securing rods in a canoe/kayak

[07Rapala]

I just lost my favorite rod down to Davy Jones rod locker. 

 

I have a solo canoe and I am still working on setting it up for fishing. I have just been setting them behind me in the boat. But today I snagged one while casting and managed to toss it out of the boat.

 

How do people SECURE their rods? Do those yak attack tubes have a retainment feature of some kind? I tried a DIY rod float, but it was kind of annoying, are the commercial ones better somehow? Do people use rod leashes?

[J Francho]

I store them in vertical rod holders with no leash.  Leashes tangle too easily.  There are adjustable rod holders that have a retainer strap that are primarily used for trolling.

 

[Bankc]

I just store mine upright in rod holders I made of PVC pipe.  I did lose one once as I passed under a tree and a branch silently slid it out and dropped it into the water without making a splash.  That made me determined to find a solution.

 

After that I tried rod leashes, rod floats, and locking rod holders.  I hated all of them because they all introduced more hassle.  So I eventually went back to my original system, and haven't lost a rod since.  I changed my behavior and learned to avoid situations where one might lose a rod.  And I became hyper aware of my rods when I'm doing things that put them in danger, like passing under a tree branch or casting.  

 

So for me, it wasn't a product but a change in mentality and experience that solved the issue.  

[MN Fisher]

For the Scout, I built a couple of rod-racks from 1/2" Sandalwood and PVC that were secured to the hull behind the seat.

Yes, I used leashes one end attached to screw-eyes into the wood.

[padlin]

How many rods do you bring? I carry 2 or 3, so 1 or 2 behind me at times. I shouldn't say this but in 20 years in a solo canoe I've yet to drop one in the drink. Once I start fishing there is usually just one behind me, one laying down in front of me, and the one I'm using at that moment, nothing sticking up.

 

May make a difference in that my longest rods are 6'6".

[Deleted account]

I know the perfect way not to loose rods (or anything else) from a kayak...

[LrgmouthShad]

I was actually just about to make a thread about this. Really debating what to do. I have for a while just laid rods beside my seat in the kayak with the rods pointing behind me. So far no issues, actually. I try to keep the rods in covers when I do this. Cons: it gets kinda messy in the kayak, especially now that I am carrying more rods. Pros: nothing sticking up in the air. No worries about branches, limbs, docks, etc. If I am going to have to lay the rods down anyway when I get close to something that could touch my rods, what’s the point? Wind and drift around trees is a big problem. I may want to explore more organized ways of laying them horizontally, maybe by use of straps. 

[casts_by_fly]

I have a horizontal holder for my kayak. I went through a couple iterations from using the built in rod holders to adding two yak attack omegas on the rails, then right next to the seat, to what I have now. I prefer to fish like in a decked boat, so I lay them down on the port side.  I’m right handed and cast sidearm/roll on the starboard side most of the time.  I also stand to fish. So that location and horizontal means I can cast and land fish normally with no issue and I can also turn and cast in any direction overhead and not worry about clipping rods. I’ve since moved one of the omegas to the rear rails to carry an additional rod (you can see the black mount on the rear port rail).  I now have 6 rigged and ready. I can throw a two piece spinning rod in the rear well if I think I’ll need it but I rarely do. If I’m carrying a spinning rod I’m going to throw it in the rear omega.

 

the omegas have a great strap to hold them in so I don’t worry about a bush grabbing the rod and pulling it over. The horizontal holder has a bungee on each rack but I never use it unless I’m transiting in waves. 

[LrgmouthShad]

6 minutes ago, casts_by_fly said:

I have a horizontal holder for my kayak. I went through a couple iterations from using the built in rod holders to adding two yak attack omegas on the rails, then right next to the seat, to what I have now. I prefer to fish like in a decked boat, so I lay them down on the port side.  I’m right handed and cast sidearm/roll on the starboard side most of the time.  I also stand to fish. So that location and horizontal means I can cast and land fish normally with no issue and I can also turn and cast in any direction overhead and not worry about clipping rods. I’ve since moved one of the omegas to the rear rails to carry an additional rod (you can see the black mount on the rear port rail).  I now have 6 rigged and ready. I can throw a two piece spinning rod in the rear well if I think I’ll need it but I rarely do. If I’m carrying a spinning rod I’m going to throw it in the rear omega.

 

the omegas have a great strap to hold them in so I don’t worry about a bush grabbing the rod and pulling it over. The horizontal holder has a bungee on each rack but I never use it unless I’m transiting in waves. 

That is exactly what I think I would prefer. Exactly. Thank you very much. What holder is that? You said omega?

[Choporoz]

I use 6 vertical tubes lashed to my crate behind me; and two built-ins that angle out....also behind me.  I have had rods go in...maybe three times if you don't count the time I flipped in river and four went in, but stayed close.  Changing behavior was a big factor in reducing my risk.  I won't use leashes or floats.  (I would be willing to try the butt floats, but always thought them overpriced, and probably prevent me from using any rod holders.)

  But this post got me thinking that it shouldn't be too hard for a manufacturer to offer a rod holder that just sort of gripped the handle a bit....wouldn't have to be real tight....just provide a little resistance when pulling it out.  Any innovative engineers here want to take a crack at this?

[casts_by_fly]

5 minutes ago, LrgmouthShad said:

That is exactly what I think I would prefer. Exactly. Thank you very much. What holder is that? You said omega?

 

The horizontal holder is the horizontal rod holder from Mariner sails.  I have a pair of Yak Attack Omegas from a prior setup that you can't really see in that picture.  I'll dig out another picture.  I use one in the rear for a single rod and the other next to the seat to hold the net handle (again, so a branch can't grab it and pull it out of the back of the boat.

 

For the horizontal holder, I made one modification.  The wing nuts that come with it are all plastic.  I wanted to crank up the tightness to the rails and the threads were starting to flex and strip.  I went to my local Ace hardware and got a much bigger and metal threaded knob.

 

https://www.mariner-sails.com/ms-horizontal-rod-holders.html

[Bankc]

I had considered the horizontal rod holder.  But I was afraid of not securing one in correctly and losing it (since it hangs over the water), banging it against something (because I'm always bumping into stuff on my kayak), and it would be in the way of my paddle (which I don't use primarily, but do use).  

But hey, if it works for you, then it works!  I don't think there's a perfect solution.  If there was, that's what we'd all be doing.  It's just a matter of figuring out what works for you.  

[casts_by_fly]

7 minutes ago, Bankc said:

I had considered the horizontal rod holder.  But I was afraid of not securing one in correctly and losing it (since it hangs over the water), banging it against something (because I'm always bumping into stuff on my kayak), and it would be in the way of my paddle (which I don't use primarily, but do use).  

But hey, if it works for you, then it works!  I don't think there's a perfect solution.  If there was, that's what we'd all be doing.  It's just a matter of figuring out what works for you.  

 

Paddling is a pain with that setup location on mine.  I don't paddle though (Autopilot).  The most I need is a push off from the bank or a light paddle to get out from the launch into a channel.  I can stand up and use my paddle like a stand up paddle board for that and its easier.  If I were in a paddle boat I would mount it further back so that the rod butts end around the seat and the tips stick back further.  A few guys have done that.

 

I was worried about losing rods out like you.  After using it for a year now I've only had one close call.  I was using a shorter rear grip rod and the holder nearer the tops got knocked back.  It pulled the rods close to the ends of the butt grips and the short gripped one was pretty close.  Outside of that I've not had a problem.

 

the other thing with the horizontal rod holder I should mention is that while its a 4-rod holder, getting 4 rods into it is tricky and takes specific rods.  I have all Abu revos and they are very low profile.  As long as the reel handle is parallel to the rod, I can lay them all down nice and neatly  if the handle is 30 degrees you can't except for the first one nearest you, and then you have to turn it handle up.  I do that sometimes when I'm swapping between two rods regularly (like a jig and a topwater).  I have a Shimano Bantam Chronarch 100 (the older white one) that sits up a little higher and I have to keep it on the outer slot.  The newer Chronarch MGL is okay anywhere.  Spinning reels have to be on the innermost (handle up) or outermost slot (handle and reel hanging down).  That's why if I take a spinning rod I leave it on the rear single holder (or else its a quick access on the inside one because that's what I'm swapping between).

1 hour ago, LrgmouthShad said:

That is exactly what I think I would prefer. Exactly. Thank you very much. What holder is that? You said omega?

here are the omegas and one iteration where I used them 

 

 

[A-Jay]

Some sweet rigs in this one ~ 

I went vertical in the Old Town with a DIY deal.

Offers Nine sticks rigged &ready to rock.

 

 

https://youtu.be/02fPoZHOri8?t=140

 

A-Jay

[casts_by_fly]

10 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

Some sweet rigs in this one ~ 

I went vertical in the Old Town with a DIY deal.

Offers Nine sticks rigged &ready to rock.

 

 

https://youtu.be/02fPoZHOri8?t=140

 

A-Jay

 

That's a nice setup, but I would totally catch them on the backcast half of the time.  

 

Did you change the location of the holders in the two pictures?  One looks back right and the other front left.

[flyfisher]

I have been using omegas for a few years now primarily for fly rods and they are fantastic and offer a lot of adjustability and are very secure.  They are also one of the few rod holders out there that do well with spinning, baitcasters and fly rods. 

[LrgmouthShad]

Yeah I didn’t think about some other potential issues with horizontal rod holder… I am not sure there is a perfect solution here. Kind of personal preference and ensuring that you maintain awareness on the water

[A-Jay]

46 minutes ago, casts_by_fly said:

 

That's a nice setup, but I would totally catch them on the backcast half of the time.  

 

Did you change the location of the holders in the two pictures?  One looks back right and the other front left.

Thanks - 

No Change - rod holder is mounted on the left (port) side 

I fish from the back of the canoe exclusively. 

A-Jay

[casts_by_fly]

16 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

Thanks - 

No Change - rod holder is mounted on the left (port) side 

I fish from the back of the canoe exclusively. 

A-Jay

 

Well that's why it looks weird. 

[padlin]

From the looks of the casts_by_fly's pic I wouldn't be able to paddle on the rods side, that makes it a no go for me. Getting older and need to swap paddling sides occasionally, especially in the wind.

 

Personally if I were looking to do so I might mount the horizontal setup in front of me, so the butts are maybe 18" in front of the seat with the tips sticking out in front of the canoe. Just pray you don't hit into anything.

[Koz]

My kayak has two built in rod holders with leashes behind my seat, plus two vertical rod holders that I never use. My crate has 4 rod holders, but I use one of those for my safety flag.

 

I use the leashes to clip up my dry bag and not for my rods.

[schplurg]

Seems like the holders where you can give the rod a twist to kind of lock in the handle would work - like where the handle slips into a groove. Might be a small pain removing the rods, maybe not though. May or may not hold them in a tip-over.

 

You won't snag a rod on a back cast if you don't do an overhead cast while sitting, as long as your rods aren't too far behind you. I sometimes forget how long the rod is I'm casting with. I'm not snagging anything side casting.

 

Only time vertical holders are a problem is under trees, maybe docks at CL. Not many lakes around that are high enough for trees to be a problem  

[07Rapala]

On 6/13/2022 at 11:49 PM, schplurg said:

Seems like the holders where you can give the rod a twist to kind of lock in the handle would work - like where the handle slips into a groove. Might be a small pain removing the rods, maybe not though. May or may not hold them in a tip-over.

That's a good idea. I've been getting ready to cut up some PVC as rod holders, and if I could cut an "L" shaped slot for the leg of the reel to rotate into, that might be some cheap insurance, not perfect, but better than nothing.

Now I just need to figure out the best way to attach these tubes to the boat. Could use a milk crate but not certain I want/need one.

[schplurg]

10 hours ago, 07Rapala said:

That's a good idea. I've been getting ready to cut up some PVC as rod holders, and if I could cut an "L" shaped slot for the leg of the reel to rotate into, that might be some cheap insurance, not perfect, but better than nothing.

Now I just need to figure out the best way to attach these tubes to the boat. Could use a milk crate but not certain I want/need one.

 

I used StarBoard to make a bracket that attaches the holders to my milk crate. Just used screws and washers to attach it.

 

I did not cut the "locking slots" I suggested into these tubes.

 

pic 2) Used heat and a wine bottle to flare the ends.

 

pic 3) Made a jig to route the slots into the black PVC.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[VirginiaKayakBasser]

Most people seem to lose rode while trying to unhook fish.  I did that once myself.  Now I ALWAYS put the rod in the flush mount holder beside my set while unhooking/weighing/photographing fish.  I use a couple of Yak Attack holders to hold my rods horizontally while not in use (I fish under cypress trees a lot).  Tubes on a crate a great if you don't have limbs overhead.