Best Ice Fishing Reels

There are 3 basic types of ice fishing reels. Each one has pros and cons.

Ice fishing spinning reels are usually just really small spinning reels.

Spinning reels are also known as fixed spool reels because the spool does not rotate. This name is used even though modern spinning reels have oscillating spools.

The upside to using these is that they can be used to ice fishing and ultralight applications.

For example, after ice fishing season is over, the same reel will work for panfish or small trout streams.

Ice fishing inline reels are specially designed for ice fishing. They mounted under the rod and have rotating spools. Since they're mounted under the rod, they're used with spinning rods.

Baitcasting reels are used for ice fishing. But this is not a very common usage. Normally, when you see a baitcasting reel on that ice, it's a reel that's primarily used for other types of fishing. Then, in the winter, it serves double duty as an ice fishing reel.

Which type of ice fishing reel is best for you?The answer to this relies on how serious you are about ice fishing.

Spinning Reel vs. Inline for Ice Fishing

​Many anglers choose in line because they want to avoid line twist. Line twist  often happens because of the way spinning reels wrap the line onto the spool.

It's almost inevitable to get at least a small amount of line twist on a spinning reel.

Inline reels on the other hand have revolving spools. This means that the spool rotates as line is fed out. 

Line twist is much less likely to happen with a revolving spool reel.  Keep in mind though, that some baits that spin could add line twists regardless of the type of reel.

Some anglers stick to spinning reels for various reasons. Using the same reel year round can be appealing. They don’t want to bother with having different reels for ice fishing and panfishing for example.

An ultralight spinning reel can easily serve double duty as a trout or panfish reel. Then, in the winter, the reel can be put on an ice fishing rod and be ready to go.

What To Look For In An Ice Fishing Reel

When looking for the right ice fishing reel, there are a few things you'll want to keep in mind. We'll help you ask the right questions before you buy.

Reel and rod weight

While there are some exceptions, ice fishing rods are usually shorter and lighter. This means that having a lightweight reel is even more important.

A lightweight rod should be matched up with a lightweight reel. This will help maintain the combos balance. It will also help reduce fatigue.

Installing a reel that is too heavy for the rod can create an imbalanced setup. This could lead to difficulties in detecting strikes.

This is especially true under the ice where strikes can be very subtle. So, keep in mind that rod and reel weight should be complimentary. For most ice fishing rods, a good lightweight ice fishing reel should stay below 5 ounces.

Line retrieval

Since ice fishing doesn't involve casting, you won’t have to worry about backlash as much.

It can still happen if you’re using an inline reel and a heavy lure or sinker. This could cause the spool to over spin and result in a backlash.

Inline reels don't suffer from these problems. The revolving spool helps reduce the chance of a tangle.

Weather resistant components

For ice fishing reels, weather resistance is a key feature.

Most importantly, this applies to the outer composition of the reel, and the gears inside. Reels composed of all metal are typically much more durable.

But, they will also conduct cold temperatures. This makes it difficult to hold the reel throughout frigid winter conditions. It can also lead to rod components locking up.

The internal gears also need some additional consideration when it comes to cold temperatures.

The best ice fishing reels will come with gear lubricant. This lubricant will repel the cold water, ensuring that gears don’t freeze up while on the water.

Another feature found in some ice spinning reels is rotors and spools that repel water as they spin. This can also help prevent the accumulation of ice on your reel.

Target Species

Ice Fishing For Panfish

If you’re going after panfish such as perch and crappie, the lightest reels and lines should work well. This means that an inline reel with 2 lb. test line should be fine.

The light weight of an inline reel will really help make fighting these smaller fish more fun. Also, the ease of handling super light lines will be enhanced by the revolving spool.

The ability to release the spool and drop the line really helps with jigging. Also, line twist will be greatly reduced with an inline reel.

Ice Fishing For Pike

Northern Pike are a different story. These toothy critters can slice right through light line. 

You may want to consider using a thick fluorocarbon leader when targeting pike.

As for the reel, you may want to opt for a spinning reel that can hold a bot more 6 or 8 pound test line.

If you hook up with a 20-30 inch northern, this type of set up will improve your chances of landing it.

Another challenge may be getting the pike up through the ice hole.  Sometimes a heavy fish can place additional stress on the line. When it is brought up through the ice hole, the lower edge of the hole may rub against the line and potentially break it. Once again, a leader may help prevent this.

Ice Fishing For Bass

Mos ice anglers targeting bass will be using a spinning reel. Often times these fish can be much heavier than panfish. You’ll want to go with a spinning reel loaded with 4 to 8 pound test line.

Many of the same techniques will work. For example jigging a lipless crankbait or a spoon should do the trick.

Ice Fishing For Trout

When fishing for trout through the ice, you should be able to use the same rod and reel that you use for bass.

Unless that is you’re going after large lake trout. Many anglers in the great lakes area seek them out in the winter. These fish can easily exceed 20 pounds and will make long runs.

Most anglers looking for large lake trout will spool a spinning reel with 8 to 15 pound test braided line. They will also use a fluoro leader. The heavier line also helps with abrasion resistance.

Line running across the bottom of the ice hole can definitely be a problem for this species.

A spinning reel used in the summer for finesse bass fishing would be fine for this application.Also, sometimes lake trout can be much deeper than normal ice fishing targets. You may be fishing for trout 100 feet below your ice hole.

Ice Fishing For Walleye

For Walleye fishing through the ice, you should be able to use a spinning reel or inline reel. While walleye can get larger, they won’t make the same long runs that a lake trout will.

So for this reason you should be able to use line as light as 4 pound test. You average ultralight spinning reel or inline reel should do fine.