Are ice reels really needed?

[wagdog]

Like everyone else has said, there is no problem using your regular spinning reel with an ice rod. It may be a little bigger or heavier than some of the reels made for an ice rod but then again, the quality of your reel may be a lot higher (e.g. better drag, smoother retrieve, etc.). I bought some cheaper Frabill combos a couple of years ago and had issues with the el cheapo reels. I ended up keeping the rods (they were great) and replacing the reels. As was stated previously, I like using reels that are rated as ultralight or light with the ice rod of choice. Make sure you set the drag for whatever line you respool with too.
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