Rod holders are one of the key elements of any outfitted fishing kayak. There are a number of makes and styles of rod holders on the market today and the style of holder that you choose depends greatly upon personal preference and your fishing style. As with fishing kayaks, not all rod holders work for everyone and what is good for you may be good for the next angler. To aid in your decision I have compiled a comparison of some of the top fishing rod holders on the market today including pictures and a brief description of their pros and cons. The rod holders pictured are all rigged on Tarpon 120’s by Wilderness Systems Kayaks but will also work on almost all other makes and models.
Flush Mount Rod Holders:
The name says it all. Flush mount holders are mounted so that they are flush with the top of your fishing kayak. They consist of little more than a tube that is recessed into the hull of the kayak into which the butt of the rod is placed. A lot of people choose this style of rod holder as well as kayak manufacturers when marketing their “angler package” style of kayaks.
When considering using a flush mount rod holder keep in mind that because the tube that holds the rod is recessed into the hull your reel is usually resting on the hull itself. If you are planning on fishing offshore waters or unprotected waters that normally have a chop on the surface than an obvious drawback is that your reels will be exposed to the harsh effects of saltwater. Holders of this style are more suited to freshwater applications or fishing protected areas in saltwater. Another drawback is that in order to install a flush mount holder you must actually drill and remove a piece of the hull. This allows for you to slide the holder into the hull and give and then bolt it flush to the outside. As with any other modification you make to your fishing kayak the more holes you place in the hull, the more entry points water has. If you do decide to go with this style here are a couple tips to help keep your inner hull dry.
1) Choose a flush mount holder that is completely closed. By this I mean make sure there are no holes for water to get into the inner hull. It is amazing how fast a slow drip of water can accumulate. The threat of sinking is minimal by a slow drip but the added weight of the water can have adverse effects on paddling in addition to water damage to any gear stored in the hull during the trip.
2) Use an adhesive such as Marine Goop to seal the top of the holder to the outside of the hull. This will prevent any water from seeping into the hull from around the holder itself. Be sure to wipe away any access adhesive and give it time to cure.
Tube Style Rod Holders:
The tube style of rod holder in its simplest form is nothing more than a tube that rises above the deck of the kayak in which a rod is placed. There are of course a number of different makes of tube holders with the RAM Tube being the best on the market. More expensive than the flush mount holders but well worth the investment.
Tube style rod holders have a number of advantages. The first advantage is that they keep the rod and reel suspended above the kayak so that any spray or chop coming over the deck of the kayak isn’t going to effect them and possibly cause permanent damage. Secondly, being higher allows for easier retrieval of your rod without having to reach awkwardly behind the seat. Instead must rods can be retrieved by simply reaching over your shoulder. This is a great advantage when trying to keep your eye on surface feeding or tailing fish. The last great advantage, especially the RAM TUBE style, is that most are able to be moved and repositioned for tasks such as trolling or setting out a spread of bait on the surface which is handy when working over wrecks and reefs. They are really durable as well. I use the RAM TUBE holders when fishing for big sharks here in Florida. What I essentially do is swing the holders outward and set up a spread of bait in an area I know contains big sharks. When a monster hits the bait the tube stands up to the beating of the rod being jerked around in the holder. To give an example of just what they will stand up to we caught a 9’8” Bull Shark weighing just over 280# and it hit with such force that it actually turned the kayak 90 degrees but the holder held onto the rod and the kayak. But you don’t need to fishing for the world record to enjoy this style of holder because the same attributes make these great for inshore and freshwater fishing as well.
When mounting a tube to the hull you will have to drill 3 or 4 holes into the hull and bolt it securely. Mount them in a sturdy place in the frame and use a piece of “backing” under the hull to bolt it to. This will keep the tube from being ripped off of the deck during transport or while fishing. Once again use an adhesive such as Marine Goop to keep water from seeping into the kayak.
Traditional Rod Holders:
The most widely used style of rod holders used today by kayak anglers is the “traditional” rod holder. Lately it seems like everyone is making a rod holder in this style but the two top manufactures on the market today are RAM and Scotty (see pictures). The RAM is more expensive but its ball and socket design and indestructible construction make it a must have for any serious offshore or big game kayak angler. The Scotty rod holder is a little less expensive and is made of durable plastic with a base that mounts to the deck of the kayak and a removable top piece, which is able to rotate 360 degrees around, and 90 degrees upward. Both models are able to accommodate spinning and bait casting outfits.
This style of rod holder mounts the same way as the rod tube and has many of the same advantages. For most beginner or novice kayak anglers this is style I would recommend. Mounted high enough to keep reels from the saltwater, moveable, durable, and able to mount in the cockpit or behind the seat. This style is also perfect for the freshwater angler. Another great thing about this style is that Scotty makes a fly rod fishing holder that fits into the same base. A definite advantage for anglers that like to fly fish as well as use more conventional spinning and bait casting outfits.
Rod Holder Placement:
This is an area that greatly depends on the angler and the style of fishing they plan on doing. Most holders are mounted either on the console in the cockpit or directly behind the seat. Some anglers even prefer to mount the rod holders to the sides of the inner foot well of their sit on top kayaks. I personally would discourage anyone from doing this though. It greatly effects the center of balance of the kayak when a fish strikes as well as takes up space which is already limited.
