Re: rod holder -tubing/IPS pipe size?
The problem is that he's not fishing the river for 3-5 lb catfish. He?s trolling in the Chesapeake Bay. Hooking up with a very large fish is a distinct possibility.
For fishing in the river and a small lake plastic is fine, but not under the circumstance involved.
FWIW: I think you'll find that a good quality trolling rod combined with a good quality 4/0 reel is going to set you back every bit of $250, if not a lot more.
I've run the Chesapeake bay a few times for stripers, nothing larger.
I don't go there with my lake boat though, I would take my 18' cuddy there.
I rarely troll, usually bait fish or chunk for stripers.
I just found a pair of near mint Penn 340 GTi reels on a pair of super clean Lamiglas roller tip and stripper rods for $60 at a local yard sale, while I will probably never use them on my boat here, they would be fine for an offshore party boat. I generally stick to reels in the 20lb/200yd size, I have a few Shimano reels, a few Penn Internationals, and a bundle of rods to pick from. I always buy a deal when I see one, I rarely break a $20 bill for an outfit unless it's super nice or new. The saltwater here eats everything up fast, even if you rinse and lube your gear regularly. I can't see just ruining high dollar outfits in saltwater. Besides, tackle tends to get banged up to and from the boat. I don't feel so bad if a reel that I paid $10 for gets a little boat rash on the deck or if someone loses something I paid a few bucks for.
I'd get down right nasty if someone broke or lost a $250 outfit.
Most of my rods are custom built, by me, at wholesale prices, I have little to nothing in most of them other than some time.
I've used those rail mount nylon holders on the sides of my boats for years, not one has ever failed. If I were trolling or even chunking for stripers, I'd have the outfits set in the rear flush mounted rod holders, if I was moving, I have straps to secure each rod in place.
If a rod was in the side holder, there's little chance of it going over, it would almost certainly fall the the deck rather than be pulled over the railing. The holders are facing rearward and the railing on my boat is pretty much to the inner edge of the gunwale. The bottom of the rod holder is below the railing inside the boat, with the lines going out the back of the boat, it would no doubt have to travel the length of the deck, past all occupants and up over the splash well to get out of the boat.
I never liked how most metal clamp on rod holders dented the railing or simply chewed it up when the slipped or moved. I've had several of the ball and socket type mount holders snap off after trying to move them after a few years. I've also not yet kept a boat long enough to be concerned with plastic holders showing any age wear.
Also, If fishing for any fish capable of compromising a rod holder, I'd have to look really close at how well the railing itself is attached. All of my boats have had railings that were held down with no more than self tapping sheet metal screws or small stainless nuts and bolts. The railings are made up a short sections suspended between the mounting points, bend any section of tubing and it will pull free, if the railing didn't pull out of the gunwale first. On the ones which I replace, I normally make up a threaded base plate to mount below the gunwale, but that's not always an option if the underside of that area isn't accessible.
I would venture to bet that most railings won't support a persons weight, and many would give way far sooner.
Aluminum railings are worse yet.
My buddy had made the mistake of tying the slack anchor rope to his bow rail rearward post, the anchor got stuck, his poorly tied knot slipped and let the weight of the boat in the current drift back putting weight on the bow railer, which quickly pulled free of the gunwale on his aluminum boat. The railing bent only slightly, pulling that section of rail free, ripping the next mount completely out of the deck. The boat was not under power, just anchored against the outgoing river tide.
While I put in one piece SS railing for hime, it's still only secured by small gauge screws to an aluminum gunwale with some 1/4" backing plates.
