Rod Storage Ideas

[dfalcon]

Need some help storing rods during fishing trips. I've got a 16' alum with three bench seats. Curently I just lay the rods across the seats, between passengers etc... This works jus tfine, but it seems a little cluttered. Any idea where/how to put rod holders? How well do those portables that attach to gunwales work?

[TroutCowboy]

I have the same problem when out in my small boat. I've toyed with building something out of PVC pipe to hold the rods vertically, like you see on the Boston Whalers and sea-going fishing boats, but I've wondered if on a smaller boat that just puts the rods in a place where they'll get in the way when casting.

Before I pulled them out due to the rubber coating coming off and the resulting rust, my grandfather (original owner of the boat) had cut a pair of metal truck window gun racks in half and mounted them on each side of the boat, above the middle and back seat. Then you could put a pair of rods in each, with each facing the opposite direction so the reels wouldn't clash. Have always meant to do the same thing again but never got around to it.

Good luck, and share with us what you end up doing!

[jmay]

TroutCowboy, your grandfathers gun rack idea is awsome! Thank you thank you! I have a 14' with the same problem, 10 rod's 2 seat and a 1/2 of beer make for a full boat.

[glastron876]

What about taking PVC piping and cutting it in half lengthwise, then into short sections (say 4-6" long). You can then secure them to the inside of the boat lengthwise, following the curvature of the boat, by using some type of expoxy / liquid metal, or something that is condusive with both aluminum & plastics ? No holes in the boat that way either.

[dilbert]

Here's what I use in my 13' aluminum boat.

[TroutCowboy]

now THAT is how you do it! nice, clean install and the foam guides keep the rods quiet.

i'll have to go look, but i'm pretty sure my old boat has those same diagonal supports. i'll have to rig something up similar. nice job, dilbert! now get back to WORK! ;-)

[dfalcon]

Nice set up! Thatz what I'm going to do...

Thanks!

[Bodofish]

I was just at Joe's. they have them for under $10 a side.

[dilbert]

The rod holder parts were originally nice aluminum ones, but the rubber got old and rotted and the only replacements I could find at the time were those cheesy plastic ones. It looks like Cabela's has some of the nicer aluminum ones now... so I'll probably replace them. It's hard to tell from the photo, but the horizontal framing is made from T shapped aluminum that is fairly stiff. Check at scrapyards or boeing surplus for a better price on the framing parts.

Here are the nice ones, they're $15.99:

[TroutCowboy]

hey y'all, just saw a pair of gun racks for sale on craigslist (spokane/cd'a) only $10. see my post a few up, my g'pa used a set to make rod racks for his boat. not as nices as dilbert's setup, but an inexpensive option.

i guess a guy could also mount them to the inside walls of a truck canopy, huh?

http://spokane.craigslist.org/spo/357631263.html