What do people like for a good panfish rod?

[Sneaky Duck]

I was given a nice 13 fishing freefall reel for christmas from my grandma and I want to get a nicer rod then the cheap HT combo's i've been using.  Looking at the 13fishing tickle stick.  Anyone got feedback on that rod?  Which weight should i go with?  I typically fish tungsten jigheads with mousies or something on it.  Not looking to spend more the say $60.

[Gator]

Yep, the Tickle Stick is a nice rod with a flat tip that serves as a strike indicator, and the Widowmaker is another higher end option that's very light and sensitive, but with decent backbone for lifting slabs. What's your primary application? How deep a water are you fishing? I love the freefall in 15+ feet, just to let a slow fluttering presentation, and with zero twist you don't spook shy fish. You could also consider going all the way and having a custom rod made to specifications. I have a freefall on both light and ultralight setups that I use for crappie in deeper water, and they are very nice.

[longspurs]

Lmfao .... HT is all I use for panfish, 30" light blue ice rod with a ghost free fall 2lb line. I tried so many kinds and keep going back to the HT blue ice for "panfish".

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[Sk8man]

I'm with Longspurs. I  have about 25 ice fishing rod setups and I still keep going back to those HT Blue Ice 's but in the 24 inch size.

[Gator]

I like my HT rods, too. Not as much as the two of you, obviously. But I only use them in shallow water, since I find that the parabolic bend of the light glass makes cranking up a crappie to get back down onto the school fast a bit...tricky.

 

Kev, you should let me build you a rod and see if I can change your mind lol.

Edited January 8, 2021 by Gator

[Sk8man]

The HT's do leave a bit desired with lake trout on the other end too so Keith has a point

[nygooseduster26]

The 13 snitch rod is a great rod for panfish but I wouldn’t overlook the ht rods. I have a couple fiblink rods off Amazon that I absolutely love. Their inline reels are incredible as well.


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[Gator]

All few years ago, I watched 33Canuck pulling up Keuka lakers one after another on a perch rod. Yeah, they're not the biggest lake trout in the world, but I think that most of what happens to determine whether you land the fish is on the angler end.

 

I just like having dedicated rods for different fishing situations, because I like to build and test them. It's tough to beat a whippy fiberglass blank in shallow water. But I will take a "bullwhip" carbon blank with a needle tip and decent backbone outside of 15' for panfish, and once you start talking jigging rapalas and heavier jigs, the gauge changes again. Different tools for different jobs. I mean, you can make anything work if you're a decent fisherman, right? But half the fun for me is figuring out my favorite.

 

I could have limited myself to brunettes as a younger man, but where would have been the fun in that lol?

Edited January 9, 2021 by Gator

[Sk8man]

"Different tools for different jobs" perfectly sums it up whether trolling or ice fishing and the element of the unknown is always there too even in shallow water Some years ago on Canandaigua I was fishing next to a guy in about 15 ft of water when he hooked something that bent his HT right over and he was using 2 lb test. After fighting it for 45 minutes or more he brought the fish out of the hole....a 12 lb lake trout. Kind of a miracle on 2 lb. but if using 10 lb braid in deeper water the fish would have been in a lot sooner and with not so much concern

[Sneaky Duck]

oh, I agree with the different tools for the job too.  That's why I have fly rods of different weights, and I'm looking to get a 13ft Centerpin rod to go with the 11ft one I have.  My question was literally just about a rod to go with this 1 reel.

[Pequod1]

I hate to give my friend gator any credit, but he has built dozens of ice rods ( along with open water rods) and has a lot of experience with the subtleties of ice blanks.   I also build ice rods and have some experience with various blanks.  We both use mostly our own builds when fishing but I do have a few tickle sticks and HT’s. I do like the UL tickle stick for perch but not so much for gills or crappies.  It does not handle the small tungsten as well as an UL HT with a tungsten spring bobber. ( my preferred gill rod). For crappies, I really have not found any rod out there that I like. But that’s just me. 

[Sk8man]

18 minutes ago, Pequod1 said:

. But that’s just me. 

Yeah Mr. Fussy

[longspurs]

The HT's do leave a bit desired with lake trout on the other end too so Keith has a point[emoji38]

Lol , now I know why I can't hook them !![emoji23]

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[longspurs]

I like my HT rods, too. Not as much as the two of you, obviously. But I only use them in shallow water, since I find that the parabolic bend of the light glass makes cranking up a crappie to get back down onto the school fast a bit...tricky.
 
Kev, you should let me build you a rod and see if I can change your mind lol.

I would like that ... 44in M/H for lakers and 30in light for pans let me know how much? My laker rods guides are all cut up from the braid.

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[Gator]

No charge, I like building them. I'd be stoked to build another laker rod. Let me see what I have in terms of blanks or what I can get, and I'll be in touch with you.

[Jomat]

https://stcroixrods.com/products/avid-glass-ice
 

this my favorite rod for fishing small tungsten jigs for panfish.  I would never pay full price tho....usually on sale somewhere.  I prefer glass even in deep water for detecting “up bites” without a spring bobber. 
 

jigging raps and spoons are a different story completely.....fast action carbon.