Cheap fishing rod bazooka!

[Blanco]

My 11 year old daughter and I use our 4Runner a lot for camping trips and take our totally budget fishing gear with us when we do. We're far from pro-anglers but we both love it nonetheless! Usually the back of the truck and the roof basket is loaded down with gear so I thought about buying a Flambeau bazooka case for the rack but since our cheapo rods disassemble in half, I came up with a much cheaper idea.

4' of ABS tubing from Home Depot $12.00 (CAD)

2 end caps $6.00 (CAD)

I cut down the tube to the size required for the rods and drilled two small holes on either side of the cap end, a bit of silicone sealer around the edge and attached with two small screws for good measure.

Drilled two holes and attached two old Thule bolts I had kicking around from an old rack (and a little more silicone sealant).

Rods slide in like so...

Now the only things I have to do now is fab up two brackets to attach to my roof basket and figure out a way to attach the other end cap for easy removal, though to be honest it goes on tight and seals well, yet pops off easily when required so may just leave as is.

Here is what it will look like (no brackets yet) but you get the idea.

Heading camping for one last blast next month so will try it out then!

 

[HuntNFish]

Nice! Great mod and great that you go fishing for your daughter! What kind of stuff do you guys go after?

 

[Blanco]

Hey thanks man I think it looks pretty cool. Yeah, it's great to get away form the big city and we've got some great spots for camping and fishing up here. Usually do a little fishing (bass, pickerel once in awhile and way too many sunfish!) and canoeing, hit some hiking trails and get a blazing fire going at night. We prefer heading a few hours north into bear country where there's less people and where we get to put the 4Runner through it's paces a little on the backroads.

 

[fightman80]

Nice mod man!

 

[Nelsonmd]

Nice mod man!

BAM! Unintentionally suggestive post of the month!

 

[Blanco]

Nice mod man!

Thanks man. Will have to get up toward Sudbury on one of our getaways when there's time. Would love to see your truck in person too.

 

[Blanco]

BAM! Unintentionally suggestive post of the month!

:lmao:

 

[Nunyabiz]

I have had basically the same thing for about 20 years now, I used Schedule 80 PVC and used a much larger diameter than needed so that I could tie old socks around the tips and handles of the fishing rods that way the socks make a tight fit and the rods stay suspended in the tube never touching the sides.

Friends and I were flying from Cabo San Lucas after a fishing trip and while we were sitting on the plane we saw one of the baggage carts come flying up and we could see our fishing rods on top, as the guy turned when he got close the plane the rods just rolled right off the top and went flying and bouncing and than banged into some movable steps.
Handled it no problem at all, rods were unscathed.