I'm going to make some trolling rods for musky fishing. Fiberglass 8'6" big rods (at least for this MN fisherman) that we'll troll 12" jakes on. We'll be putting the rods in rod holders. My question is this: will EVA hold up in rod holders well enough? Or should I go with cork?

Thanks!

AC
FishinFreaks
Rogers, MN

Consider Hypalon.

or go to Slim Slick butts , Call GetBit

Hi,

Here is the situation. You have a fish on and then try to get the rod out of the holder. The rod does not come out easy due to the synthetic grips catching in the rod holder due to their softness. Use a Slick butt which is hard plastic. The rod will slide out of the holder with a fish on. The slick butts come in 8, 10 and 12" lengths. Add a gimbal and you are in business.

Capt Neil Faulkner

The EVA, if it's firm, will hold up but may not be the best thing for other reasons. Either a hard butt or your own custom carbon skinned grips might be a better choice.

If you do choose EVA, get high quality, firm stuff.

..............

All my trolling rods have carbon fiber butt grips with Eva fore grips. The CF goes in and out of the rod holders easily and hold up to the abuse of a boat rod better than cork.

I'd reconsider my brand of rod holder first. The hottest holder in the Pacific Northwest is Folbe brand. You do the Google. It's a clam shell design rather than slide in/out.

Mike Barkley made grips for this out of some PVC hose stuff he got from a hardwarre store for pennies. He posted pics on the forum a long time ago

Here Mikes grips
[www.rodbuilding.org]

Bill - willierods.com

I have used EVA for decades for trolling rods. It will stand up much better than cork. Sure there are superior choices but they all cost more, weigh more, and are harder to install.

So I say go for EVA. It is cheap,easy, and will suffice. Like Tom says get a good firm grade.

Russ in Hollywood, FL.

This IMHO is your best bet and cheap
[www.mudhole.com]

Bill - willierods.com

I'm with Bill. Can't get much cheaper (especially if you purchase wholesale). When I first started fishing (offshore trolling) I had some rods with EVA on the butts. Hard to get out of the rod holders when you have drag on the reel and a fish pulling from the other end. If your rod holders (cheap holders) have plastic inserts, the insert will come out of the holder with the rod butt. It did't take me long to figure out those rods weren't the ideal tools for "me" to use.

I use slick butts on all of my personal rods that I intend to use for offshore trolling.

THose slick butts are made for Offshore rods, and are very heavy. I know a lot of people don't care abotu weight, but teh stuff Mike uses does teh same job and is much lighter weight and diameter, making it ideal for a FW trolling rod which is what the OP is looking for.

I use eva for grips pulling shad for stripers. If a fish gets hung before you get to the rod I don't think there is an easy solution. That rod is locked in pretty good. The eva has held up well both in vertical holders and flat line. Make sure the eva is a dense cosistancy.

Wow. Lots of good input. I think I'll be doing the smooth butt that Bill suggested. Seems pretty tough yet inexpensive.

Thanks!

AC
FishinFreaks
Rogers, MN

I have a lot of trolling rods on the water with those grips with no problems whatsoever and guys seem to love them [www.lowes.com] very light and breaks down to less that a half a buck per grip. I know use X-flock shrink tubing on some for aesthetics.

Mike (Southgate, MI)
If I don't want to, I don't have to and nobody can make me (except my wife) cuz I'm RETIRED!!

Mike
Is that 3/4" OD or ID

Bill - willierods.com