Trolling wihout Rod Holders? Any ideas?

Ki Ki · Sep 21, 2010

Odd question here, but this fall we plan to fish the Great Lakes for Salmon as they come into the local rivers. We plan to troll using a small downrigger and dipsy diver.

Our boat in the past had thin side rails, which allowed for simple clamp rod holders to hold the rods in place. This boat is an older fiberglass boat with really wide rails- over 4" wide. Any ideas on how to troll without rod holders? I don't really want to screw into the boat's fiberglass if I can avoid it. Any creative ways of keeping the rods in the boat while trolling under heavy drag?

Thanks

Huron Angler · Sep 21, 2010

Re: Trolling wihout Rod Holders? Any ideas?

PVC sections can be used to make some really cheap rod holders. You can attach them to a board and secure the board soehow if you don't want to make it permanent.

Sometimes if I need an extra one I will take out a seat, place it upside down and insert a rod into the upside down pedestal post. It works pretty well if you anchor the seat in place somehow.

Other than that I'd just use some bungee cords and try to rig it up somehow. I agree that you need to secure them with something or you will lose a fish and some expensive trolling gear.

Good luck!

blifsey · Sep 21, 2010

Re: Trolling wihout Rod Holders? Any ideas?

Any railing nearby you could clamp some rail mount rod holders to? Or, cut something from plywood you could clamp to the gunwales and mount rod holders to?

MTboatguy · Sep 21, 2010

Re: Trolling wihout Rod Holders? Any ideas?

I know you said, you didn't want to drill into the fiberglass, but have you seen the inset rod holders, they are low profile and stay streamline to the boat sides, these are what I am going to put into the sides of my boat.

I really didn't think I would like them until I went fishing with a friend that had them. His were white..

http://www.paddlerzone.co.nz/products/accessories/fishing_parts/inset_rod_holder

Here in the states, I have seen them at Wal Mart and various marine stores.

v12mac · Sep 21, 2010

Re: Trolling wihout Rod Holders? Any ideas?

What about the Sea suckers mounting system?

Mike Robinson · Sep 21, 2010

Re: Trolling wihout Rod Holders? Any ideas?

Some down riggers can accomodate rod holders mounted on the arm.

CheapboatKev · Sep 21, 2010

Re: Trolling wihout Rod Holders? Any ideas?

In SoCal trolling for tuna....we used this system for trolling without holders.
You do need a reel with the eyes on the frame..and rope or strap with 2 quick release snaps..

I actually want to build a rail across my stern to do the same out here in Florida

fishrdan · Sep 21, 2010

Re: Trolling wihout Rod Holders? Any ideas?

CheapboatKev said:
In SoCal trolling for tuna....

Don't you just love seeing your rig jump up,,, magically floating in the air with a tuna on the other end......... FISH ON!

fishrdan · Sep 21, 2010

Re: Trolling wihout Rod Holders? Any ideas?

I use these rod holders on my boats.

If you can cobble something up, they will screw into an all-thread coupler, that's how I have them on my jon boat. Maybe figure out some way to attach them to the stern cleats?

CheapboatKev · Sep 21, 2010

Re: Trolling wihout Rod Holders? Any ideas?

fishrdan said:
Don't you just love seeing your rig jump up,,, magically floating in the air with a tuna on the other end......... FISH ON!

love it???

I LIVED FOR IT for 20 plus years...lol

JimS123 · Sep 21, 2010

Re: Trolling wihout Rod Holders? Any ideas?

Ki Ki said:
Odd question here, but this fall we plan to fish the Great Lakes for Salmon as they come into the local rivers. We plan to troll using a small downrigger and dipsy diver.

Our boat in the past had thin side rails, which allowed for simple clamp rod holders to hold the rods in place. This boat is an older fiberglass boat with really wide rails- over 4" wide. Any ideas on how to troll without rod holders? I don't really want to screw into the boat's fiberglass if I can avoid it. Any creative ways of keeping the rods in the boat while trolling under heavy drag?

Thanks

You won't use a dipsy with a downrigger because that would defeat the purpose. Buy a rodholder specifically designed for the downrigger you have - it will clamp to the rigger itself. In that case, the pole has to be stationary for the rigger's release to work properly, so you have no choice.

Dipsys exert a lot of force on the rod. I personally don't use them any more - having a downrigger is a far superior way to go. But, when we did use dipsys we always hand held the pole because when a Coho hits a dipsy you really know it happened....LOL.

If you insist on not holding the rod, you won't get away with a simple rod holder, you need one where the pole is actually clamped on. My boat has 2 pairs of Tempress "Fish-ONs" and they work fantastic. For a 4" side deck, use the top mount bracket. I realize you don't want to drill any holes, but from how you describe your side deck that would be a perfect application.

http://www.cabelas.com/p-0055297019513a.shtml

Jeep Man · Sep 21, 2010

Re: Trolling wihout Rod Holders? Any ideas?

McGyverism at it's best. I have had the same problem in the past. A small piece of 3/4" plywood and 2 C clamps from the hardware store provided a solid mount for my usual clamp-on portable rod holder.

dsiekman · Sep 21, 2010

Re: Trolling wihout Rod Holders? Any ideas?

fishrdan said:
Maybe figure out some way to attach them to the stern cleats?

This is a really interesting idea. When we sold our bowrider this spring we were SUPPOSED to compromise and get something I could fish but we could still cruise in comfort and style. Wound up with a 2000 Cobalt 293. Not exactly a fishing platform. I had been considering rigging up something to fit in the mount for the cockpit table but I think this might be a better idea. I'm thinking full beam width plywood or mahogany notched to fit around the cleats. It would want to be built up as a box beam or I beam for rigidity though I would still be a little concerned about structural integrity around the cleats. Sorry, I'm an architect and tend to over engineer everything. Maybe cut a couple dados and inlay some steel channel?

I'm spanning 9'-6", so if you have a smaller boat the rigidity would not be as much of an issue.

JimS123 · Sep 22, 2010

Re: Trolling wihout Rod Holders? Any ideas?

dsiekman said:
This is a really interesting idea. When we sold our bowrider this spring we were SUPPOSED to compromise and get something I could fish but we could still cruise in comfort and style. Wound up with a 2000 Cobalt 293. Not exactly a fishing platform. I had been considering rigging up something to fit in the mount for the cockpit table but I think this might be a better idea. I'm thinking full beam width plywood or mahogany notched to fit around the cleats. It would want to be built up as a box beam or I beam for rigidity though I would still be a little concerned about structural integrity around the cleats. Sorry, I'm an architect and tend to over engineer everything. Maybe cut a couple dados and inlay some steel channel?

I'm spanning 9'-6", so if you have a smaller boat the rigidity would not be as much of an issue.

The cleat idea doesn't make me feel warm and fuzzy, but I guess it might work. Definately clamping on the gunnel with loose plywood is not the way to go. If all you are doing is still fishing with a bobber or trolling for bass, OK. But dipsy divers exert a lot of force and when a salmon hits it the clamp on mount will probably go flying out the back of the boat.

My boat has a nice neat taffrail around the stern. I bought a mahogany board and mounted it to the side rails with QD rail mounts. Stained and varnished it also looks pretty classy. It holds 2 downriggers, 4 rod holders and a pair of ball babies. With those QD mounts I can take the board on or off in less than 5 minutes. I only have it on for lake fishing. If space will allow and you don't have a rail, a pair of simple grabrails can be permanently added so that the board is easlily removed.

This is the only pic I could find and its not the greatest. Hope you can see what I'm talking about.

dsiekman · Sep 22, 2010

Re: Trolling wihout Rod Holders? Any ideas?

JimS123 said:
The cleat idea doesn't make me feel warm and fuzzy, but I guess it might work.

I agree it is a bit unorthodox and I would need to spend some time on the engineering. However, I feel a little more comfortable than I would mounting something in the pedestal base for the cockpit table. I do not have rails to mount rod holders on other than the hand rails on the gunnels aft of the transom. I am not comfortable with the idea of climbing out on the swim platform during trophy rockfish season - early spring and late fall. I also do not have enough width on the top of the gunwale to mount a rod holder.

Unlike the OP, I would not be running downriggers or dipsy divers. Just bucktails for the most part.

I also agree that whatever homemade setup anyone chooses to use could result in loss of fish or tackle. I was on a boat where a 40" rockfish hit a lure and in doing so destroyed the rodholder. The plastic (Or nylon?) mount on the bow rail shattered - it was about 12 degrees. Luckily, the rod landed in the boat and I was able to grab it just as it was going over the transom.

CheapboatKev · Sep 22, 2010

Re: Trolling wihout Rod Holders? Any ideas?

Heck...I've seen tuna rip rods outta these rod holders too, ever see a grown man in tears as he sees his $1,200 Penn Int'l and custom wrapped stick dissapear into the Pacific in all of 5 seconds?

Not pretty...not pretty!

dsiekman · Sep 22, 2010

Re: Trolling wihout Rod Holders? Any ideas?

CheapboatKev said:
Heck...I've seen tuna rip rods outta these rod holders too, ever see a grown man in tears as he sees his $1,200 Penn Int'l and custom wrapped stick dissapear into the Pacific in all of 5 seconds?

Not pretty...not pretty!

My concern exactly! I run an Avet on a custom rod. The only upside is that I built the rod, so if she goes over I know where I can get another one to match

...not that it wouldn't frustrate the %*#@ out of me the entire time I was working on it...

I'm thinking of running a stainless steel cable from the reel clamp to a fixed tie-off somewhere on the boat.

fishrdan · Sep 22, 2010

Re: Trolling wihout Rod Holders? Any ideas?

CheapboatKev said:
ever see a grown man in tears as he sees his $1,200 dissapear into the Pacific..........

Nope, but have seen someone cussing up a storm when their $100 rig went flying into the water because of a broken plastic rod holder, that guy was me

Only thing I would use a plastic rod holder for is rainbow trout or some pan fish...

With a board like Jim posted, rigging it up to the stern cleats would be a cinch. Fix the front end, so the board locks into the front side of the cleat and have the back side removable. Some type of fixed metal cup for the front and a machined screw eye and wing nut for the back side. The cleats are plenty strong for something like this, if not you have cleat problems. I wouldn't do this with el'cheap-o plastic cleats.

With the Driftmasters I posted, I use the 3/8" post model most of the time, but when I'm trolling for big stripers in my 18'er I use the 1/2" post models. I've never had problems with either model, but did bend a 3/8" holder once. I was running by my jon boat and snagged it on my shorts, shorts ripped and rod holder bent a bit.

Ki Ki · Sep 22, 2010

Re: Trolling wihout Rod Holders? Any ideas?

These are all great tips, thanks all! I'm going to try several things here...

CheapboatKev · Sep 22, 2010

Re: Trolling wihout Rod Holders? Any ideas?

I think I have it...
How about this??
Stout board...just wider than your cleats..(or get bigger cleats?)
Notch a groove for it to slide UNDER the cleats in each corner...
Drill holes for 45 degree rod holders....
The forward motion of the boat...then the backwards pull on the strike would not allow the board to come undone.. MAYBE???

Trolling wihout Rod Holders? Any ideas?

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