attach rack for light trolling

I have a 2008 1756 dlx gator jon and want to rig it for some type of trolling for catfish. The flooring in the back seems to be some type of plastic….I’m afraid that screws under any pressure would just pull out. Any ideas or examples would be appreciated. (I’d also be interested in how you have attached rod holders to the gunnels for drifting)

Made the bases out of 1/2" thick X 2"X3" aluminum. Tapped them 1/2-13 used 1/4-20 nutserts and installed them with stainless flat head bolts.

This was on my Lowe

Check out Fishbite Rodholders! He has both left hand and right hand threads. You need left hand thread for the left side so they don't loosen up when you get a snag or big fish. I have 8 of them on my boat and he makes a bunch of different bases for how you might need to mount them

tomme boy said:

Check out Fishbite Rodholders! He has both left hand and right hand threads. You need left hand thread for the left side so they don't loosen up when you get a snag or big fish. I have 8 of them on my boat and he makes a bunch of different bases for how you might need to mount them

Click to expand...

They aren't going to loosen if you lock those wing nuts like is on those Santee specials. I run them with planer boards on each side and hooked 20# stripers and never had them budge.

I'll get a better picture of my boats tomorrow,but both boats have basically the same bar across the back,used for trolling and anchored cut bait fishing out the back. The are 3" aluminum angle1/4" thick. One is mounted to the boxes that run down each side of the boat and on the Jon boat it is mounted/ screwed into the gunnels. It's the one pictured.

nccatfisher said:

tomme boy said:

Check out Fishbite Rodholders! He has both left hand and right hand threads. You need left hand thread for the left side so they don't loosen up when you get a snag or big fish. I have 8 of them on my boat and he makes a bunch of different bases for how you might need to mount them

Click to expand...

They aren't going to loosen if you lock those wing nuts like is on those Santee specials. I run them with planer boards on each side and hooked 20# stripers and never had them budge.

Click to expand...

Broke loose all the time with the 1/2" nut that came with the ones I had. That was why I ended up getting the left hand thread ones for the left side of the boat so they will NEVER loosen. But a 50lb flathead will do that!

Here's a little better picture of the trolling bar,that is attached at the gunnel.and here is basically the same 3" channel on my princecraft.

Thanks folks, that gives me some options to consider for sure.

I attached rod holders (and a bilge pump with a wood extension) to the wood bracket for what would be an engine mount. I "really" dislike drilling holes in boats, something in the back of my mind niggles at me when I consider doing that!

I'm seriously considering putting one of these on the back of my Xpress. https://www.fishonsports.com/220.html I could see it being extremely handy for several uses.