I just purchased a new Dave Genz 28 inch grahite panfish/walleye ice fishing rod./reel combo through Cabela's. I want to set it up correctly for my Mille Lacs walleye adventures. We alway used wall mounted bell spools in the past for fish house convenience and the good ole hand over hand.
I want the pleaseure of a graphite rod action for walleye and perch and a reel with an adjustable drag. End of story.
1. What monafilament test do you recommend on that open face reel please? I am thinking either 6 lb or 8lb monofilament to keep a good feel?
Do you recommend something other than a monafilament line?
2. Do you use or have good luck with a ball bearing swivel above a snell or hook to avoid twisted line which is normal?
3. How do you rig for jigging on a Genz graphite rig in winter? - so importnat in early walleye and perch bites?
4. I bought a decent rod holder to compliment the Dave Genz rod and reel. That seemed l ike a no-brainer to me.
Did I miss some important items? Waiting to mark Walleyes. Thanks Malmo Mike
Malmo, I asked for similar help last year and had several replies. Check back to the last page in this thread. There maybe a couple of other similar threads here also.
I ended up mostly jigging. I had 6# mono and a quick snap at the end of the line. I use rattle jigs (buck shot) tipped with the head of a rainbow minnow. I had fair success with this method on a morning and evening bite.
This will be my second year on the ice and I consider myself still a newbe, but I hope this helps.
Thanks Jim (iwalleye), I plan to use a #6 test ice -type monfilament; I grew up on Mille Lacs Lake -- but for years ice fishing -- we just fished 'hand over hand' with a dacron line -- when a school of walleye came in. The new graphite rod & reel ice fishing rigs are light years ahead of that... It is a much better way to jig and catch a walleye or perch in my opinion than the old 'jiggle sticks' -- because you have a good reel to back you up. I was just trying to avoid mistake -- such as a bad line choice or poor rigging of the jigs and minnow, etc. I will also to speak with my friend Tat2Jonnie when I am at Hunter's.. Good luck with your fishing season. WOW quite a storm forecast for tonight or tomorrow on Mille Lacs. Big Ass wampum and karma on this storm. Malmo Mike
