Make your own rod/reel and landing net holder for boat or garage.

[CALVINIST]

I have an older 16 foot boat, and have struggled in the past with storing the various rod/reel combos and landing net(s) while I go fishing. I hated lying these things down because someone might step on a tip as I did last year . Well, after thinking about it, I decided to make something...this is what I did...

First, I took a sturdy, plastic cooler, minus the lid...not a big one, a small one. This one is rectangular, roughly 10" by 14" and probably 10" high. Any sturdy container work, just make sure it is sturdy, light, and big and high enough. Then I mixed some Quickcrete, and put various lengths of PVC pipe into the concrete mixture while wet, holes up. When it dries, you have a sturdy, rock solid combo/landing net holder!

Get your container, then go to the hardware store and get your Quickcrete, and some 2" PVC pipe. If you are planning on toting along something of bigger diameter that won't fit into a 2" diameter tube, like a muskie net, then you will need some 3" PVC too.

You will cut the PVC pipe to a couple various lengths, depending on your needs. I need to bring an least 2 or three rod/reel combos fishing, plus a landing net, and if you bring a friend, they need a place to put their fishing gear. My holder has six lengths of PVC tube. These are anchored in the concrete, spaced out. I Cut 5 lenghts so that it extends a few inches past the top of the container. (I would suggest you place your various combos into the PVC pipe before you set it in concrete.) I cut 1 length so it extends about 30" past the top of the container...this is for the walleye landing net.

To make this thing...

Tape one end of the PVC with duct tape...this is the end you will put into the Quickcrete. Now mix the Quickcrete in a separate container. Put some of the Quickcrete into the container you plan on using for your holder. fill up about 2/3 of the way. Now set in the PVC whichever way would work best for you, tape end down. Evenly space for maximum strength, and get the individule PVC tubes as vertical as possible. Fill up the container so the concrete level is flush with the top of the container. Now clean it up a bit, let her dry, and presto, you have a good holder for your stuff. Everything sticks straight up in the air! It is heavy enough so it won't move in the boat, yet compact. I plan on making another one for the garage.

Oh yeah, i haven't tried this part out yet, but think it would work. If you have a musky net, but it wont fit in a tube, get some 3" PVC and cut about 30-36". When you go fishing, stick this #" stuff onto a one of the 2" pieces, which would have to be probably 12" long out of the concrete. Or you could just make the holder with the 3" stuff.

So if you struggle with how to store your combos while fishing, give this a try .

[ZapBranigan]

Great Plan until you get a couple or three guys in the boat casting lures. Then a standing net is just a big old obsticle to get caught on. Over and over. So are 6-8 ft poles sticking up.

For the same price as all those materials they sell rod holders that will store your rods standing up with out all that weight. But same issue just big old standing targets to hook your lures on. Can we say major backlash. Ugh!

[CALVINIST]

Those store bought ones don't work for my situation. It might not work for EVERY situation, but for my boat, it works.

[Northlander]

I dont want that extra weight in my boat but it may work in the garage. Thanks for the ideas.

[poutpro]

I agree with not wanted the weight, the light weight of a small boat is the advantage you have with a little boat. Maybe a large block of styrofoam would work better than quikrete.

[leechlake]

Calvinist, thanks for taking the time to share your plan, I may give it a whirl. Coming from a concrete family I always like mixing a little mud.

[Wayne Sieber]

Calvinist - Thanks for sharing that idea!! I think it is going to work for my situation too!!

[MT Net]

Good idea. Another thought is to use shop vac extension tubes, providing the rods and net fits of course.

If you have done any remodeling/sheetrocking, you have already purchased another shop vac. So, you now have extra tubes to cut down and re-use.