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Are you looking for an easy and secure way to safely transport your rods and reels when heading to your favorite fishing destinations?
Then investing in a fishing rod holder for your vehicle is a must.
There are all types of fishing rod holders to consider for your vehicle. But, before you make your purchase, you’ll need to ask yourself a few questions.
Questions like, what type of vehicle will I be using for my fishing trips? Do I want to store my rods on the inside of the vehicle or the outside?
What types of rods do I have? Can my rods be broken down and made smaller for transport?
These kinds of questions are a few of the critical factors to consider before purchasing a new fishing rod holder for your vehicle.
Let us take a closer look at these different factors to consider as well as share with you my favorite fishing rod holders currently on the market.
I have provided a selection for you of both in the vehicle and outside of the vehicle holders, as well as holders that work for all different vehicle types.
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5 Best Fishing Rod Holders for Car, Truck, SUV
I will breakdown all the specifications and details about each of these fishing rod holders for vehicles later in the article.
But, for those of you just looking for the list, here is a quick peek at my top five fishing rod holders for vehicles.
Last update on 2021-02-13 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Why Use a Fishing Rod Holder for Your Vehicle?
Using any type of fishing rod holder is a smart idea to protect your rods and reels as well as to keep them from getting tangled with one another when they are packed up for transport.
Have you ever broken down your rods, placed them next to each other in the trunk of your car, only to find the fishing line tangled around each of the different rods?
Not a fun way to start your fishing trip.
A rod holder allows you to keep your fishing rods separate, organized, and protected from each other.
They also prevent other pieces of gear shifting and landing on your rods during a bumpy car ride.
What to Look for in a Rod Holder for Your Car, Truck, SUV?
There are several factors to consider when choosing a new fishing rod holder for your vehicle.
Factors like the type of vehicle you have, where you will be driving, whether you want to mount your rods inside or outside of your vehicle, and what your budget is.
All of these questions matter, and you should consider them before making your purchase. Let us take a closer look at some of these factors.
Type of Rods and Reels
This is simple. Some rod racks are not designed for certain types of reels or rod reel combinations.
Make sure to read the product description carefully to determine if your rod types will fit into the rack.
Additionally, some racks you will notice are only designed for rods that can be broken down into smaller parts rather than storing the rod in its complete form.
Keep this in mind when reading the product specifications for each rod holder.
Type of Vehicle
The type of vehicle does not always matter as most rod holders should be compatible with all vehicle types. However, make sure that is the case before purchasing
Some rod holders might be designed specifically for cars because they are smaller, and the length of the vehicle is shorter as well.
If you drive a pickup truck, you should be able to use most rod holders if you plan to lay them down in the bed of the truck and use the rack to keep them from moving around during transit.
Inside or Outside of the Vehicle Fishing Rod Holders
Storing your rods on the outside of your vehicle is great for freeing up space inside your vehicle for other gear and passengers.
However, other things like weather and theft potential then become a factor.
There are several different types of inside the vehicle fishing rod holders on the market. Some go along the ceiling of your vehicle.
These would be best for an SUV or van where the vehicle length is much longer.
There are some rod holders designed for inside the vehicle that will store your rods horizontally and attached to the back of the driver and front passenger seat.
If you have a smaller car and you are looking at inside the vehicle rod holders, make sure your rods can be broken down into smaller pieces to properly fit in these types of holders.
Durability
Make sure you purchase a fishing rod holder for your vehicle that is constructed from durable materials.
And if it is intended to be installed on the outside of your vehicle, make sure it’s weather resistant and will not rust.
Inside the vehicle rod holders give you more freedom for material type, but you still will want something strong that will last you a long time.
Affordability
A new fishing rod holder for your roof rack or an inside the vehicle rod holder should not cost you a terrible amount of money.
You should pay something that is within an acceptable range for the material types, how many rods it holds, and whether it is multifunctional or simply a rod holder.
Be smart and do your research!
5 Fishing Rod Holders for Your Car, Truck, or SUV Reviewed
Here are the top fishing rod holders racks on the market today
Tight Line Enterprises Fishing Rod Racks for Vehicles
The Tight Line Enterprises’ fishing rod racks are made from durable powder-coated steel and can fit on any vehicle type. Use this rod holder on a car, SUV, or in the back of a pickup truck.
The Tight Lines Enterprises’ fishing rod racks come in three different variations. A fully magnetic variation, a half vacuum cup half magnet version, and a full vacuum cup variation.
The magnets will only connect properly to full metal vehicles and will not work with aluminum or fiberglass vehicles. For aluminum and fiberglass vehicles, use the full vacuum cup variation.
To install, simply secure the base rack of the rod holder to the hood of your car or SUV using the magnets or the vacuum cups.
Next, the top portion of the roof rack attaches the same way to the hood of your vehicle.
Now you are ready to insert your rods in the holder. These are compatible with all rod and reel types and it holds up to four rod and reel combos.
Warning! These are not meant for extended travel over 55 miles per hour. If you are driving around town, from lake to lake, or on country roads, you will be fine.
Any extended period of time driving high speeds on the freeway and you risk the rack breaking its seal from your vehicle and flying off.
Pros: Constructed from heavy-duty powder-coated steel. Has the option of magnetic or vacuum cup seal. Easy to install and remove. Frees up space inside your vehicle.
Cons: Not designed for freeway driving or high speeds.
WIOR Car Fishing Pole Holder Rack
The WIOR fishing pole holder is a simple, affordable, and genius way to safely store your fishing rods inside your vehicle.
The WIOR fishing pole holder stores your rods against the ceiling of your vehicle and works with any vehicle type.
Installation is simple. There are two pieces to the rod holder. Attach the ends of one of the pieces to the ceiling handles above the driver seat and the passenger seat. The width is adjustable.
Take the second piece and install the two ends to the ceiling handles above the two back passenger seat windows. Adjust the width accordingly.
Note: If there are not four handles in the vehicle, you can buy and attach suction cups to stick to the window to secure the straps.
Now, simply place the rods on top of the two pieces, with the reels in the rear, and secure them with the designated Velcro nylon fasteners.
This holder can store up to five rod and reel combos and works with all vehicle types.
Pros: Versatile. Adjustable. Works with all vehicle types. Constructed with durable nylon material. Holds up to five rod and reel combos.
Cons: Additional parts need to be purchased if the vehicle is not equipped with handles.
Hapo Fishing Rod Holder Rest Car Carrier for Vehicle Backseat
This fishing rod holder brought to us by Hapo is an ultra-convenient way to store your fishing rods inside the vehicle while in transit.
Simply attach one of the rod holders to the driver seat and the other to the passenger seat.
These are adjustable and work for any vehicle type. Holds up to three rods and is constructed from ultra-durable nylon cloth with neoprene rod wraps.
The rods must be able to be broken down to fit properly.
Pros: Safe and secure inside the vehicle storage. Made from ultra-durable nylon and neoprene.
Cons: Only holds three collapsible rods.
Rhino Rack Multi-Purpose Holder
If you already have a luggage rack installed on your vehicle, then the Rhino Rack multi-purpose holders will make a great addition that can safely store your rods during transit.
No need for your rods to be broken down. Simply connect one of each of the Rhino Rack holders to the vehicle racks and lay your rods down inside the holders. Secure the rods with the provided rubber straps.
All necessary hardware is included, and installation is effortless.
Also, these holders can be used for other things other than your fishing rods like skis, kayak paddles, and shovels.
It is recommended to purchase more than one set if you have a large number of rods and wish to keep them separated.
Pros: Multi-purpose. Extremely durable. Saves room inside the vehicle.
Cons: Remember to remove and store your rods inside the vehicle when you are not present to prevent theft.
Thule Rodvault ST Standard Tackle Fishing Rod Carrier
The Thule Rodvault is also designed for individuals who already have a roof rack on their vehicle. This is a heavy-duty, lockable, anodized aluminum and glass-reinforced rod case.
All of the necessary mounting hardware comes with this purchase and will attach to any pre-existing luggage rack.
The Thule Rodvault is completely lockable so you can leave your rods locked up on top of your vehicle. You can relax knowing that your rods will be safe unattended for short periods of time.
It is still not recommended to leave your rods unattended overnight, if possible.
This fishing rod holder stores up to six rod and reel combos. The rods do not need to be broken down for storage.
Pros: Heavy-duty construction. Lockable and secure. Comes with all necessary hardware for installation.
Cons: More expensive than other options.