass bends more along the blank than graphite, which equates to smooth hooksets, and premium blanks will have the backbone to play big fish.

Fiberglass is more durable than graphite, which gets fragile in freezing temperatures, making glass the preferred choice for anglers uninterested in coddling gear.

Whether you want to feel or see fish strikes is another factor to consider when selecting ice fishing blanks materials.

If using a spring bobber or strike indicator to signal hits, you don't need graphite's extreme sensitivity and a fiberglass rod will suffice.

Solid fiberglass blanks are also preferred for deadsticking rods.

The limber tip lets anglers see the minnow's action and signals light hits.

Plus, the blank's forgiving bend gives little resistance during the take. Anglers interested in feeling hits should go graphite because of its superior sensitivity.

This Article was an excerpt from Choosing the Perfect Ice-Fishing Rod about Ice Fishing Blanks written by Tim Allard