Here in Wisconsin starting on one stream in the morning, meeting for lunch somewhere else, hitting another stream in the afternoon, and then heading to yet another river for the evening rise is not uncommon.
All of that requires driving around, and can involve multiple instances of taking down and then reassembling rods, or trying to find some way to keep assembled rods vaguely in place while traveling. My efforts have met with poor success and I’ve broken rod tips on dash vents and sun visors, and managed to break a rod guide off after it became wedged between two sections of my SUV’s rear seat. Needless to say, I’ve been looking for a rod rack solution.
The Rodmounts Rod-Up rack system provides exactly what I’ve been looking for. The system involves two interior brackets which are easily installed and removed. The rear bracket is a full, adjustable bar system that spans across the vehicle and affixes to side windows using suction cups. After applying a little moisture, the suctions cups stayed solidly in place, and did not move during a recent 10-plus-hour trip. Sliding rod mounts affix to the rear bar which are well designed and use rubber mounting bands to keep rods secure and immobilized. The front bracket mounts to the passenger seat’s headrest bars. Hand adjustable set screws allowed the bracket to be mounted securely, with no play.
The front bracket has a standard foam mount which holds rods very securely. The system allows rods to be mounted up near the vehicle’s ceilings, or lower. My SUV’s dimensions require that I mount rods just above seat level in order to allow rods to fit without bending into windows. I found that the system held rods securely, and I was not forced to endure swinging rods or annoying clicks from rod tips hitting surfaces within my vehicle.
I am a true believer in the Rodmounts Rod-Up system. It allows anglers to keep rods assembled making trips easier. It also protects rods, and it protects fishing trips from being ruined by a broken tip. It’s simply a great product.
—Henry E. Koltz