TROPHY ROD CHOICE

Alot has been written and talked about over the years on how rod setups can affect your fishing for better or worse. Included in this is the type of line you fish. The problem for hardcore walleye anglers is that this conversation is typically directed towards panfish or rods designed for lighter lures. Three man things need to be considered when looking for the perfect rod when targeting trophy walleye or larger gamefish.

Action - When it comes to fishing larger bodies of water for walleye current and depth of water usually demand larger lures than what you’d commonly use on a small inland lake. In situations like this a 1/2oz lure is not out of the norm, but most rods on the market aren’t designed to carry this much weight. The conversation gets even more muddied when you realize that this 1/2oz lure may weigh as much as a 1oz when tipped with a decent size minnow. This often causes the rod to load just with the weight of the lure. When this happens it makes it very difficult to work a lure with much intricacy. Starting and stopping a lures action feels like you are using a jello stick instead of a rod. A overloaded rod before you even get started is bad for feel and working a lure properly, it can also make it more difficult to get solid hooks into a trophy size walleye. When you have nothing left to give when you set the hook bad things end up happening. This is especially the case in deeper water. It should be noted that not all “medium” actions are the same.

Length - In most cases when targeting larger gamefish the longer the rod the better you are. Longer rods allow for more options when it comes to actions and tapers. The problem is that many of us have ice shacks that we need to be able to jig inside and length can be an issue. The same could be said for storage. In most cases a 36’’ to 38’’ is a very good all-around option. When fishing outside and hole hoping that length increases to 42’’ for many hardcore walleye hunters. The increased length allows for more of a cushion and ability for the rod to fight the fish. At the same time extra length makes it much easier to stand up without hunching over the hole. The longer the rod the more options you have.

Feel - VBVI think its common knowledge that even a giant walleye has the ability to touch a lure as soft as the smallest bluegill you’ve come across. Because of this I always want the most sensitive rod I can get my hands on. It’s for this reason that a lot of anglers reach for braided line. While this is a long story for another day, braid can be a bad move when used as an all-around setup. The increased feel is great, but the lack of stretch can make you feel like you’re walking on egg shells when fighting even a mid sized walleye. When using braid it’s often best to look for a little bit lighter or “moderate” action. As an example if you are using the 38’’ MH Katana rod you may need to look at the 38’’ M action rod in order to keep fish buttoned up. In most cases I personally still prefer a hi vis monofilament line such as the Clam Frost mono.

Another way to increase feel besides having a high quality blank is simply having the combo balanced. Tennessee handles are nothing new to ice fishing and have stood the test of time because they allow us the ability to move the reel up or down the handle until the combo feels just right. Clam has taken this one step further on the new Katana series which offers a synthetic cork replacement. This synthetic material is not only lighter, but also has a roughed up finish that allows for better grip and feel. If you are searching for a new walleye, pike or laker rod this winter the new katana series of rods by Clam fills a huge void in the ice fishing world when a quality rod for larger lures are needed or larger gamefish are you intention. Models are available from 34’’ to 42” in a variety of actions.

Capt. Ross Robertson Bigwaterfishing.com