Best rod holders on a budget?

[pulpfishin]

Yeah I know everyone these days is on a budget, but anyways I am looking for some input on rod holders for dipsy's. Made the mistake of putting dipsy rods in Tite-Lok holders last year and ruined 2 out of 8 of them.

I have been looking at Bert's. But am interested in other input.

[Priority1]

You may want to contact Tony @ Lord of the Riggers. They have some real good deals on some Big Jon Rod Holders. They are an advertiser here also. Here is a link to their site. I think he may even have some new ones that he removed from some down riggers. Give him a try. A friend just bought some bird trees from him a week ago. Here is his link.

http://www.lordoftheriggers.com/

[1mainiac]

I bought all of mine at Captain Gary's in North Muskegon he has a ton of the Ram rod holders and sells them on Ebay as well. I had to modify them to fit in my Berts tracks. He was selling them for 35 bucks a pair at the Grandville swap meet and if you buy a bunch he might make a better deal. I have 10 of them on my boat and they hold real good and adjust to any angle. http://www.captgarys.com/ . For the price I can't find a better deal anywhere I ran 6 of them last year and added 4 more for this season worked fine pulling divers all season long.

[Nailer]

I agree with Frank here, the Big Jon's wont let you down.

This is the style I like for the money.

[1mainiac]

Don't get me wrong I like the Big Jon holders but he said on a budget. You can't compare a 90 dollar rod holder to a 20 dollar rod holder. But here goes mine will lock in any position I put them verses 5 positions. I looked at the Berts to go with my tracks and talked to Vince he showed me how to adjust these to fit my tracks and they work great. So as far as on a budget goes I have 10 adjustable rod holders mounted in my track system for 150 bucks verses 890 for 10 Big Jons plus another 150 for the Berts bases to track mount them or even 530 for 10 multi set holders plus the bases. Or even the 750 it would have cost me to use the Berts rod holders designed for my tracks. No matter how you look at it those are all great rod holders but not what I would consider on a budget. Just like wireline rods we all pretty much agree you can't skimp on reels and the Okuma Convector series reel is about as cheap as you dare go but not every one can afford Talyora rods and Tekata reels at roughly 500 a combo plus line and so lots of guys use the JR rods or just add a twillie tip and get by. If you are fishing tournaments or taking paying customers you can't afford cheap gear but for those of us who just love to fish saving money is more boat gas or more setups to fish with.

[2UNREEL]

Yeah I know everyone these days is on a budget, but anyways I am looking for some input on rod holders for dipsy's. Made the mistake of putting dipsy rods in Tite-Lok holders last year and ruined 2 out of 8 of them.

I have been looking at Bert's. But am interested in other input.

If you go with the Berts you will never look back, they are worth the investment. In my mind there is only 1 other rod holder that compares to the berts and thats the new cannon one. When you have a diver rod loaded hard with a 20lb king ripping on it the last thing you want to do is hang over the side of the boat to pull the rod out in rough water or fiddle around with loosening a clap or lever while holding the rod. With the berts and the cannon you can just grab the rod and start fighting the fish like it was never in a rod holder. I love my berts for divers.....

[Nailer]

Don't get me wrong I like the Big Jon holders but he said on a budget. You can't compare a 90 dollar rod holder to a 20 dollar rod holder. But here goes mine will lock in any position I put them verses 5 positions. I looked at the Berts to go with my tracks and talked to Vince he showed me how to adjust these to fit my tracks and they work great. So as far as on a budget goes I have 10 adjustable rod holders mounted in my track system for 150 bucks verses 890 for 10 Big Jons plus another 150 for the Berts bases to track mount them or even 530 for 10 multi set holders plus the bases. Or even the 750 it would have cost me to use the Berts rod holders designed for my tracks. No matter how you look at it those are all great rod holders but not what I would consider on a budget. Just like wireline rods we all pretty much agree you can't skimp on reels and the Okuma Convector series reel is about as cheap as you dare go but not every one can afford Talyora rods and Tekata reels at roughly 500 a combo plus line and so lots of guys use the JR rods or just add a twillie tip and get by. If you are fishing tournaments or taking paying customers you can't afford cheap gear but for those of us who just love to fish saving money is more boat gas or more setups to fish with.

Jim, maby I got a deal on mine. They where $50 at MC sports.

It looks like yours use a ball mount on them? The old ball mount ones I have on my Walleye boat tend to slip if something big is on. Is that a issue with yours? Not knocking what you have, just curious.

[Paulywood]

I've got a set of Tite-Lok adjustables that I could stand to get rid of. My wife says I hoard things. I'll make you a good deal on them. I've also got some angled ones. Not sure how many, somewhere between 3-5. Also, a pair of Downeast Salty holders that clamp on a rail. Let me know if you are interested in any of these. It will make the wife happy to get rid of some stuff. I'll probably have a few rigger balls to get rid of also. I need to go through some stuff.

[boomerang]

I bought all of mine at Captain Gary's in North Muskegon he has a ton of the Ram rod holders and sells them on Ebay as well. I had to modify them to fit in my Berts tracks. He was selling them for 35 bucks a pair at the Grandville swap meet and if you buy a bunch he might make a better deal. I have 10 of them on my boat and they hold real good and adjust to any angle. http://www.captgarys.com/ . For the price I can't find a better deal anywhere I ran 6 of them last year and added 4 more for this season worked fine pulling divers all season long.

Jim, were they the 119 model with the 1-1/2" ball or the model 119D with the 2-1/4" ball........oh the question being, what is the model you have and will the rams hold up to the huge strain of a magnum dipsy?? thx

[dcralston]

When i first started outfitting my boat i did it on a "budget" and now i find myself upgrading everything:o. Personally i do not care for the big jon holders (I have two big jon captains pack riggers and love them) but the way they adjust seems awkward to me. Last year i upgraded to "bert's" for my boards and dipseys and absolutely love them. I think i spent $500 on my set up ( 6 adjustable rod holders, 2 four inch riser platforms and two pieces of track to mount it all on) and have never had any second thoughts. The other reason i liked the berts over big jons is the left to right adjustment. The big jons only go up and down and the berts can be adjusted left or right also.

[GLF]

I run Big Jon rod holders and absolutely love them! Sometimes.....I forget to adjust the rod holder before I set a line. When this happens, I reach down with the one hand and adjust it to the position I want. The Big Jons are rock solid.

[1mainiac]

Jim, maby I got a deal on mine. They where $50 at MC sports.

It looks like yours use a ball mount on them? The old ball mount ones I have on my Walleye boat tend to slip if something big is on. Is that a issue with yours? Not knocking what you have, just curious.

I was a bit sceptical at first as well these have 1.5in dia ball mounts and really hold once tightened down I have not had a problem with them slipping running 10ft wire divers with mag divers on them they hold. If money were no option I don't think I would have bought them but then I would be in a much bigger boat sipping 20 year old bourbon while I waited for the rods to go off.

Edited April 2, 2009 by 1 MAINIAC
sp

[Line Dancin]

the ones Jim has will work. My Dad had them on his small boat. You do have to crank them tight to get them to hold with a mag dipsy. I tried the cheap route and now have two of the Big Jon heavy duty diver holders they are expensive but those two are going to be for dipsys. I am trying to convince the wife i need two more for when i am running 4 dipsys. my other six on the side of the boat are all tite locs with the spring pins and they work fine for boards. Mag dipsys break the tite locs about half way through a season. The teeth on the little disc thing break off and i watched one twist to the back of the boat and was able to catch it before it went into the lake. as far as turning them, i have never had to turn a rod holder so the straight up and donw is fine. If you dont spend the extra coin now on the holder for dipsys you will be spending more in the future to upgrade. use the cheaper ones for your board rods.

[dcralston]

I liked being able to adjust my rods a little left or right, it gives you a little more sepperation at the end of the rods when running a triple pedestal set up. I also liked that you could run dipseys out of any of the bert's, (you need the heavy duty version with the big jons which cost about $40 more) it gives you a little more diversity on how you can change up your spread. All in all they are both a high quality product that will give you many years of service. I doubt you would have regrets with either. If you do decide to go with one of the more expensive setups make sure you go some where that has them set up so you can see first hand how they work and which one you like better and better fits the needs of YOUR boat and budget.

[pulpfishin]

Thanks to all of you. I have decided to go with the Big Jons. I found them at D and R Sports in Kalamazoo. I like the fact that I can mount them without a rail system, directly to the gunwales. We fish an 18' Lund and usually only run 1 Dipsy per side. The Tite-Loks work okay for pulling lead and copper on boards so I will keep them.

Also Jim at D and R told me today that the new Tite-Loks come with a disclaimer that warns against putting Dipsy rods in their holders. I did not personally see the disclaimer.

The holders I bought are just like the ones in Ken's picture and were cheaper than ordering online and paying shipping. I really like the Bert's but the extra $20 persuaded me that I can stand to hang over the boat to get the rods out.

Thanks again, you all have had good sugestions. And yes Jim I did look at the Ram rod holders, just didn't think they would hold up to the Walker Deeper Divers on wire. I am sure they work just fine though.

[Line Dancin]

Pulpfish the disclaimer is true on the back of the packages, and i have broke a few pulling wire divers. Thats why i got Big Jons for my divers for this season. glad you were able to find something that would work for you. Good Fishin.

Aaron

[Nailer]

I was in the same boat (pun intended) when I first got holders. I opted for the Tight Lock. They did strip pulling divers. I took, drilled a hole through them, taped them out with a 1/4 20 tap, and threaded a screw through them.

I now use them for the Core Rods.

[1mainiac]

That is great Keith did not mean to dis the Big Jons or the Berts but I would love either but faced with buying as many as I wanted these do work well on a budget. Since they are in my Berts tracks if they give me any issue I can break down and buy the Berts. I ran both wire and braid divers off them all season last year and was pretty happy so I bought 4 more of them this winter. My primary goal has been to get everything I needed then to upgrade as I went along so I have a lot of Okuma gear some of which I bought 4 years ago with the idea they would last a season or 2 to my suprise they have preformed better than planned. So I when I hear guys telling people that some of the budget stuff is a waste of time to buy I tend to defend some of them. On the other hand I have blown up Attwood rod holder and Tight Locs pulling dipseys and never saw any disclaimer on them so I know some things just wont work or at least not very long. Just remember boat Break Out Another Thousand really does apply way too often. I traded a old CB for my 18ft Starcraft on a trailer most expensive cheap toy I ever bought.

Edited April 3, 2009 by 1 MAINIAC
sp

[Priority1]

That is great Keith did not mean to dis the Big Jons or the Berts but I would love either but faced with buying as many as I wanted these do work well on a budget. Since they are in my Berts tracks if they give me any issue I can break down and buy the Berts. I ran both wire and braid divers off them all season last year and was pretty happy so I bought 4 more of them this winter. My primary goal has been to get everything I needed then to upgrade as I went along so I have a lot of Okuma gear some of which I bought 4 years ago with the idea they would last a season or 2 to my suprise they have preformed better than planned. So I when I hear guys telling people that some of the budget stuff is a waste of time to buy I tend to defend some of them. On the other hand I have blown up Attwood rod holder and Tight Locs pulling dipseys and never saw any disclaimer on them so I know some things just wont work or at least not very long. Just remember boat Break Out Another Thousand really does apply way too often. I traded a old CB for my 18ft Starcraft on a trailer most expensive cheap toy I ever bought.

Jim, You are 100 % correct on the Okumas. I have an even dozen of the MA20DX 2- MA30DX and at least 4 of the MA45 DX. I haven't had any issues with them. The smaller 20s are used for Spring fishing and all Summer long for walleye. Some people I take out don't know how to handle equipment. They have taken licking and keep on ticking. I do have a couple of Diawas GL 47LCs that I like better, but for the $$$ you can't beat the Okumas. I can buy the 15s for $25 the 20s for $27. Gotta Love Northwoods.