Best Fishing Rod Rack For Your Truck, Boat, or Garage

One of the worst sounds to an angler’s ear is the crack or snap of a fishing rod. Even if it isn’t your rod, your heart sinks at the sound of the unforgiving noise. And if you fish long enough, you’re bound to break a rod or two…and instead of it happening when you’re fighting a fish, it’ll break when you shut a car door on the rod tip, or when someone steps on it when it falls down onto the floor. A simple fishing rod rack will not only protect your fishing rods but also free up space for other gear. 

• Best Fishing Rod Rack for Vehicles: Tight Line Enterprises Fishing Rod Racks
• Best Fishing Rod Holder for Boats: Bass Pro Shops Gunwale Mount Rod Rack
• Best Overhead Fishing Rod Rack: Rack’em Overhead Fishing Rod Rack
• Best Fly Rod Rack: Thule Rodvault Fly Fishing Rod Carrier
• Best Cheap Rod Rack: Berkley Black Horizontal Rod Rack

The Best Fishing Rod Rack Will Keep Your Fishing Rods Safe and Secure

I remember the look on my dad’s face when I slammed the car door shut on his favorite baitcasting rod. It looked like he’d just gotten punched in the gut. It was a somber ending to a family vacation, and I vowed never to do it again. I haven’t shut another door on a rod since, but I have broken plenty by stepping on them and jamming them into walls.

Eventually, I had enough of trying to repair and replace some of my best rods. I began looking for the best fishing rod racks for my vehicle and home. Besides the protective factor of a solid rod rack, it also offers easy access and organization. I love throwing my rigged fly rods on top of my car so they’re all ready to go when I get to the river. When you get back home, transfer them onto another rack wherever you keep your gear. There’s no need to anxiously thread a rod through the entire car anymore—a rod rack will save you the worry. 

Considerations When Buying Rod Racks And Rod Holders

First figure out what sort of rack works best for you. Will the rod rack be for your car, house, or boat? What types of rods do you fish with? How long are your rods?

The most obvious and easy one to tackle first is where you need the rod rack. I felt having a rack on my car was most necessary, as car doors are the death of fishing rods. It also makes it easier to jump from spot to spot, and it frees up room in the truck. 

Buying a rod rack isn’t the most difficult task, but a few simple considerations will make a big difference. Keep your rods organized and protected this season with the best rod racks for your truck, home, and boat. Check out these five great rod holders.

Best Fishing Rod Rack for Vehicles: Tight Line Enterprises Fishing Rod Racks

Simple and Accessible

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Truck storage space is always at a premium for outdoors people. The vacuum cup rod rack is one of the most versatile and useful fishing rod racks out there. It can be used on any vehicle and will hold your rods in place as you travel from spot to spot. The vacuum cups will work on any car or truck and are especially handy for people with small vehicles who also have to transport waders, tackle bags, nets, vests, and other fishing gear. 

Best Fishing Rod Holder for Boats: Bass Pro Shops Gunwale Mount Rod Rack

Universal Rod Rack

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The Bass Pro Shops gunwale mount rod rack is easy to install wherever you need it. A perfect setup for the gunwale of your boat to keep your rods secure when cruising across the lake. The boat rod holders are made out of strong UV-resistant plastic and will mount to any vertical surface, and come in two sizes. 

Best Overhead Fishing Rod Rack: Rack’em Overhead Fishing Rod Rack

Versatile and Sturdy

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If you’re looking to store your rods overhead, this is the rack for you. It’s perfect for a garage or any space that has room on the ceiling. It has heavy-duty construction and can be used inside or outside. It’s perfect for hanging rods in the basement or garage.

Best Fly Rod Rack: Thule Rodvault Fly Fishing Rod Carrier

Safe and Secure

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These are the best fly rod holders out there. The aluminum rod tubes combined with the heavy-duty reel case offer total protection. The reel case also comes with a locking system to keep rods safe and secure. It fits a wide range of roof racks and comes in two sizes. 

Best Cheap Rod Rack: Berkley Black Horizontal Rod Rack

Effective and Lightweight

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You won’t be able to find a better bang for your buck in a fishing rod rack system. This Berkley rod rack can store rods horizontally or vertically. It is corrosion-proof and will store up to six rods at once. You can keep adding racks to store all of your rods neatly at home.

FAQ:

What is the best way to store fishing rods?

It’s best to store fishing rods out of the way of foot traffic and where other objects won’t get close to them.  It doesn’t matter if they are hanging vertically or horizontally, as long as the rods are stored without any bends in them. Any rod that’s kept leaning against a wall will slide down and possibly get stepped on, so a fishing rod holder is a cheap investment. 

Is it bad to store fishing rods horizontally?

As long as the rods don’t have a bend in them, no. Make sure you space the rod holders so that they hold up the butts and midsections of the rods to prevent this from happening.

How do you keep a fishing rod from getting tangled?

Don’t leave hooks or lures on the rods, which can catch other objects. If you have your rods stored correctly, you won’t have to waste time undoing tangles in the garage before your fishing trip. 

The Final Word on the Best Fishing Rod Racks: Space

If you’ve never used a fishing rod rack, you’ll be surprised at how much space you’ll free up once the rods are on it. Storing rods by leaning them against a wall actually requires more space, because you have to angle the rods in order to keep them from sliding down. Rod racks eliminate that need, and give you more space to store other gear.