01-03-2003, 03:45 AM
I tape my reels on with electrical tape. You can cut off the reel seats that come with it if you choose, then just tape them on. The advantage to sliding reel seats or no reel seats is the balance you can create. Depending on the size or weight of your reel, you can put that bad boy anywhere you want. The tape works well, I generally tape up at the beginning of the year and it lasts all season. Skeeter tapes lots of his summer fishing stuff. He buys rods without reel seats or cuts them off to obtain maximum smoothness and balance in lots of his rods. Never seen him have a problem even on big fish. if you like the rod, just tape it up. If its a flimsy noodle rod with poor sensitivity take it back. The best ice rod I have ever seen (in a short stick) is the HT Polar lites 32" medium in the old style, before the mega taper series.