Fishing is a serious sport, and anglers all across the globe invest both their time and money to catch beautiful fish that break records. So, when you’re out on the ocean searching for big whoppers, you’ll want to give yourself the best chance possible of having something latch onto your bait. Something that will aid your mission is effective placements of rod holders on your boat, so that you’re essentially fishing from multiple angles at the same time.
Some anglers will tell you that you can’t have too many rod holders, as long as you don’t restrict space between each one. Although, before going gung-ho, it’s vital that you consider your budget and the fish that you’ll likely encounter out at sea. However, the main thing to contemplate when designing the layout of your center console, is the way that you fish and the tactics that you usually adopt.
Anyway, here are some things that may help you out slightly:
Are you kite fishing for heavy catches?
If you’re an angler that loves to compete and challenge themselves on every trip to sea, then you’d benefit highly from a kite setup. The kite setup will give you the greatest chance of success if you’re a fisherman that enjoys the stand-up game. Why? Because it works from volume, as you’ll have a ton of rods, lines and baits operating simultaneously within reaching distance.
So, you’ll have 15-degree rod holders, that are at a 90-degree angle to the funnel, dotted around the console sprouting out from various stations. Each station will have four rod holders – one for the kite itself, and the other three for actual rods to fish with. All of the rod tips will point outwards and will be leaning away from the boat. For those that are extremely serious about fishing, they’ll have 3 stations on each side of the boat, totalling 24 rod holders.
Do you love trolling?
When taking the trolling approach to fishing, you’ll need to design a completely different center console with unique rod holder placements. There should be an array of rod holders at 15-degree and 30-degrees, which have been mounted at 22.5-degree and 45-degree angles to the gunnel. Ideally, the rod tips should gradually point further out as they progress up the boat.
In addition to that setup of rod holders, trolling boats may also have transom holders opposite the stern and rocket launcher holders directing towards aft. All of this is so that anglers can have up to twelve trolling lines deep in the water at any one given time.
Did you carefully assess your placements?
Ultimately, you should employ an expert to handle all of the installation for you, as they’ll know best. But, if you’re trying to save costs and do it DIY style, then you’ll want to ensure you place the holders correctly. Before drilling any significant holes, you’ll want to guarantee that you’re not slicing through plumbing, electrical wires or fuel lines. In addition, you’ll want source silicone sealant, stainless steel holders and backing plates – these will weather proof your holders, as well as making sure they last a lifetime.
