I have a new pontoon boat made by a manufacturer who makes Waterskeeter but isn’t branded Waterskeeter. Pontoon boats aren’t very common around this area and I actually picked this up as part of a raffle. It is a basic stripped down model with no rod holder or stripping apron. The quality of the overall boat is very nice for what they charge (250.00). Anyway I test drove it the other day and am trying to figure out how or where a rod holder should go? Seems silly to not have one since you cannot row with a fly rod in your hand
Anyway I would appreciate it if anyone has suggestions and photos or links to photos would be great too.
I have one like this one that goes on a frame member. It has holes that the snap-pin goes through to hold it in place. Mine is a home-made one I made out of a PVC tube.
Sorry I couldn’t reply sooner when I first saw your post I had not yet tried my rodholder out on my new fishcat toon. I have a Down East rod holder . ( see link ) I have the salty clamp on model that has seen me well even with 50+ lbs Chinooks . They are indestructible and portable from boat to boat. I have used mine on at least 10 different boats I have owned over the years. I was a little apprehensive about clamping one on my toon but once I found the right spot it fit on perfectly with no danger of coming off. I note that on their website they have bolt on ones for railings and pipe frames. If I were to get one for my toon I probably would get that model. Once you get used to one you would not ever have anything else. It holds both fly rods and spinning rods safely, is one of the quickest to grab and use when you have to in a hurry.
I note that the one dixieangler describes utilizes a velcro strap to open and close . Not, in my opinion, either fast enough or secure enough. I tried velcro and rejected it .
Thats Just my opinion of course . The Downeast is $30.00 plus s&h. I was lucky enough to find one locally. (about 40 years ago )
This is a link to the clamp on model that I have had for 40 years.
Ps. you can change the angle of the mount and the direction it is pointing in very easily. For pointing either to the side or to the back of the boat and either up or down.
Another option is;
Because of necessity while up at the lake and had no other choice. My buddy was having a heck of a time with his new toon trying to not lose his rod. I screwed a scotty flyrod holder on to 8inch hunk of 2x4 then we bungee corded it to one of the float tubes . It looked a bit Mickey Mouse but heck it worked like a charm. He has since bolted it onto a frame member so as to eliminate the bungee cords. Seems to work fine for him.
May I ask how you are going to use the holder…trolling or just storage?
I have a holder and find I seldom use it. I don’t use it to hold the rod for trolling…if I want to row I lay the rod along the pontoon… tip backwards…in fact I almost always carry two rods and have one laying along the pontoon out of the way…oh, and if I do “troll” I use an electric motor …
It is not my intention to use my rod holder for trolling. As far as securing the rod with the PVC, I cut another small section of the same PVC with a slot in it (basically a slotted ring) and I slide that on the rod holder so that I can turn it to secure (slotted end closed) or turn it again to open it (slotted end open).
Gnu Bee Flyer thanks for the links on the down east rod holders. I had seen them a while back but had forgotten about them. Those would definetely do the trick. I actually wound up ordering a rod holder from Bass Pro shops as I had to order something else from them and saw it while on their site. I haven’t decided if I like it enough to consider it my permanant rod holder but it’s getting me by and giving me a place to put the rod while I row. It is their house brand rod holder for fly rods on float tubes and pontoon boats. Yours is certainly better for trolling and a secure hold on the rod. The Bass pro model has a webbing strap that goes around the pontoon and buckles together so you can move it around. I am still adjusting to fishing from the toon and need to get an apron rigged up next. I am curious how ducksertman holds his rods on the tubes when not using them. I would like to bring a spare rod with me.
[b]I use Scotty. Good molded PVC is easy on the rod, plus safety straps to hold the rod in place. Scotty has a bunch of different mounting parts also. I have the TUBE (with the straps that go around the tube) and on my Pontoon I have the flush mount and use the same rod holder from the tube mount. All sorts of adjustments too.
I take three to four rods out with me at a time (floating, intermediate, a type II or III, or IV, and a fast sinker like a VII or depth charge) I hate trying to change reels in the middle of a lake.
Here is two of the ones on my old mans pontoon, I have added another.
I cast right handed so they are all on the left side behind me pointing in slightly different directions so they don’t get tangled, plus they are not in the way of rowing.[/b]
“I am curious how ducksertman holds his rods on the tubes when not using them. I would like to bring a spare rod with me.”
On my Fish Cat tube I simply put the reel end in a side pocket that the pocket system has…keeps it secure and the tip points out the back…everything is out of the way…I only carry two rods but I can put two side by side…some day I’ll rig something on this tube so the tip ends ride a little higher so they clear better when backing into shore.
On another tube I do the same but did rig a velcro loop on the side of the seat back to hold the tip end up.
On my pontoon which is a Fish Cat Cougar there are two bladders per side so there is a slot that can accept the rod[s]…but here again I mostly put the reel end into the double zippered pocket…
If I didn’t have a way to secure the rod[s] I would goop on a vecro strap.
This works for me…very simple with minimal effort…as I said I do have a holder on my pontoon but seldom use it…it’s there if I want it…I also have one of the type that straps around a float tube …it works fine but I don’t bother with it anymore…KISS…keep it super simple
I have two Sotty’s on my toon. I like the one with the twist lock, can either lock it all the way or just enough to hold secure but still quickly accessible. My toon has a spot rearward that is an intersection of 3 tubes, used heavy duty zip ties to cinch them down. Has worked well for 4 years now.
