What Is The Top Ice Fishing Rod For Perch And Panfish In 2023?
UPDATED 16 MAY 2023
by Robert Ceran
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If you’re like me and love catching perch and panfish during the winter, it’s essential to have the right rod for the job.
The most common mistake I see novice panfish and perch ice anglers make is using a rod that’s far too heavy for this kind of fishing.
A light ice fishing rod allows you to use finesse techniques on perch and big panfish like crappie, which you really can’t do with a heavy rod.
My team and I tested the most popular ice rods for perch and panfish ice fishing, and evaluated them on their sensitivity, ability to hook and fight walleye, and overall performance.
Based on our testing, here are our picks for the best ice fishing rods for perch and panfish in 2023:
- Best overall: St. Croix Legend Black Ice
- Best budget: Abu Garcia Veritas
- Best for inside shelter: 13 Fishing Tickle Stick
- Best lightweight option: Fenwick Elite Tech Perceptip
- Best medium weight option: Fenwick World Class
- Best value for money: St. Croix Mojo
The top ice fishing rod for perch and panfish in 2023 reviewed
| Brand | Image | Price | Verdict | Recommended size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Croix Legend Black Ice |  |  | Best overall performance | 24" Light |
| 13 Fishing Tickle Stick |  | | Best option for fishing inside shelter | 23" Light |
| Fenwick Elite Tech Perceptip |  | | Best lightweight option for perch and panfish | 24" Ultra Light |
| St. Croix Mojo |  | | Best value for money | 24" Medium Light |
| Fenwick World Class |  | | Best medium weight option for perch and walleye | 28" Medium Light |
| Abu Garcia Veritas |  | | Best budget option | 26" Ultra Light |
The table above compares the key specs of the 6 best ice fishing rods for perch and panfish that we tested, as well as our recommendation for the best size to choose.
Now let’s take a closer look at these models, to get an idea of their strengths and weaknesses.
1. St. Croix Legend Black ice fishing rod
This is an excellent ice fishing rod from St. Croix, a brand name that has become synonymous for high quality ice fishing rods over the years.
During our testing we found that one of the impressive features of this model is that it comes with a very sensitive strike indicator mechanism, in the form of a spring bobber attached to the tip of the rod with a red bulb at its tip.
When we put it to the test, we found that the spring bobber strike indicator is highly sensitive, and helps to notice the subtlest of bites, or even when fish are just nudging the bait.
This is especially useful when you’re fishing with light lures, and also comes in handy if you want to use it as a second rod for deadsticking.
The strike indicator can be removed, if you want to fish without it, and you can also exchange it with other models with varying sensitivity, depending on your application.
The rod is solid carbon, and during our testing we found that this is ideal for light jigging and finesse applications. For perch and panfish, we recommend you get the 24” Light or 24” Ultra Light size for open ice, or 17” Light for fishing inside a shelter.
Features:
- Secure lock reel handle with EVA trim
- Spring bobber strike indicator
- 100% Carbon
Recommended size:
- On open ice: 24” Light (LB124 L) or 24” Ultra Light (LB124 UL)
- Inside shelter: 17” Light (LB117 L)
2. Fenwick Elite Tech Perceptip ice fishing rod
This is a great fast action ice fishing rod that comes in a wide range of sizes covering almost all ice fishing applications.
When it comes to perch, we recommend choosing the 24” Ultra Light size for open ice, or the 16” Light size for fishing inside a shelter.
A long rod is really hard to use inside the small space of an ice shelter, and hence it’s better to choose the shorter version for that.
When we put it to the test, we found that the Fenwick Elite Tech combines a sensitive tip with a strong backbone, which is a great combination for jigging with small lures, or live bait fishing with minnows.
While testing it, we found that the sensitive tip allows you to move the lure with very subtle movements, and also registers every bite as a quiver of the tip, even if you can’t feel it on the rod handle.
The Elite Tech sports an ergonomic lightweight cork handle and 3 to 5 rod eyes, depending on the size you buy.
The eyes have Zirconium oxide inserts, and during our testing we found that they are great to prevent line freezing and abrasion. The best part is that it’s sensitive enough to feel perch or panfish bites even in deep water of 30 feet or more.
Features:
- Fast action rod with sensitive tip
- Ergonomic & lightweight cork handle
- 100% Graphite
- Stainless steel guides with zirconium inserts
Recommended size:
- On open ice: 24″ Ultra Light
- Inside shelter: 16” Light
3. St. Croix Mojo ice fishing rod
This is a great all round ice rod by St. Croix, since it allows you to target a wide range of species on the same model, from panfish to decent sized walleye. On the down side, it doesn’t have a version that’s short enough to use comfortably in an ice shelter.
We really like this rod because it works well for a wide range of applications. When we put it to the test, we found that the tip is sensitive enough for light panfish and perch action, while the backbone is strong enough to handle fairly big fish without problems.
A friend of mine managed to land a 20 pound northern pike with the 24” Medium Light size (though I wouldn’t recommend this size for pike fishing).
So when I’m not quite sure what species I’ll be catching (especially on a new lake), the St. Croix Mojo is a good choice to get me started. But if I’m fairly certain I’ll only catch panfish or perch, I prefer a lighter rod with more sensitivity.
For perch and panfish, we recommend you get the 24” Ultra Light or 24” Medium Light size for open ice. There are no smaller sizes suitable for an ice shanty.
Features:
- Ergonomic split grip cork handle with EVA trim
- Spring bobber strike indicator
- 100% Carbon
Recommended size:
- On open ice: 24” Medium Light (MIR24ML) or 24” Ultra Light (MIR24 UL)
4. Fenwick World Class ice fishing spinning rod
This is a light ice fishing rod with extra fast action made by Fenwick. Based on our testing, it is ideal for perch jigging on ice, since the extra fast action means the rod backbone is stiff enough to allow you to control movement of light ice fishing lures down to the smallest nudge.
It combines a sensitive tip with a strong solid carbon backbone, and when we tested it, we found that the rod is even strong enough to handle a walleye or two, if you happen to run into one of those while ice fishing for panfish and perch.
The split cork handle contributes to the lightweight design, and feels great to hold in your hand. The stainless steel guides have micro fly guides, which help to avoid icing up.
The best sizes for perch and panfish are the 24” Ultra Light for open ice, and the 21” Light for fishing inside a shelter.
Features:
- Extra fast action rod with sensitive tip
- Ergonomic & lightweight cork handle
- 100% Carbon
- Stainless steel guides with micro fly guides
Recommended size:
- On open ice: 24” Ultra Light
- Inside shelter: 21” Light
5. 13 Fishing Tickle Stick ice fishing rod
This innovative ice rod has a completely flat tip, which is extremely useful for detecting subtle bites, as you can easily see when the tip moves up or down just a tiny bit.
This tip design also makes it quite rigid, and during testing we found that this helps to set the hook when you detect a bite.
I would say this is a great combination rod for perch plus panfish. In fact, for many of my buddies this is the best ice fishing rod for panfish overall.
So, if you’re expecting to catch both of these species on the same hole, then the Tickle Stick is an excellent choice.
Based on our testing, the biggest strength of the Tickle Stick undoubtedly lies in the flat tip, which is great for detecting upward bites (also called negative bites).
These bites happen when a fish takes your bait in its mouth and lifts it slightly upwards while doing so. Upward bites are really hard to detect on most rods, but not on the Tickle Stick.
When we put it to the test, the only downside we found is that there is no extra short version that you can use inside a shelter.
For panfish and small perch, we recommend you get the 23” Ultra Light or 23” Light size for open ice fishing. There are no smaller sizes suitable for an ice shanty.
Features:
- Ergonomic split cork grip handle with white reel seat
- Flat rod tip functions as an efficient strike indicator
- 100% Carbon
- Thin wire guides accumulate less ice than conventional guides
Recommended size:
- On open ice: 23” Light (TS2-23L) or 23” Ultra Light (TS2-23UL)
6. Abu Garcia Veritas ice fishing rod
The Abu Garcia Veritas is a great budget choice for fishing on open ice. It’s also an ideal option if you prefer EVA to cork handles.
Personally, I prefer lighter rods than the Veritas for panfish or perch fishing, but on some lakes it’s quite common to run into walleye regularly when you’re fishing for jumbo perch.
In cases like that, our testing revealed that the Veritas is an excellent choice, as it’s actually one of the rods we recommend for walleye fishing (for more details on that, check out our review on the best ice fishing rod and reel combo for walleye).
The Veritas also comes with the downside that there are no extra short versions of it that you can comfortably use inside a shelter.
So overall, I would recommend it for open ice when you’re expecting to catch plenty of walleye as well as perch.
For perch and panfish, we recommend you get the 25” Ultra Light or 27” Medium Light size for open ice.
Features:
- Ergonomic split cork grip handle with white reel seat
- Flat rod tip functions as an efficient strike indicator
- 100% Carbon
- Thin wire guides that accumulate less ice than conventional guides
Recommended size:
- On open ice: 25” Ultra Light (AVRT2ICE25UL) or 27” Medium Light (AVRT2ICE27ML)
Best fishing reel to use with a perch ice fishing rod
Once you’ve decided on which rod to use, you also need to pick the best fishing reel for panfish or perch ice fishing.
While you can use a regular warm season spinning reel for for this, it’s better to get a reel that’s specifically designed for this job, since the gear lube on regular reels tends to solidify at low temperatures, resulting in stiff and jerky action.
Unfortunately it’s quite common to see ice anglers using inferior spinning reels, which I think is a big mistake, since crappy reel quality can result in jerky action at low temperatures, or even a stuck drag system resulting in the loss of a fish.
Another great tool to help you get the best results while ice fishing for perch and panfish is a good underwater camera such as Aqua-Vu or Marcum.
Abu Garcia Ice Max ice spinning reel
The Ice Max was specifically designed for subzero temperatures, and comes with cold weather gear lube to ensure smooth performance under these conditions. It also has an extended reel foot which is ideal for ice fishing.
The lightweight graphite body is great for a light perch rod, and the 3 plus 1 ball bearings guarantee smooth action at all temperatures.
If you’re currently in the market for an ice fishing fish finder or flasher, check out our article on what is the best ice fishing flasher?
Conclusion
Ideally, this review will have convinced you to use a light rod for panfish and perch ice angling, instead of the overpowered rods that I often see people using for this purpose.
Yes, big slab crappie can grow to more than 2 pounds, and jumbo perch can sometimes grow to be 3 or 4 pounds big, but these giants are very rare.
On average, crappie and perch weigh 1 pound or less, and bluegill are even smaller, so you should be using light or ultralight gear to catch them.
If you’re going to be fishing on open ice, all 6 rods can deliver excellent performance, but if you’re going to be inside a shelter, I recommend the St. Croix Legend Black, or the Fenwick Elite Tech, since they both come in extra short variants.
And finally, I hope this list has helped you find the best ice fishing rod for perch and panfish to cover your purposes – tight lines, and see you on the ice!
Hungry to learn more? Check out our article on what are the best ice fishing rigs for perch?
Methods and gear used for testing
For consistent testing results we tested all of the ice fishing rods reviewed in this article on the same day on Devil’s Lake in mid January. Ice thickness was 13 to 16 inches, and we tested the rods by targeting yellow perch with tungsten jigs tipped with minnow heads in 6 to 22 feet of water.