265 express - rod holders

[tilewave]

since weve been talking about our 265's here lately, has anybody installed rod holders in the fold down transom ? if so what did you do.
also think i may remove the fridge & install a cabinet. i would probably get more use out of it.

 

[gradyfish22]

I am installing 2 rod holders in the fold down transom, a guy in a neighboring marina with the same boat did it. He installed lee 0 degree medium duty holders, you cannot really fit an angled rod holder unless you angled them out as well, the space is just not there and that would be somewhat complicated. I am planning to installing 2 lee 0 degree heavy duty rod holders with backing plates, but i need to measure and check the heavy rod holders fit, if not I will go with the medium duty. I've seen some guys who mount rod holders in the angled part of the transom where the batteries are, which spaces your rods out well, but I do not like the idea or a rod that far from the cockpit, and I fish offshore a bit, having a rod that far off the boat where I need to have my arms fully extended to get it is not the best idea IMO. As for the fridge, I like having it, always have some cold beer onboard for the dock, and on offshore trips I keep food in there to save space.

 

[SlimJim]

I have one in my fold down by the cup holder an the port side and it works very well, I am thinking about adding another one on the other side. Good Idea!

 

[Tunateaser]

I have two that were installed prior to when I bought the boat. The prior owner must have gone to GW as they are the heavy GW rod Holders but 0 degrees stright backs. They will be handy for offhore trolling with a six rod spread.

 

[gradyfish22]

I will not use them even when installed for offshore, I troll 8 rods and want to have 4 high up. I troll flat lines off my back holders, my short riggers are my fwd rod holders, my long riggers are my low hardtop holders, and my way back/middle lures trolled off the tips are the highest rod holders to get them back and high. When a fish strikes, no rod is in the way of another when they snap off clips and the drag and line raced toward the transom. Using 2 holders in the transom fold well will clutter your transom and with every fish you catch, you will need to remove atleast 1 of the 2 rods to make room. You always want you transom clear when landing a fish, so using that area is more of a pain then it is worth IMHO. It will be nice when chunking to get another rod out with ease, and fishing inshore, but I would not use it when trolling offshore, the transom is just not big enough. Even on most bigger boats I've fished or worked the cockpit on, we kept the transom clear of rods and trolled from the gunnels and tower legs or bridge.

 

[Tunateaser]

Thanks Gradyfish, All good points and in retrospect your likely right...

 

[fishingFINattic]

I added two more rod holders to the gunnel, they work well.
I would be concerned trolling with rods in the fold down transom, and as mentioned above, they will get in the way.
Eppem from the site here has two in his boat. I believe when I was investigating I talked to him and gave me the impression they are just for show.
I run six rods in the gunnels and two up each side of the hard top.... 10 rods is enough!


Tim

 

[SlimJim]

for me I salmon troll a lot at very slow speeds so it will work out great. Also mine is closer to the middle on the port side. Can some on tell me what the insert in the middle of the fold down for? It has 2 slots on each side and a square cut in the middle?

 

[gradyfish22]

Put knives in the smaller slits and pliers in the bigger one, they are easy to grab. Make sure they are secure, my cup holders and the knife/plier holder was loose on my 2002, I resealed them down with sealife sealant.

 

[SlimJim]

hmmm, ok wow thanks. I don't think I would have guess that one right. lol Good stuff!! :lol:

 

[Conjuror]

slimjim: I made a hardwood base for my cutting board so I can pop it in the large square hole...sets up great for bait prep....otherwise knives and pliers

 

[SlimJim]

slimjim: I made a hardwood base for my cutting board so I can pop it in the large square hole...sets up great for bait prep....otherwise knives and pliers

Thats a great idea for that area, a cutting board. Thanks!

 

[gradyfish22]

Also saw a guy who had 2 0 degree rod holders mounted there, and had a custom cutting board built to fit in the holders, thing was I think 45" long. Awesome cutting board, and was low so it was not in the way. Might be a bit pricey unless you did it yourself, but would be an awesome mod.

 

[eppem]

fold down rod holders

Tim (fishfinatic) and i had a nice conversation about this last Spring, as we both added a third set of rodholders..(in between the factory installed port and starboard)....I am a tad leary of trolling a rod out of the hardtop, just because they are harder to reach for most of my vertically challegned crew and might be tough to battle out of the holder when a decent fish is on..i recall tim sharing a story about having a problem?

As for the fold down transom rod holders..first there is no angle to it, they are literelly straight up and down..they are also mounted in a plastic/molded type material..(i am not a boat builder so i am not using the right terms), as oppossed to the gunwale rod holders which are mounted thru glass and wood...bottom line, the fold down rod holders are built into a flimsier part of the boat..ok for storage, holding a rod out to the grounds, even a bait board or net..but no way for trolling...

hope that helps! covers off 3/14...btw, the third set of rod holders came from grady so they match and are great especially for shark drifting