Staff, Courtesy of Brocraft
As someone who has broken multiple fishing rods by just virtue of tossing them into my vehicle, I can strongly advocate for a good fishing rod holder for your car or truck. Fishing rods are meant to bend, not break, but it doesn’t take much to damage their delicate parts, tangle line, or snag hooks.
A good vehicle-mounted rod holder keeps your fishing rod protected and separate from doors, tailgates, toolboxes, and everything else that can conspire to do damage to your precious and pricey fishing rod.
Type of Rod Holders
Most vehicle-mounted rod holders are one of two types: an enclosed case or an open rack (usually secured with some kind of strap or clamp).
Enclosed Cases
These hard cases offer the best protection for your rods and are often internally padded, with separate compartments for each rod. The downside is that enclosed cases are usually significantly more expensive than simpler, open racks and thus are typically reserved for more serious anglers willing to spend to maximally protect their rods.
Open Racks
This type of rack comes in many different configurations and styles, and offers a way to keep rods out of harm’s way without the cost that comes with a hard case. The primary downside of an open rack is that, depending where it’s mounted, it can expose your fishing rods to weather—or to each other, as they could bump together during transit. However, as you’ll see in our picks below, open racks are available with a variety of mounting locations and types, including a couple that fit inside your vehicle.
Mounting System
Many of our picks below utilize a universal mount, but if you already have a roof rack of some kind, you’ll want to shop with your preferred mount in mind. Racks from brands such as Yakima and Thule can work with most universal mounts, but if you have a rack that uses a particular type of accessory mount such as a C-channel, T-channel, or other, it may be better to shop for a rod holder that’s designed to work with your rack’s system.
Marty Williams, owner of trailer, cargo, and rack system dealer Let’s Go Aero, says rod holder shoppers should start by determining what rack system, if any, they have in place. Truck and SUV owners are most likely to already have a mounting system on their vehicle. “If the customer has an SUV, a typical roof bar system is the best choice for a rod holder. If the customer has a pickup, then the choice comes down to either a full overhead ladder rack or a clamp/channel mount system such as a Nelson,” says Williams.
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He says trucks mostly fall into two categories: domestic trucks that usually don’t have a built-in truck-bed mounting system and import truck brands such as Toyota and Nissan, which usually come with a rail system built to accept different rack/mounting accessories. Trucks with a topper can accept a roof rack system and operate more like an SUV.
If you keep your truck bed open, you can use a variety of mounting systems to add a rod holder without needing a topper or overhead rack. Let’s Go Aero’s Nelson mounting systems mount either to the bed directly with a clamp or via the truck’s built-in mounting channel.
How We Selected
My selections here were based on conversations with fishing outfitters, vehicle accessory dealer Let’s Go Aero, and my years of experience fishing across the U.S. I grew up fishing mostly bass in New York’s Finger Lakes region, shorecasted and spearfished for saltwater species while living in Hawaii, and now I fish almost exclusively for trout in Colorado’s Rocky Mountains. When hiking to fish, I use a hard case that straps to my backpack and when driving to fish, I use a hard case mounted inside my truck topper.
We focused our selections on the most common options in North America that anglers will find stocked online, in fishing-specific retailers, and in the more popular big-box stores. Our category picks offer guidance if you’ve already narrowed down your search.
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