Does anyone keep their fly rods in the under gunwale rod holders while trailering their skiffs longer distances?
I live about 3 hours from my main fishing spot, and other than stringing up my fly rods I’ve got a pretty quick system for getting ready once I get to the ramp in the morning.
I assume it wouldn’t be good for the rods to sit in the under gunwale rod holders with no protection for that long. Right now if I don’t have anything or anyone else in the truck I’ll string them up the night before and transport them broken down into 2 pieces in the back seat. I was hoping to find some kind of cover that would protect them in the rod holders during the drive so I don’t need to do it when I arrive. There’s neoprene sleeves that are about 7ft long for spinning rods that would protect most of the rod, and scientific anglers makes a mesh sleeves long enough for fly rods. Wanted to see if anyone had a recommendation.
I trailer basically 2 hours one way. I always have my rods rigged and ready to fish. Stored in the rod holders under the gunnel. I do have sleeves on each rod and reel covers and they stay on unless its actually a rod in use. Bouncing around in the under gunnel rack does eventually wear a bit on the rod fishing.
I bought 25’ of this sleeving for $15 and made my own. Cut into thirds to fit 3 fly rods. The 1.5” width is a good size to fit over the rod guides and cork. The tip end got electrical tape to close it off, and I hit the reel end with a lighter to prevent fraying. Here is a link to the material.
Thanks this looks like it’s similar to the scientific anglers sleeves, seems cheaper than getting neoprene too! It’s thick enough to prevent scratches/wearing?
@BenMra - welcome to the forum! And thanks for the recommendation on this - EXACTLY what I have been looking for. My flyrods get inexplicably tangled in my rod locker and this will solve the issue and protect them.
My rods have always been left under the gunnel trailering and I’m normally going 30min to an hour one way these days. I’m lucky if I put the reel covers on and some of my reels show it but everything functions just fine.
I do when it’s like under an hour but 3 each way felt like kind of a lot but if it’s not been a problem for anyone else then I guess I’m overthinking it
I’m in the same boat with 2.5 hr highway trips. Always trailered the rods uncovered in the gunnels but for $15, figured why not. It’s the same durable material as the pre-fabbed rod sleeves.
I usually have short distances to drive to reach the ramp du jour. I use reel covers always unless a rod is being fished and my skiff has the foam reel pads under the gunwales.
That said, I can see the value for the mesh rod sleeves for longer distances. A stray piece of gravel off the truck tires, a big dragon fly, something of that nature at highway speeds could chip a graphite fly rod easily.
The racks in my skiff won’t hurt the rods, but on a couple of occasions after running on bad roads I’ve had my lines develop some slack and my leaders tangled on the rod below them. I sometimes use fly rod sleeves to preclude that issue. I generally leave my rods rigged with the leader looped around the reel and the fly hooked on the stripping guide foot. The drags are backed off. As the rigs bounce around the reel will sometimes let out a little bit of slack, allowing the leaders to hang low. I have a mesh bag I keep a couple of fly line mats rolled up in, and I can store the fly rod sleeves in that bag when they’re not in use.
I use the cheap sleeves from temu or Amazon.
Usually break rods in two piece and sleeve then with reels on and carry in my tool drawers in pickup bed.
I also carry them under the funnel like that some.
Thanks everyone, I do also have basic starboard rod holders, so thin & no foam compared to most glassed in rod holders. And no rod tubes, the rear of my skiff has a storage box that leaves the sides open so the tips are can bounce around. I do have reel covers already.
I’m about to try and learn how work with foam and fiberglass so maybe I’ll make some better rod holders and feel better about leaving them uncovered but i think the mesh seems good enough and not expensive, might do it for my spinning rods as well.
Mine are in rod holders, but I seldom trailer more than 15-30min.
I have racking my brain trying to come up with a liner for the rod tubes though.
If were traveling those distances, I’d probably use the Amazon sleeves already posted above, but then again the rods probably bounce around more when the boats in the water as opposed to the trailer.