Thread: What rod holder to purchase?

I am looking to purchase a rod holder to start spider rigging from the front of my 16' Bass Tracker. I would greatly appreciate any feed back from those who have used the Mr. Crappie pro series rod holder compared to the Drift master Lil T with Lil pro rod holders or Tite Lok black widow spider Rig. I use 11' BnM jigging poles with spincasting reels. I am looking to purchase one of the above and am looking for the better quality holder since they are all in the same price range. Thanks to all and good luck fishing. SMITTY 58D

Before I purchased any I would check out the ones that a fellow Crappie.com member manufactures and sells. His web sight is www.hitekstuff.com. I have heard several good reports on them. I personally have the tite-lok brand ultras on my boat and like them very much but purchased them before the hitekstuff ones were produced. I just don't like the idea of the plastic ones that are sold by Mr. Crappie.

Originally Posted by RogerA

Before I purchased any I would check out the ones that a fellow Crappie.com member manufactures and sells. His web sight is www.hitekstuff.com. I have heard several good reports on them. I personally have the tite-lok brand ultras on my boat and like them very much but purchased them before the hitekstuff ones were produced. I just don't like the idea of the plastic ones that are sold by Mr. Crappie.

These look really good.

Yes I agree with Roger go to that site and look at the pics of Brad Whitheads boat very nice set up.I'll have me a few sets if I ever get rid of the homemade ones i have.Hey Smitty I saw where you say you use spinning reels I beleive you will find out that baitcasters work a hole bunch better.It sure is a lot easier for me to strip off 22 1/2 foot of line from a baitcaster.Thats just my two cents.If i was rigging my boat to start I'd rig it like Brad has his he uses baitcasters also.Good luck

I've got a Mr Crappie T-bar with 4 holders sitting on the floor behind me.
I got it at Cabelas (on sale for $75). Haven't installed it yet but I can tell you this much: It is very sturdy and well designed. It is BIG... 26" bar. It adjusts and can be removed from the base without any tools. The holders are a bit stiff when removing from the T-bar but a little parafin or soap should cure that. When removing the T-bar from the base or removing a holder from the T-bar, the bar (or holder) must be pulled up and turned 180 degrees before it will come completly off. A safety feature I find annoying... but would keep a holder from falling in the lake.
If I keep the unit, I will add the 6" extender to raise the entire bar enough to clear my trolling mtr when the bar is mounted in the front. It's ok the way it is when mounted on the sides or in the back. The bar itself raises the holders 11" from where they would be if flush mounted.

I am considering returning the unit only because I have a very small boat (Champion Mean 16), and would prefer a smaller bar. I am considering the Hi Tek but am leaning toward the Bee Ready http://www.beereadys.com/ 3 holder model with riser because it is only 12" wide and because it looks like it would be easier to adjust and move around using multiple bases than the Hi Tek. If I planned to spider rig all the time... and had the cash to put 4 units on the boat, it wouldn't matter but I'd like to install 4 bases so I could move both units to the front for spider rigging or one in the bow and one in the back when still fishing or drifting with a buddy.

Like you, I'd appreciate any input from anyone who uses their T-bars this way.

Originally Posted by ShortStorie

I am considering returning the unit only because I have a very small boat (Champion Mean 16), and would prefer a smaller bar. I am considering the Hi Tek but am leaning toward the Bee Ready http://www.beereadys.com/ 3 holder model with riser because it is only 12" wide and because it looks like it would be easier to adjust and move around using multiple bases than the Hi Tek. If I planned to spider rig all the time... and had the cash to put 4 units on the boat, it wouldn't matter but I'd like to install 4 bases so I could move both units to the front for spider rigging or one in the bow and one in the back when still fishing or drifting with a buddy.

Like you, I'd appreciate any input from anyone who uses their T-bars this way.

The Hi-Tek holders are very easy to move around with extra bases and are more adjustable than the Bee Ready. Then again I do make them and I am probably bias but there are several people on this site that uses them. Maybe another user can add some input.

Hey thanks guys I'll take a look at the websites you suggested. I'm going to switch to a bait caster here in the near future, the spin cast are alright but I think my bait casters are alot more efficient when it comes to this kinda fishing. Thanks again for all the great input. If anyone else out there has any ideas let us know. Smitty 58D

Looked at everything again... Think I'm going with the Hi-Tek... Probably the 12" bar with only two holders. Plan to put the bases on all four corners... Might go with a triple holders in back... use one to hold a PVC pipe to keep a light away from the boat when night stalking. Or I could get a bigger boat.

I bought two of the fixed beeready with extra bases. I love them. I use up to an 12' crappie poles on them. I've used them for heavy catfishing, etc. I am going to order me two more this week. I have them mounted on an crappiepro.

Originally Posted by SMITTY 58D

I am looking to purchase a rod holder to start spider rigging from the front of my 16' Bass Tracker. I would greatly appreciate any feed back from those who have used the Mr. Crappie pro series rod holder compared to the Drift master Lil T with Lil pro rod holders or Tite Lok black widow spider Rig. I use 11' BnM jigging poles with spincasting reels. I am looking to purchase one of the above and am looking for the better quality holder since they are all in the same price range. Thanks to all and good luck fishing. SMITTY 58D

I've got Little Drifters, Tite-Loks and various others, but I bought a pair of Scotts a little over a year ago and absolutely love them. Their without a doubt the best I've ever use. What I really like about them is that the rod is so easy to grab when a fish hits, not having to reach in between the yolk of the holder (Tite-Lok) or way out in front the reel and yolk of the Little Drifter, when I'm using long handled rods. As of this week, I now have six sets of his and I'm mounting them all on a boat today that I just bought. Plan on selling the others for scrap metal real soon!

Give them a real hard look and I believe you'll like them!