Rod Tubes in boat lockers??

I remember some discussion here on IDO some time back about the merits (and demerits) of rod tubes in boat rod lockers. I’m shopping for another new boat and would love to find that discussion. Anybody help please? And if it can’t be found, what are the negatives to rod tubes? The biggest negative I can see is the consumption of floor space back into the main floor space of the boat. Are there more? Do guides get broken? Epoxy finish get scuffed? Hard to get the lower rods out w/o first taking the top ones out?
All comments will be appreciated. Thanks guys

I have them in my boat and I like them but your comment about scuffing the rods is true. It does not bother me but someone who keeps their equipment in pristine condition should consider that. I have not broken any guides or caused anyother damage to my rods.

I like the fact that they keep the rods from jostling against each other. To protect from scuffs I still use rod socks and use a neoprene pad made from old waders to keep the reels from rubbing. Yes, you must take one or two top rods out first to get to the bottom rods. But if they are all thrown into the standard locker without tubes, don’t you have to anyway? Otherwise, if you don’t mind having your rods in a locker without tubes, I think you can get almost twice as many in a tubeless locker than one with tubes. I have one of each and put my two piece rods in the other locker and my best rods in the tubes.

I bought and then took rod tubes out of my Champion BASS boat,they limited the amount of rods and you couldn’t always get the rod U wanted. I went with rod socks now you can just grab most any rod and stores more rods ,I felt that the tubes were hard on the guides especially the bigger spinng rod guides. Stan

Bassn7 nailed it. One of the first things I did was remove the rod tubes. After busting a rod tip of course. I was not impressed with them at all. They limited the amount of rods I could get in my locker. They made getting the bottom rods out a pain. I hated the sound of my rods “scuffing” along the rod tube. Like bassn7, I’ve got a rod sock for all my rods. I can pile them in the locker and take out each rod that I want/need with ease.

If you go to FLW’s website, you can get/read their latest magazine (bass or walleye) on-line right now – for free. In the magazine (both) there is a little tip on storing multiple rods in lockers that do not have tubes. …They use pieces of “floaties” cut the width of the locker. They fill the locker with a row of rods, then place a floaty tube across the reel end of the rods – and then one further up on the rods. They can then stack in a second layer of rods that sit right on the floaty tubes. It is supposed to help keep rods from racking against one-another and getting tangled up. It looks like a clean cheap way of stacking rods, so I may give it a try this summer. I have a WX1880 (no tubes in Skeeters) and I store anywhere between 8 to 18 rods in there at one time, depending on where I’m going and what I’m fishing for. I always use rods socks, but I am going to give this a shot too. For approximately $3.00-$4.00 I guess if it doesn’t work, I’ll just have more tubes to wrap spinners rigs on, so either way, it’s a winner!

Like Bob, I have one locker with tubes, and one without. I intend to remove the tubes when I get around to it. I can keep 10 spinning rods, 4 lead core rods, my rear light, my tiller extension handle, the rod to tie my kicker to my main motor, and two mooring ropes in the locker without tubes. It is critical to use rod socks though as you will end up tangling your rod tips together without them, and eventually, you will break a tip off trying to get a rod out. Socks eliminate any tangling and make it easy to get rods in and out.

My other locker is the same size with 5 tubes. I can keep 7 rods in there if I put two rods in each of the bottom tubes. I can only do that with trolling rods though as spinning reels take up too much space. I do keep rod socks on the rods that go in the tubes as well.

When I bought my current boat, one of the key aspects was finding a boat WITHOUT a center rod locker with tubes. My buddy has one that is supposed to hold 9 rods, but unless you take the spinning reels off, you can only get 5 or 6 in it because the reels get in the way of each other.

Of course, that’s just my personal opinion. Some guys love them.

Great discussion guys, I appreciate the pros/cons of tubes, not to mention the alternatives you suggest. I notice some of the new tubes are ovals rather than round which seems like a good idea to allow guides to slip in easier. Too bad they are not coated on the inside with some kind of anti-scuff material that would not grab hooks.

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Great discussion guys, I appreciate the pros/cons of tubes, not to mention the alternatives you suggest. I notice some of the new tubes are ovals rather than round which seems like a good idea to allow guides to slip in easier. Too bad they are not coated on the inside with some kind of anti-scuff material that would not grab hooks.

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I love center rod storage but no tubes for this guy. I store everything in rod socks and everything is easy to get at and protected 100%. I can get 15 or more rods in a 2100 center storage where I’d be lucky to get 8 with tubes.

I was a DIEHARD tube guy for the longest time. That was until I actually used a boat without tubes and used rod socks. You can fit at least twice if not three times the amount of rods in the same space. No worries about bending rods at weird angles to get them into the tubes. A lot of the new spinning rods have larger first and second guides which no longer fit in the standard tube size. Those are a few thing I noticed right off the bat.

After running a boat that doesnt have tubes for the last 3 years I dont see myself going back to tubes at all. It takes a couple trips to get used to it, but once you do it is great!!!

Good luck in your search and let us know if we can be of any help!!!

I pick up my new boat in a few weeks which is my first experience with rod lockers. If you don’t use tubes and lay rods on top of each other do they get beat up in rough water?

I’ve never had any damage of any kind from putting rods/reels in my locker but if this is a concern you can get rod socks that cover the reel as well.

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I pick up my new boat in a few weeks which is my first experience with rod lockers. If you don’t use tubes and lay rods on top of each other do they get beat up in rough water?

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Same as James. I’ve been in some nasty conditions and bounced the boat pretty hard. No damage to my rods and reels as of yet.

Good to know, one less thing to worry about. Thanks!

Another tubeless convert here.

Rod slicks and a sometimes neoprene reel covers (when I’ve got time). Gonna have to give the “floatie” idea a try too. Good luck…….