This post and the many comments it generated originally appeared here inside the My Fishing Cape C0d forum during May of 2022. Today we've decided to feature it on the blog. In some instances the original content has been updated and the original grammar edited.
Today's post is following a recent trip I made to the beach for a My Fishing Cape Cod event. A good time was had by all who attended.
The morning reminded me of another time when rod holders kept our rods high and dry, above any grass or mung that might have built up from the rolling surf driven by North East winds along some beach front.
Today I'd like to share some of the challenges of using rod holders in the surf, as well as the rod holder designs my friends and I have used to help overcome them.
If you're trying to fish bait on the bottom in conditions like this, then you'll want to be sure to choose the right rod holder to keep your line above the mung and waves. The sediment in which you're staking your rod holder (soft sand, hard packed clay etc.) is also something to consider. Read on to learn more!
Surf Rod Holder Problems
Back in the day, my friend and long-time fishing partner Robert Small and I were out fishing on one of the Boston beaches on hard-packed clam beds. We were having trouble trying to bury the sand spikes into the ground.
Due to the hard packed beds, it was almost impossible to get a solid hold once a fish would take the bait from the single fish finder rigs we were using at the time.
There was also another time when we were on the beaches at Race Point, and once again we were having trouble getting our spikes to stay in the ground, due to the sugar sand we were fishing on.
If you use the wrong rod holder, ther soft "sugar sand" of the Outer Cape can make it easy for a rod holder to topple over under the weight of a big fish.
The majority of the sand spikes (rod holders) of that time were light in construction and were made only of a complete round tube for the holder. It was not easy for them to stay put or hold up.
The round tube rod holder was also a problem when you had a fish of size take your bait. Oftentimes the fish would be strong enough to pull the rod holder down, and your reel would end up kissing the sand.
The only way to get the rod out and stick the fish was to lift the rod up into the air-which would oftetimes also lift the rod holder out of the sand. It was not ideal and many times you would lose the fish while battling with the rod holder.
Creating a Better Surf Rod Holder
The time was the early 60’s and my friend Rob and I decided to make a rod holder that we could drive into hard bottom or soft sugar sand. We wanted to solve these frequently encountered rod holder problems by designing a rod holder that was not readily available to those of us who fished salt water at that time.
Bob took on designing the stake of the holder to make it easier to stick the rod holder into the ground. My job was to make the round tube more usable and fisherman friendly. Bob and I decided that we wanted to make our rod holder as light and as durable as possible. Angle aluminum with stainless steel hardware was the agreed upon approach.
We came across some airplane aluminum and carefully cut out enough to make four holders. To marry the spike and the holder together we chose 2-inch round plastic tubing. We cut the round plastic tubing so that it had an open top section of about one inch width. We made sure the cup was high enough to not only hold the rod, but prevent it from coming out from the wind or a heavy fish.
Part of the Rod Holder that was created by Carl & Robert
The opening at the top was cut out to allow the rod to pass through as you removed the rod and set the hook all in the same motion.
Different Heights for Different Applications
In 1964 I believe I wrote an article about our rod holder design for the New England Fishermen. Since that time we have made them from 24 inches high to 4 feet high.
The different heights was to help keep the line above the weed line and to make it easier to drive the rod holder into the ground. Also, with these rod holders, when you were standing next to them, your reel would conveniently be at the same level as your hands.
There was no more lost hook setting motion, no more awkwardly lifting the rod out of a tube. It was a much more secure setup to handle those nice big fish we were into most of the time back then while fishing with bait.
In my basement (my "angler's den") I still have these original design rod holders of the surf which have served us for a long time. Today in tackle shops you may see rod holders that look similar to what we designed in another time.
I once reminded a tackle dealer who told me that he had designed a new rod holder made from aluminum that he was going to take out a patent on. I showed him the article I had written for The Fisherman Magazine and kindly informed him that if anyone was going to take a patent out on this design that it would be my friend Robert and I. We designed and built these over 50 years before. He has not spoken to me since.
Peace and Prayers,
Carl
Questions or comments?
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