Reviewed by: CAPT. MIKE SCHOONVELD
As the “producer” of the Basics and Beyond column in this magazine, one trend I’ve noticed is the number of tips about innovative ways GLA readers have concocted to store their rods when not in use. I doubt there is any type of angler who owns more fishing outfits than Great Lakes fishermen. Trollers often use a dozen or more at a time. If they switch from salmon/trout to walleyes and back, no doubt they don’t use many of the same combos for both. Add in some perch, maybe some jigging on the Detroit River or other Great Lakes tributaries with walleye runs, throw in a few spares, oldies, ice fishing outfits and pretty soon your garage will look like mine. No wonder I get tips from readers showing how to store rods on walls, garage doors, in stairwells, behind the refrigerator and elsewhere – the result of DIY projects.
The rod array in my garage is one of those DIY builds. But let’s face it, not everyone has the time, tools or skills to complete one of these projects. If that’s you and your pile of on-deck rods is getting out of hand, consider the Rod or Combo Floor Rack made by Abu Garcia. Basically it’s a sturdy aluminum rack engineered to hold as many as 44 individual rods or a dozen or more rod and reel combos depending on the size and type of reels on the rods. With a bit of strategic positioning, I was able to stack 18 salmon/steelhead rod and reel outfits on the rack I put to the test. That’s pretty good in a rack about 30 inches long.
The rods are easy to position – no straps or latches are needed to lock the rods in place. The individual slots that secure the rods are foam plastic lined so it holds them better but won’t scratch the rods. The upper and lower supports can be repositioned, say for ice fishing rods or ultra-light combos. My planer-board, downrigger and diver rods all fit nicely with the bottom support in the lowest position and the upper support in the highest.
Check them out or purchase them at www.abugarcia.com They are also available at some retail outlets or at other online sellers.
(Actually, I’ve not gotten a tip about storing fishing rods behind the ‘fridge. If you do that or have an idea about doing it, send it to me at captain@bronature.com and get a one-year GLA subscription renewal.
FISHING TOYS 