The only people who fish through the ice are the true, diehard fisherman. It takes a lot of work to sit out in the cold long enough to catch a fish through a thick layer of ice.

But if you can’t stand the thought of waiting until spring to feel that tug at the end of your rod, it’s time to give ice fishing a try. When done correctly, ice fishing can be a blast. If you have the right fishing rod and gear, you’ll stay warm and have a blast with your buddies.

Not to mention, you should be able to catch enough fish for a good old fashioned fish fry. You might even catch some extra for the freezer.

If you’re ready to take the icy plunge into winter fishing, check out the best ice fishing rods below to make your time out in the cold worthwhile.

Why You Should Try Ice Fishing

Most people stay inside all winter. That’s understandable. If you have no reason to go outside, and you aren’t prepared, you’ll be miserable.

But, staying cooped up inside for months on end can be really bad emotionally and mentally. SAD (seasonal affective disorder) is a real thing.

It’s worth finding at least one activity that will get you outside, interacting with nature, engaging with friends, and ideally, catching and cooking fish. If you have the right gear, it’s actually fun. No fishing boat is needed (though they will be missed).

Before you know it, you might not be dreading the winter after all. You’ll have all the fish to yourself while all the warm-weather anglers are staying home.

What Exactly is Ice Fishing?

Without proper context, ice fishing actually sounds miserable. Going out onto a frozen lake, smashing a hole into the ice, hoping you don’t fall in, and dipping your fishing rod in, hoping to catch a fish before you catch hypothermia.

But it’s much more enjoyable than that. For starters, you bring a shelter. These ice fishing shelters, or shanties, will block wind and snow, making it much easier to stay warm.

If you know how to layer your clothing properly to insulate yourself and wear proper footwear, you’ll be just as cozy as if you had stayed home.

And when you are digging or cutting a hole, you aren’t smashing the ice, hoping you don’t fall in. You bring an auger. This will effectively cut through the ice without cracking the ice all around the hole.

Now, set your shanty up over the ice, bring a few stools, drop your bait into the water, and sip your hot chocolate (or cold weather beverage of choice), and enjoy the day. It might not be as spacious as your pontoon boat you fished from all summer, but at least the tight quarters help maximize body heat.

The Best Fishing Rods For Ice Fishing

Now that you have a better idea of what ice fishing actually looks like, let’s talk about the job’s best fishing rods. You aren’t going to be very effective with your normal rod and reel you use the rest of the year.

As you can imagine, there isn’t a whole lot of casting taking place unless you really don’t like the guys in your shanty. Instead, all you really need to do is use your rod to dip the bait into the water, allowing it to sink.

The best fishing rods for this are small jigging rods. However, if you don’t plan on sitting in a shelter, you can use a normal, full-length rod.

Fishing With a Jigging Rod

A jigging rod resembles a regular fishing rod, except that it’s tiny.  They are usually about half a meter in length or less. You would think they were designed for a 3-year-old.

But in fact, these are perfect for sitting inside a small shelter, holding your rod over a small hole in the ice. They tend to be lighter as well, making it easier to feel gentle bites. Fish are not aggressive in freezing water, so their movements and bites tend to be very subtle.

As far as reels go, you can choose between spinning reels, which most people are used to anyway, or inline reels. Spinning reels are the most common choice for ice fishers. They perform the same as other spinning reels and are super easy to use.

In-line reels are usually more expensive. Those who are committed to ice fishing each winter may consider in-line reels. Though there is a bit of a learning curve involved, they tend to perform better with shorter ice fishing rods.

They allow for a straight, delicate presentation of the bait. Inline reels also prevent the line from twisting, a common problem with spinning reels. When a line gets twisted, it causes the bait in the water to jerk and jump, which is unnatural and may scare fish away.

The Best Jigging Rods For Ice Fishing

Let’s face it; taking your long fishing pole out to the ice isn’t going to be very effective. These jigging rods were designed specifically for one thing; ice. Let’s take a look at some of the best options available.

The Ugly Stik

One of the best ice fishing rods to get started with is the Ugly Stik. It’s easily one of the most popular ice fishing rods brands and will help you start on the right foot.

The Ugly Stik GX combo comes with a spinning reel and is available in multiple sizes. The lightweight, flexible pole will help you feel the slightest bites and is a blast to use.  It’s also very affordable, great for those just starting with hard water fishing.

Plussino Ice Fishing Rod

One step up from the Ugly Stik is the Plussino ice fishing rod. The spinning rod comes with an extremely comfortable foam handle, making it easy to hold onto this rod for hours in the cold.

This rod breaks down into 2 smaller pieces, making it easy to store in a backpack while you make your way to and from the ice. If you are hoping to catch perch, bluegill, or crappie, this is the rod for you.

St Croix Handcrafted Ice Fishing Rods

If you are looking for the best ice fishing rod that your money can get, you’ll want a rod from St Croix. These beautiful rods are handcrafted in the US.

With multiple models, sizes, and strength options, you can choose the rod that’s perfect for the type and size fish you plan to catch. The Avid Ice Jigging Rod is a favourite, but they also offer custom-built rods for the diehard ice angler.

The Other Way To Fish Through The Ice

Another way to fish the ice is a technique called “tip-ups.” With the tip-up method, efficiency is valued over comfort. When using this method, you drill multiple holes in different areas of the ice.

You then set up your tip-up, a small wooden stand with a spool of line attached to it. At the other end is a flag.

When you drop your bait and line into the water, you can walk away. Then, once the flag is swaying, you know a fish is on the end of the line. You run back over to that hole, reel in the fish by pulling the line in by hand.

When it’s more important to catch as many fish as possible than to sit inside a shanty with your buddies, investing in a couple of tip-ups is a great option.

What Else Do You Need For Ice Fishing?

Most people will choose the relaxed style of ice fishing, safe from the wind in a shanty using small jigging rods. If comfort is your priority, make sure to bring chairs or stools, a cooler filled with your favourite cold-weather beverages and snacks, and warm, water-resistant clothing.

Layering your clothes gives you the option to add or remove layers as the temperatures fluctuate. Sunglasses help when the sun is reflecting off the snow and ice.

Bring a bucket or cooler to store your catch in. Ice is not required.

If you haven’t already, you’ll need to bring an auger to dig your hole. You can likely fish the same hole for multiple days.  Carrying a spike can help you test the ice’s reliability ahead of you as you search for a spot to set up and drill.

Of course, you’ll want a tackle box loaded with various lures to try out. Bait such as worms and minnows are very effective in the cold water.

And to top it all off, get yourself an ice sled to carry everything with. You don’t want to haul everything in your hands and on your shoulders. Simply load it up in a sled and easily pull it behind you.

Heck, if the ice is thick enough, you might even tow the sled with a snowmobile.

You Deserve To Fish All Year

The more you fish, the better it gets. Nobody likes taking months off from their favourite activity.

Sometimes, you need to engage a little differently than you normally do. I know you’re excited to pull out your new bass boat in the summer, but that doesn’t mean you can’t pull in a few fish over the off-season.

Grab yourself some proper ice fishing rods, and at least give it a try. At the end of the day, you went fishing. And that’s always better than not fishing. Or working.