Protecting your equipment

[HawkeyeSmallie]

The days of $40 combos are over for me and have been for several years. The majority of my combos are $300 or more and my most recent is $700.

 

I'm sure there are many other "gear heads" like myself that like nice gear and take super good care of it.

 

So, what extra steps do you take to protect your equipment?

 

For example, laying my poles down in the back of my truck makes me CRINGE. The rods are bouncing up and down against the bed and I jut don't like it. Normally if I take my truck I put down a couple sleeping bags/blankets to protect them. Then I have to add something heavy on the ends otherwise the wind blows the blankets up and then all hell breaks loose on the rods.

 

How do you guys haul your rods? I need a better system.

 

Anything else you do no matter how anal it is? 

 

 

 

 

[roadwarrior]

Rod sleeves and reel covers. If you don't have a boat with rod lockers carry the rods up front on the passenger side.

 

[HawkeyeSmallie]

1 minute ago, roadwarrior said:

Rod sleeves and reel covers. If you don't have a boat with rod lockers carry the rods up front on the passenger side.

 

 

Yep, no boat as of now. I've gone the inside the truck route but with a kid or two and longish one piece poles it makes it hard.

 

A rod sleeve could work if there was some padding. Seems like many are just mesh and more concerned about keeping them from getting tangled rather than dinged up.

 

 

[A-Jay]

Stick Jackets for me.

A-Jay

[roadwarrior]

Obviously, you need another rod and reel!

 

[A-Jay]

1 minute ago, roadwarrior said:

Obviously, you need another rod and reel!

 

 

First I need more space ~

A-Jay

[kickerfish1]

Rod covers or jackets and reel covers will help a lot. Is the back of your truck covered or open? If covered you could use blankets or towels to help pad them in addition to the covers and jackets. If you don't have a bed cover I am not sure what to tell ya.

[fishnkamp]

My 15 rods are in my rod locker. When we travel my wife's rods are stored in the back of my truck under a hard tonneau covered that is locked.  All of her rods are stored in one of these rod carry type bags. I have one of the older ones and have never had a problem transporting them using ours.

 

 http://www.basspro.com/Bass-Pro-Shops-Extreme-Combo-Caddy-Rod-and-Reel-Carrier/product/15114/ 

 

[HawkeyeSmallie]

2 hours ago, fishnkamp said:

My 15 rods are in my rod locker. When we travel my wife's rods are stored in the back of my truck under a hard tonneau covered that is locked.  All of her rods are stored in one of these rod carry type bags. I have one of the older ones and have never had a problem transporting them using ours.

 

 http://www.basspro.com/Bass-Pro-Shops-Extreme-Combo-Caddy-Rod-and-Reel-Carrier/product/15114/ 

 

 

 

Something like that with the addition of rod sleeves would work pretty well I would think. My son and I do a lot of bank fishing so I could take a bunch of poles all at once rather than just a couple at a time. Keeps everything nice and clean as well as I hate setting a reel down in the dirt.

 

I wish it accommodated longer poles though as I know I have some longer than what it holds.

[KDW96]

You could always get one of the from cabelas. They hold the rod an reel well, and are not near as clumsy as ths bps bag. Rod locker makes a nice bag too,or use too. Cabelas 4rod bag works well in the back of my truck,as does the rod locker brand which is higher quality than the cabelas.

[Raul]

Rods - rod covers and once covered into a rod tube

Reels are removed from the rods, drag and tension knob are backed off, reel cover and into a reel case.

[JustJames]

14 hours ago, HawkeyeSmallie said:

The days of $40 combos are over for me and have been for several years. The majority of my combos are $300 or more and my most recent is $700.

 

I'm sure there are many other "gear heads" like myself that like nice gear and take super good care of it.

 

So, what extra steps do you take to protect your equipment?

 

For example, laying my poles down in the back of my truck makes me CRINGE. The rods are bouncing up and down against the bed and I jut don't like it. Normally if I take my truck I put down a couple sleeping bags/blankets to protect them. Then I have to add something heavy on the ends otherwise the wind blows the blankets up and then all hell breaks loose on the rods.

 

How do you guys haul your rods? I need a better system.

 

Anything else you do no matter how anal it is? 

 

 

 

 

I also have a plan for when taking my truck out. I've seen a lot built their rod holder on to truck bed especially with rail track system on the truck. I don't have rail track so I'm gonna use PVC attach to milk crate and tie down, with my backpack inside should be heavy enough to hold it in place.

here is another way when I fish within my lake.

 

 

[Bluebasser86]

I use rod and reel covers when I'm hauling mine. Usually they're in the rod locker. If I'm hauling them anywhere else, they're in the passenger seat of my truck. Extended cab Tundra fits any bass rod I own. 

[onetime]

Just get a large enough PVC pipe to fit your combos in.

[JBradley500]

I keep the cardboard rod tubes that st croix sends my rods in and I take my reels off and keep them in their boxes, which are inside my tackle box. Not the most elaborate plan, but it's safe. 

[HawkeyeSmallie]

Yes probably the safest thing is to put them in some type of a tube. However, I'm really not looking to take the reels off and everything. If it was a trip then no big deal, but going out to a local lake after work time is limited.

 

Come to think of it, my over the top anal thinking doesn't even like those tubes. Seems like rods can still bang around a lot in those. No padding what so ever.

 

I need to invent something, not kidding. There have to be others like me. Fishing can be extremely expensive nowadays, protection technology hasn't kept up with the increase in rod/reel technology.

 

[crypt]

stick jackets,then in passenger seat of truck.

 

or in rod locker. back of truck has a soft pad that is used for gyms,soft yet pliable. won't scratch reels. crown royal bags are great reel covers if you know someone that drinks a lot. LOL.

[NYWayfarer]

Reel covers and rod jackets for me now. Before that I would wrap a towel around my reel before putting it in my trunk.

[fishwizzard]

I was wondering if a car-top ski box might be an option if your truck had a ladder rack/cage?  

 

Something like his Thule: https://www.thule.com/en-us/us/cargo-carrier/car-top-carrier/thule-motion-xt-xl-_-1691181

Some quick math makes it looks like a few 7' or slightly over rods should fit;

[MDbassin]

On 5/1/2017 at 1:20 PM, roadwarrior said:

Rod sleeves and reel covers. If you don't have a boat with rod lockers carry the rods up front on the passenger side.

 

This^ I do the same thing all my rods have rod gloves and all my reels have reel gloves and I put them in the front of my truck

[papajoe222]

You can tell I'm a Chicago boy, I thought this was a thread about how to keep your stuff from getting ripped off.

I have and SUV and use a system that hangs from it's interior roof. I don't trailer with my gear in my boats rod locker for the above mentioned reason and with my tinted windows they can't be seen by passers by when I stop for nature calls or to grab a bite.

There are a couple of options if you have a cap on your bed, but placing them inside a sleeping bag is a great way to both hide and protect them.

[ScottDB]

I need to invest in some protection. I have a warranty but sometimes I'll be walking and the tip of my rod will scrape the ground and I cringe

[fishwizzard]

21 hours ago, ScottSteve101 said:

I need to invest in some protection. I have a warranty but sometimes I'll be walking and the tip of my rod will scrape the ground and I cringe

 

Do what I tell all my non-fishing friends to do when they want to come out with me, which is "when you are walking with a rod, keep the tip at eye level and in front of you all the time".   That way if you are paying attention to where you are going, the tip can't hit anything.  

[ScottDB]

34 minutes ago, Bunnielab said:

 

Do what I tell all my non-fishing friends to do when they want to come out with me, which is "when you are walking with a rod, keep the tip at eye level and in front of you all the time".   That way if you are paying attention to where you are going, the tip can't hit anything.  

I'll keep that in mind. I'm usually looking around enjoying the nature and my arm relaxes and I scrape it. This should do the trick though. Thanks!

[fishwizzard]

Yea, I am guilty of looking at the scenery as well, but once you get used to the tip dancing in your vision, it is easy to keep it there and still be able to zone out.