Ice reels

[OttCan]

Why do the manufactures decide to put crap single bearing reels on $50+ combos?

I myself use my citica bait caster and symetre spinning reels.

I recently made this switch cause I was fed up with the fc@king pieces of junk ice reels you get on combos...usually last one or two fish then start breaking down, and heaven forbid they accumulate ice on them!!

I know Pfleuger makes some great small spool reels that are the perfect combo for an ice rod, but they're upwards are $50-60 alone.

Anyways, with that being said, what do you all use for reels in the winter?

[Geezle]

Why do the manufactures decide to put crap single bearing reels on $50+ combos?

I myself use my citica bait caster and symetre spinning reels.

I recently made this switch cause I was fed up with the fc@king pieces of junk ice reels you get on combos...usually last one or two fish then start breaking down, and heaven forbid they accumulate ice on them!!

I know Pfleuger makes some great small spool reels that are the perfect combo for an ice rod, but they're upwards are $50-60 alone.

Anyways, with that being said, what do you all use for reels in the winter?

For the little stuff (perch, stocked trout) I have a couple Diawa Sweepfire reels that I like - they're worth about $20 a piece. These are the only reels that I use exclusively in the winter.

For anything bigger than that I just use the same reels I use in the summer...I've got decent quality (though not crazy expensive) reels that I use in the open water, so why would I bother with cheap 'ice reels'?

[azn_rice_man]

This is my first season ice fishing, so I can't really comment off much experience, but when I went shopping for my gear, I noticed that all the combos were crap. The one I really wanted to pick up with the Rapala R-Type spinning combo, but those were $75... What I ended up doing was picking up the HT ice rod in medium with a Shimano IX 2000. With the line, it ended up costing less than $30. If you're looking for the reel only, I think Fishin Hole had it on sale not long ago, but it's cheap anyways. So far, I've been able to catch burbots and pikes with no worries - mind you, they're only a couple lbs or so. :)

[Willowtrail]

I picked up a couple of mitchell Advocett 500 reels at TFH for $35 each and they come with 2 spools. I use the cheaper spools in the winter with ice braid and the nicer spools in the summer.

Haven't really fished pike much but I have been using my berkley combo rod and reel from Canadian tire last year. Put on some heavier braid and tip with Fluoro. May use my baitcaster at wab this year.

As for rods I have some nicer ones I picked up at TFH and a cheaper double combo set of Berkleys. Loved the rods, hated the reels

[fish gunner]

shimano senna or if you can find a mitchell avocet mitchell 5 yrs not a hicup and used as creek reel all summer same with senna if I sarted over all my Ice reels would be these 2 .mitchell came on a 30$ berkley combo!!!

[BeeGuy]

For the little stuff (perch, stocked trout) I have a couple Diawa Sweepfire reels that I like - they're worth about $20 a piece. These are the only reels that I use exclusively in the winter.

For anything bigger than that I just use the same reels I use in the summer...I've got decent quality (though not crazy expensive) reels that I use in the open water, so why would I bother with cheap 'ice reels'?

x2

i just use my mid sized spinning reels. I have an Optix and another similar one right now. Both are about $30 or so. The Optix is awesome value for the price.

I'd probably own sweepfires too, but I refuse to buy a spinning reel that has the casting trigger. This feature really reduces the lifespan of the reel (if you use it a lot), and when it breaks you cant just take it off the reel because the reel becomes unbalanced (:angry3:).

One problem Ive noticed ice fishing with my reels is that the drag is not easily adjusted in the cold weather. But, I probably should clean and lubricate them.

I'm a gear minimalist, so I'll continue to use whatever I have unless I move somewhere where the fishing is good enough to demand better equipment.

[Dark Horn]

For lake trout I have been using the same ambassedeur reels summer and winter. Up until this year I have been using almost any kind of ice combo. For small stuff I now have a fenwick ultra light with a shimano Sahara on it. I am going to be like some others have said and start using reels summer and winter. No more combos. Their reels aren't all that smooth and the drag is pretty poor. Not that I expect alot more when I'm only spending 20$. They will work though

[Geezle]

x2

i just use my mid sized spinning reels. I have an Optix and another similar one right now. Both are about $30 or so. The Optix is awesome value for the price.

I'd probably own sweepfires too, but I refuse to buy a spinning reel that has the casting trigger. This feature really reduces the lifespan of the reel (if you use it a lot), and when it breaks you cant just take it off the reel because the reel becomes unbalanced (:angry3:).

One problem Ive noticed ice fishing with my reels is that the drag is not easily adjusted in the cold weather. But, I probably should clean and lubricate them.

I'm a gear minimalist, so I'll continue to use whatever I have unless I move somewhere where the fishing is good enough to demand better equipment.

No trigger on the Sweepfire...that would make me crazy!

https://www.thefishinhole.com/imagesProducts/med/3860724.jpg

[Dan Foss]

x2 on the advocets. Best value ice reel you can find. I always pick up a couple why the fishin hole has a sale and soon It will be the only reels on my ice rods. I find the same issue with most combos but I have to comment on a Clam ice fishing combo that I picked up from bass pro. I bought it for my buddy but he decided that he didnt want the reel as he was going to stick his summer Optix on it. So I put it on one of my rods and I am absolutely impressed with it's quality. Very smooth for a 1 ball bearing reel. It was the Dave Genz series combo:http://clamoutdoors.com/ice_fishing/fishing-acc/dave-genz-combos/dave-genz-power-stick-series.html

[Hunter Trav]

I usually buy the rod combos based on the rod itself, knowing I can put a better reel on it for next to nothing...

[ak-71]

Shimano Sienna seems to work. I cleanned all the greese inside and put "Hot Souce" oil in.
I also have "Dave Genz True Blue Series" combo by clam and really like it.

[TROLLER]

I have several of those cheapo combo's that I use for the grand kids when we go to Chain Lakes.

I use the 34" St Croix med action and I have tried several different spinning type reels. the best I have found is the Shimano only the safari model comes in the 50 series. I also have a Browning 50 series and Bass Pro makes a decent 50 as well. The pheluger 50 also works well but I find it a tad heavy.

I tried the Mitchell 50's and found the drags very unreliable. A good reel is gonna set you back about 50 to 75 but like all things you get what you pay for and it will give you years of trouble free fishn.

[Paul C]

Why do the manufactures decide to put crap single bearing reels on $50+ combos?

I myself use my citica bait caster and symetre spinning reels.

I recently made this switch cause I was fed up with the fc@king pieces of junk ice reels you get on combos...usually last one or two fish then start breaking down, and heaven forbid they accumulate ice on them!!

I know Pfleuger makes some great small spool reels that are the perfect combo for an ice rod, but they're upwards are $50-60 alone.

Anyways, with that being said, what do you all use for reels in the winter?
Most fishin gear sold at local tackle shops comes from China were huge profits can be made from there cheap manufactured fishin gear. Very hard to avoid China made products of all kinds these days.:thinking-006::rolleyes: