Ultimate Fishing Rod Holder

Yes it’s a bold statement but anyone who loves fishing knows

how good fishing and beer go together. I saw this rod holder ages ago on the net and thought I’ve got to have myself one of those.

Trying to stick your rod into sand whist your beer sits precariously nearby is a situation that most fishermen have faced at some time. Never again I say!

This is a very easy project to make and all you really need in the way of tools is a drop saw to make this beauty.

I recently tried it out and it works a treat.

Step 1: Parts and Tools

Parts:

PVC Piping

1 x 32mm 90 degree bend

1 x 32mm PCV Tee

1 x Invert Level Taper 50 x 40mm

1 x 65mm Coupling

1 x 32mm PVC pipe (length 1.5m)

Tools

1. Dropsaw

2. PVC glue

Step 2: Cutting the Rod Holder

Steps:

1. It’s best to make the end of the rod holder into a point as it will go into sand etc much easier. Place the PCV tube onto the drop saw on a slight angle.

2. Carefully make the cut.

3. Next decide how long you want to make your rod holder. There are no specific or ideal lenghs, just work on the premise that 1/3 will be buried in the sand.

4. Cut the PVC tube to length

NOTE: PVC pipe can shatter so make sure you are wearing safety gear like gloves and eye protection

Step 3: Adding the Tee and Elbow

Steps:

1. Add some PVC pipe glue to the inside of the tee and push onto the PVC tube

2. Next, you need to add a piece of PVC tube into the top of the tee. Grab the piece that you cut off, trim if necessary and glue into the top of the tee

3. Glue the 90 degree elbow to the other end of the piece of PVC pipe you just added. Remember though that you will be sticking the rod holder in at an angle so you want to make sure that when you do, your beer will sit straight. Work out what type of angle you want the rod holder and attach the elbow so it is vertical.

4. Lastly, glue another small piece of PVC to the other end of the tee. This will form the top of the fishing rod holder.

Step 4: Add the Beer Holder

The level insert taper that you attach to the 32mm PVC tube is actually 40mm so the fit is a little loose. This won’t cause any issues if you add some extra glue to the joins.

Steps:

1. Add glue (make sure you add some extra due to the loose fitting) to the inside of the level insert taper and push onto the PVC pipe.

2. Next, add some more glue to the inside of the coupling and push this onto the level insert taper

3. Leave to dry for a few hours.

Step 5: Enjoy

That’s it!

Go to your favourite fishing spot, grab a few beers and test out your new fishing rod holder. If you wanted to you could paint it as well. As it’s only going to be used for holding your rod, I didn’t bother.

How to make it even better!

- You could easily add another T PVC section and use this to make a bait holder. Actually, this could be a multi use section where you could add attachments like a small table, tackle box etc.

- Adding a way to keep the beer cool inside the PVC would be beneficial too. Maybe a small cooling system with fan which blows cool air under the beer.

- Having the beer section be able top swivel would also be a good idea as well. this way you can always be sure that your beer is not on an angle. Not really necessary though as you can just ensure that the rod holder is correctly angled into the sand.

Comments

[fishing_addict]

I will actually hang the bait bag on it too -- no need to bend when i replace the bait haft eaten by the crabs. Well, only when it doesn't question the part BEER's playing in my life.

[Josehf Murchison]

No contests?

[lonesoulsurfer]

Maybe for V2

[Josehf Murchison]

Corona and a fishing pole, the only way to live.

[doctorlock]

I see the problem..... It has to be that you are not drinking BEER, rather some pissed down mexico water that you should avoid. Montezuma is watching for you!!!!!!!

[lonesoulsurfer]

I don't know man...there's nothing like a ice cold Corona with a slice of lime on a hot Summers day to quench my thirst. Might not be the most manly beer granted but def does the job.

[lynn.d.prine]

This is a real utilitarian design......

[lonesoulsurfer]

Yep - simple, cost effective and functional

[mach1950]

Brilliant. We've all made rod holders out of a piece of pipe, but the beer holder add-on is sheer genius! Your beer cooler, while tongue-in-cheek, could work, solar powered, evaporative, yada-yada, but what Aussie lets a beer sit long enough to warm? Not this little black duck... :-D

[lonesoulsurfer]

Exactly! especially on a hot day under the sun.

[PeterB27]

That secret fishing hole looks familiar, you not trying to catch you dinner form Long Point PK WA by any chance?

[lonesoulsurfer]

Nah - I'm fishing on the other side in Victoria at a place called Silverleaves on Phillip Island. Great for Whiting :)

[PeterB27]

Yeah right, the clear blue sky got me a bit confused. Good thing you took a photo of it, thats the sky I'm talking about. Look's like a good spot, you've inspired me to go and throw a line or 2 myself before my young lad heads back to school. I even knocked up a rod holder for the boy, with an added extra, some filler foam sprayed into the bottle holder for some extra insulation and it grips the botle a bit tighter. Tight lines!

[mtbike2]

did a similar thing but modified version. Get a 4 inch pvc end cap or what ever size you desire, wanted mine to be as large as a beer in a foam koozie...the old school kind. Then i got pvc that was aprx 1.5 inch inner diameter. took the cap and screwed it in to the pipe with two screws. Just drilled through the front of it so I could put a screw driver in and tighten things up. It cost a whole lot less and the large cup holder even holds your bait and beer at the same time. Of course drill holes in the bottom of cup holder since you wll most definitely be wade fishing in the surf and catch some water in your holder. mmmm Salty warm beer and cold fried chicke

[lonesoulsurfer]

As long as it holds your beer and rod, then any design will do. Gonna incorporate a bait holder on my next version.

[der_fisherman]

Like it!! Really simple and very effective....might try it later on this year.....many thanks for your idea.

Sadly the idea with the fan to cool the beer will not help much, it may even warm the beer up as just using a fan, will (at best!) only take the beer to the temperature of the air around it.

You need something wet, to allow evaporation, which will cool say a beer can.....maybe a thin "jacket" made of wet foam rubber? I haven't tried it out for effectiveness though! But thats the direction needed.

Also a small fan could be driven by a small solar cell, provided you are a fair weather fisherman like me nowadays!! :-)

Again, super idea, thanks for sharing, a really good instructable!!

Andy

[lonesoulsurfer]

You are spot on. If I could incorporate maybe a wet, porous sponge so the fan has to blow over this first, then this would help. You would need to wet the sponge though every so often as it would evaporate quickly. Thanks for the idea.

[Lorax98]

Great Idea!

Here in Southern Alberta (Canada), sandy shorelines are very rare. In fact, you are usually standing on a clay and gravel bar if you are near the water. Trying to hammer plastic pipe into this stuff is a useless proposition.
So, I propose a little "add-on":

24" long rebar 5/8" diamater (cut at 45 degrees on one end and 90 degrees on the other)
12" PVC pipe with slightly greater than 5/8" inside diameter
2 or 3 hose clamps (use steel, not dollar store)
PVC adhesive

Attach the 12" PVC along the bottom section of your rod holder. Use a little adhesive and the 2 or 3 hose clamps. This gives a sleeve for the top of the steel rebar.

Now, pound the 24" of rebar into the clay/gravel until about 12" is sticking out of the ground, and slide the new sleeve addition over the rebar. Now you have the same great rod holder with the ability to fish on almost any substrate.

[lonesoulsurfer]

You've pointed out the biggest limitation to the design. I like to do some river fishing as well and I know I'm going to have issues trying to push it into the soil and loose rock. Your idea would definitely do the trick. Thanks for the tip

[MillerI]

I think you need to revise the title. That's an Ultimate Beer Holder with a fishing rod attachment! :-)