how to avoid rod down the hole?

[coyotezh]

Looks like many have the experience dropping the rod down the hole. Maybe we need to discuss some ideas to avoid the rod dropping into the hole again...

I tried to tie the rod onto my seat while icefishing today. But not a good idea and lost a fish because of it..:thinking-006:

[Okotokian]

uh, hold on to it maybe? You hard water guys sure are lazy... shacks, tip ups, bells to wake you..... ;) LOL :scared0018:

[calgarygringo]

Sent down a hole once and tether all mine on the ice since. Wrap small diameter rope around chair leg or use an ice tent anchor. Make sure you have it long enough to be able to fight the fish in a hurry or put a carribeaner clip on the end and it can be made free real quick. Works great and no need to worry about losing 300 buck rod and reel down the hole.

[Cal]

A good rod holder for one, or back the drag off. The best solution is a toothpick rig, put an elstic band around the grip in front of your reel and stick a toothpick under the wraps, open the drag and pull a little loop of line so it is pinched between the grip and the toothpick. This will hold your bait off the bottom but when a fish bites the line is pulled free, the fish can run with the bait and your rod stays where it belongs.

[Jack&7]

Simple:

here is what I do. I take those neck lanyards for name tags or credentials that people get all over the place (work, conferences, etc.) and loop it around the rod right in front of the reel. Try to get the simple ones that are made of cord and avoid the 'flat' ones that have logos printed on them.

I then take those garage hooks you can buy from CT and screw one of them into the ice beside my rod holder with the open end of the hook pointed away from the hole. The free end of the lanyard is simply looped over the hook. If the rod starts to get pulled towards (or down!!!) the hole, the lanyar catches on the hook

As the fish is taking line (drag set REALLY low), I simply just un-loop the free end of the lanyard from around the hook and you are ready to go.

[Willowtrail]

Simple:

here is what I do. I take those neck lanyards for name tags or credentials that people get all over the place (work, conferences, etc.) and loop it around the rod right in front of the reel. Try to get the simple ones that are made of cord and avoid the 'flat' ones that have logos printed on them.

I then take those garage hooks you can buy from CT and screw one of them into the ice beside my rod holder with the open end of the hook pointed away from the hole. The free end of the lanyard is simply looped over the hook. If the rod starts to get pulled towards (or down!!!) the hole, the lanyar catches on the hook

As the fish is taking line (drag set REALLY low), I simply just un-loop the free end of the lanyard from around the hook and you are ready to go.


Great tip.

Last weekend I just screwed in a tent anchor and put the rod holder around it. Worked great for when I was sleeping :sHa_sarcasticlol:

[fish gunner]

my cure, with the red wire rod holders. build a pile of slush over the foot of the rod holder and step it down. give it 5 min to freeze . taa daa solid. when its time to move my scoop busts it out in a jiffy.

[Pikecrazed]

I'm not the greatest artist but here's a quick scech of it I have seen people use these with great succeeds it is a wooden plank the you cut out a slot for the line to go in and on the back you atach one peace of wood with a hole big enough to put the rod handle and you put one about 2-4 inches forward and there you go
http://i1069.photobucket.com/albums/u471/pikecrazed/e6098f92.jpg

[Lefty-Canuck]

Use a bait caster and set the brake on it....pop the free spool...enjoy your rod staying put......

LC

[WayneChristie]

if you use single holes, get the rodlocker type holders, no fish, the rod is loose on top, if a fish takes the bait, it pulls down on the rod and it locks into the holder, simple matter to move the locking lever and pick up the rod. if you use a hole bigger than the holder, do what I do, screw an ice anchor into the ice inside the holder, had some good sized pike take the rod, the handle points straight up and the holder keeps it from going down the hole, thats if you have a very big bait that you cant leave the bail open with. if the bait is smaller, do the same just leave the bail open then you have no worries. I do like the toothpick trick though, have to try to remember that for next season.

[Lefty-Canuck]

I'm not the greatest artist but here's a quick scech of it I have seen people use these with great succeeds it is a wooden plank the you cut out a slot for the line to go in and on the back you atach one peace of wood with a hole big enough to put the rod handle and you put one about 2-4 inches forward and there you go
http://i1069.photobucket.com/albums/u471/pikecrazed/e6098f92.jpg

Isn't it past your bedtime? Grade three has full days you know :)



......totally kidding :) I think thats a great idea on something to have ice fishing though!

LC :)

[bloopbloob]

Is this really a problem for you guys!? I've spent immense amounts of time, money and suffering trying to find holes for my rod to go into! Maybe the holes were iced over... :thinking-006:

[Jack&7]

Use a bait caster and set the brake on it....pop the free spool...enjoy your rod staying put......

LC

very true......a very good point.

I also wanted to add that I use those lanyards to kinda take the red wire holders out of the equation. That way, regardless of what happens, the rod is secured to the hook.

[Lefty-Canuck]

Is this really a problem for you guys!? I've spent immense amounts of time, money and suffering trying to find holes for my rod to go into! Maybe the holes were iced over... :thinking-006:

You realize usually for your rod to go down the hole you have to have a fish on? :)

LC

[WayneChristie]

Is this really a problem for you guys!? I've spent immense amounts of time, money and suffering trying to find holes for my rod to go into! Maybe the holes were iced over... :thinking-006:

met my ex did you? :scared0018:

[Cal]

Use a bait caster and set the brake on it....pop the free spool...enjoy your rod staying put......

LC

Just wondering, do you ever have the levelwind thing freeze up on you? I have a baitcaster on an ice rod but that little hole plugged up pretty good a few times. Thought about using my Ambasadeur but its so darn big, must be a habit from the days before I owned a 4x4 but anything I cant stuff half dozen of into a 5 gallon pail doesnt get taken fishing very often.

[Cal]

met my ex did you? :scared0018:

BTW best ex wizecrack I've seen on here for a very long time. The more times I read the quote the more horrible it sounds.

[winger7mm]

I use a bobber and free spooling line. the bobber goes down I know I have a bite, the free spooling line prevents the rod from going down (after losing 3 rods)

[pikehunter1989]

You can buy the screw in type rod holders ( geezle will probobly pipe up and say where) I just bring a drill and than I drill a hole on a angle and use the red curly type rod holders. I use a baitcasters with a clicker and just turn that on. You think hearing bells is great... Hearing the clicker going as a pike is screaming away and your in the middle of a **** and you know your rod isn't going anywhere is great.....(and now wait for the jokes :bad_boys_20: )And you can hear it very clearly even 40 or 50 ft away.

[bloopbloob]

You can buy the screw in type rod holders ( geezle will probobly pipe up and say where) I just bring a drill and than I drill a hole on a angle and use the red curly type rod holders. I use a baitcasters with a clicker and just turn that on. You think hearing bells is great... [COLOR="Red"][B]Hearing the clicker going as a pike is screaming away and your in the middle of a **** and you know your rod isn't going anywhere is great.....(and now wait for the jokes :bad_boys_20: )And you can hear it very clearly even 40 or 50 ft away.

:scared0018:

[pikehunter1989]

:scared0018:

Ok never seen that one coming. You my friend have quite the imagination!
:bad_boys_20:

[Lefty-Canuck]

Just wondering, do you ever have the levelwind thing freeze up on you? I have a baitcaster on an ice rod but that little hole plugged up pretty good a few times. Thought about using my Ambasadeur but its so darn big, must be a habit from the days before I owned a 4x4 but anything I cant stuff half dozen of into a 5 gallon pail doesnt get taken fishing very often.

I haven't yet....but admittedly most of my ice fishing has been during warmer days. I am using a Abu Garcia Ambasadeur 6600 (I think :)) and I had no problems with it. It is actually kind of nice to use as an ice fishing reel as it has the spooling alarm...so you can set the brake and put it on free spool and if something takes it....you can hear it clicking away. Like pikehunter1989 said above.

LC

[outandabout]

I'm not the greatest artist but here's a quick scech of it I have seen people use these with great succeeds it is a wooden plank the you cut out a slot for the line to go in and on the back you atach one peace of wood with a hole big enough to put the rod handle and you put one about 2-4 inches forward and there you go
http://i1069.photobucket.com/albums/u471/pikecrazed/e6098f92.jpg

LOL, I make those at work...well...during breaks:scared:. I use maple and LVL. Works great and keeps your rod off the ice plus you simply pick the rod straight up instead of fooling around with the wire holders:). if anyone wants one....

[TyreeUM]

Sent down a hole once and tether all mine on the ice since. Wrap small diameter rope around chair leg or use an ice tent anchor. Make sure you have it long enough to be able to fight the fish in a hurry or put a carribeaner clip on the end and it can be made free real quick. Works great and no need to worry about losing 300 buck rod and reel down the hole.

300 buck ice fishing combo? Man I hope I snag your lost rod and reel next time I am out fishing!

[bloopbloob]

300 buck ice fishing combo? Man I hope I snag your lost rod and reel next time I am out fishing!

noticed that too, must either have a BGSH fishing budget, or anchored it to the auger and it all went down the hole!

[ogre]

I always thought I can leave the bail open and clip a small loop to a large red/white float to keep the bait off the bottom (similar idea to the toothpick suggestion). The float doubles as an indicator for smaller takers.

I do have one of those rod-locker holder, and it'd saved my rod a couple of times.

[GummyMonster]

Morning,
Had good luck with nothing more than a 1 or two liter pop bottle attached to the rod handle. (empty and lid on of course) with a few feet of line / rope. Saved kids rods, and a few of mine through the years. Makes mobility a breeze as well.

Hope this helps.
Ken

[Cal]

I haven't yet....but admittedly most of my ice fishing has been during warmer days. I am using a Abu Garcia Ambasadeur 6600 (I think :)) and I had no problems with it. It is actually kind of nice to use as an ice fishing reel as it has the spooling alarm...so you can set the brake and put it on free spool and if something takes it....you can hear it clicking away. Like pikehunter1989 said above.

LC

Yeah, I've got a 6500 that has the clicker, awesome reels but I just cant bring myself to use it for icefishing for the reasons I already stated. The smaller, low profile reel that I use freezes up in the levelwind guide. Therefore I use the toothpick trick.

[packhuntr]

Looks like many have the experience dropping the rod down the hole. Maybe we need to discuss some ideas to avoid the rod dropping into the hole again...

I tried to tie the rod onto my seat while icefishing today. But not a good idea and lost a fish because of it..:thinking-006:

Hold onto it.

[javlin101]

300 buck ice fishing combo? Man I hope I snag your lost rod and reel next time I am out fishing!

x2 :126fs2277341:

[Ken07AOVette]

I don't use tip ups, I like fishing for my fish not waiting for a bell, so I always hang onto mine. Maybe guys losing rods down holes should tie them to their legs.