If you love to ice fish and you require quality equipment you need look no further than St. Croix. Quality that is trusted and proven is all any anger wants, well you found it with St. Croix.
Just the Facts:
BLANK:
PRIMARY MATERIAL
SOLID CARBON
GUIDES:
PRIMARY RING MATERIAL
STAINLESS STEEL
PRIMARY FRAME MATERIAL
STAINLESS STEEL
REEL SEAT:
PRIMARY MATERIAL
NYLON
PRIMARY NUT MATERIAL
NYLON
SECONDARY NUT MATERIAL
STAINLESS STEEL
HANDLE:
PRIMARY MATERIAL
PREMIUM EVA
BUTT CAP:
PREMIUM EVA
REEL BODY:
PRIMARY MATERIAL
COMPOSITE
SPOOL MATERIAL:
ALUMINUM
MAIN SHAFT MATERIAL:
STAINLESS STEEL
GRIP MATERIAL:
PREMIUM EVA
BEARINGS & GEARING:
BALL BEARINGS
8
ROLLER BEARING
1
GEAR RATIO
6:2:1
My Story:
Working with St. Croix has been a dream. These guys have been a staple in many fly fishing fishing camps over the years so I was so excited to check out their ice fishing lines. When preparing for the 2023/24 ice season I had some big plans and some big trips. I needed some gear that was going to hold up to the high demands of what I had planned. So, St. Croix sent in the big guns!
We often obsess about custom rods. Sure they really are great products and often blow the high production rods out of the water. But there are some production setups out there that are very high quality and are worth talking about. The St. Croix Panfish Ice Combo is one such product.
I wanted to try this combo out as it was reasonably priced and also fit the need for several of my trips. . So, we got one in my hands and I put it through the rigors of the season starting in Minnesota and North Dakota. With a great action and a butter smooth feeling reel I was so ready to get this rod on the ice. The first fish on the list was crappie and let me tell you what, this little setup was great! I even got lucky enough to catch my first little rock bass.
I had a great time in the Midwest but wanted to get back home and hit my local perch spot. I had a few rods to try and a few days to do it so I decided to dedicate one day to the Croix Custom Ice and another day to the Panfish Ice Combo and the Tundra Ice. I never want to clean another perch as long as I live! LOL
I love to use Jaw Jackers when fishing in Idaho as you are allowed 5 lines and they just make things easier. This year during our annual Cascade trip I planned to continue this way of fishing. So, I was told that the Panfish Ice Combo was a good candidate for this use and figured I would test it out.
After finding success with the Jaw Jackers in the first few minutes of the first day I was happy to report that the success continued!
Basically, what I’m learning is that if you have a St. Croix rod in your hand you can pretty much catch anything. The reel on this combo is fantastic! The drag is super smooth and responsive when fighting large fish and the whole package just handles like a dream. I love this combo and will soon have many more to use as my primary jacker rods and backup jigging rods. For the money I can’t see how they can be beat.
Find it Here:
What can be done better?
This is not really a budget combo but it’s not custom quality. The plastic handle is not overly comfortable and the eyelets are not great at keep the ice away. It has it’s limitation and it is great for what it is.
St. Croix Panfish Ice Combo
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Functionality
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Value
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Ergonomics
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Durability
Summary
If you love to ice fish and you require quality equipment you need look no further than St. Croix. Quality that is trusted and proven is all any anger wants, well you found it with St. Croix.
Pros
The reel is flawless
The noodle is responsive and has enough backbone for larger fish.
Good Price Point