The 10 Best Fishing Rod Racks
Special Honors
Backcountry Racks Rod Up When you’re packing the car for a weeklong fishing trip, the rods are almost always the hardest part — even if you find space for them atop the rest of your gear, they usually end up poking you in the head. Installed near the vehicle’s roof, this rack solves that problem, with adjustable tip holders and tension bands to hold your poles in place and away from your face. backcountryracks.com
Monster Rod Holders From a family-owned business in Kentucky, these heavy-duty racks mount directly to the rail or rear portion of a fishing boat. The bases of each individual rod holder can be adjusted to different angles, allowing you to position each pole exactly where you want it. It’s available in various sleek color combinations. monsterrodholders.com
Fishingsir YGJ001CP Made with handcrafted pine, this rustic model just looks like it belongs to an outdoorsman. It can hold up to 28 rod-and-reel combos, and it’s four locking wheels allow you to easily roll it around the garage or basement. It even comes with cut-resistant gloves to protect your hands while you assemble it. fishingsir.com
Editor's Notes
August 27, 2020:
Reports of faulty construction, poor durability and general flimsiness led us to drop the Okuma Expandable from the list. We also removed the KastKing Rack ‘Em Up for a lack of sturdiness and an extremely difficult assembly process.
Gave the Rack'Em Overhead a boost in the rankings, noting that it’s designed to accommodate any type of rod. The listing for the Berkley BAVRR indicated that it was previously available in both vertical and horizontal versions, which we learned is no longer the case, and updated the listing to reflect that. We also noted that it’s not ideal for large poles.
Since we removed two of the four freestanding models on the list, we added two replacement models of a relatively similar style. Solid but lightweight with carrying handles, the Oddspro Combo is designed to be easily transported to your fishing destination if you so desire. The Rush Creek Cart is portable as well, with four wheels at the base. This one won’t exactly save you space, but it’s a nice storage solution if you have a lot of angling gear.
March 13, 2019:
Increased the ranking of the ColdTuna Ultimate, as users seem to really value its low profile, sturdiness and versatility in terms of potential installation locations. The Sea Racks Hook is an addition that stands out in a category that does not typically emphasize aesthetics— it’s as effective as it is visually attractive, with the ability to accommodate up to 24 poles. Also added the Cobra Storage to provide a quality option that is specifically designed for installation on a garage door, which seems to delight many users. Eliminated both Organized Fishing models from the list due to a combination of shoddy craftsmanship, weak clamps, poor stability, and an inability to hold as many rods as advertised. Also removed the Rush Creek Creations 14 because of availability concerns.