What have you found that works best? My garage is packed and I hate to take up the wall space of a horizontal rod holder. So I’m thinking of either a stand that goes on the floor or maybe one of those that hooks onto the inside of the garage door? Has anyone had experience with those? I think a ceiling mounted one would make it too much of a pain to use.
What do you use?
Ceiling guy here. My rods mostly stay in boat once I am in full open water mode. Garage door mount would scare me.
I used a homemade version for a while at one point before I had a boat.
It’s PVC plastic tubing cut into 12 inch sections. I then wrapped all of them together with duct tape. Pretty cheap way to do it but it was very effective. You can add more to it easily if you need to as well. The rods/reels just sit vertically in the tubing on their own when not in use right on the floor.
Wish I still had a photo of it. I tossed it when I bought a boat and kept my stuff in there instead.
gim is the base weighted? I would be afraid it would tip over. That would be my luck. 
I use a ceiling mount and can reach them with a step stool.
I used a homemade version for a while at one point before I had a boat.
It’s PVC plastic tubing cut into 12 inch sections. I then wrapped all of them together with duct tape. Pretty cheap way to do it but it was very effective. You can add more to it easily if you need to as well. The rods/reels just sit vertically in the tubing on their own when not in use right on the floor.
Wish I still had a photo of it. I tossed it when I bought a boat and kept my stuff in there instead.
It wasn’t weighted. It was sturdy. Never worried about it falling over. Stick the butt ends of the rods in evenly amongst the pvc tubes and it should be fine. I always put my bait casters near the middle and my spinning ones on the outside.
There’s a hundred ways to skin a cat. If you have the ceiling clearance to keep rods vertical here’s a couple ideas.
For a mobile rack, buy a bunch of PVC tees, some 90’s and some pipe. PVC use to be next-to-free, but you can still build a nice rack for $100 or so depending on how many you want to store.
Another option that is more permanent and takes little more handy-work and tools is a pair of 2X12’s mounted on the wall horizontally with shelf brackets. The upper one you drill and router holes through, the lower one you drill/recess holes part way through. The vertical space between them depends on the length from the reel seat to the rod butt. Depending on your rod/reel size you can make three or four rows deep of combos and make it two feet long or twenty feet long.
Ceiling holders work great if you park the boat directly under them and can easily reach what you want. If you need a ladder to get to them it becomes a pain in the butt, but it does work great to keep them out of harm’s way if you’re limited on space.
I’ve built my own ceiling holders before out of 1″x4″ pine and drilled/routered the holes, with opposite/alternating holes having a “U” cut into them with a jigsaw. Again, they work great if you park under them and they’re easily accessible.
I can post some pics sometime if you’d like.
I have near 40 rods or something in that ball park, I hang them all on my garage ceiling. Don’t want them on the wall. I built rod holders out of 2x4s I had left over from a job and hang them in order of spieceis, so sunny and crappie rods, then walleye, then bass and Musky stuff then fly fishing and trolling. I use a step ladder to get to them and it’s pretty simple. Saves space and I can add on to it. You could use much smaller lumber, I just had 2x4s in my truck.
I keep mine on the garage ceiling. We have about 30 rods total. I have my rods in one spot the kids are in another. I have a lower ceiling in the garage so a step stool works good to get at them.
The garage ceiling right above the boat.
Terrible picture but pvc ceiling mount. 4 mounting feet, 4 elbows, 1 piece of pipe, can of glue and about 20 minutes to build. I have each one hold 15 rods.
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Garage ceiling for me too. Made out of pine 1x4s, cheap, easy and out of the way.
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I bought a 5 foot stick of pvc and a 1×4. I cut the pvc up into 3 inch sections and screwed them to the board. Screwed the board to the bottom of a rafter. Then used tea cup hooks screwed into the rafter 4 foot away from the pvc holders to hold the rod tips up.
Ceiling mount. I used a couple pieces of lattice I had left over from skirting the bottom of the garden shed. Just space the lattice a couple feet apart on the ceiling and run the rods through the holes. Works great.
This isn’t mine but the same idea.
Ceiling guy here also, its the perfect height to be standing in the boat and get down which ever rods I want for the day
My ice rods are on the side wall about head high
I am too short to do the ceiling without using a ladder and didn’t want something hanging way down in the way. I have my open water rods hanging horizontal on the wall. I attached a metal bracket on each of the studs and have metal shelf hangers that slide into the brackets for adjustability. I added a 2×4 to the bracket to extend it out 24”. There are 10-16 rods on each row. I can easily pull the back one out without moving the others. My brother put his rods on the ceiling and it takes up way more space than this. Which is fine if you don’t use your ceiling. I find the closed loops or lattice to be a pain to get your rods in and out of. All the tackle boxes are stored under the rods in bags so I can easily pull out the 3700 boxes I need. For my hard water rods I took a couple of boards, drilled 1.5” holes in it, and cut it in half. Lined the inside of the holes with felt and mounted it on the wall. There is a guy that makes rod holders just like this and offers them for sale normally in the fall here on IDO.
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My brother used the half j-hook with a nail into the rafters. Smaller ones for the tip and large for the handle. About $12 for 25 rods. https://www.homedepot.com/p/The-Plumber-s-Choice-1-in-Half-Clamp-J-Hook-with-Nail-for-PEX-Tubing-Pipe-Support-50-Pack-HC00150/306307285
I dont have a sheetrocked ceiling so when I want to store them I just lay them across the trusses above the boat. Generally they are in the boat most of the time. I do have many I dont use so those are stored, musky rods are in a rod system on the side wall collecting dust.
I dont have a sheetrocked ceiling so when I want to store them I just lay them across the trusses above the boat.
My last house was like that. That is where I stored them in the off season when they weren’t being used.
It really depends on how many rods that you have. I have both vertical and horizontal wall mount along with ceiling mount.
I prefer wall mount horizontal (single layered) but this takes up quite a bit of wall space. I looked at shelf brackets that would allow horizontal wall mount and allow for several rods per layer but I did not like the visual of this style.
I am not fond of vertical mount for a garage. If you leave the reels attached then the reels are then fairly close to the ground and they typically get dirtier than the other options. I consider this to be a short term option or for rods only.
If you have a lot of rods the ceiling mount is most efficient. I prefer a nice looking option as weedis has pictured on his post which is similar to mine.
The rods that I use most are either not in any of these holders or in the horizontal wall mount. But with the number of rods that I have I find the ceiling mount to be a must.
It does not take much effort to make something that looks nice for either of these mounting styles. Sorry, but no lattice hanging from my ceiling…
My garage ceiling is too tall to reach easily from the boat parked beneath, so I have them stored in a rack horizontally on the sidewall. They alternate direction to fit more. I think that setup probably holds 20 rods or so. I strategically back the boat in about 6-8″ from the sidewall of the garage so that I can grab whatever I need from the boat.
There are 4 or 5 rods that never leave the rod locker that are rigged with basic things (lindy rig, slip bobber, snap lock for casting cranks, etc) and then I throw in the other 7-8 based on what the plans are for the day.
The garage ceiling right above the boat.
As many have said, this is the way
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Nice garage there tswoboda. Very organized.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Pat K wrote:</div>
The garage ceiling right above the boat.As many have said, this is the way
Rod storage? I am more interested in you portable fish house storage shown in your picture. 
I have been neglecting this subject and my portable is still in the back of the truck (have topper). Your looks nice and seems like a good project for me.
rod storage? I am more interested in you portable fish house storage shown in your picture.
I have been neglecting this subject and my portable is still in the back of the truck (have topper). Your looks nice and seems like a good project for me.
I did the same thing for my buddy and want to do it in my garage with an electric winch. Start by parking your truck in your garage, stand in the bed, and look up. That is where it needs to go. A couple of 2x4s, some pulleys, and Harbor Freight winch for the win. I would also add something to the trusses for the extra weight. The trick is to set it up so it drops right to where it should be in the bed. I have to put it on the side where my wife parks since I don’t have the height to drive my truck under the ice house when it is on the ceiling. You might have a problem with the topper.
One can always put a towel over the reels to keep them cleaner. The rod wipes off easily.
Yeah pretty simple. The big Otter is just a 2×4 frame that fits tight under the lip of the sled and then a kayak hoist to lift it. The 1-man house is the same setup but sits on one of those hitch cargo racks you see on minivans. I only use the hitch cargo rack on my snowmobile so it can be stored for the summer.
I just worry about dust and dirt getting in the reels and such hanging in the garage.
I just worry about dust and dirt getting in the reels and such hanging in the garage.
Use them year round and you don’t have to worry about dust 
For those that do sit (like my trolling rods) I just hit them with some compressed air at the start of the warm season, run all the line out once or twice, and haven’t really had issues.
Rod storage? I am more interested in you portable fish house storage shown in your picture.
I have been neglecting this subject and my portable is still in the back of the truck (have topper). Your looks nice and seems like a good project for me.
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Rod Storage?
Portable Fish House Storage?
I am more interested in that sweet Tuffy rig. I may be biased, but Tuffy boats could be the most underrated rigs out there. They are reliable, durable fish catching machines.
I am more interested in that sweet Tuffy rig. I may be biased, but Tuffy boats could be the most underrated rigs out there. They are reliable, durable fish catching machines.
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Yep, you are correct. I contemplated Tuffy with my last purchase but they do not make it very easy to get excited about buying one. Their website has very limited information. I had to call to obtain specs on their tiller model. Do they even have any dealers or just buy direct?
Here are a few ideas for you.
https://www.ifish.net/threads/rod-storage-for-the-house-garage.1601027/page-2
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