Best Ice Fishing Rod And Reel Combo For Panfish Top 5 [Buyers Guide]

July 16, 2022

When your fishing panfish in the winter season you’re going to want to be using the best ice fishing rod and reel combo for panfish that you can. With the right rod, your going to have much more success when fishing for panfish and catch a lot more panfish in the process.

I have fished panfish for many years and have found that the 13 Fishing Microtech Panfish spinning ice fishing rod combo is the best ice fishing rod for panfish fishing in the winter.

I have caught a ton of panfish using this rod and reel combo setup and I really love the way it performs and operates when I’m ice fishing for panfish. This rod has the backbone and light action that your going to need for this fishing application and I just love the sensitive tip it has.

Panfish ice fishing is so much fun and when using the best rod combo there is your going to catch a lot more panfish and have a ton of fun while doing so. Having the wrong rod for this fishing application just won’t cut it your going to need an ultra-light to medium light action rod.

Any heavier on the action and you’re going to have a bad time since their so stiff compared to the lighter action rods.

The heavier action rods are just too stiff for catching panfish and you will miss the catch due to the lack of sensitivity when they nibble at your lure and the panfish will just get away making it even harder for you to catch them.

With an ultra-light to medium light action, rod panfish won’t stand a chance against you thanks to the incredible sensitivity that they offer.

After many years of panfish ice fishing, I have made a list of the best top 5 ice fishing rod combos for panfish ice fishing so that you can find yours in no time without having to spend hours or even weeks looking for the best panfish ice fishing rod combo to fish with.

Here below is the list of the best top 5 ice fishing rod combos for panfish.

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13 Fishing Microtech Panfish Spinning Ice Fishing Rod And Reel Combo

The best ice fishing rod and reel combo for panfish on the list is the 13 Fishing Microtech Panfish spinning ice fishing rod combo. This is an incredible ice fishing rod combo and it even has panfish in the name and that’s for a good reason.

Starting with the rod it’s a light action rod that’s crafted out of a solid fiberglass blank that is extremely tough and durable and helps give the rod that amazing sensitive tip that you will need when ice fishing for panfish.

It’s twenty-five inches in length and makes it a perfect-sized ice fishing rod for when I set up a tent and sit in my chair to help keep warm. Also, it has stainless steel guides to help with that nice smooth retrieve when reeling them in.

The rod is an ice spinning rod and is one of my favorites to use especially when I go out ice fishing for panfish. This rod will handle any sized panfish that strikes your lure and will do so very well.

I personally love the sensitivity on this rod, when I use it I always feel even the smallest bites and I’m able to reel in that panfish very quickly. The panfish ice fishing rod also comes with a titanium spring bobber and I really love this nice feature.

Panfish rarely get away when they strike my lure thanks to this rod’s insane sensitive tip and also it has a very strong backbone for a light rod to have. This helps to overpower the panfish so that you can catch it without a problem.

Paired with the rod combo is the 13 Fishing Microtech Panfish spinning reel it’s a 3-ball bearing reel and it has a very smooth drag, The drag on the reel is quite strong and enough to battle the panfish and make it your catch.

On top of that, the reel itself has a really nice soft touch handle knob which is quite comfortable when retrieving. The spool on the reel is constructed out of high-quality aluminum and is quite spacious so that it’s able to fit a nice amount of line.

I love this panfish ice fishing rod combo it has helped me catch many panfish during my ice fishing trips over the past years. For the price you just can’t go wrong it’s a bargain and you should definitely check it out it’s a hidden gem.

If you would like to check out the 13 Fishing Microtech Panfish spinning ice fishing rod that I highly recommend you can find it here below at a great price!

As for the line that I use for the 13 Fishing Microtech Panfish spinning ice fishing rod combo I highly recommend the Sufix Ice Magic 6 pound test monofilament line.

This line is perfect for ice fishing because it repels water when your fishing in cold conditions and still stays tough when fishing for hours.

If you would like to check out the Sufix Ice Magic 6 pound test fishing line that I use for the 13 Fishing Microtech Panfish spinning ice fishing rod combo you can find it here below at a great price.

Frabill Panfish Popper Ice Fishing Rod And Reel Spin Combo

The second rod on the list is the Frabill Panfish Popper Ice fishing rod combo. This ice rod combo is specifically made to fish panfish in cold conditions and is constructed for panfish ice fishing in mind.

It has a length of thirty inches and has a dead stick action which really helps give the rod a very sensitive feel with a great flexible and strong backbone. The rod uses blank through construction technology and is crafted out of a solid fiberglass composite blank.

I really love this unique design because it helps give the rod that amazing sensitivity that you’re just going to need when ice fishing for panfish. Also, the rod comes with a custom reel seat that is crafted out of high-quality cork.

When I fit my reel onto the reel seat it feels really tight and secure and I’m never worried about it falling off. This rod features a unique guide system which really makes this ice fishing rod stand out from the rest, and I love these guides on my rods for this fishing application.

They are micro-ice guides that are meant for fishing in harsh cold conditions which is what we are doing.

The bobber this ice fishing rod comes with is an ultra-sensitive bobber and really helps well with alerting you once a fish strikes at your lure, so that your quickly able to reel your catch as soon as it bites.

Also, it makes for an amazing live bait micro jigging ice fishing rod combo which makes it an even more versatile combo than most ice rod combos out there. All in all the rod itself is incredibly built for panfish ice fishing in mind and you can’t go wrong with that if panfish ice fishing is what you’re looking to do.

This rod is one of my top go-to panfish ice rod combos and I don’t leave without it when fishing for panfish in cold conditions.

The reel this rod combo comes with is pretty smooth and I love it! It’s a one plus one ball bearing reel that has an amazing infinite anti-reverse system. Also, the drag is really strong and is designed as a multi-disc front load drag.

The spool on the reel is a chromed ABS spool and the reel itself being coated with subzero lube gives you an excellent performing reel that works perfectly even in cold conditions.

I love the drag knob design on this reel it gives you a nice reduction to line catch and its left to right-hand feel handles very well. An ice spinning reel that works great for ice fishing in general and even better when your fishing for panfish.

If your looking for a high-quality panfish ice fishing spinning combo then definitely give this one a try, it’s extremely smooth and sensitive to really be able to catch panfish with. You can find the Frabill Panfish Popper Ice fishing rod spin combo that I highly recommend here below at a great price!

The line that I love to use with the Frabill Panfish Popper Ice fishing rod spin combo is the Trilene micro ice monofilament 6-pound test line.

It’s a great monofilament line that has a low stretch feature which gives you very nice hook sets and makes the line quite durable even when it’s cold. If your ice fishing in general this is a line that is specifically made for ice fishing and is one of the best ice lines out there.

If you would like to check out the Trilene 6-pound test monofilament line that I use for the Frabill Panfish Popper Ice fishing rod spin combo you can find it here below at a great price.

Berkley Lightning Ice Fishing Rod And Reel Combo

Third on the list is going to be the Berkley Lightning Ice Fishing Rod Combo. This is a medium-light action rod that has a length of twenty-eight inches. It’s a one-piece rod that is quite powerful and has a nice foldable handle that makes it nicely compact and great for traveling.

You can fold the handle with just one touch and this makes it one of my favorite rods for when I’m on the go. It helps make the rod quite compact so that it can fit in my truck without a problem.

The rod is constructed out of a really solid fiberglass blank to help make the rod very strong and tough while still being able to keep its sensitivity. I like the extended reel stem feature on this rod combo because when I’m out ice fishing it’s cold so I’m always wearing gloves.

With this specific feature, I’m able to have great control and still a nice comfortable feel even when I have my gloves on. It’s an ice spinning rod combo that can really take on the big panfish and overpower them while doing so very easily.

Once a panfish bites on this rod it’s going to be your catch, the sensitivity is going to alert you even on the slightest nibble, and thanks to its strong backbone the panfish just won’t have a chance once it’s hooked.

I’ve used this rod for many years and is a very fun ice fishing rod combo to fish with I have caught countless of panfish without a problem and it’s a high-quality combo that performs as well if not better than ice rod combos that are worth twice the price.

The best ice fishing rod and reel combo for panfish for the price. I just love the performance-to-value ratio it offers. For the price it really can’t be beat and easily makes it one of the best panfish rods out there.

When it comes to the reel this one has a very powerful drag for this fishing application and makes ice fishing very fun. It’s an ice spinning reel with a four-ball bearing system and it has cold gear lube to make the reel operate excellently for ice fishing applications.

The spool is a lightweight aluminum constructed spool that is made with high quality in mind and gives you that nice smooth operational retrieve that you want on a reel. This rod and reel combo together makes ice panfish fishing extremely fun and is one of the best ice combos that you can get for the price.

If you would like to check out the Berkley Lightning Ice Fishing Rod Combo that I highly recommend you can find it here below at a great price!

The line that I personally use with the Berkley Lightning Ice Fishing Rod Combo is the Berkley Trilene micro ice monofilament 6-pound test line. In general monofilament line is my favorite type of line to use for ice fishing applications.

The Berkley trilene ice line is very strong and works very smoothly with this rod combo. Remember that when your ice fishing your going to want to use an ice line because it’s made for ice fishing in mind and can withstand very cold temperatures much better than just a normal type of line.

If you would like to check out the Berkley trilene micro ice 6-pound test monofilament line to use with the Berkley Lightning Ice Fishing Rod Combo you can find it here below at a great price.

Fenwick Nighthawk Ice Fishing Rod And Reel Spinning Combo

Fourth on the list is going to be the Fenwick Nighthawk Ice Fishing Rod Spinning Combo. This rod is twenty-four inches long in length and is a one-piece rod. The rod is crafted out of a strong solid glass blank to make the rod an incredibly strong and sensitive rod.

This is an ultra-light action rod with a sensitive tip that you’re just going to love. Panfish won’t be able to get away with this rod because you will be able to feel even the slightest bite and get alerted so that you can reel in your catch as soon as it strikes.

The guides on this rod are made out of stainless steel and also have stainless steel inserts to provide you with that smooth cast but not only that, it also makes the line flow smoothly through the guides for that nice smooth retrieve that everyone likes.

The handle is very comfortable on this rod, it’s an eva split-grip handle but also crafted with TAC so that you have that amazing comfortable tight grip and it really makes the rod feel very light like a feather.

When I fish with this rod sometimes I forget that I even have a rod in my hand, that is literally how light the rod is, it’s quite amazing and helps a lot in avoiding hand fatigue which I just love because I like to fish all day long without getting tired.

Fenwick rods are one of my favorite types of rods out there because they make high-quality rods that I just love to fish with. This rod not only works well for panfish but is also an amazing choice for all species fishing.

It is quite a versatile ice rod combo and makes it an even better rod for that reason. At the price you just can’t go wrong for the quality this Fenwick ice fishing rod combo offers and it’s one of those rods that should be in any serious fisherman’s rod arsenal.

This Fenwick reel has an extremely smooth drag with that nice strong retrieve to really reel in the fatter-sized panfish. The reel has a three plus one ball bearing system and also is one of the better reels out there performance-wise for the price it’s worth.

Also, the spool on this reel is constructed as a machined ported spool design, and the materials that it’s made out of is high quality double anodized aluminum which makes it a very durable and high quality made reel at that.

A solid reel made to be durable and smooth at the same time and with a nice max drag to really reel in the big panfish with ease I just love high-quality made reels and this is one of them.

The Fenwick Nighthawk ice fishing rod combo is built with high quality in mind so you’re going to be getting a top-notch rod and reel combo at an incredible price. This combo will outperform most ice rod combos out there that are worth even triple the price.

When it comes to Fenwick rods their always on top of the game with their rods and they deliver extremely high-quality rods at a great price that anyone can afford.

If you would like to check out the Fenwick Nighthawk Ice Fishing Rod Spinning Combo that I highly recommend, you can find it here below at a great price!

As for the line, I’m going to recommend the Berkley trilene micro ice line but as for the pound test, it’s going to be a four-pound test monofilament line for this Fenwick Nighthawk Ice Fishing Rod Spinning Combo since its an ultralight action rod.

You can never go wrong with the Berkey trilene micro ice monofilament line since it’s made for ice fishing applications. I just love the low-stretch design this line offers and the solid strength it has to really be able to battle the panfish.

If you would like to check the Berkley Trilene Micro Ice four-pound test monofilament line for the Fenwick Nighthawk Ice Fishing Rod Spinning Combo you can find it here below at a very great price.

13 Fishing Snitch Inline Ice Fishing Rod And Reel Combo

The final best ice fishing rod and reel combo for panfish on the list is the 13 Fishing Snitch Inline Ice Fishing Rod Combo.

This 13 fishing rod is an ultra-light action rod and is twenty-nine inches in length. It is crafted out of a solid graphite blank but this uses a more unique construction due to the fact that it’s built with a flex core tip.

I just love the flex core tip feature on this rod it makes the tip of the rod very flexible so that it doesn’t snap and it’s a sensitive tip that’s perfectly made to catch panfish. The guides on this ice fishing rod are stainless steel guides and have polished inserts for that extra smooth line to guide friction.

It’s a bit in the higher price range but this is one of the better rods out there built with a unique quality design. I caught a large-sized panfish with this rod once and I was shocked at how well this thing did in battle.

I thought that the tip of the rod would snap because it was bending so much, but thanks to its flex core tip feature it actually makes a huge difference and is able to really put pressure on the bigger panfish even as an ultra-light action rod which I was just shocked about!

On top of that what makes this ice fishing rod a perfect panfish catching machine is the tip. It’s a snitch quick tip that helps you visually see when the fish strikes at your lure. I was amazed at how well the snitch quick tip worked, even the lightest small bites from the panfish would cause the tip to move thanks to its amazing sensitivity.

The handle on this rod is pretty comfortable as it’s a custom evolve handle constructed out of high-grade cork material. I love the handle design on this rod and when I grip this rod it’s so comfy.

The reel that’s paired with this rod looks great its made out of a graphite soft-touch frame and has a built-in fender which gives you that nice hold on the reel where you don’t have to touch the spool.

It is a five-ball-bearing system reel and the bearings are made of quality stainless steel. I like it when my ball bearings are made out of stainless steel they really help give the reel that smooth operation.

You can get this rod combo in either a left-hand retrieve or right hand so one is sure to fit your style. Also, the reel features a quick release spool construction which makes it a rapid release spool so that you are able to change spools very quickly.

Overall the reel itself has a very nice powerful drag system while still being able to be smoothly operational. This thing has landed me a ton of panfish over the past years and after so many years it’s still a workhorse ice fishing rod combo.

If you would like to check out the 13 Fishing Snitch Inline Ice Fishing Rod Combo that I highly recommend you can find it here below at a great price!

When it comes to this panfish ice rod combo the best line that I like to use is the Sufix Ice Magic fishing line. The six-pound test monofilament line works great with this rod combo and is perfect for the job.

The Sufix Ice Magic fishing is one of my top ice fishing line picks and the name says it all, it works so well in ice fishing applications thanks to it being able to remain tough even in cold weather.

If you would like to check out the Sufix Ice Magic six-pound test monofilament fishing line to use with the 13 Fishing Snitch Inline Ice Fishing Rod Combo you can find it here below at a great price.

In Conclusion

In conclusion, making sure you have the best ice fishing rod and reel combo for panfish is very important.

Your really going to have to use the lighter action rods for this fishing application. Panfish are very sneaky and will nibble your lure and get away with any live bait on your hook.

Their bites are quite light so that is why you’re going to need a rod with a very sensitive tip to really be able to catch them.

This is why we want to use the lighter action rods for this fishing application. Now that you have seen the best ice fishing rod and reel combo for panfish list, pick yourself one of the rod combos along with the recommended line and go catch some panfish!