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laflamablanca
Fort MyersPosts: 2 Greenhorn
Rod Holder Question
laflamablanca
Fort MyersPosts: 2 Greenhorn
I just bought my first kayak and I am doing some research to figure out how I want to rig it. First up are rod holders. I initially thought I would put two flush mount rod holders behind my seat and a scotty on the rails in front of me. However, after some research I've heard that flush mount rod holders aren't good for salt water as they keep your reels down low and continually wet. So now i'm thinking of just using the flush mount as net holder and getting a crate set up with rod holders for the rods.
Anyone have any pros and cons for the flush mounts? Is what I found in my research at all accurate? Thanks in advance!
Anyone have any pros and cons for the flush mounts? Is what I found in my research at all accurate? Thanks in advance!
Replies
MPO I use a crate with a tripple rod rack (pointing straight up) mounted on the back side of the crate. I can easily reach around in my kayak to get at the rods and after a few errant cast your body quickly realizes what motions are good and which ones cause problems hittin the unused rods. I have used the same crate in 3 differnt kayaks, 3 different canoes.. but on my paddle-board I use a 30qt cooler (Engle) as a drybox, seat, and standding platform. The cooler was purchased with 4 rod-holders 2 on each side, that I removed and replaced with 2 scotty rod holders on the back side as I found when seated or poling the rods on the side of the cooler were in the way of my elbows when seated and paddling or standing and poling.
I have a Kazkazi Dorado kayak with 2 flush mount rod holders that has only about 6" clearance fomr the surface when paddling and like you say the rods do get a bath in any chop while paddling if rods are stored in them.. hence the crate.
I currently, recent purchase, have a Native Ultimate 12 and and considering adding 2 flush mount scottys just behind the seat for my rods to be used when standing, poling, and sight fishing.
Make sure you take your kayak out and try it several times, you will quickly figure out where you want things.. use a few times, look, think, try again... then drill once.
I dont go offshore, so that could be more of an issue out there. You can do like above and fasten a rod holder to a crate. I use a 5 gallon bucket to put my stuff behind me and can still fit a small cooler too
Hand grinder
For front rod holders, I highly recommend Scotty Rocket Launchers that insert into Scotty flush mounts. The Ram mounts just won't grip enough. Standard rod holders that lock your reel down are a pain to get the rod out when there is a fish on and if you have the rod pointing outwards, the rod butt is right down in the middle of the kayak. Not good if you have a peddle kayak or when you have a rod on either side.
I prefer my rods in front of me when trolling so I can see if there is any action. If you prefer to have them behind you, then you need to come up with a better solution than the flush mounts as they tend to not have very much angle, plus when you are going from A to B you do not want them sticking to your sides like when you are trolling.
Definitely do what was recommended above and before you do any cutting and drilling, take the yak out and test drive everything first.
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