It can be slightly frustrating to figure out how to keep your fishing rods safe in a car while taking them to your fishing spot. To help you out, we have created this guide on transporting fishing rods in a car. These include detailed packing and transportation methods. Let’s begin!
Pack Them Safely
The first thing you should do is pack your fishing rods safely so that they can survive the journey. Let’s take a look at the steps involved when it comes to packing for transporting fishing rods in a car.
Gather Materials
You should first gather all the materials that you will need to pack the fishing rods together. Some of these materials include tape, plastic padding, tubes or pipes to hold the rods in place, scissors and readymade or homemade caps to cover up the tubes or pipes.
You will need to ensure that the tubes or pipes are appropriate in size to hold the fishing rods in place. You can also make your own case.
Separate the Reel
The next thing you need to do is separate the reels from your fishing rods to allow the rods to fit well into the tubes or pipes. You should do this carefully so that you can keep the reels as well as the fishing rod in good condition.
Author Note: Once you manage to remove them, you can use the plastic padding to cover up the reels. Placing them inside a box or container can further keep them in place throughout the journey.
You might also need to attach stickers or tags on each reel or box in case you need to carry more than one.
Organize the Rods
You should now organize all your rods in place so that you can prepare them for wrapping and sealing. In case your tubes or pipes are big enough, you might be able to place multiple rods in a single case.
In this case, you should take the plastic padding and use it to wrap it around each individual rod. Use the tape to hold the padding in place. For multiple rods in a single tube, it might be a better idea to place similar-sized rods together.
Once this is done, keep the rods aside according to the tubes they will go into.
Seal the Rods
Now that you have organized the rods, you can place them inside the tubes or pipes. Remember to keep rods of similar sizes in a single tube in case the tubes are big enough to hold multiple rods.
Carefully slip the rods inside the tube or pipe and make sure they stay firmly in their place. You can then slide in some extra plastic bits to cover up empty spaces. Once this is done, you should seal the tubes with a cap that you can either buy or make on your own.
Transportation Methods
After packing everything well, you can place it all properly inside the car for transporting fishing rods in a car. There are several methods you can use for this that we elaborate on below.
Wraps
You can opt for rod wraps to secure your fishing rods together to make transporting them in a car much easier. For this, you should hold the wrap in place to tie it around the base of the fishing rods.
Author Note: If you are carrying several bundles of fishing rods, then you can wrap the similarly-sized rods together. Make sure that they are well wrapped beforehand as well so that they do not keep bumping into each other.
Packing them beforehand can further help solve the problem of them getting damaged in the car ride. While they may not always work otherwise, it can still be the best solution when it comes to transporting lots of fishing rods.
Roof Racks
Roof racks can be another effective method for transporting fishing rods in a car. For this, however, you will need to buy or make special racks that you can easily install onto the inner roof of your car.
These racks might either be available as a single structure or in the form of separate holders. They will also most likely come with instructions for installation that you can then follow to attach them and your fishing rods to the roof.
This is a good way of keeping the fishing rods away from the rest of your tools and materials while also keeping the car passengers safe enough.
However, if you do not have a big enough car, then you might not be able to use this method, especially if your fishing rods are larger in size. Additionally, if you only have a two-seater interior while the rest of it is open (such as small trucks), then this method might not work either.
Rod Tubes
Rod tubes can work well to keep your fishing rods safe inside your car or even on your roof. You might, however, need to buy separate and sturdy rod tubes for this purpose.
In some cases, the cardboard or plastic tubes or pipes that you used for packing might also be able to serve the purpose well.
In the case of the latter, you will need to ensure that you secure everything together properly. If you buy tubes, they might come with built-in features to keep your rods in place.
For rod tubes for your roof, you will need to look for tubes that you can directly install onto the fencing on your roof. These might be more expensive but can be effective and safe.
Holders
You can also buy rod holders that can keep your fishing rods in place by holding their bases inside their hollow space. You will need to install these holders in place to the exterior of your car.
If you have a car truck, this might be easier since you will have plenty of open space at the back of the vehicle for installation.
You can also securely hold them in place on the roof or at the rear end of your car. These might also last you for a long time, while some of them might be adjustable depending on the dimensions of your fishing rod as well as the requirements of your car.
Generally, the holders will come with user manuals to explain how you can install them onto your car.
Bungees
Bungees can be a simple solution to keep your fishing rods in place, especially if you have multiple rods to transport. You will only be able to use this method after you have managed to pack all your other equipment up inside the car.
You will then be able to figure out how much space you have in the car. To create some space and accessibility, you can push the driver’s or passenger’s seat back so that it can support the rods.
You can then place the packed fishing rods in this space by keeping the base on the car floor while the remaining length extends through the space between the seat and the back.
You can then wrap them up with bungees so that they do not move around throughout the journey.
Professional Movers
If you are not too comfortable using any of these methods, you can simply call a professional moving company to help you transport the rods. They will be able to wrap everything up and place them securely inside your car.
If you have some other equipment as well, you can also ask the company to transport it in their own car.
Author Note: Make sure you do some research before choosing a company and compare prices and benefits thoroughly. This method might require you to spend some money, but if you can afford to do so, then it can be a good solution.
FAQs
Should I Buy a Case for My Fishing Rod?
If you want to minimize the effort that you need to make while packing your fishing rods, one solution can be for you to simply buy a case that is specifically built to store your fishing rods. Make sure you go through their specifications and costs before going ahead with the purchase.
If you can afford it, then you should certainly opt for a case that can make the transportation process easier as well.
How Do I Pick the Best Method of Transporting Fishing Rods in a Car?
There are several methods that you can pick from when it comes to transporting fishing rods in a car. The best one for you can depend on different factors such as the size of your car, installation requirements, the number of fishing rods you need to carry, space for other equipment, passengers in the car and more.
Assess all of these factors and then pick the one that works well for you.
Final Thoughts
Through this comprehensive guide, we have taken you through all the important steps and methods that you can carry out and pick from for transporting fishing rods in a car.
Make sure you keep the requirements of your car and the distance of the journey in mind as well while figuring out a method to use.
Happy Hunting!
