Well,
Made the first trip of the year, sort of a shake down cruise. I finished up the rod rack and tested it out. Seems to work well but I have not cemented the angle tubes yet, I wanted to play with the positioning prior to locking them down perminently. On thing I found out was that I have to change my habit of rotating my body and casting out to the side, as my rod can make contact with the rods in the holder. Minor? reprogramming of my operating software. Any modification suggestions are welcome, I'm sure that I will find out tweaks and tunes as I use it thru the season.
Cheers All
Rob
[inline "Maiden Voyage 2008 B croped.JPG"]
[signature]
Very nice. Catch any fish on that test run?
[signature]
Nope, But it was nice just be out. We have had cold rainy weather, and yesterday the sun was peaking thru and I could'nt stand it any more. I was fishing a local gravel pit, and all the rain had the water level up at least 18". Were that picture was taken, I parked my truck within 10 foot from there last year.
Best Regards
Rob
[signature]
robzini, I can't see the tip of your poles so I have no idea, but I had to slightly stagger mine so the tips didn't get tangled. I know I fly fish and my rods are 9' long which could make all the difference. Just curious.
Darn nice looking set up, I like that kicked back look.
[signature]
Great job, Rob. Of all the different designs, I like the swept back rod position the best. That ODC 420 is a great tube.
z~
[signature]
[cool][#0000ff]When working on a new PVC design, it is good to leave them unglued until you are sure that is what you want. Be objective, and if there is something you don't like 100%, go back to the drawing board. You want to be able to enjoy it without fighting it.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]You made a good point. You must always be conscious of where your rods (and other goodies) are, and if they might get in the way or be damaged by casting or hook setting. It is more than just a nuisance to have other rods coming in contact. A sudden whack can damage or weaken a rod so that it breaks under the pressure of a powerful cast or fighting a fish. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Part of the learning process is focusing on tube position. Always cast forward, with control. It only takes a couple of seconds and a couple of kicks with the fins to properly position yourself...and you will be able to much longer and more accurate casts...without potential damage to your other gear.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Like anything new, practicing the RIGHT way will help you develop GOOD habits. Once you do it enough, everything will be instinctive and you can concentrate more on the fishing and less on survival.[/#0000ff]
[signature]
Thanks Everybody,
I liked the swepted design of ATFISHING's rod holder, so I went with it. The main thing I did different is made its frame to "hug" the tube and make it lower profile. I plan on cementing the rear two holders into place and leaving the front one loose so it can rotate 360 (based on ATFISHING's design).
Flygoddess, you cant really tell from the picture because I cropped it, but they are not really staggered. You are right about that because when I was on the water I rotated them all out about 10 degrees which gave them a stagger (and better clearance for a spinning reel). This got them further away from me while I was casting. I plan on rotating them permently.
TubeDude, my first trip taught me a lesson about controlling my tubes position. You can be sloppy without anything attached to your tube and still be forgiving, as soon as gear is attached its a new ballgame. Last night I started looking into fins, to replace my outcast plastic fins that I bought with the tube. I bought a set of neoprene felt bottom wader/tubing boots from cabelas, and a set of the Mares Plana Avanti X3 fins from Diver Supply. I am hoping that this combo will give me more control over my rotational position. After all that it is just practice, practice, and practice.
- Rob
[signature]
I like the low profile. I can't tell for sure if you have done this or not. But you might make some notches in the holders to have the reel be held out from the tube. This would not allow your reels to hit the holder below it. And may make it easier to pull in and out while you are in the tube.
[signature]
Went out tonight fishing again. Before I left the house I rotated the rod holders around 10 degrees to kick them out to the side more. I left the front one loose so I can rotate it where ever I want. After a couple hours on the water this evening I am happy with the placement. They are not in the way at all, and the front one can be rotated to where it is most convenient. I fished a local gravel pit, caught three decent largemouth 2 on a white spinnerbait and one on a lizard. Feels good to be at it again.
[signature]