Help! This could be an expensive ice fishing season....

Utah Fishing Forum Utah Fishing General
1

In am really excited about the new regulations taking effect Jan 1 allowing the use of 2 rods in lakes (providing you have a 2 rod permit). I realize that you can catch more fish if you are holding onto your rod feeling and watching for every indication of a strike. However, this is tough to do with 2 rods and there are always other distractions like eating, peeing, kids, staring at the aquavue, too focused on the fishfinder, etc. How do you plan on securing your rod or rods to avoid them being pulled down the hole while you may be attending to other things?

I usually fish Strawberry and the fish are big enough to make losing a few rods per year a reality unless I come up with a good solution. Any idea’s?

Thanks!

2

two poles means twice as mutch focus. less time for the other.

3

Obviously you haven’t fished with kids or after drinking a 44 oz Dr. Pepper on the way to the lake!!![;)]

4

I plan on tieing my rod handles to a length of rope that is tied to an aluminum pipe that is cut about 12 inches long. Then I will drill a hole with my auger and put the aluminum pipe in the hole at an angle so that it can’t be pulled out by a fish pulling on the rod. I will probably only do this when I am unable to give both rods my more-or-less full attention. Also, with a fish finder one can watch the finder and see if any fish are near the jigs on either rod.

5

Kent, How do you plan on tying the rope to your rod handle so it is not in the way and doesn’t effect your hook set?

6

Hey Bigcat,

I have been pondering this very issue since I heard the news of the 2 pole permit going into effect at the end of this year.

At first, I also was excited because I get the 2 pole permit every year. For the last few weeks, I have been working on solutions and testing out some of my ideas to that end. I’ve come up with several prototypes that address this - mostly based on my bank fishing experience.

My answer so far is PVC. And, the alpha testing has proven to be quite promising. If an 8 pound catfish or a 10 pound carp can’t drag my rig down the drink, I figure one of those little 3-6 pound Strawberry cutts won’t be able to either.

In the past, I only used some cheapo ice rod holders that I got because they were light, compact and handy.

But, even then, I never had a cutt drag my rig down the hole. When a cutt hit my jig, it just bent the rod a little and slid the holder a few inches before I got to it and found out that I had just missed another fish because I wasn’t either paying attention, or, I wasn’t fast enough.

That said, I do know of people who have lost a rig to the depths because a fish made off with it.

However, as I designed and tested my ideas, it occurred to me, that I might be actually looking at the problem all wrong.

Traditionally, in my case, ice fishing has been jigging. Jigging is an active method of fishing for me. Yes, I do dead stick on occassion, but that is a minor part of the activity for me.

I jig by feel, sometimes by watching my line move where it enters the water, but not by waiting for my line to start peeling off - Mostly, I jig by feel.

It also occurred to me in the process, that even though, I have always gotten a 2 pole permit, and I have ice fished on bodies of water like Utah Lake, Willard, etc., where it was permitted, I’ve always only used one rod.

Additionally, at Strawberry, it has been my experience, that if I miss the initial hit from the fish and don’t get a hook set right away, , the fish usually spits out the jig and is gone.

For me, rarely has one of those nice cutts hooked itself on an unattended line and stayed there long enough for me to actually bring it to the ice or the boat.

Yes, it does happen, and that is why I am still working on setting up a true beta test for my new rod holders. Plus, it will give me more chances to try other riggings and methods while ice fishing - like surface floats and weighted bottom floaters.

But, knowing me, I will probably only use my prototype when I need to put my rod down to do one of those other things that a person needs to attend to.

I guess my take on the situation right now would be this - using 2 poles will probably mean - missing twice as many fish and only catching half as many.

But, even so, I can’t wait to see what I do when I have the opportunity to watch my second pole getting tugged towards one of my soon to be required 3 ice holes, while I am already fighting a fish on my first rod in the one adjacent hole that does not have a fish finder in it.

7

The question about securing your second pole is quite simple, use a bobber and leave the line in free spool on the reel. It has worked for me in Wyoming and Montana where 2 poles are legal anyways. You can also set the drag light enough that when the pole is in a rod holder they can peel line off without pulling the pole in the water. In Alaska I did this catching pike up to 12 pounds and never lost a pole one. The only thing you need to make sure of is that whatever your rod holder is attached to it is sturdy enough to keep from getting tipped over. Good luck guys and I just hope I get back in time to see how 2 poles work for ice fishing this winter.

8

I don’t know if you remember but last year when I meet you and your dad I was using one of these little rod holders. Several time while I was visiting you and the other BFT member we met that day I had fish on but never lost my pole even though I wasn’t all that close to it. I have come back to find the pole almost all the way in the hole but never lost it yet. I haven’t caught any monsters yet but a four pounder didn’t get my pole down the hole.

9

Well,
I fish Idaho a lot and 5 poles are legal there. I haven’t lost a pole. I’ve had a few try but I’ve never lost one. But I also don’t use the tiny ice rods, I like em a little longer like 4 or 5’ or so. I don’t have any fancy holders, just put em down and watch. I jig one and watch 4. One guy I fish with regularly puts his ice poles and buckets and places the handle so the pole can’t get through it.

10

thats the same way i fished up there. 5 poles was awsume at salmon falls res. giant rainbows with 5 rods was so fun we never lost any rods just setting them on the snow.

11

:sunglasses:I only ice fished Strawberry once last year (I know, SHAME ON ME!!!), but based on my memory of trout ice fishing, I have been “taking care of business” about 20 yards away when I turn around to check on my fishing rod and seen it heading towards the hole. I immediately “stopped the business” and sprinted back to the icehole and while sliding on my keister picked up the rod and saved the day. I can’t remember if I landed that fiesty 'bow or if he released himself while bringing him in, but lucky for me I was fishing with one of those rods you get at Fish Tech where it has a built in rod holder already on the rod (don’t know which compay makes it, but it’s a dark rod with a flourescent orange tip for the last 12 inches or so-great action-stiff enough for trout, but sensative enough to still have fun with the perch and other panfish) so it was wide enough that the pole got stuck in the hole before the fish could take it under for a ride.

With that being said, with the new 2 poles rule for slimer lakes now, I think I’ll just keep one pole in my hand occassionaly jigging it, and one pole a couple feet away deadsticking, but I will pick that deadsticked pole up once in a while raising it about a foot or two and slowly letting the jig back down to give it a little action now and then. The only problem I see with this two pole thing is if you have a double hook-up going on…that will be interesting, but also A LOT OF FUN. Sounds like a GOOD PROBLEM to have to me…

12

after drinking a 44 oz Dr. Pepper on the way to the lake

Meh 44oz is barely enough to wet the palette, and get the bladder even thinking. I will be impressed when it’s a 64oz!! [;)]

**Fishluvr designed a really cool PVC rod handle attachment/pole holder. I’ll have to take a few pics and attach them later, but the holder attaches to the pole with a hose clamp and becomes an extension of the pole. It eliminates the fumble to get the rod out of the holder, and the feet are spaced just wide enough apart to keep the pole from going down the hole. Best of all it’s small enough it’s not a hassle to have it attached to the pole. **

13

There’s also tip-ups. Some have the wind fan-blade on them to keep a lure/bait moving. And there’s the new battery powered jigging tip-up by Nature Vision.
Certainly wouldn’t be as much fun as fighting a fish on a rod & reel, but something different can always be interesting and educational.

14

Use small rope and long enough that one can use the rod without getting in the way too much. I admit it won’t be as comfortable as not having it on there, but at least I won’t see a rod go down the ice hole.

15

I would think most rod holders would help keep it from going down the hole. Using 2 poles in Wyo. we have had some close calls, but honestly never lost one. Even at the Gorge with macks. The reel usually gets in the way too.

16

How about useing a tip-up set on “lite” for one rod?[;)]

17

I own a couple tip-ups but never really used them. That is a possibility.

18

As I indicated in my orginal post I plan on fishing this way only when I can not give my rods my full attention. I take grandkids and newbies ice fishing frequently, and I don’t want to lose a rod while I am trying to attend to them out on the ice. This is not a new idea for me, I tried it last ice season.

19

By or build one of these shore fishing outfits

http://www.benchbeach.com/products.htm

and get a sharp drill bit that’s the same size as the metal rod on the holder. Drill an angled hole in the ice and insert the rod. How do I drill a hole you ask? Take a cordless drill or get creative and modify the drill bit so it can be held by the upper half (the handle) of your hand ice auger.

20

Here are some pictures of the rod holders I built. I think I got the idea from Fuzzy a couple years ago and built them after my brother lost one of my poles down a hole. I have had several poles go into the hole while attached to these but the stands make it impossible for the entire thing to go in and get lost. The poles are attached to the holder so they can’t come off and get lost. I modified the holders so the base portion disconnects from the upright portion so they can lay flat in my ice sled.