# Fishmaster 196 Rod Storage?



## Meerkat (Aug 10, 2008)

Took delivery of my new 196 & it is awesome! But I am looking for ideas on rod storage, particularly when I am on the lake. On my old boat I used a Berts Rod Corral that I put in the front seat base ahead of the windshield but on the 196 there is not enough room & I cant close the windshield with rod corral in place. 

Looking for ideas. Thanks!

And here is a pic at Catawba!


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## Decoy hound (Apr 3, 2015)

Sweet ride! Looks awesome, love the paint! Sorry can't help with your rod storage problem, the berts holder looks like a great idea, too bad it won't work. Enjoy your new ride!


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## FISHIN 2 (Jun 22, 2005)

Any way to modify the berts holder to be offset or maybe a rodholder mount in front of the passenger windshield side.


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## Binks61 (Apr 16, 2006)

This may help. On an older (04) FM. I put 2, 3 rod holders in back but it still gives me access to the shelf. They make a real sweet stainless 6 holder now that would look great with that paint job ! also have a 4 plastic in front of the helm ( bulkhead ) just to get rods out of the way while trolling. That won't interfere with closing the glass.

Nice Ride !!!


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## muzzy123 (Dec 1, 2015)

Nice rig, how do you like the Mercury 200? Tthere are some old posts on here from someone who made some that bolt on to the inside of the gunnel in front of the windshield. I think I will copy what they did on mine.


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## walleyeseizure (Jul 26, 2008)

Meerkat said:


> Took delivery of my new 196 & it is awesome! But I am looking for ideas on rod storage, particularly when I am on the lake. On my old boat I used a Berts Rod Corral that I put in the front seat base ahead of the windshield but on the 196 there is not enough room & I cant close the windshield with rod corral in place.
> 
> Looking for ideas.
> 
> ...


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## pelagic (Jul 12, 2012)

nice boat! Putting holders in the front along the sides gets them out of the way and leaves the front wide open for coolers and tackle.


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## Alaskan20 (Feb 18, 2013)

^^^ that's wat I was thinking of doing joe..


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## capt j-rod (Feb 14, 2008)

My Berts corral has a track base diamond and goes into a little 6" piece of track that is bolted in the front of my Lund.


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## chaddy721 (Mar 31, 2013)

Sweet new ride.I was gona do the corall also but gona build what pelagic has.it'll keep them.outta the way.. I'm trying to figure out how far forward I want to mount 2 ft of track. I have long ones down the sides


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## eyedreamn (Jun 12, 2011)

Palegic has the right idea!


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## eyedreamn (Jun 12, 2011)

Curious how those trim tab are working?
I think your 9x9s might be working like a 7x9 with them over the chine...
However I have never seen a tab mounted parallel to the water and not parallel to the transom. Interesting install.
I would be honest with you. I think they might be like a 7x7. Since your tab is parallel with the water your missing 2 or 3 inches of travel on the inside of the tab. The outside of the tab will be into the water and the inner most part has to travel several inches before it comes in contact with the water.


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## Rednek (Nov 6, 2006)

That would have not been my choice either for the tab placement. I believe the instructions say to keep them at least 3" from them chine. 


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## eyedreamn (Jun 12, 2011)

Shooting from the hip here I bet you are only using half your tabs potential.

It's pretty easy to just notch out the swim plate form a little for the actuator to pass through to get proper tab placement on the transom.

I personally spoke with all three tab manufacturers myself for tabs and placement on my fm. Not one of them mentioned putting the tab directly over the chine or not being parallel to the transom angle.


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## capt j-rod (Feb 14, 2008)

In most cases the tabs on these rigs are only to level the boat from left to right. The trim on the outboard handles the nose. If that's the case then you don't really need the full surface. I have trouble in my Lund keeping the nose up rather than down.


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## Meerkat (Aug 10, 2008)

Thanks guys! Some great ideas on the rod holders. Since I already have a rod corral I am going to look at changing the mount to a track. Great idea. Why did I not think of that? But I also really like pelagics rod holders on the front gunwale. 

On the trim tabs i will post a pic here shortly. I have only been out twice & was spending most of my time figuring out what all the buttons do so have not really given the tabs much of a test. I hear you on placement but what Vics told me was that their experience with tabs further inboard on the fm 196 was that it made it very "twitchy". Time will tell but I am not opposed to moving them if I need to.

One other question. Has anyone solved the problem of water sloshing out of the livewell when running in rough water?


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## Meerkat (Aug 10, 2008)

pelagic said:


> nice boat! Putting holders in the front along the sides gets them out of the way and leaves the front wide open for coolers and tackle.


Great idea. Looks like you first installed a piece of "starboard" then attached the rod holders to that? What rod holders did you buy. There are many available but yours look pretty nice & sturdy.


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## eyedreamn (Jun 12, 2011)

It's 1 1/4 pvc pipe with caps. We drilled holes in the caps for the water to leak out.


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## eyedreamn (Jun 12, 2011)

The twitchy comes from an actuator that travels to fast.


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## eyedreamn (Jun 12, 2011)

capt j-rod said:


> In most cases the tabs on these rigs are only to level the boat from left to right. The trim on the outboard handles the nose. If that's the case then you don't really need the full surface. I have trouble in my Lund keeping the nose up rather than down.


I'm installing my tabs for mostly keeping the bow down in rough seas. Then some left to right action.


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## Meerkat (Aug 10, 2008)

Here is a pic of port side tab. I can take more if you tell me what you would like to see.


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## Meerkat (Aug 10, 2008)

eyedreamn said:


> It's 1 1/4 pvc pipe with caps. We drilled holes in the caps for the water to leak out.


Those just regular pvc pipe straps holding the on?


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## eyedreamn (Jun 12, 2011)

Yeah. And I put a small 3/8" stainless screw through them so they don't slide. Pvc straps

Take a pic of the tab at the same elevation directly behind the boat. Curious to see its position on the transom.

I'm headed outside now. Will snap a pic of the holders..


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## Meerkat (Aug 10, 2008)

Like this?


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## eyedreamn (Jun 12, 2011)

The pipes are 9" long.
5" center to center. The reels don't clash with this spacing.

I will post pics of the holders when I get better service today. I just snapped a bunch.

That tab install is just different than any of the manufacturers recommendations I have been told about. Hopefully you get enough lift. That's the whole idea with the fishmaster to keep the bow down. If it works I would try it on mine due to the space limitations. Keep use posted.


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## eyedreamn (Jun 12, 2011)




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## Meerkat (Aug 10, 2008)

Thanks Eyedreamn! You went to a lot of trouble with those pics. They are great! Can never have too much rod storage....


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## jmob (Jun 28, 2014)

Awesome boat. I would just have a second seat base installed further forward. Also a live well divider would help the water sloshing. I don't know if yours already has one or not.


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## Rednek (Nov 6, 2006)

Meerkat, I solved the water sloshing out of the live well by epoxying 2 super strong magnets to the hatch. That keeps the water from forcing the hatch open but still allows you to easily open the hatch.

Also, looking at your pic, I thought the Lowrance side scan transducer had be be within 12" of the skimmer transducer. 


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## Meerkat (Aug 10, 2008)

Rednek said:


> Meerkat, I solved the water sloshing out of the live well by epoxying 2 super strong magnets to the hatch. That keeps the water from forcing the hatch open but still allows you to easily open the hatch.
> 
> Also, looking at your pic, I thought the Lowrance side scan transducer had be be within 12" of the skimmer transducer.
> 
> ...


Great idea on the magnets. Love this site & all the ideas.

On the structurescan ducer i will check what the manual says. I hope they did not screw it up :-(


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## Meerkat (Aug 10, 2008)

Meerkat said:


> Great idea on the magnets. Love this site & all the ideas.
> 
> On the structurescan ducer i will check what the manual says. I hope they did not screw it up :-(


Just checked installation manual and you are right about the two ducers needing to be within 12" of each other! Always something!


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## Meerkat (Aug 10, 2008)

Meerkat said:


> Just checked installation manual and you are right about the two ducers needing to be within 12" of each other! Always something!


Has to do with getting "optimum performance from the downscan overlay feature" whatever that is. Have not gotten there yet


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## Meerkat (Aug 10, 2008)

eyedreamn said:


> That tab install is just different than any of the manufacturers recommendations I have been told about. Hopefully you get enough lift. That's the whole idea with the fishmaster to keep the bow down. If it works I would try it on mine due to the space limitations. Keep use posted.


I have sent a couple of pictures to lenco to get their comment on the trim tab location. I will let you know if I hear anything back. 

Obviously I am going to be able to test them myself over the next couple of weeks & will post that too. Right now just getting used to the boat & getting the motors broken in. Then I will do a sea trial on the tabs & report back.


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## muzzy123 (Dec 1, 2015)

Rednek said:


> Meerkat, I solved the water sloshing out of the live well by epoxying 2 super strong magnets to the hatch. That keeps the water from forcing the hatch open but still allows you to easily open the hatch.
> 
> Also, looking at your pic, I thought the Lowrance side scan transducer had be be within 12" of the skimmer transducer.
> 
> Do you have a picture of how you mounted the magnets for the live well?


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## thebear (Apr 24, 2014)

To respond to your first post why not put a piece of berts track on the actual floor of the bow and then redo the berts cradle to a universal mount for another like 45 bucks and have a track mounted rod coral?

Not knocking anyone here but I've never understood homemade pvc and wood stuff on nice boats. You drop 30-40k on a brand new boat and put 15 dollars worth of home depot on it and make it look a 3500 dollar islander

I have a berts rod coral for the 2050, i never use it, ive used it once and realized its kind of pointless. But I did remove the base and put it on a track mount so it can go to the bow graph plate for when we do combo trips for walleye and perch in canada or when we have 30 rods on the boat salmon fishing.

Just an idea.


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## eyedreamn (Jun 12, 2011)

thebear said:


> To respond to your first post why not put a piece of berts track on the actual floor of the bow and then redo the berts cradle to a universal mount for another like 45 bucks and have a track mounted rod coral?
> 
> Not knocking anyone here but I've never understood homemade pvc and wood stuff on nice boats. You drop 30-40k on a brand new boat and put 15 dollars worth of home depot on it and make it look a 3500 dollar islander
> 
> ...



Your gonna trip on it if you mount it on the floor. It also takes up cargo space for coolers and such.

The fish don't bite any different for a $3500 islander or a new 2050.

Next time I will gold plate the pvc..


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## thebear (Apr 24, 2014)

eyedreamn said:


> Your gonna trip on it if you mount it on the floor. It also takes up cargo space for coolers and such.
> 
> The fish don't bite any different for a $3500 islander or a new 2050.
> 
> Next time I will gold plate the pvc..



Not sure how youre gonna trip on a 6 inch or even 12 inch piece of track, I must not understand how there is that much bow traffic that would be an issue of tripping over. These rigs have 36gallon livewells, not sure why coolers would be on the boat.

I wasn't speaking of your boat as I am sure your PVC works just fine for your boat. I was talking about the 196 not yours. I was simply stating that a brand new 196, you should atleast try and keep the look. I always consider resale value and next owner any time I am considering mounting anything on the boat. But congrats on the DIY it looks awesome, very jealous.


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## real reeltime (Jun 30, 2009)

These are mounted on splash well. Made bracket at 20 degrees to compensate for wall angle. Also have same holders mounted in front of Port and starboard windshields.


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## real reeltime (Jun 30, 2009)

Another view


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## capt j-rod (Feb 14, 2008)

Ain't no pvc going on my Lund... Sorry guys, might be functional but I like my rig clean and functional. It I don't have the rod corral I put in a big board mast. Or a stripper pole, which ever works best for the situation


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## Meerkat (Aug 10, 2008)

Thanks for the great ideas. I am contemplating before I start drilling holes.... Cant undrill a hole! 

But I am putting a track mount on the bottom of my rod corral. I know it is not everyone's choice but I have used it for a couple of years and love it.


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## thebear (Apr 24, 2014)

Meerkat, what I can tell you is try and practice or demo it as much as you can. I have thousands of dollars of berts, scottys, rod holders and now ciscos sitting in the garage because I didn't practice or demo.

I saw something said wow that's awesome and order a dozen; then I realized they all have their applications and some better Than others.

Try mounting a track to starboard as a test just to see how you like it. Build a frame from wood and have someone hold it so you can kinda play around and see how it looks in the boat, how it feels, if it's in the way or not; before you drill into the boat. I have a piece of osb cut to the exact dimensions of the bow. I can drill into that all day and not care before I drill into anything on the boat. 

good luck and enjoy


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