STURDY AND SECURE--John Plozizka’s lockable PVC rod tube. Photo courtesy John Plozizka.

A STURDY HOMEMADE FISHING ROD CASE

June 10, 2004, John Plozizka, San Jose del Cabo, Baja California Sur, Mexico:

My friends and I fish Cabo and/or the East Cape at least once a year. I saw a rod case once with about a 160 degree angle in it, and was glad those weren't my rods.

The picture is my homemade rod case. It's 7 1/2 feet long. I used schedule 40, 4 inch PVC for the tube. Basically, sewer line pipe. A PVC cap glued on one end, with a foam bumper to cushion the tips, and a PVC clean out fitting on the other end with a screw-in cap. I drilled a hole through the clean out and screw-in cap to run a carriage bolt through. I drilled a hole through the carriage bolt to put a lock through, but I have to leave it unlocked these days for security checks. Everything is available at home depot or OSH.

I made fabric socks for each of my rods as shown in the picture. With the 4 inch PVC, I can get 3 Calstar trolling rods with roller guides, and 5 casting rods up to 7 feet long. It's a tight fit, but end to end they will make it. For a carrying strap, I wrapped two radiator clamps on it with a chain link inserted through them to attach my carrying strap. Then I wrapped the clamps in duct tape, because of the sharp ends. Apply appropriate decals and sticker, and you have a rod case with some character.

(See "Mexico Fishing News" online for current fishing reports, photos, weather, and water temperatures from San Jose del Cabo and other major Mexican sportfishing areas. Vacation travel articles, fishing maps and seasonal calendars, and fishing related information for San Jose del Cabo may be found at Mexfish.com's main San Jose del Cabo page.