Gearing Up for First Ice
By Josh Lantz - November 17, 2021Technique-specific custom ice rods like St. Croix's hyper-performance Croix Custom Ice (CCI) Series have increased the ice-IQ of anglers across the Ice Belt, offering presentation- and species-driven lengths, powers, and actions that simply make better tools for any given task. But even as high-tech options far surpassing the overly whippy, rug-beater ice rods of old abound, anglers demand some middle ground, too. This is where St. Croix Rod - the family-owned, American company that's been handcrafting the Best Rods on Earth® for nearly 75 years - upholds its promise to anglers, offering no less than 49 distinct ice rod models across five different series to meet the specific performance goals and budgets of anyone who wants to experience more success or have more fun while ice fishing.
Break Line and Deep Option 'Eyes
Early in the season, Manthei primarily fishes first-break weed lines to target aggressively feeding walleyes. "We can fish multiple lines here, so it's nice to set up a tip-up or two to monitor an area, but we catch most of our early fish by actively jigging," he says. "The fishing can get tougher as the season drags on, so I really focus on that first streak of good ice." Simple 1/16-to-1/8-ounce spoons tipped with either a minnow head or complete minnow fit the shallower depth range and size profile that hungry walleyes are looking for this time of year. "Good green weeds are definitely one of the keys here," adds Manthei, who takes note of the best weed beds during the late stages of his open-water fishing and returns to them at first ice.As a fan of full-grip walleye rod options, Manthei loves the 27", 30", and 36" medium power, fast action models in St. Croix's all-new Tundra Series. "They're just really versatile walleye rods with great performance for around $100 bucks," he says.
"I've always been a fan of the classic feel of a full-cork handle but have friends that definitely prefer split grip or full reel-seat options. This new semi-custom Tundra Series is going to serve the specific needs of whole lot of anglers." With a REC recoil stripper guide and SeaGuide light-wire single loop guides spaced along the rest of the rod, the overall low surface area reduces ice-ups too, which is crucial when Manthei hole-hops for walleyes at sundown when temps start to dip.
Panfish Prowling
Manthei also enjoys chasing schooling crappies which congregate in basins come first ice and often remain there throughout much of the rest of the season. Schools of moving fish can require additional drilling and searching, making basin crappies a cat-and-mouse game until you settle over the group of fish, which may not last long. Once found, teasing fish into biting can be the most important part of the equation. Electronics are key, and so is being able to get down to marked fish before they disappear. "It's fun to settle in over the top of a big school of fish and figure out what trips their trigger," Manthei says. "So often for us, that's a 1/16-ounce spoon. It offers them some finesse and smaller profile, yet also provides flash and the ability to fish down to the crappies fast."
Northern Exposure
Long-time St. Croix Pro, Josh Peacock, hails from Kenora, Ontario, where first ice comes sooner, usually in November. As a former guide on Ontario's famed Lake of the Woods with a fisheries degree and work experience among different species, Peacock knows what it takes to put a variety of northern species topside. He's proud to mention that he's taken over 14 different species through the ice throughout the wilds of Canada, primarily with the use of his St. Croix Premier Ice rods.
Troutin' About
Aside from early-ice walleye bites, inland trout lakes get a great deal of focus from Peacock, who targets everything from trophy lakers, to a mix of rainbows, splake, and other trout species. Again, durability is a key component of any combo, not just over time, but for individual trips. "We usually snowmobile in, pulling a sleigh full of gear," Peacock says. "Most of the other stuff we haul in does not play nicely with fishing rods. Even when you protect them in a case, you still have extremely rough terrain jostling things around combined with bitter-cold temperatures. These rods always survive unscathed."Parting Shots
It's great to live in a world with options, especially in the case of today's ice-rod market. "Once you fish with one or more of St. Croix's pinnacle Croix Custom Ice (CCI) rods, I'll admit, it's hard to fish with anything else," Peacocks shares. "Especially for crappies and so many of the other bites where I rely on St. Croix's top technologies to deliver for me. But on so many other bites, a quality stick - one that's really durable and versatile - is even more important. I usually don't have the luxury of taking 12 combos into a remote inland trout lake, so the rods I'm able to pack need to do a lot of things really well. For me, the St. Croix Premier Series Ice Combos get the nod because they offer affordable versatility, reliability, and durability that has been proven over the past decade of harsh, Canadian winters."For Manthei, it's all about St. Croix performance with all the options he favors. "Full cork in a variety of lengths is what I'm used to for walleyes, and I just fish better when I have what's comfortable," he says. "When it comes to those crappies, it's nice not to have to worry about a spring bobber either, as I don't want to use it if I don't have to. It's just built into the Tundra Series panfish options. While it's just one of St. Croix's five different ice series, the new Tundra Ice Series has so much for just about any ice angler, not the least of which is exceptional performance across every model. These new Tundra rods share some DNA and similarities with St. Croix's elite-level CCI rods, making them an affordable luxury for many anglers looking for elevated performance in any given technique."