A rod pod is a compact device that can be used to hold several fishing rods at one time. They are most commonly used by carp anglers in Europe. They are especially popular in European carp fishing venues where space can be at a premium. Rod pods are becoming a little more popular in the United States as time goes on. A rod pod is a great piece of equipment in the right situation.
The best thing about rod pods is that they fold up and pack away in neat little cases. When you are ready to fish you simply pop them up and screw on the rod holders and you are ready to go. They are also great when you’re fishing a place that has a hard bank. There’s no need to pound or screw a rod holder into the ground when you are using a rod pod. The rod pod itself serves as a sort of base that anchors your rods down to a certain extent.
The worst thing about rod pods is that they keep all of your rods together in a pretty small area. That might not be so bad for carp fisheries with little banks and few bites. But if you get on a hot bite with wild fish you might find that your lines keep getting tangled. Especially if you have never used a rod pod before. In those situations, it can be better to use regular bank sticks or rod holders that are spread out on the bank. Rod pods can still work, but you need to work on your line management.
Selecting a rod pod
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Rod pods aren’t really cheap. The best rod pods can cost hundreds of dollars. But they are usually very well made with materials like aluminum or even steel. You want to avoid the super cheap plastic rod pods that have been popping up lately. They might hold your rod, though they’re often so weak and twisted that they can’t even really do that. Look for light rod pods with strength. You want to make sure they’re complete pods too, obviously.
You don’t have to spend a ton of money to try out a rod pod though. This Croch Aluminum Rod Pod at Amazon looks fairly decent and it comes with everything you need. The reviews aren’t bad either.
If you want a good rod pod holder that will stand the test of time you might want to look into a specialist shop. In the United States the main place to find this sort of equipment is Big Carp Tackle. They carry a lot of different rod pods ranging from the economy level to the top end.
I’ve purchased three rod pods from Big Carp Tackle over the years. They all held up pretty well. Though the first was a cheaper NGT model that did end up with a broken piece after a couple seasons. Still, for the amount of money I paid I was satisfied.
Using a rod pod
Even the best rod pods require some other accessories to be used. Unless you find some sort of fully ready kit out there, you are going to have to buy some rod holders. Don’t worry. They are the cheapest piece of the puzzle. This 4 pack of AOKIVIGOA U-head Carp Fishing Holders is a great example. Since the threading on all carp rod holders are basically the same size, you can also use these holders on other rod pods or even bank sticks.
Depending on how serious you want to get, you can also pick up some bite indicators like these Lixada Bite Alarms. These are basically rod holders that make an noise when you get a bite. Some have wheels inside that spin when line goes out. Others like the expensive but high quality Delkims make a noise when they vibrate. Any decent bite indicator will work and help you catch more fish. But if you’d rather not use them, you can simply put regular carp rod holders on the both the front and the back arms of your rod pod.
As I wrote before, rod pods serve as a sort of anchor that help keep your rod on the bank. Some are pretty light. But when you have them loaded with three rods, they have a weight that helps keep everything on the shore. That doesn’t mean you can simply walk away and ignore them though. You should keep your rods under your immediate control. You should also keep them ready so that when a big carp takes your bait you do not risk losing any of your gear. That would be bad for both you and the fish!
If you keep your bail closed and your drag tight, a rod pod may not keep your rod from getting pulled into the water. Ideally you want to use a bait feeder reel when fishing with a rod pod. Or when carp fishing in general. These reels allow line to feed off freely when a fish takes your bait. That allows you to pick up the rod and then flip the feeder switch on the back to engage the drag. Not only are bait feeder reels like the excellent Shimano Baitrunner D help prevent rod loss. They also help you catch more fish.
