Homemade Rod Caddy

[HarveysMinnow]

In a previous thread I mentioned making my own rod carrier for my four favorite rod/reel combos. Since a few of you expressed an interest in seeing it, here are a couple of photos, which show it unloaded and loaded:

The beam is an old shower rod and the grip is a piece of foam pipe insulation. The end pieces were cut out of scrap marine grade plywood. I found some old stain and exterior varnish to put on the wood pieces - to protect them if I set this thing down in wet grass. The only thing I actually purchased for this was the two locking screws. The holes that accomodate the butt ends of the rods are 1-1/8", with the exception of the 1" hole used for my fly rod. The length as shown is about 5 ft, but the end pieces can be positioned along the beam as necessary.

This contraption seemed a little top-heavy and cumbersome at first, but not as much so as trying to carry four rods/reels in one hand. I soon found that carrying it with the rod butts facing forward worked better for me. I fish a lot from the banks of farm ponds and small reservoirs, where getting to the waters edge requires a walk of 200 - 300 yds in some cases. I have a feeling it would not work real well through thick brush or heavily wooded areas...time will tell