Traveling with gear

[Baron]

How do you carry your equipment to the field? I have a tube for my rods and keep both of them in the same tube together......no socks. I don't feel this is very good for the rods. I carry my Cheapo Reels in the backpack open with everything bangclanging around with them. Before I start acquiring more expensive and longed for gear I want to be sure I can provide safe places and habits for transporting them afield and in my vehicles.
It would be very helpful and I'm hoping that a few of you might give me a run-down of how you store, transport and retrieve you gear on a typical everyday FF outing.

This FF experience for me is one year old this past June and I'm loving it but there are so many bad habits that need to be worked on. If I approach them one-by-one I'm sure to make some progress. I haven't broken a rod in over two weeks now. :-D

 

[afishinado]

Baron wrote:
How do you carry your equipment to the field? I have a tube for my rods and keep both of them in the same tube together......no socks. I don't feel this is very good for the rods. I carry my Cheapo Reels in the backpack open with everything bangclanging around with them. Before I start acquiring more expensive and longed for gear I want to be sure I can provide safe places and habits for transporting them afield and in my vehicles.
It would be very helpful and I'm hoping that a few of you might give me a run-down of how you store, transport and retrieve you gear on a typical everyday FF outing.

This FF experience for me is one year old this past June and I'm loving it but there are so many bad habits that need to be worked on. If I approach them one-by-one I'm sure to make some progress. I haven't broken a rod in over two weeks now. :-D

This type of rod case works well for me > Rod Case

You can keep the reel attached and the rod sections stay secure in the tube.

 

[just_jon]

I’ve like having everything in one bag that I can quickly toss in the back of the truck. I’ve been using a Fishpond cimarron wader/duffle bag for about 10 years and would not change a thing. Still looks like new. Carries more than I need for a day trip, but I don’t I never have to worry about forgetting something. Rods stay in their original tubes and get lashed to the outside.

 

[Canoetripper]

I have a roof rack on my Jeep manufactured by www.denveroutfitters.com

I can carry four fully rigged 10' fly rods and never leave the same pool. I mostly fish woolybuggers and want floating fly line and also sinking tip ready to go. I can also have a fly rod rigged and ready for dry fly fishing, and I am learning euro nymph fishing. That is four fly rods for different conditions rigged and ready to go.

Other times I want to honor my father and grandfather and fish some with their favorite fly rods. I have a lot of fly rods since I have all of my father's and grandfather's fly rods. Other times I can fish with friends and their rods are rigged and ready to fish.

I can move around quite a bit where I fish.

There is a place where I go that requires a little bit of a hike, which I like since nobody else really does this. For this I have two Orvis Safe Passage Double Rod and Reel Cases. This makes walking through the woods a lot easier than trying to do this with four fly rods to where I want to go.

I am not that good of a fly fisherman, but I like doing it. I do a better job of tying knots at home than at the stream. I take my time and do a better job.

The roof rack is a real conversation starter, and it also makes finding my Jeep in a parking lot very easy.

 

[GeneBeam]

I’m looking for car top rod carrier for my SUV.

I am looking at Denver Outfitters Rod Vault 2 and Trxstle’s CRC System. I only need one for two rods and I’m leaning toward the Trxstle’s CRC System and one of the reasons why is that the rods go in reel up so the guides are up also and it holds reels up to 4¼” diameter. Both are about the same price, but I think I realty want to see both before I buy.

I need to stop over at Precision Fly & Tackle (Trxstle dealer) and take a look but I can’t find a local dealer for the Rod Vault 2.

I also have a Orvis Safe Passage Double Rod and Reel Cases and I love this case. My two most favorite rods are always in it, but since I just got two vintage bamboo rods and I might be taking my 8½” South Bend #290. Its reality casts a 6 wt. line like nothing I have ever done before. So, my 9’ 6\7 wt. rod might become a standby, like my other 4 fly rods.

 

[Bamboozle]

I’ll preface my comments by saying I take REAL good care of my gear, whether it cost a little or a lot of money. I still have the first reel I ever bought a million years ago, a Mitchel 408 in the original box. I paid about $25 for it, treated it as if I paid $250, fished the heck out of it and it still looks brand new.

That being said, all of my rods came in a rod tube of some sort in a sock, if not I bought or made a tube for them, rod socks as well. This includes spinning & baitcasting rods.

Any rod that has an aluminum tube goes in a rod tube sock so the aluminum rod tube doesn't get all scratched up. (Helps preserve resale value)

Rod tubes go in rod bag so it is easier to carry multiple rods in and out the house or elsewhere, however I only use one when taking multiple rods with me.

Fly reels are in the original cases they came in or something else if they didn’t, or if the original case has a zipper, (zippers scratch reels). I like neoprene cases or Steve Abel nylon cases. If I have a bunch of reels with me, they are in a padded divided reel carrying case IN their regular cases.

Spinning and baitcasting reel cases are harder to find so I make my own drawstring bags out of fleece. In a pinch, an old sock works too. However, that only helps to prevent scratches so I keep the “covered” reels separated in the bag where I store my other gear.

The other thing I do is to use a rod holder and a rod rest when fishing from a boat so my gear doesn’t get all banged up in the bottom of a boat or on the gunnels.

 

[Canoetripper]

GeneBeam,

We don't live very far from each other. You are more than welcome to check out and inspect my Rod Vault.

I first became aware of this product on a guided fishing trip on the Frying Pan River in Colorado. I am pretty confident that Taylor Creek Fly Shop's equipment(fly rods/reels) gets used pretty hard daily.

I love this rack and don't think that I am in any way damaging my rods/reels.

I bought this rack online. I don't think that Denver Outfitters have dealers, but I don't know either.

I don't leave my rods/reels in the rack when I am not fishing. I don't want summer heat to crack my fly lines.

 

[GeneBeam]

I sent you a PM Canoetripper

 

[Canoetripper]

I did receive your pm and replied. I hope you got my reply. I am thinking about going to my R&G club this weekend but the weather forecast looks like hot & humid so I may not.

I leave the fish alone under these conditions. The club spends too much $ to privately stock this place to then stress and kill the trout while landing them. Everybody kind of understands this.

Let them live and hold over to survive another day or season. Sometimes the predatory Eagles, Ospreys, and Otters quickly figure out that stocked trout are there and are easy meals. That is how nature works.

I am very proud of, and how this Rod Vault works. It doesn't damage my rod/reel combos(four at a time, every time). Keep in touch so you have some first time hands on experience.

I have the tools for the installation. This is a two person, four hands job.

 

[hunter1]

My rods came with a tube, I always use them. I set up at my destination. I also have a Sage wader bag I bought in the 90's. Still running strong. Bottom fits waders, boots, top fits everything else I need.

 

[JoeE]

If I’m traveling with other people or have suit cases. I usually use a Thomas and Thomas travel rod bag (4 rod tubes) and/or single rod tubes, but if it is just a trip to the local stream the bamboo rods travel on the back seat no tubes or socks. Joe E

 

[Baron]

-Joe I guess they dry nicely in the back seat. I have a Bamboo that is dry rotted at the ferrules. I suspect it was often put away in tube before it dried properly.
-Gene Beam/Canoetripper While I like these Vaults they are pricey. My biggest fear is that it will get hooked on brush while driving my f250 though the toolies. The top of the Truckcap is 7'2" off the ground. With my luck I can see loosing all 4 rods at one time (famous for that type of thing ya know).
-Afish I'm going to order a double pretty soon. I've seen them and never considered taking them into the field. When flying I carry a nice long tube that I crafted from an old Stihl blower tube with my business card attached to it. Real Hoofty look'in.
-Bam, I don't know how to say this, your my best asset for the learning of stewardship. Consistent as the day is long. Learn allot from you on FGFR as well. You would be the one I'd trust with all my gear.
But, you must be a "Pain-in-in-the _ _ _" to live with. Bahaahhah. :-D

Thanks all. Now I have a path laid out where I can protect and carry my future fishing investments (FFI) afield safely in their clean state of care and cast flies to infinity with clean and treated line.

 

[Bamboozle]

Baron wrote:
-Joe I guess they dry nicely in the back seat. I have a Bamboo that is dry rotted at the ferrules. I suspect it was often put away in tube before it dried properly.

Just to be more of a PIA, ;-) ALL of my rods & reels are left out overnight to dry out after a days fishing no matter what they are made of.

Trapped moisture can ruin the wraps on any rod, cause reelseats with wood inserts to swell, cause oxidation or rust on other hardware and generally cause problems that are easily avoided by just leaving the rod & reel out overnight to dry someplace safe. I have a designated spot in my basement for this and when I travel, I'll use a spare bed in the hotel room if it has two, or a dresser.

Even if I am fishing on consecutive days and leave the majority of my gear in the car, the rods I used that day and the reel(s) come into the house or hotel and are left out of the tube & sock and reel case to dry out overnight.

If that's not obsessive enough, since I was a kid I've been leaving the flies or lures or hooks I used out overnight to dry as well. If you DON'T do this and you have rusty hooks, now you know why.

BTW - If you've ever had the slam on the brakes to avoid plowing into a deer, you'll know why I don't leave rods out of their tubes lying on the backseat... :-o

 

[Baron]

Hey, wow, Is this how you always feel (from National Treasure)? I do something correct all the time......I leave my flies out to dry over-night. Blammo, Bang, Pow! One step in the right direction........

After opening some of these threads It slowly dawned on me that I built this house without putting the foundation down first. I'm really glad that I started with inexpensive stuff. Now, after a year of FF, I have began to develop preferences in what equipment I like the most and as I begin to collect this 'right stuff' I'll also develop a strategy to protect it as well. Thanks for all your patience in educating me on these things.
I have my eyes on old fiberglass rods and also vintage or used Clickers. Over time I'll be able to add a piece here and there and in time better care will help preserve them for the next generation.
Thanks again!

 

[JoeE]

None of my rods stay in tubes the stand in rod racks. Joe E

 

[Canoetripper]

I fish the same place every time and have no reason to go anywhere else, but I understand your concern about catching brush and tree limbs in tight fitting driving in the mountains.

If interested though for you and GeneBeam, get on Denver Outfitters email. They constantly have sales that knock down the price quite a bit.

 

[Bamboozle]

I understand the simplicity of a rod vault, but I do everything possible to NOT advertise the fact that there MAY be expensive tackle in my car.

That means NO stickers and nothing of value visible if you look in the windows. A rod vault to me just screams: "Something good inside, STEAL ME" (and don't tell me it is secure...because it isn't.)

If you never had your car broken into, you might not be as paranoid. I also haven't been broken into...

...but I don't advertise either.

Just sayin'...

 

[Canoetripper]

You have a very valid point that I can't disagree with. I do have a TU license plate on the front of my Jeep, but no Orvis, Patagonia, Simms, etc. anywhere else on my Jeep.

Anyone could probably break into that Rod Vault with a crow bar and small sledge hammer even though it is locked. I fish at a private R&G club and never worry about locking my vehicle. I know every one there.

I have had a vehicle broken into. The insult to injury was sitting on broken glass and having my a$$ cut after having my things stolen. I understand your concern.

 

[Baron]

Rod Rack, What a great Idea.