Traveling with rods in a sedan

[Gregorym38]

Hey everyone,

i have a 2016 nissan sentra, and i recently broke the tip of my rod taking it out of the trunk. Its a 7 foot 1 piece, and it barely fit folding the seat down. Is there a better way to transport the rods? 

[Nelson Delaney]

Traveling solo?  If so, put the reel end on the floor of the passenger seat with the rods between the seat pointing at the rear window.  

[BustedSwimbait]

1 hour ago, Nelson Delaney said:

Traveling solo?  If so, put the reel end on the floor of the passenger seat with the rods between the seat pointing at the rear window.  

I'd second this and for added safety, I recommend some rod sleeves. Honestly, I've had my wife ride with me while I had 4 rods there just fine. Just gotta hug the right side more haha

[Clumsy fisherman]

I have a 2010 camry. I can lean the front passenger seat about halfway down, put the butt of the rod in the floor of the front passenger side. The rod then leans against the front seat and extends over the back seat, but the tip does not touch the headliner or the back seat. Of course, that only works if I am the only person in the car. I don't know whether that will work in your car.

[Will Ketchum]

The rear seat backs on my 2019 Subaru sedan fold down and the front passenger seat backs fold down so anything up to about 8 ft.long fits in the trunk.

[GRiver]

I know a lot of people don’t like them, you could get a two piece.  I keep two collapsible rigs in my truck. A spinning and a bait caster, not the best rods by far, or reels. But it does give me a opportunity to fish if I get the chance.

[casts_by_fly]

Get a set of cheap used roof racks (should be plenty available even at a junkyard) and an 8’ piece of 6-8” pvc with two end caps (one threaded).  Then just put them on the roof. 

[txchaser]

Front seat, pointing backwards. And I agree on the rod sock advice, at least for your longest few rods.

[K1500]

Roof rack and rod locker?

[Gregorym38]

I might end up buying a rod sleeve, it fits no problem from the trunk through the backseat, but it was when i was taking if out that it snapped

[islandbass]

5 hours ago, Nelson Delaney said:

Traveling solo?  If so, put the reel end on the floor of the passenger seat with the rods between the seat pointing at the rear window.  

Yes indeed. And it that doesn’t work,try the other way. One way is bound to better than the other. 
 

I have a 2003 Corolla and with the back seats down, I am able to lay the rods with the reel side in the trunk and the other end between the 2 front seats. 
 

@Gregorym38: I’d invest in getting a pool noodle and cut it to the size needed to protect the top 1/2 or 1/3 of the rod. It will also prevent the rod for needlessly vibrating around and potentially banging some part of your car. 

 

 

[thediscochef]

6 hours ago, Nelson Delaney said:

Traveling solo?  If so, put the reel end on the floor of the passenger seat with the rods between the seat pointing at the rear window.  

This is the best other options. If you have treble hook lures I would use lure wraps.

There are ways to roof mount and all that and it does free up a lot of space - just remember that they're there, road conditions like pebbles and gravel and sand can be problematic, and theft also becomes a possible concern. Sentra is a tough vehicle to be fitting 7 foot rods in, I wish you luck and I'm sorry for the loss of the rod

[Zcoker]

I use those foam tip protectors like you get on the Dobyns rods. Slips over and protects the tip from harsh encounters. I know they have saved me a number of times on the in/or grab. Not too complicated, either. Easy on and easy off. 

[Tatulatard]

I used to go in the back door of a 2000 taurus and put the tips on the dash and the butts on the rear seat backs and package tray area.  They end up suspended in the middle of the car supported by the dash at one end and the seat back at the other.  That dash space is free room.  Hauled 11 foot long sections of siding this way in a 2001 focus wagon one time.  

[Darth-Baiter]

11 hours ago, Gregorym38 said:

I might end up buying a rod sleeve, it fits no problem from the trunk through the backseat, but it was when i was taking if out that it snapped

what?  if it fits, just be more carefull pulling them out?   i cram mine into a small truck interior.  it is the ingress and egress that are the tip snapping points.  i pay attention then.  

[gim]

10 hours ago, thediscochef said:

If you have treble hook lures I would use lure wraps.

Or just not keep them tied on too.

[Clumsy fisherman]

Lots of good tips in this thread. I may try the pool noodles.

[LCG]

I recently purchased 3 high quality two piece rods, they do exist. Harder to find granted but they are out there. The reason for me was travel in a sedan with kids and wife. One piece rods not an option or they quickly become unusable two piece rods

[softwateronly]

13 hours ago, LCG said:

I recently purchased 3 high quality two piece rods, they do exist. Harder to find granted but they are out there. The reason for me was travel in a sedan with kids and wife. One piece rods not an option or they quickly become unusable two piece rods

 

Same here.  Work is still killing my free time, but when the time is there so is my gear.  The build quality fishes like a one piece to me, feels like a great decision so far.

 

scott

[Functional]

On 4/4/2023 at 8:34 PM, GRiver said:

I know a lot of people don’t like them, you could get a two piece.  

 

From the sound of it I think he already has a custom 2 piece.

 

using the front passenger floor board is your best bet, I've also moved the passenger seat up and been able to squeeze a 7' rod in the back seat. Butt where I moved the seat up and tip across the car to the back.  You could also opt for a shorter rod (6'8, 6'10). 

 

If you want to get bold you can get a roof rack mounted and mount a big PVC pipe ontop to store whatever length you want like they have on some kayak trailers. 

[Hulkster]

I fit 8 foot 1 piece  musky rods into my toyota corolla without issue. put the butt end on the floor in the front and the rod up through the seats in the back.

 

dont put rods through the trunk thats a recipe for disaster. 

 

2 piece rods suck lol 

[thediscochef]

22 hours ago, gimruis said:

Or just not keep them tied on too.

As much as I love tying knots, a $4 lure wrap is 100% worth the convenience alone 

[Skunkmaster-k]

I lay the back seat down and angle the rod over the center console to the back dash. Or just take a two piece in the trunk. 

[Bankc]

On 4/4/2023 at 7:34 PM, GRiver said:

I know a lot of people don’t like them, you could get a two piece.  I keep two collapsible rigs in my truck. A spinning and a bait caster, not the best rods by far, or reels. But it does give me a opportunity to fish if I get the chance.

Get a two-piece rod. I can go fishing in my wife's Miata with the top up!  

 

Most of my rods are two-piece.  Up until a couple of years ago, all I had owned were two-door cars, and it's pretty much impossible to fit a long rod in those without rolling down the window and driving with your rods hanging out. 

 

The two-piece rods of long ago gave the new ones a bad reputation.  All of the ones I've owned have been just as good as their one-piece counterparts.  And while you theoretically might lose a hair of sensitivity and add a hair of weight, you'll have to fish them back-to-back and pay close attention to actually notice the difference.  In the real world, they'll seem identical in your hands. 

 

I will, however, say that moderate slow is about as slow as you want to go.  Fast is even better.  A fast action two-piece rod acts just like a one-piece, as the point of bend is well above the ferrule.  If you need a moderate rod, then you're stuck with a one-piece.  Even moderate-fast is going to be pushing the limits.  

 

Three and more piece rods are a no go.  Two is the magic number.  

[LCG]

8 hours ago, softwateronly said:

 

Same here.  Work is still killing my free time, but when the time is there so is my gear.  The build quality fishes like a one piece to me, feels like a great decision so far.

 

scott

I have been fishing for about 10 years now. I dove deep into the sport, it's almost all I read and watch. Bought so many rods and reels over the years it's ridiculous.

 

Now I have come full circle. Except with far more knowledge. I was looking hard at JDM rods as they have high quality standards and most are two or more piece. Happen to come across some Daiwa Rebellion rods locally that are JDM ish (made in China though), but by far the best quality two piece rods I have seen yet. You would never know it's not a one piece. Also found an old fenwick elite tech smallmouth rod on Facebook that's a two piece, love that rod.

 

Plus I can leave them in the car, protected in a case, and safe from the wife and kids, and unseen to the public when I park somewhere. I go fishing after work a lot, so it's super convenient.