Best Rod Holder for Surf Fishing Updated

Best Rod Holder for Surf Fishing

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Types Of Sand Spikes — The 3 types of spikes that I currently own

Besides a rod and reel, a good sand spike is one of the most important pieces of gear you'll take to the beach. The best rod holder is your two hands, but unless your program is walk the embankment and bandage all twenty-four hours, you'll need somewhere to set up your rod downwardly.

Salt and sand are mortal enemies of angling reels, so you should avoid placing your rod and reel on the ground at all cost. Beneath are the all-time sand spikes for surf angling that I know of. Each has information technology's pros and cons, just you'll need to choose something. My personal preference is the aluminum Fish-N-Mate 266 Sand Spike , simply let'due south take a look at what all your options are. Then, yous tin can decide for yourself.

5 Best Types Of Sand Spikes

Homemade PVC
Bootleg Aluminum+PVC
Shop Bought PVC
Footing Fasten Rod Holders
Solid Aluminum

1. Homemade PVC Sand Spike

The cheapest option for a quality sand spike is to merely brand your own. All the materials you need tin exist easily purchased from a local hardware store, and apace assembled at abode. Homemade rod holders are generally made from thicker PVC tubing than like items purchased in a store, so they are actually stronger and more than durable.

The weight of my bootleg surf spike, pictured at the summit correct, is ane.93 lbs. The weight tin be adjusted by either using a lighter weight PVC (Sch. xxx), or by making the spike a piffling shorter. Although information technology can save you some weight, I wouldn't really suggest going with a lighter weight PVC. Sparse walled PVC results in a weaker tip that is more prone to curve and break when you drive information technology into the sand.

Build A PVC Rod Holder

To build your own PVC rod holders, purchase a x foot section of i.5" Sch. 40 PVC and cut it in half. If you don't want to deal with transporting a 10 human foot pole, they'll cut information technology in half for you at the store.

On one end of your pipe, cut a 45 degree, or sharper, angle so that you can easily push it into the sand. I notice that about a 5" angled cut is but well-nigh right. This is a sharp enough angle that information technology inserts easily into the sand, only yet it is not then pointy that information technology's weak at the tip.

Sand Spike Pointy End — I prefer a sharper than 45 caste tip as shown higher up.

Next, yous'll demand to sand off any crude spots where your rod is inserted, so as to prevent any damage to your rod's cease. At that indicate, you lot could technically call it done, and employ it that way. However, I don't like the article of clothing and tear that this "unfinished" design puts on my rod and reel. Instead, yous could take information technology a couple more steps to get your bootleg spike more than in line with what you might purchase from a store.

Bootleg PVC Surf Spike Improvements

There are a couple of improvements you should make to your serviceable surf spike to brand information technology into a really good sand spike.

The 2 main improvements you demand are a flared end, and a stopper of some sort to keep your rod from sliding all the fashion into the piping.

Flare The Stop Of The Pipe

The flared end will preclude harm to your rod and reel from the precipitous 90 degree angle of a cut pipe. It will also take some stress off of the reel seat. Unfortunately, I didn't do a cracking job with the flaring of my homemade spike shown beneath. So, I attached a video of a young man that seemed to get a proficient issue when he flared his own rod holder.

Add A Stopper

Something has to serve as the method to forestall your rod from falling deep within the pipe. Having the reel serve as that stopper is not ideal. The offset yr I used homemade sand spikes, I neglected to add together a bolt or pin to go on the rod butt at a certain height. Equally a result, I still have reels with worn off paint on the reel foot from that get-go twelvemonth.

At that place are many different ways you could stop the rod barrel from falling into the pipe. The most common of which is either a bolt or a pin of some sort inserted directly through the pipe. The stopper will keep the reel human foot from sitting on the oral cavity of the pipe.

It'south best to accept a stopper of some sort, such equally a bolt or pin.

Equally far equally how far down you place your stopper, that's personal preference actually. I sort of like how the guy in the video above fabricated his adaptable. If y'all don't want to practice that, here are the two lengths from my PVC spikes. My bootleg version has a commodities 8″ from the top, my purchased PVC holder has a riveted pin 11″ down, and my aluminum holder actually does not have a stopper. Instead, it relies on a soft plastic cease cap to buffer the reel seat from the metal edge. I might attempt to add a stopper to information technology at some point.

two. Homemade Aluminum + PVC Sand Fasten

An improvement over a solid PVC sand spike is one constructed using a combination of aluminum and PVC. The aluminum stake provides several advantages over PVC. Firstly, information technology gives you a more secure anchor into the sand. It likewise allows you to insert the spike into the sand with less effort, and without the utilise of a rubber mallet. Thirdly, the pointy stop of an aluminum stake volition not bend and intermission similar PVC is prone to practise.

Build A Sand Fasten With Aluminum And PVC

Combining two materials does complicate assembly a bit over just using PVC. It also increases the price, every bit aluminum angle is certainly more expensive than PVC tubing. Yet, information technology does brand for a more durable rod holder.

Basically, what you want to practice is attach a short department of PVC to an aluminum bending pale. You'll demand a section of (1/viii″x1.five″x50″) aluminum angle, and a 12″ section of 1.v″ Sch. 40 PVC. There are several ways to attach the two pieces. Use stainless steel bolts, hose clamps, or a combination of the two, to marry the 2 pieces together. Finally, equally with any homemade sand spike, you'll desire to make sure you flare the rima oris.

3. Store Bought PVC Sand Spike

Although store bought PVC sand spikes go a bad rap, I call back they are a fine for a beginner or a tourist. When I first started surf angling, I used them a lot, and I never had a large fish pull my rod into the water. With that said, I NEVER forgot to loosen my drag when my rod was in the spike. That is a critical thing to call up, especially with cheaper rod holders.

The reason these are so cheap is because they're unremarkably made with a lightweight PVC (non Sch. xl), and they're oftentimes very curt. The lightweight PVC doesn't make for a very strong pointy end. Therefore, they are much more than prone to bend and break when inserting them into the ground. These would non be ideal if y'all fish on beaches with rocks or very difficult packed sand. I was using them forth the Gulf Declension, where the beaches consist of very soft sand and no rocks. And so, I was able to make due with them for a while.

A couple overnice benefits y'all get with this fashion of spike are that they are very cheap, and they are very lightweight. Carrying 3 of these across the sand is no problem at all. Don't expect them to terminal long with heavy utilize, just for an individual visiting the beach on vacation, they are merely fine.

iv. Ground Spike Rod Holders

* Click image above to view prices on Amazon

Ground spike rod holders are the same concept as a homemade PVC+Aluminum sand spike. They have a plastic department to hold the rod attached to an aluminum stake that goes into the footing. I don't have whatsoever personal experience with this style, only supposedly they are a bit wobbly. These are a lightweight and affordable choice if yous don't experience upwardly to building your own.

5. Solid Aluminum Surf Fasten

The best surf spike options are those constructed of solid aluminum. Aluminum spikes are very durable, long lasting, and lightweight, but these features do come up at a cost. Aluminum spikes are definitely going to be the nigh expensive pick. I personally call back they are worth the price, just yous'll have to brand your own decision as to whether they fit into your budget.

The most widely available and reputable aluminum surf spike is the Fish-N-Mate Surf Spike, pictured higher up. Unfortunately, the Fish-N-Mate seems to go in and out of stock on Amazon. I suspect that's because they're so popular. Even so, if you aren't able to fourth dimension it correct, another good selection on Amazon is the Exact Blueprint Sand Spike with Bait Box .

PVC vs Aluminum Sand Spikes

Below is a breakdown of the 3 types that I own. I measured and weighed all three styles pictured at the superlative. One takeaway I get from the resulting chart below, is that a solid aluminum surf spike has an outstanding length to weight ratio. When because the longevity and strength you gain from an aluminum spike, they are well worth your consideration, if you tin can get by the initial cost.

Type Of Spike	Length	Weight	Toll
Bootleg PVC	46″	1.93 lbs.	$3-$five
Purchased PVC	27″	.lx lbs.	$vi-$10
Aluminum*	50″	ii.08 lbs.	$xxx-$threescore

* The Fish-N-Mate sand spike was what I weighed and measured

Conclusion

While there are a few other designs on the marketplace, these are the virtually common ones you'll run into. Any of these 5 styles will work fine IF you lot recall to loosen your drag. Y'all must always go along your elevate loose when your rod is in a surf fasten. Otherwise, y'all risk losing your rod and reel to a feisty shark or balderdash redfish. A sturdy aluminum rod holder provides good protection from this, merely even they aren't 100%.

Augustus Clay

If you liked this commodity, you might besides be interested in the one I wrote hither nearly going surf fishing on a family beach vacation.