My ODC 420 and rod racks

Hey gang, finally got my tube in today, and immediately went to work on some rod racks for it. Here's what came out from it:
Right side
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Left
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Back with both Net and GoPro on
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GoPro Mount is removable to move up front
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Both the Front GoPro Mount and forward left rod holder pivot to move around/out of the way.
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Closeup of the GoPro mount my buddy and I (him mostly) fabricated on an end cap using GoPro mounting hardware and ABS cement
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I'm a little concerned that the left side might sit too low and be in the water more than I would like, but I'll test that when I do it's maiden float and trip. The back can be removed so the sides are independent and won't need it, however... I like the GoPro and net holder mount. Can't wait to fish it!

Also, any help or other ideas anyone might have, I'd appreciate it. This is my first time making anything like this, but I like projects like the rod holders turned out to be, looks like I'm gonna have another thing I'm addicted to besides fishing... Whoops, haha

Looks sweet!

niice!!

Looks nice, but dosent all that additonal stuff on your tube increase the likleness of popping it, and slow you down? I only usse 1 rod everytime I tube. Just seems kinda bulky to add rod holders

Thanks guys

I don't plan on all of them being full all the time. I don't see me taking anymore than 3 rods out at a time with 2 of them being in use at any one time. I've always had a habit of taking a lot of gear with me on boats, and on shore, I don't think that'll change too much on a tube either. Haha. If I didn't see that so many others have done it as well, I might not have done it.
I have yet to ever launch/fish from a tube, so we'll see how that goes on it's maiden launch later this week.

Pretty cool set up but it just seems a bit overboard w all the rod holder options...that's just my 02¢…

bassfishing24/7 wrote:Pretty cool set up but it just seems a bit overboard w all the rod holder options...that's just my 02¢…

Yeah, the straight ups will be for pliers and tools and crap, Chances are I won't use most of it except for when I'm launching/beaching. I stand by the saying of, "It's better to have and not need, then to need and not have."

And since it's my trial run at these, I'll subtract/add as needed after my first run.

Very nice mod indeed. Should break it down in a documentation form for others to follow.

TheAsianGuy wrote:Very nice mod indeed. Should break it down in a documentation form for others to follow.

Thank you, though I still need to work out a way to get it higher out of the water. Used it for the first time at SARL on Saturday, and like I thought, the two swinging arms on the left side sit lower in the water than I would like. That side sitting in the water lifted it up, which made the back drop lower than I wanted it to. So it's back to the drawing board for now.

I'll post pics up once I get that side redone and if people like it, I'll post up how I did it.

looks nice

thats a pretty cool setup i have the same setup for my cumberland but i dont have the go pro setup tho cuz i cant afford a go pro

sLiM562 wrote:thats a pretty cool setup i have the same setup for my cumberland but i dont have the go pro setup tho cuz i cant afford a go pro

Mine was a gift. I'd like a new one, but that would cost more than my tube haha.

I'll be redoing the left side of my rack here within the next week. I was right, it does sit far too low in the water. So it's back to the drawing board for that side. The back and right side are perfect for me though!

Edit: Spelling

looks pretty good!! I hope you didnt glue it in case it needs adjusting

Definitely cool on the craftsmanship! I just can't imagine working with all those rod holders for myself.. I have a difficult enough time sometimes just taking 2 rods out on the tube. Super cool design and work! Love to see some pics on the water!

Looks like a tank... Ready for war!!! Good work.

Funny about the rod-holder feedback... You know how us "bass fisherman" are? (Have you watched the fishing shows when the "pro" has about 15 rods on the front deck??

Seriously, it's nice to have your rods pre-rigged before heading out. I have three holders on each side of my tube. I've gone out with as many as SEVEN rod/reel combos... but have found FOUR to be optimum for me. I'll put three in the "away from shore" side and then be using one = four combos. One with braid for froggin', one with mono, one with fluoro, and a spincast combo for the really light weight stuff.

PERFECT!

With all that plumbing you shouldn't have to carry a "relief" bottle.

There's a different of having a 15 rods deck-rack vs a 3 frame rod-rack limit. The boat is gas powered, with a floating platform which you can easily move from front to back. Your tube..well, your only movement is in inches, and a major movement will be forward and straight down in length of feet So, try to limit your rack as 2 to 3 rods max, of course, you can always brave the frontier by having the entire rack filled up just for the fun of it.

Thanks for the feedback.

As for "all the plumbing"... you're right, I DON'T carry a "relief bottle"! (I do in the boat, but NOT when I fish from my float-tube.)

As for the number of racks/rods... Yeah, I know the difference between boat and float-tube. When I had my 18'6" Champion (many years ago), 12-15 rods wasn't UNcommon!

I have a 3-rack setup on each side of my tube. I find that as I go along a shoreline casting, the rods on the "backcast" side are in the way. So, *I* have found four to be the optimum number (for me) - three in the racks and one "active" rod. I have had more out at one time... but found four to be the best for me.

I try not to take more than 3 or 4 with me for the same reason, they'll more likely than not be in the way, One goes in a holder up front (bait or slow worked lure) and the one I'm always casting is in my hand. More often than not a majority of them are empty at any one time, which gives me options as the fish is about to be landed to move stuff around, all the options have come in handy the last two times I launched. But I do need to redo that left side. I'll post up pictures of the new side when I get it done.

Thanks for the input and comments though guys.

Since you said the back of the rack is too low, you can make it sit higher by making the vertical tube shorter. The one that connects it to the cross member that connects the right to the left. Hope that makes sense. Let me know if it doesn't.

I get what you mean, I'm just gonna scrap the whole left side entirely so I'll re-work it which should make everything sit better. Trial and error!