How to Build the Right Ice Fishing Rod

Hard water anglers can already sense the season, and it’s time to prepare with these tips to build the perfect ice fishing rod!

One of our top shows from the Mud Hole Live Archives, Ice Ice Builds. Check it out and get ready for hard water season.

Watch Mud Hole Live: Ice Ice Builds

Alright stop, watch Mud Hole Live and listen.

The show is back with all-new inventions.

Some SSR Guides and ice handles to hold onto tightly.

Tips, like using Glo-Wrap to fish daily and nightly.

“Will the PRIZES ever stop?!” Yo I don’t know…

Tune in and find out on the Live Show!

Featured Demos:

How to Spine Small Diameter Blanks
Tips for Different Handle Setups
Glo-Wrap & High Vis Thread Wraps
Guide Selection & Spacing for Ice Rods
DIY Tool for Wrapping Ice Rod Tips

Start Your Builds Before First Ice!

Between the cold, crisp air and the distant sound of augers chewing through ice, these devoted anglers are eager to return to their favorite frozen honey hole.

Ice fishing is undoubtedly one of the most unique and satisfying applications out there. Whether getting into smaller panfish and crappie, mid-range bass and walleye, or larger lurking fish like pike and musky, you can build an ice rod tailored to your application, budget, and comfort for a truly unbeatable experience.

Ice fishing is unique an application as any and with the different demands of each technique, Mud Hole has worked diligently to assemble an inventory that exceeds the expectations of hard water enthusiasts.

We carry all the popular individual components, like high-performance rod blanks, guides, grips, and reel seats, to easily shop and build your own ice rod.

But, if you’re looking for a simple way to bundle and organize your builds, we also offer kits for entire rods, handles, and even guides. These kits help quickly and easily assemble the perfect components for your next custom build.

Let’s start by getting to know Ice Rod Blanks and learning what each model is designed to do!

What’s the Skinny on Ice Rod Blanks?

When it comes to ice rods, the small diameters seem comical, but don’t let the size of these ice blanks fool you because the right choice could land you a trophy lake trout!

Learn more about our selection of ice rod blanks below:

Fiberglass Precision Power Noodle

This 36″ fiberglass power noodle is great for panfish applications using very small tungsten jigs tipped with plastic, or grubs. Of the power noodles, this #PPN-36 has the most sensitive tip and it will easily show any negative bites common in ice fishing.

Ultralight Fiberglass Power Noodles

These ultralight fiberglass power noodles are perfect for targeting panfish with small tungsten and lead jigs with plastics and grubs. Compared to the #PPN-36, these power noodles have a quicker hook set, but they are not quite as sensitive because the tip isn’t as soft on these blanks.

Ultralight Solid Carbon Ice Rod Blanks

Meet the solid carbon ice blanks from MHX!

Whether targeting panfish and crappie, or even deep water perch, these ice blanks are very versatile. Although the tip isn’t as soft as the power noodle rods, it does allow you to fish very small jigs as well as some larger panfish jigs.

Most anglers fishing these blanks with tungsten jigs will usually watch the line for bite detection rather than the tip. These blanks will work well with the smallest of spoons and the smallest size jigging raps too!

Panfish Solid Carbon Ice Rod Blank

The medium-light solid carbon ice blank is ideal for deep water panfish.

Even though this blank is rated ML, the moderate fast action actually deflects more on the deflection graph than the light powered blanks. This slower action allows for more cushioning with very light mono line if bigger fish make a run.

Pair this blank with small to medium jigs, spoons, and jigging raps to target deeper water perch and crappie!

Finesse Solid Carbon Ice Rod Blank

The finesse solid carbon ice blank shines when you need a little softer tip compared to the light powered ice blanks. Between the power and tip, this is a very popular option for small spoons and blade baits.

These benefits make it great for deeper water crappie and perch!

Shorter Light Solid Carbon Ice Rod Blank

With the light solid carbon ice blank, we have officially left the world of panfish to enter the more gamefish applications. This is a very versatile blank for jigging many sizes of spoons and any jigging raps except the largest size.

If you’re catching walleye, whitebass, whitefish, smallmouth bass, and even light northern pike, this is an excellent option to land them!

Longer Solid Carbon Ice Rod Blanks

Check out the workhorse for gamefish ice blanks. This rod will easily handle small, medium, and some large spoons, as well as jigging raps for a variety of gamefish.

Whether up against walleye, northern pike, or light lake trout applications, this rod is ready to get to work!

Medium-Heavy Solid Carbon Ice Rod Blanks

These medium-heavy solid carbon ice rod blanks are designed to put a hurting on lake trout and large norther pike.

It is not so much about the size of the fish, but rather the size of the lures and the water depths where these blanks shine. Lake trout fishing is typically in 80 to 300 feet of water using very heavy lures, jigs (1/2 oz and bigger), airplane lures, and very large jigging raps, and this ice blank is built to do it.

Find Your Favorite Ice Blank in Rod Kits!

MHX Solid Carbon Ice Rod Kit

If you are an ice fisherman looking for sensitivity, durability, and the right power to get fish up on the ice, the MHX Solid Carbon Ice Rod Kits are made for you.

From the blank’s length and power to the rod’s handle assembly and guides, simply choose what specifications will maximize your fish count in every application.

Starting with the MHX solid carbon ice rod blank, there is a range of lengths and powers to match your fishery. Available in length’s from 24” to 42” and powers from Ultra-Light up to Medium-Heavy, these solid carbon blanks offer any ice angler the combination their fishing demands.

Although there are plenty of options in blanks, each MHX blank shares the brightly colored green tip for immediate alerts for fish strikes.

Whether actively hole hopping, working a flash spoon, or dead sticking for bites, there are solid carbon ice rod blanks designed to perform for you.

Start building your MHX Solid Carbon Ice Rod now!

Build Your Own Custom Ice Fishing Rod

Ice fishing is unique an application as any and with so many different techniques, Mud Hole has worked diligently to assemble multi-option kits to fit the demands of every ice fisherman.