Homemade Ice Fishing Pole?

[Robin Sayler]

Got this neat little pole today does anyone know anything about it? Is it a homemade job? Says "Heddon's Made in USA" on the handle. Pole itself is Bamboo (about 3 inches) and the handle has no nicks out of the cork.

[Richard Lodge]

Yep, looks like a cutdown rod for ice fishing. Either that or its for very small water.

[hurdpete]

Yep, Richard nailed it - it bears a strong resemblance to a Heddon Dowagiac - is it marked on the reel seat?

[Ron Mc]

looks very much like a field-modified Heddon - almost certain

[SWIM JIG]

cool-thumb :roll:Young Guy, have you ever heard of (TIP UP TOWN? at Houghton lake MICH? well those rods were made like that and that loop at the end was to tie the rod to the seat or the ice fishing shanty or bucket handle so it wouldnt go thru the hole and all would be lost! Higgins Lake ice fisher people still use them! Life was good in the 1940s thru the 1950s my era of ice fishing! Now when the ice is ON! be nice and string up that rod with a hand made reel plastic wont freze too bad, put your fis decoy in the hole and wait for a slight tug on the line, the fun starts when you get a 15 lb nothern thats headed south for the winter. Next time I see you I will give you a rod or three and some ice reels! (be nice if that rod could tell how many fis its caught! Your Ohio Conection On Lake ERIE Col. Milton Lorens aka SWIM JIG

[Robin Sayler]

It is a really nicely done rod if somebody did it themselve. The rod is marked on the handle "heddon's made in USA" Got it in a box of random reels from an estate sale this past weekend.

Milt, I'm not sure when i'll be able to make it down there again but i'll let you know and make it before the end of summer.