Steve IA,

The trough down the middle is 13" wide and a 7' rod will fit, but, you would have to slide it in and out under your seat which may work. I use a 8'6" fly rod and I just lay it beside my seat. There is a ledge that is about 9" wide down both sides of the boat where the seat fastens down and a 7' rod will lay there and be completely inside the boat except for maybe 6" which will not be sticking out from the nose of the boat, but, to the left or right of the nose (depending on which side you lay the rod). They also have Scotty rod holders which screw into the threaded holes where the seat fastens down. There are either 4 or 5 of these threaded holes down each side so that you can move the seat where ever you need/want it and the remaining holes can be use for the Scotty Rod holders. You really need to go see one of the these if you can and also demo it. You could also just come to Tennessee and I will take you out in mine plus we could fish.