# surf rod holders



## atcNick

How do you secure them in the sand? I have a couple heavy duty pvc ones that I got from a friend a few years ago. One end is cut at an angle. I always try to rotate and push them into the sand but its never sturdy enough. Do you guys hammer these pvc rod holders into the ground or what?

Thanks.


----------



## SKSOUTH

The best method for setting pvc rod holders is vacuum power. I have a little gadget I made which acts in the same manner as a bike tire plunger except in reverse.

Without my handy little tool though, the easiest method is as follows. 

Push pipe down into wet sand as far as possible by hand to create a seal.
Then cup hand over end, place mouth on hand and suck hard while pushing down. 
Suction is best created by inhaling as the mouth can't create as much pressure as the lungs.

Believe me, you'll be amazed how well this works but (this is the reason I created my tool) be prepared to get ribbed by your friends for sucking pipe, etc.

I made a little video about my tool which I call the surf setter, I'll post a link here after I load it to youtube.


----------



## SKSOUTH

Here's that video I promised


----------



## bigfost

Depends on the beach.

First, I have the bottom of my PVC holders cut at a very sharp angle. The sharper the angle, the easier they go in.

If the beach is pure sand, or mostly sand, and I can set the holders where the sand is a bit wet, I just twist them in. They should go down pretty easy.

If the sand is completely dry, or even worse, if the beach has a lot of gravel, like lots of the McFaddin area has, I use a sharpshooter shovel and simply dig a hole to put them in, then back fill.

One other trick is to put the holders in at a backwards slant. That resists the forward pull when there is tension on the rods.


----------



## atcNick

a small shovel is what I had in mind. But I like the plunger idea sksouth has. Where can I get one of those?


----------



## bubbas kenner

2inch pvc bout 5ft long tapered cut down twist n push down make big circular motions.


----------



## atcNick

bubbas kenner said:


> 2inch pvc bout 5ft long tapered cut down twist n push down make big circular motions.


I've done that exact thing everytime. And I twist and push until it wont go anymore. Then a little while later it ends up getting pulled out from the tension on the line, and rod n reel are in the sand. I do angle it towards the beach too.


----------



## big john o

I use a rubber mallet...


----------



## hunterjck

*Surf Rod Holders*



SKSOUTH said:


> Here's that video I promised


That is a really neat solution to that problem. What did you use for the gasket material and how did you attach it to the plunger handle? Doesn't the handle (or tool) need to be hollow all the way through to relieve the pressure as it is inserted into the 2" pvc pipe? How do you get the 2" pipe out of the sand after you have caught your fish and decide to go home? I appreciate your help.


----------



## HuntinforTail

I was also going to say suck on it. You look ridiculous and your buddies may laugh, but it's shocking how well it works. We also carry a post hole digger, or a trenching shovel and dig it out first and then suck it down.


----------



## HuntinforTail

SKSouth do you sell those?


----------



## justletmein

Suckage works if there's not a lot of shell in the area. I also back off the beach a little and dig down until I hit wet sand/water, then insert pipe and suck like a hooker on a Friday night, then fill in the rest of the hole with sand. I have a friend that'll use one of those Ghost Shrimp suckers to create the hole, then just slips the rod holder in there.


----------



## Vsynk

I have mine rigged up with some chicken wire fence posts I step on them to push them in till I can't stand on the tabs then lean my weight on them haven't had one fall over yet but I slightly angle then to the waves and keep my drag set.


----------



## SKSOUTH

The surf setter is really easy to make and costs about $10 with materials from Home Depot. There are several threads on 2Cool about 'ghost shrimp suckers' and the surf setter is simply the plunger portion of a shrimpsucker.

Here's a link to how to make a shrimp sucker - using only the materials for the plunger portion, you make a surf setter.

http://fishingnetwork.net/forum4/showthread.php?16761-Ghost-Shrimp-amp-building-a-Ghost-Shrimp-Pump

There are also video's on youtube how to make them and e-how has a neat little article as well.

I made both the surf setter and shrimp sucker - which my wife loves to use because it also sucks up clams and other buried stuff.

I am working on a design which makes reinserting the plunger for the second pull easier with a relieve valve and will share that when I get it worked out.


----------



## SurfRunner

I have pvc but my best and favorite is a 5' piece of 1/2" stainless water pipe reinforced with 1/2" bar stock welded to a 2 foot piece of 2" galvenized fence post...with a washer welded to the bottom. Have about 6" of the bar stock sticking out the bottom of the pipe and grind it to a point. And, weld a large easher to the bottom of the 2" pipe. 

All you have to do is work it into the sand where it is wet and it sinks in easy. Works with shelly or sandy beaches.....I have had mine for 30 years with no repairs, no problems and still using them.

If you can weld or know a welder, they are very easy to make.


----------



## spicyitalian

I use a sand pump (ghost shrimp sucker), and just shove it in the hole. In a couple of seconds the sand fills in around it. I normally place mine near the waters edge. 

I am however, intrigued by the prospect of just using the plunger portion, it would lighten the load a bit. Then again, sometimes I get bored and start looking for ghost shrimp.


----------



## nasakid

I just hammer them in with a sledgehammer. Easy as pie. They don't crack very easily, but if they do, just cut them off flat again.


----------



## fishingcacher

nasakid said:


> I just hammer them in with a sledgehammer. Easy as pie. They don't crack very easily, but if they do, just cut them off flat again.


A rubber mallet should work.


----------



## Lucky

Can you post pics of just the plunger portion?


----------



## bballman

I hammer in a four ft. rebar into the sand and then set my four ft. pvc pipe over it. Works great.


----------



## Jolly Roger

Sharpshooter shovel is best, works everywhere even in mud. And you need to have a shovel with you at the beach anyway so it works double duty with less space.


----------



## ZenDaddy

I added an extra step to help avoid the laughter of your friends -



SKSOUTH said:


> The best method for setting pvc rod holders is vacuum power. I have a little gadget I made which acts in the same manner as a bike tire plunger except in reverse.
> 
> Without my handy little tool though, the easiest method is as follows.
> 
> 1.) Push pipe down into wet sand as far as possible by hand to create a seal.
> 
> 2.) Look out to the ocean and yell - holly cow have you ever seen that many dolphins playing in the surf?
> 
> 3.) Then cup hand over end, place mouth on hand and suck hard while pushing down.
> Suction is best created by inhaling as the mouth can't create as much pressure as the lungs.
> 
> Believe me, you'll be amazed how well this works but (this is the reason I created my tool) be prepared to get ribbed by your friends for sucking pipe, etc.
> 
> I made a little video about my tool which I call the surf setter, I'll post a link here after I load it to youtube.


----------

