Best rod holders

[lifeisfun]

Re: Best rod holders

I'll second recommendations for Folbe.
Excellent quality and service.
I use them trolling for musky.

 

[Nightfisher-]

Re: Best rod holders

Plastic rod holders are not the best choice. Get metal ones like Driftmaster, Monster, or Santee and they will last years and years, probably longer than most people keep their boats, unlike the plastic holders which tend to get brittle in the colder months and can become weak from sun damage. Nothing worse than having a nice fish snap off one of those plastic holders at the base.

 

[RicMic]

Re: Best rod holders

I use either Tite-loks or Down East, both are made in the USA and all structural parts are rust proof metal and not plastic. The advantage of these over the tube type holders is that you can adjust and use them at almost any angle and not just pointing up. I can go from still fishing to drifting to trolling and changing rods and setups and can set my rods just the way I want them, to keep them from tangling and to cover the water I want. The Tite loks work better with my ultra light rods for crappie, bream and hybrids and the Down East "Salties" work better on the heavy gear for stripers, catfish etc. I worked in one of the biggest tackle shops in the midwest years ago and sold hundreds of the Down East rod holders to musky and salmon fisherman, they said, "don't even waste time with anything else". I recently had to contact both Tite lok and Down East and got EXCELLENT customer service from both of them(in English) and the guy I talked to at Down East, said his grandfather started that company in Maine over 40 years ago and its still there and a family business today.

 

[brdhntr]

Re: Best rod holders

Well i dont troll to much, i like to remove them , or, move them, at will. I use them for walleye after catch. to keep rod safe, or bottom bouncer, jiggin in spring, would like to remove when i bass and put tarp on, or move with different amount of people, , Well thanks all for idea's!

Do yourself a favor and get a track with removeable holders. I have one from traxtech and I can have my riggers, and 5 rod holders/side for trolling on and off in under 2 minutes.

You can see it in the picture in which I only have the 4 holder tree installed.

 

[83mulligan]

Re: Best rod holders

i'll second the track suggestion. Vector makes a great line of rod holders.

 

[brdhntr]

Re: Best rod holders

The nice thing about the tracks is the manufactureres all use the same dimensions so Bert's and Vector stuff fits in Traxtech and vice versa. The holders in my pictures are Titeloks that actually were meant to attach to a Titelock plate that mounts to your gunnel, but they slide right in the track, even though they weren't meant for it. Eventually, I will spring for some ratcheting adjustable holders, but for now, that setup works just fine.

 

[2rz-fte]

Re: Best rod holders

Ebay's got some great deals on flush-mount stainless steel rod holders. I got a pair shipped out 2 for $30. They have rubber inserts and a cap that keeps water out when not in use. I like them

Keeps them out of the way but always there when you need them. I'll be adding downriggers w/ rod holders down the road too.

do you just use a holesaw to cut the hole? isnt the hole oval?

 

[Mark_VTfisherman]

Re: Best rod holders

do you just use a holesaw to cut the hole? isnt the hole oval?

The hole itself is actually round when viewed from the perspective of the rod tube. Use a block of wood to drill at the correct angle.

Install the hole saw in a drill press- drill through a 2x4 at the rod holder angle. Clamp or otherwise attach this 2x4 to the gunnel deck or top over where you want the rod holder installed and drill into the boat with the same hole saw in a hand drill. Or the rod holder may come with a template showing the apparent oval shape which can be traced onto the boat and cut with a jig saw but I prefer the hole saw method.

Careful- check for wires, fuel lines, steering cables etc before you hole-saw them.

 

[alaskanassassin]

Re: Best rod holders

I also use the ebay stainless flush mounts, and an aluminum rocket launcher/radar arch will be installed as soon as the rain stops.

 

[JCH57]

Re: Best rod holders

Here's what i use for rod holders. Plastic pipe, cut into 4,5 inch wide pieces, cut a slot in the piece for the rod and reel to go in, cut a slot for the rod, drill a hole with a hole saw for the rod handle, cut a slot for a carriage bolt to raise the angle of the rod up or down, and mount to rail. These work great. I have a pontoon boat, so i just drill a hole in the top rail, the same size as the carriage bolt. A little work, but not much, maybe 15, 20 minuets per holder.
These could be perminately mounted to a fiberglass rail, using a threaded anchor in the rail. Might not look very good, but would work.
Just sharing, thanks

 

[Mark_VTfisherman]

Re: Best rod holders

...cut a slot in the piece for the rod and reel to go in, cut a slot for the rod, drill a hole with a hole saw for the rod handle....

Problem with those, at least for trolling for me, is that they trap the rod into the holder. The Down East, Folbe, and tube-type all have the advantage that I won't rip the rod holder right out when a fish hits- merely lifting the rod unlatchces the Down East and Folbe. I like!

 

[fishnphool]

Re: Best rod holders

Check out www.fishingpoleholder1.com Window mount for your rod holder and NO DRILLING !