Fishing Tips - Rod Storage

 
Millions of anglers enjoy being out on boats, testing their skills against elusive underwater quarry. Whether you’re an old salt or a novice, we’ve got some things that might tip the scales in your favor when you’re pursing piscatorial prey.
 
Rod Storage
If you’re serious about fishing, chances are that you bring a half-dozen (or more) rods and reels along every time you go on a fishing trip. This alone isn’t a problem; where things get difficult is when each angler shows up at the boat with a bunch of gear—how do you stow all this stuff, yet keep it readily accessible?
 
We suggest outfitting your boat with as many rod holders as you can, to make the best use of the space available. First, let’s look at rod racks for the sides of the boat. Rod racks can hold as many as six rods horizontally; put a set of racks on each side of the hull to keep up to twelve rods out of the way, yet ready to go at a moment’s notice.
 
Tube-style rod racks can be mounted on the side(s) of your boat’s console. This style of rod holder stows your fishing rods vertically, without taking up a lot of room.
 
 
Flush-mount rod holders only need a few inches of gunwale (or gunnel, the top edge of a boat’s sides that forms a ledge above the deck) area to create another place for your fishing poles. Most flush-mount rod holders angle the rods out and away from the boat to prevent lines from tangling while you’re trolling for big ones.
 
Lots of boats have rod lockers under the floor, which is a good idea, but without rod organizers, you’ll have an awful mess when you try to dig out the gear on the bottom of the pile. Rod organizers should mandatory, in our opinion.
 
 
Tackle Stash
What can you do with all those lures, those secret weapons in every angler’s arsenal? A portable tackle box is fine if you’re fishing alone, but things are gonna get crowded real quick when multiple anglers are on the same boat.
 
Tackle organizers are an awesome alternative to portable tackle boxes. Tackle organizers are shallow plastic trays with small compartments of various sizes that hold your lures and miscellaneous fishing gear securely in otherwise underutilized boat space.
 

On bass boats, you’re liable to find tackle organizers in compartments on the casting deck(s). Center console boats frequently have built-in tackle organizers on the side(s) of the console.

 
 Live Bait Solutions
By nature, baitfish are usually small and their metabolisms delicate--keeping live bait lively can be as challenging as fighting a trophy fish. The key to reducing baitfish mortality is to provide them with clean, aerated water.
 
Larger boats often feature built-in baitwells—dedicated tanks, complete with the pumps and plumbing necessary for baitfish comfort. Baitwells keep the water in them moving with a recirculating pump, and/or provide oxygen to the baitfish with an aeration pump—many baitwells do both.
 
If your boat doesn’t have a baitwell, you can still give your baitfish the comfort they expect with a portable bait tank. Bait tanks range from a bucket with an aerator pump, to rigs with recirculating/aerating capabilities rivaling those found in permanent baitwells.
 
Focal Point
A place for everything, and everything in its place—a credo for every fishin’ mission.

 

See Also:

 
Activity:
Freshwater Fishing
Saltwater Fishing