Trolling bar / bracket

One of my projects this winter is to buy or build, a trolling bar / bracket to mount across the back of my Starcraft Fisherman.
It needs to be 20" tall, and 64" across, both of these numbers are +/- 2"
About a 4" square plate on each side will be easy to mount to boat.

Anyone aware of a commercial version? Driftmaster has a "Troll Master", but it's only 13" tall, I need 20" to clear motor.

How about a good aluminum fabricator? Fairly simple, 1.5" aluminum tubing, and a few welds, but finding a welder in my area is a challenge (that wants a 30 minute job)

thanks for any suggestions

I bet HiTek could help you out. Hitekstuff.com


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Originally Posted by Lane47

One of my projects this winter is to buy or build, a trolling bar / bracket to mount across the back of my Starcraft Fisherman.
It needs to be 20" tall, and 64" across, both of these numbers are +/- 2"
About a 4" square plate on each side will be easy to mount to boat.

Anyone aware of a commercial version? Driftmaster has a "Troll Master", but it's only 13" tall, I need 20" to clear motor.

How about a good aluminum fabricator? Fairly simple, 1.5" aluminum tubing, and a few welds, but finding a welder in my area is a challenge (that wants a 30 minute job)

thanks for any suggestions

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Being a fireman for 27 years, I would tell you to contact your local fire station tell them what your looking for and I can image some fireman has a mig or Tig welder, wouldn't mind doing a small job and make a few dollars on his off day.

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Put an ad on craigslist, sporting goods, farm+garden and/or general in your area asking for an aluminum welder for a small project.
Facebook has some yard sales/barter groups, join and ask there.

Go to Home Depot, get what I call hand rail flanges that have female 1/2 inch pipe thread. 2 of those, 2 sections of 1/2 inch black iron or galvanized pipe cut to 20 inches, 2 90 degree elbows. Put that together, mount to deck where you want it. The measure for a price of threaded pipe to fit between them. Remove one flange and assemble. Then get driftmaster clamps and holders and your set.

Thanks to all for the input.
my plan is as follows. I purchased another Spyder Lock, 4 pole holder. This gives me the ability to fish (8) poles, with my (2) Spyder Lok holders, when I spider rig.
But my trolling bar will be as follows: I purchased (2) extra mounting plates for the Spyder Lok. I then purchased a piece of aluminum rectangular tubing, 2" x 1"x 72", from Amazon. I cut it to 64" long. I then drilled (8) 1/4" diameter holes. (2) will mount on the Spyder Lok mounting poles, (6) will be used for the Spyder Lok rod holders. I also purchased (8), 2" diameter extra thick rubber washers. These rubber washers allow me to use the serrated mounting washer of the Spyder Lok, without its matching serrated washer that is welded to the Spyder Lok bar. The rubber washers may need replacing from time to time, but they are inexpensive, and sold by Lowes. Right now, my boat is upside down, stripping and painting the bottom. I'll post pictures when back fishing in January.

Trolling dumpsters on the way home from work I found an aluminum wind shield rack that slides into a truck. It's made up of 1" square tube and 2" channel. I was thinking scrap metal, a little change in the pocket. Then I bought the boat with a T slot rail, it came with 2 rod holders. I was thinking about trolling rod holders. I found some T shaped aluminum that would need some cutting and welding to match the rail. Talking to the salesman at Airgas about welding aluminum. Can't weld with a positive welder, can do a little on a negative welder, best to do on a DC welder with sticks. At work all our welders were positive so I got a pair of extensions and reversed them. I could make good size spots of weld with the touch of the stick before burning through. It took a while and I got all parts welded. I ground the heads of slot headed bolts for T headed bolts.
On the boat there is a compartment at the rear for batteries and fuel tank. The height of the trolling bar across the rear kept the cover from opening all the way so I left that section out. The bar would be in the way if I needed to get in there to swap batteries while on the water. The bars can hold 4 rod holders each. The mount at the cover I fashioned a Y/T out of sheet aluminum. The bar is 2" aluminum angle. Total make up is a T slot rail mount on both sides of the boat. 4-1" square tubes for uprights. 2" angle for the bars. Stainless steel bolts, nuts, washers and screws.
The front rack is a piece of 2" channel mounted to the deck. 2-1" square tubes mounted at angles up to another piece of channel at each end. I used pins so it will sway out of way some to board the boat from the front and the other way to raise the trolling motor.
My rod holders are from scrap too. 2- 1/4, 5/16 or 3/8" rods with a 1 1/2" or 2" pipe cut thin for the butt of the rod and a piece of angle iron cut thin for the rod support. All welded together then the rods were rolled for that C shaped look.
All I have in this is a pound of welding rods and stainless fasteners. A lot of spare time at work that I could have been sitting doing nothing and waiting.

Sounds good....post a picture of this please.

Can't post from my phone, I've tried and grandkids tried. PM yours cell number and you can post pictures for me.

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Originally Posted by canebreaker

Can't post from my phone, I've tried and grandkids tried. PM yours cell number and you can post pictures for me.

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Down load the crappie.com phone app.....then you can do it easy

If your not into dumpster diving I highly recommend contacting E-Z poleholder , he's the spyderlok guy. Being a welder by trade, I used to fabricate and sell a few trolling racks locally when customers wanted them before trolling companies started showing up . I have owned or used several of the major trolling brands. Spyderloks are my choice. Even if you fabricate your racks , the spyderloks Rod holders are fantastic, and could be incorporated into a custom rack. I fabricate most everything I use on my boat , and around the house . when it comes to trolling racks , I buy them now. If I built a rod holder compatible to the spyderloks, it would take up way to much time that I could be fishing. I guess my point is can't justify the time , and money (and I have the aluminum/equipment to build this stuff already) to build a rod system that others have already perfected . Professional built holders are very affordable in my humble opinion. I don't have spare time, if you do then knock yourself out !!! Hope canebreaker can get his pics posted. I would like to see them as well.

P.S your probably not going to find a good welder that's cheap. Especially on aluminum. Welding machines that stick thick aluminum together ain't cheap.

Here is the finished trolling bar. I used (2) extra mounting plates, then both poles, (6) rod holders from my (2) Spyderlok rod holders that I use up front for spider rigging.

Thanks to everyone for the input.

That modification came out nice!