Fishing Forum

I wanted to design a rod rack for my Togiak float tube. After looking at vertical rack people have designed I thought with my errant casting skills I figured vertical wasn't for me. Vertical rod racks would be nice for launching, beaching, and in tight spots. Fixed horizontal racks while better suited for my casting skills would not be the best choice for other situations.
Here is what I came up with a rack that adjusts from near vertical to near horizontal. The best of both worlds. I just drilled a hole in the tube joint at the Vertical and one at the horizontal position. Disassembled the joint cut the slot in the tube and installed the screw in the hole through the slot and secured with nut washer and locked the threads with super glue. Because once the other tubes are glued up there is no getting at the nut to re-tighten.
Future plans include a transducer mount off the front lower horizontal bar for the fish finder and of course a chilled beverage holding device.
I would like to thank all of you here who have posted your rod racks for others to see with out these posts I could have never came up with this one!
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awesome...
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That is looking good. One question for you- those two
holders in the back, can you move those independently
or do they have to go up and down as one unit?

Peter
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I agree...awesome design and I question the two, but I guess it wouldn't matter, but it would be easier if they both were connected.
My question, do you have a pin or something to keep them in either the vertical or the Horizontal position or is it just tension?
With the WHOLE rod, I would think some kind of a pin/stop would be required, but not sure.
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The two in the back move together. The rod holders are held in the verticle position by the tension between the "T" fitting and the tube. The nut on the inside is backed up with a star washer and a plain washer then it was tightened to provide the correct tension. Than a drop of super glue on the bolt threads and nut, since I can't rely on torque to keep it tight. When the tubes are in the horizontal position they rest on the stop created by the end of the slot in the tube.
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Well done Ice. The advantage that I can see for the laid back position is that you can put the tube on your back and pack in with the rods in the tubes. I'd hate to stub a rod into a tree or shore accidentally though...

BTW, I've always thought the Togiak was a well though out looking tube. Ever fish a FishCatIV or Fat Cat? I'd love to hear a comparo between the three. How high do you sit? Does the water come up over the seat? How much do you weigh? (If you don't mind my asking).

Too bad they don't make an inflatable seat version...

_SHig
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The Togiak sits well in the water. The seat is in the water a couple of inches but I'm 240lbs. The only draw back for me is the numerouse tag ends of all the straps. seems I'm always getting my fly line fouled in them! LOL Other than that I've spent 5 plus hours in it and have been comfortable. Lots of storage is a plus. I've been collecting coroplast(corregated plastic) from signs and lining the pockets to make them stand up you can see the side were the rod holder is is completely lined.
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[quote Icemanxxxv]The Togiak sits well in the water. The seat is in the water a couple of inches but I'm 240lbs. The only draw back for me is the numerouse tag ends of all the straps. seems I'm always getting my fly line fouled in them! LOL Other than that I've spent 5 plus hours in it and have been comfortable. Lots of storage is a plus. I've been collecting coroplast(corregated plastic) from signs and lining the pockets to make them stand up you can see the side were the rod holder is is completely lined.[/quote]

What I did with the tag ends is- I got everything where I
want it and cut off the ends of the straps , heat seal it
sew together. That way there is nothing flaping around
to catch my fly line. I did the same thing with my force
fins.

Peter
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[quote Icemanxxxv]The Togiak sits well in the water. The seat is in the water a couple of inches but I'm 240lbs. The only draw back for me is the numerouse tag ends of all the straps. seems I'm always getting my fly line fouled in them! LOL Other than that I've spent 5 plus hours in it and have been comfortable. Lots of storage is a plus. I've been collecting coroplast(corregated plastic) from signs and lining the pockets to make them stand up you can see the side were the rod holder is is completely lined.[/quote]

Great minds think alike! :



...and this keeps the things in the "trunk" above water:




_SHig
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Very clever thought out design, Ice! Good rod holders that work for fly rods are usually the most difficult to design..
I also like the laid back position which allows you to use around overhanging branches on small rivers.

Going backward on my toon means I can't see the tips in horizontal position and have stubbed into shorelines for my sit flat part of a velcro holding system. Also sometimes I like to leave lures drawn up to the tips of rods so they are ready to use on a moments notice. So I've gone to much shorter spin cast poles, a few of which are custom designed and face the tips toward my feet with rods sitting flat, where I can see them. Holders that stand up to trolling pressure are also nice to have, but harder to design. I've had to work out something custom for each pontoon that I have that stands up to trolling. I've used different materials for trolling holders ranging from heavy guage wire to custom spiral twisted chain link flat bar, all of which are mounted to the frame on a pontoon.

Hope this helps.

Pon


[quote SHigSpeed]Well done Ice. The advantage that I can see for the laid back position is that you can put the tube on your back and pack in with the rods in the tubes. I'd hate to stub a rod into a tree or shore accidentally though...

BTW, I've always thought the Togiak was a well though out looking tube. Ever fish a FishCatIV or Fat Cat? I'd love to hear a comparo between the three. How high do you sit? Does the water come up over the seat? How much do you weigh? (If you don't mind my asking).

Too bad they don't make an inflatable seat version...

_SHig[/quote]
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Good work Iceman.
This is the first both horizontal and vertical tube-rodrest I have seen.
You have raised the standard to a new level of handiness with this new design.
I feel an urge to upgrade my current diagonal fly rod rest coming on. []
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Iceman that is a superb rack and one that I would like to build myself...I too have a Togiak and have tried a few other tubes but always come back to the Togiak as it is the best compromise for me and my style of fishing. Would it be possible to give more specs on the type of tubing used(not sure if this size is available in the UK) and the measurements you have used to get it all to fit on the Togiak...Cheers
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just got a togiak myself but i want to make a rod holder and i like your idea for the rod holder. i had a question about the pieces you used i can see you used a 1/2 inch tee but what fittings did you use to up size to 1 1/4 inch pipe?
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