Fishing rod holders

TyBoo

TyBoo

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Staff member
What types and arrangements do you use for pole holders while fishing?

I have always used the Scotty brand plastic jobs, which work well enough. I look at those fancy ones Scotty makes with the stainless rod and plastic every time I come across them, but haven't found a reason to spend the thirty bucks or so that each one costs.

Da Nag has some snazzy looking holders - yacht quality - that he held onto for use in his new boat. Maybe some info about those?

I'm thinking of using the rail mount Scotty brackets in the TyBoo25, since it has the raised floor and railings around the cockpit. That, plus the fact that I already have most of the hardware.

I had some Fish On brand for a while, but with the size of the monsters we catch around here, they would topple over with a good hit and leave the pole sticking straight out the back of the boat.
 
We had some of those Fish On rod holders but after recieving a bunch of flak (from some ex 22' C-D owner) about them we upgraded to the Scotty Striker rod holders. The Striker has the metal rods and I believe are the ones you're refering to. We like the snot out of them, sturdy built, easier to grab your rod out of because the the part that cradles the rod handle is free to swivel. I mounted them on motorwell table gadget. If I recall we paid $28 each for them, well worth the few extra bucks over the cost of the all plastic models.
 
I have the standard Scotty rail mounts. It's to early for me to say whether they are worth a darn or not. Haven't caught enough fish with them to know.
 
How have you CD-25 owners mounted downriggers? I have purchased two Scotty Manuals and plan to use the Scotty Rail Mounts. What are your thoughts? :?

Jerry
 
Jerry -

My thoughts would be that the rail mounts are just about the only way to go. That railing is sort of in the way back there, but it's well supported and should be plenty stout enough.

PS - I just sent you a Private Message about that video you mentioned having of the CD 25.
 
Jerry

I just bought an electric Scotty downrigger (rail mount) in late November. Used it up by Gig Harbor and out on the Columbia. It calls for a supporting board to stabilize it. The board runs from the downrigger down to the gunnel. That works fine, the board keep the downrigger from tipping downward when I put the 12 lb ball up to it. The problem was when I raised up the arm for travel or docking it wanted to pivot on the rail inward. No problem, I mounted another board on the inside of the gunnel so now it's solid as a rock.
I highly recommend the electric downrigger. It's going to be difficult to reel in a fish and your downrigger at the same time. A big fish can easily wrap the line around the downrigger if you don't get it up fast enough. With the electric you just flip the switch and it comes up automaticly.
 
These aren't the new-fangled ones Mike was talking about, but I'm really looking forward to trying a little something old with the new boat...

My Uncle works in a foundry - he's almost 80, and has worked there for about 50 years. Back in the 50's, my dad built a pretty cool boat. About 16', with an enclosed cabin and an old flathead 4 cylinder I/O - Gray Marine, I think.

Anyway, my Uncle fabbed up tons of stuff for the boat, mostly custom bronze castings. Due to complete neglect, the boat eventually frittered away and was sold off cheap, but I snagged four very cool plated cast bronze rod holders. They're almost 50 years old, and function great. They have a unique design, not quite like any others I've seen.

Basically, the part that holds the rod is two pieces, and when together, their shafts form a cone that drops down into a hole, locking in place in 45 degree increments. When you lift the rod, the sides seperate and thr rod comes free.

Pics probably explain it better - here's one in the lowered position, and here's one in the open/raised position.

Couldn't use them on Da Nag 19, as the gunnels had no openings for the clamps to attach to. Looks like they'll be a perfect fit for the 22, though.
 
Ken "Boaterhome"

I like the look and functions of the Stiker model. My question is, can these be taken off of the mount easily so when I am crabbing they are out of the way?
 
Bill, those are nifty rod holders, plus they have a story behind them, I'd say your uncle is a crafty one

Wheeler Dealer, those are removed from the mounting base the same as other rod holders. Twist them to line up the ear with the groove and pull up. I remove them for trailering because they interfere with my stern tiedown strap. If you look in the Blue~C photo album you can see that blue chunk O' lumber across the motor well (it is now new and improved), the to black items mounted on the board are the rod holder basses
 
Ken, Thanks for the photos. I like the way you have those set up. I wonder if I could mount those on the cabin side of the motor-well of my 16':idea:. Not sure if it would be strong enough there but maybe if they were far enough to each side toward the gunnel. Any thoughts? I was originally thinking of a gunnel top mount. :?

Really liked the tool bucket thing-a-ma-jig. A real space saver! Home Depot here I come!!
 
those basses can be mounted vertical or horizontal. Maybe Lyle will weigh in here with some mounting ideas, he's the 16'er fishing pro.
The tool bucket pockets are very handy, stole that idea from the idea dude, Mike.
 
On the TyBoo 22, I had the pole holder mounts hanging one on each gunnel skirt, and one on the center of the motor well edge, as you can see in this picture. And yes, that granddaughter of mine did catch that fish, and it did hit while her pole was in the center holder.

I think if you mount the holders all the way up to the top where the glass is formed over 90º, it will be plenty strong. In the 22, the glass is 1/4" to 3/8" thick right there (both on the motor well and the gunnels), and it is really beefed up by the corner molded into the edge. A big Dodge might be able to rip them out, but I doubt that a Ford could do it.

Your CD16 has foam closed in under the gunnels, doesn't it? It might be difficult to get nuts on the inside, but if the glass is at least 1/4" thick, some good SS screws should hold them just fine. The best way would be 10-24 or 1/4" thru bolts, washers and nuts.

A guy don't want to be takin' no shortcuts on his pole holders.
 
There is another brief discussion of pole holder ideas in this forum. It is some info moved over here from the original CBTech site, so it is several messages and replies in one post. The eBay link is no good anymore, but I hotted up the Vector Sports link if you want to see what the Da Nag and other yachts have. There are some good points, and you can look it over right here.
 
Thanks for the pics. I like that idea. Definitely want to through bolt whenever possible, the big pigs can put some serious tug on a holder and also those times when you snag the earth. You're granddaughter looks like she is from the same Tyboo sturgeon gene pool :wink.

I'll need to get a better visual of gunnel next weekend but I'm sure the motor-well mounts will work. I had looked at the older posts already, thanks for the link though.
 
TyBoo Mike,

Just a P.S. from my email yesterday. I was able to get a picture uploaded. Just needed the right format and I was using the left. Yes that is a dog :dog.
 
Wheeler Dealer -

I wasn't ignoring your email, I did something better than respond to it. I forwarded it to the Head Nerd for diagnosis, you see. Bill, however, takes some time to get through these things, because he has to run the problem through a whole bunch of steps and tests. Then he has to find someone to have a meeting about it with. Drives his wife crazy.

I figured you were just pushing the wrong mouse button or something.

I am happy you got it straightened out and will be watching for more pictures.

You sure that's a dog?
 
OK, Thats it. I just can't sit back and listen to you guys slam my Fish-On rod holders any longer. It's startin to get personal :wink: I've been using them since 1982 and think they work fine on the CD and drift boat. I will admit that they do need to be adjusted with a screw driver a couple of times every year to keep them dialed in, but they go in and out easily and I didn't have a fit after dropping one overboard last summer because they are only $15 or so.

As far as the pig dilemma goes, I'm not sure what kind of meat poles them guys in Oregon are using. Up here in God's country, we catch a few pigs ourselves, believe in setting our drags to give up some line and our poles actually flex a little which together, absorb the majority of stress associated with a sudden takedown.

Actually, Scotty could make a better pole holder as I've never fished with them. I'm really just trying to defend the sixteen holes I've got drilled into the gunnel of our boat and raz the Tyboo a bit. Tim
 
You can tell when your Pub mates are in the middle of winter can't ya. Defensive rod holder syndrome, neighboring State line drag chafe, swiss cheese gunnel rash. Whoa! Deep breaths, in / out / in / out, now doesn't that feel better :wink.
 
Hey, we ain't slammin' your pole holders! It's been my experience that they do a pretty good job of "slamming" themselves.

In further defense of them, though, I should point out that they have a distinct advantage when trolling for the silvers. Often times, the silver will take a swipe at the bait, but miss the hookup. If you quickly lower your pole tip to let the bait drop back, more often than not they'll hit it again. With the breakaway Fish On holders, this move is usually automatic. Our motto down in the big river is, "If them fish aren't big enough to topple a Fish On pole holder, we don't want 'em anyway."

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Them things work just fine unless you forget to tighten them up. I got nothing against them, really. The ones that came in my first boat were old junkers, and that's been my only experience with them. That, and watching the younger B~C dive across the cockpit to grab a pole before it shoots out of the horizontal holder.
 
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