Ice Fishing Rods and Reels

Rods, reels,
& tackle

Rods, reels, & tackle

At Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s, we believe that the more you know about your equipment, the better you’ll be able to leverage it to your advantage. Thankfully, we don’t just sell the best rods, reels, and tackle for ice fishing—we use them too! Read below for the low-down on all your favorite fishing gear.

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Person Ice Fishing Blue Ice Background

SELECTING A ROD OR COMBO

Ice rods, like open-water rods, are designed with many different lengths and actions. Each variation has its own ideal application, depending on where you are fishing, the species you are after, and the lures you are utilizing. Anglers fishing inside of smaller shelters typically prefer shorter rods (23”–28”), which are easy to maneuver in close-quarters. Active anglers prowling the ice tend to prefer longer rods (28”–32”), which allow for increased hookset power, longer strokes while actively jigging, and more consistent tension while fighting fish.

Trout and Panfish

For trout/panfish being targeted with small tackle, most anglers prefer Ultra Light to Medium Light rods that easily allow the user to feel the weight of the lure or lack thereof when a small fish lifts up on a suspended bait. Lighter rods also allow anglers to obviously see bites before the fish has had an opportunity to feel anything on the other side.

TROUT/PANFISH

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For trout/panfish being targeted with small tackle, most anglers prefer Ultra Light to Medium Light rods that easily allow the user to feel the weight of the lure or lack thereof when a small fish lifts up on a suspended bait. Lighter rods also allow anglers to obviously see bites before the fish has had an opportunity to feel anything on the other side.

Lake Trout

Lake Trout and Pike anglers typically necessitate Medium Heavy to Heavy action rods with ample backbone to drive a hook home and keep tension on those hard-fighting, fast-running fish.

LAKE TROUT/PIKE

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Lake Trout and Pike anglers typically necessitate Medium Heavy to Heavy action rods with ample backbone to drive a hook home and keep tension on those hard-fighting, fast-running fish.

Walleye

Walleye anglers typically prefer Medium Light to Medium Heavy rods depending on the size of fish they are expecting to catch and the lure they are using to target them. Skinnier water, smaller fish and lighter lures usually warrant lighter rods, while deeper water, larger fish and heavier lures usually require heavier rods.

Walleye

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Walleye anglers typically prefer Medium Light to Medium Heavy rods depending on the size of fish they are expecting to catch and the lure they are using to target them. Skinnier water, smaller fish and lighter lures usually warrant lighter rods, while deeper water, larger fish and heavier lures usually require heavier rods.

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Ice Fishing Combos Bass Pro Shops

ICE COMBOS

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Ice Fishing Reels Bass Pro Shops

ICE REELS

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Ice Fishing Rods Bass Pro Shops

ICE RODS

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Ice Fishing Tip Ups Bass Pro Shops

TIP-UPS

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FEATURED COMBOS

Bass pro shops xps Fish eagle spinning combo

Bass pro shops xps Fish eagle spinning combo

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Bass pro shops XPS pro guide Ice spinning combo

Bass pro shops XPS pro guide Ice spinning combo

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13 Fishing Stealth Edition Ghost In Line Combo

13 Fishing Stealth Edition Ghost In Line Combo

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CHOOSING THE RIGHT TACKLE

There’s more to ice fishing than dropping a line in the water. Let us help you choose the right tackle to increase your chances of striking big out on the ice. Modern lures are designed to play off of the key senses that gamefish use for hunting: sight, sound, movement and smell.

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Spoons

SPOONS

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Spoons tend to be worked more aggressively than jigs. The rate of fall and the amount of flash is influenced by the size and weight of the spoon. Thinner and lighter spoons present much slower when jigged, while heavier and narrower spoons will dart and fall much faster. Spoons can also be used tipped with a variety of baits as well, including smaller chunks of frozen minnows.

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JIGGING MINNOWS

JIGGING MINNOWS

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With its horizontal balance point and folded lip design, the jigging minnow is one of the deadliest ice lures ever. On the upstroke, the lure darts up and off to the side; let it fall on a slack line, and it circles enticingly back around to its starting point. The unique motion is more than most walleye, crappie, and other predators can stand.

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JIGS

JIGS

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Jigs are the easiest and most basic lure to use when ice fishing. They are usually tipped with either plastic bait, frozen minnow or live minnow. Jigs are often either lightly jigged or allowed to sit inactive as a “deadstick” rod. Jigs come in a variety of sizes, colors, and can include rattles or blades for increased attraction.

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Lure Kits

LURE KITS

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Things can change quickly under the ice. What if a good bite suddenly turns off? Rather than “leaving fish to find fish,” a simple change in tactics might be just what’s needed to restart the feeding frenzy. That’s where lure kits shine, because they allow you to quickly adapt—by going to a different color, size, or weight—without abandoning a successful presentation.

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FEATURED SOFT BAITS

The Paralyzer Ice Fishing Lure

13 fishing ice
plastics The paralyzer

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Lunkerhunt Finesse Wiggler

Lunkerhunt Hive
Finesse Wiggler

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Clam Pro Tackle Maki Jamei

Clam Pro Tackle
Maki Jamei

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PLAYING OFF THE SENSES

SIGHT

With most bodies of water receiving heavy snowfalls on top of the ice, light and visibility can become very low during hardwater season. Many lure designers have produced models that incorporate lightsticks into the lure itself to combat this issue. These lightsticks make it extremely easy for fish to see at considerable distances.

MOVEMENT

Most lures, regardless of application, will be designed to replicate movement similar to that of gamefish’s natural forage. Severe movements in the water column are picked up by fish’s lateral lines and any activity seen as a ‘fleeing’ or ‘retreating’ motion can be effective at triggering strikes from both active and lethargic fish. Glide baits, flutter spoons and blade baits have proven to be extremely effective lures that play heavily on predatory fish’s fixation with movement.

SOUND

Predatory fish are capable of picking up small sounds and vibrations from great distances through the use of their lateral line organs. Many different spoons and jigs have rattles incorporated into them to call fish in that may be too far away to physically see the lure. Lipless crankbaits provide the most noise and vibration and mimic quick-darting actions, which attract hungry fish and trigger strikes.

SMELL

Where allowed, many anglers prefer to tip their lures with fresh or frozen bait. However, advancements in plastic bait technology have made many baits equally as effective, while also possessing greater longevity.

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