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Ideas for Pontoon boat rod holders

Boats 
20K views 26 replies 17 participants last post by  Hoopa 
#1 ·
I'm looking for an affordable - possible home-made solution - for a pontoon boat rod holder.

I know that scotty makes some nice ones, but honestly I'm not looking for anything fancy. Just something to hold my spare rod while I'm out fishing, but without the rod being in the way while casting or landing a fish.

Any of you out there come up with some easy-to-build or cheap solutions?



Sean
 
#2 ·
You can make a nice one out of a short length of pvc, either fasten it to side of seat , if you have a hard seat, or attach to rack in back. I have both, just cut a
3/4 inch slot 4" or so down side of 8" to 12" piece of pvc. I have one on both sides of my seat and another I can bunge to rear rack.
 
#3 ·
I am also looking for a way to attach my 2nd rod to my pontoon boat. I have a scotty holder which works great when trolling. I need some way to hold the rods down along side the tubes while using the other. I am a visual person so pictures of what others are using would be helpful.

Thanks

Mike
 
#4 ·
The easiest, best and least expensive solution is to go with the Scottys. I use 3 on my pontoon boat. Two for holding the rods securly while I'm transporting and one mounted in the front so I can row and troll if it gets windy. They're not expensive and they are very adjustable allowing numerous angles and positions. I'm really pleased with the quality and value.:thumb::thumb:
 
#6 ·
If you don't want your bungies around the rods, get a cheap clip in rod rack at your local wal mart or sporting goods place. Bungie that around your toon, clip your rod in and presto, you are in business. Out of the way for casting, rowing, fighting fish and still at your side for quick deployment when needed. I have large diameter long locking PVC tubes that I can attach to my frame that will hold my rods (in two piece mode) so that I can leave them locked up while returning to my rig. That is overkill for your described need, I'd go with a simple plastic and foam rod rack. If you want real minimal get a large diameter pool noodle and cut two pieces, one fore for the butt section and one aft to hold the tip section. Bungie in place and you are out about $5.
 
#8 ·
I just bought a rod case with attached reel cover at SPORTCO. About $10.00 on sale I think. You can put two rods, taken down but still strung with flies, into it and zip the thing shut. Bungy to the pontoon boat and you are good to go.

Especially good if you are on a river with any fun spots to navigate. :cool:
 
#15 ·
I just bought a rod case with attached reel cover at SPORTCO. About $10.00 on sale I think. You can put two rods, taken down but still strung with flies, into it and zip the thing shut. Bungy to the pontoon boat and you are good to go.

Especially good if you are on a river with any fun spots to navigate. :cool:
This is the way to go. I do it all the time. I use a double reel-on rod case and store the rigged-ready-to-go unused rod(s) in the case. A simple bungee or velcro strap arrangement works fine to hold the case.

When I want to change sticks/lines/flies, I swap the rod being used for one in the case. Because the rods are 'broken down' in to two pieces, they are easy to move/remove from the case while a person is out on the water. And, because they are already rigged (i.e. line through the guides, etc.), it's easy to get the stored rod back in to action. Not to diss Mike T's design, but full rod length storage like his, especially when it's on the side of the tube away from the rower and fisherperson, would be pretty tough to remove a rod from the rod tube while the raft is underway.
 
#9 ·
I use 1" pvc pipe and two straps with clips on them used my rotozip to cut slot down pvc to slide reel into and simply strap them to the front of my toon so the rod tips are basically even with the back of my toon I can easily adjust the angle to have the rod lay almost flat or have the tips up in the air a bit. they are always out of the way and easy to access id show you a pic but its raining like crazy outside and my toon is hanging from the ceiling and I really dont want to go out and take a pic. maybe in a few days when it stops raining and I take the toon floating again.
 
#12 ·
Depending what type of 'toon you have, you might consider new side pockets like those from North Fork Outdoors (.com). They have a mesh pocket along the side with 2 velcro straps and to store a rod, you just insert the reel and butt end into the pocket and secure with the velcro. The rod tip ends up sticking our the back of the boat so you have to be cognizant of that when backing into the bank or around trees. I can't find a picture to show so let me know if you want one to better understand and I'll see if I can take a quick 'un.

Another solution is to just strap a 1-1/2" PVC pipe along the outside of the frame under the straps like the pic below. This way the entire rod is protected and a neoprene reel case protects the reel. This boat has 13' pontoons so you would have to take that into consideration:



The rod is held in with a rubber snubber replacement you can get for ATV gun racks:



Mike T
 
#20 ·
Depending what type of 'toon you have, you might consider new side pockets like those from North Fork Outdoors (.com). They have a mesh pocket along the side with 2 velcro straps and to store a rod, you just insert the reel and butt end into the pocket and secure with the velcro. The rod tip ends up sticking our the back of the boat so you have to be cognizant of that when backing into the bank or around trees.

Mike T
Yes, works quite well. I bought a NFO toon and thought I had to buy rodholders and got a Scotty/tried other things and the simplest/easiest I always default to is the inner sleeve/velcro straps of my NFO armrest bag (same as shown in post 17/except that one's reversed as noted...velcro/compartment goes to inside although if you have strong zipper preference etc you might reverse.

Next year I'll have some simple beefier velcro straps tied in as extras to secure my reel/rod at more ideal points for actual trolling use etc. To date it was mostly just transporting although I did troll it enjoyable on some lakes without issue.

I'm quite certain I wouldn't want any tube on the inside of my boat, ie. anything more to snag line's. Rear deck and high and outside on pontoons I have lots of room where I do plan to put one or two slotted PVC's. My extra rods I just lash to my rear deck now in their factory tubes. I wouldn't be up for the double reel/rod large case, I only run one rod at a time to date - others I bring are as spares for myself and friends. I could see the dual function drifting some trout systems etc where wet/dry can be back and forth.
 
#14 ·
castaway

How do you get that rod out when you are on the river.
 
#16 ·
That is one downfall unless you have really, really long arms... :thumb:

You would have to pull over to the bank to swap out rods with this setup.

When I am drifting along trout fishing, throwing streamers at the bank while watching for bank feeders downstream or good hold water, I usually leave my dry fly rig set up and hold it in the side pockets even though it is sticking out the back of the boat. This way I can swap rods in a matter of seconds. So far I haven't had any accidents with that exposed rod, although a rookie pontooner fishing with me one day broke one and lost another Winston by getting washed into some overhanging limbs...:eek:
 
#23 ·
This is what I did to run a river with my rods. On a lake I use the Scotty type rod holders as I don't worry as much about my rod tips running into something. Making the one Jason shows took me about an hour and about 5 or 10 bucks.

Wayne
 
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