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I am setting my boat up for BFT fishing. I need to replace the two most aft rod holders with swivel rod holders. I will be fishing Penn 130s with bent but rods out of the holders. Will I be better served with 15 or 30 degree rod holders? Any preference over Smith or Lee holders?
I agree... 0* out of the corners and you will be good to go. I would head down to the docks in MHC and talk to some of the charter guys, Most of them, if not all of them fish for GBFT during the winter and they got it dialed in. Most of them use the chair but it is not uncommon for them to fight out of the rod holders. Those guys will get you going. Good luck and I will see you out there this winter! It's gonna be cold!!!
I use 15s and they are great. They give the rod a better angle than the 30s for dragging spreader bars on the flat lines. 0s are great for fighting a fish but install them as an additional spot because you will not want to use them for straight buts.
I like my 15' swivels mounted in the foreword spot so the fish is right off the corner of the boat at the end installed of way behind. It's much better as an outboard boat.
I feel stupid here. As a professional captain who has fished just about everything except New England, can someone explain the need for a swivel rod holder?? I have not had a problem with my fixed rod holders for years now and have never fished swivel rod holders. I have fished the BFT bite in NC years ago when it was hot and did not see a need for them then.
I feel stupid here. As a professional captain who has fished just about everything except New England, can someone explain the need for a swivel rod holder?? I have not had a problem with my fixed rod holders for years now and have never fished swivel rod holders. I have fished the BFT bite in NC years ago when it was hot and did not see a need for them then.
Help me??
Honestly bro, I don't think they are totally necessary for a real big boat with a chair to have them. If you have a smaller boat, like me, it does make it easier to fight the fish from the rod holder if you have a swivel holder b/c it gives the rod a little room to move back and forth in case the fish turns quickly, especially when it is closer to the boat. Thats why they are typically used in the corners at the stern or up in the bow for some center console guys. I run 22 ft boat and I personally like to use stand-up gear for GBFT b/c I don't have much room in my rig but I installed 2 0* swivel holders b/c my fishing buddy has 2 7ft long 80lb chair outfits with 7ft long rods. I fish those out of the corners exclusively, mainly b/c that is the only way to employ them effectively on my rig and the swivel holders kick ass in that situation. I haven't been GBFT fishing for very long but I have talked to alot of the charter captains down at MHC during the winter months and I got squared away by them. I went on a few BFT make-up trips so I could learn from the mates what was working. We have been pretty sucessful down in MHC but I am not a commercial guy so I rarely keep a fish. I don't really know what the hell I would do with 400lbs of tuna. My freezer still has tuna in it from last year and I gave away a shit load of fish. I think I just like to suffer in cold weather. That is the only explanation I can come up with???
We use 90, 15 and 30 degree rod holders if you are using a 130lb rod with a bent but on a 30 degree rod holder it is nearly impossible to grab the line off the rod tip I'm only 5'9". If you have ever chummed or live baited on the drift you will appreciated being able to swing the rod in to grab the line. When I work a rod I will pull out 200 feet let the bait go and then pull it in again mostly by hand and I do this 100 times a day. So the swivel helps allot. If you are trolling it makes it easier to grab the line to put it in the outrigger clip.
Most important we fish 5 rod and allot of time on anchor sometimes with a kite and only fish 3 guys. If a giant bites they allot of time run into the wind (toward the bow). You can have a bait fished off the stern and the fish will grab it and peal 100yds toward the bow. The swivel rod holder follows the fish without breaking the pin on the holder I have broken pins a few times. In the rod holder it also gives clears the corner and the chair may not. With 3 guys one is on the fish, one is on the rod and the other is reeling in 4 rods this is not much time. With the swivel the guy on the rod can actually reel in a rod that is close without much worry. Once the rods are cleared then we can move to the chair. Chumming and drifting is allot different than trolling the trolling boat has no anchor, the baits are all off the stern, the engines are running, you have a guy in the bridge, your bait will probably be closer to get back in and you wont have a huge sinker 20 feet in front of the bait so you have less to mess with when you reel in.
Not to step on your thread, but I purchased 2 extra 90 degree Lee's heavy Duty Stainless Settle rod holders for my boat that I will probably not be using. ( I bought 6, looks like I'll only use 4)
They are brand new, never installed. Lees part number RH532VS Large 0º Stainless Steel. They can be bought at the store for about $85 each.
I can offer mine at $40 each plus shipping, or local pick up in Broward.
Or I'll trade them for RH530SS Large 30º Stainless Steel- would much rather trade them for the 30 deg.
15 or 30 degree swivel rod holders? 
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