Most walleye anglers select a 32 to 36-inch rod when ice fishing. A rod on the shorter end of this range is a good choice when fishing in a shelter, and a 36″ rod is perfect for hole-hopping.

It creates long casts, controls jumping and lunging bass, and leads to more productive fishing. But these rods aren’t all the same. Crankbait rods were introduced in the late 1980s, when fast ...