These days the majority of the fishing I do from the Pro Angler involves sightfishing. To me, there is nothing more rewarding than quietly poling along a flat and sneaking up on a fish that doesn't know you're there. Sightfishing is also very practical in that standing up gives you increased visibility, especially in clear water or over light colored bottom. I've noticed that when I spot a fish while poling, I have to take my eyes off the fish for a few seconds to lay down my push pole and grab the fishing rod. I can recall a few trips to the Keys earlier this year where I lost sight of a permit during these few seconds. So to eliminate this problem and reduce the time it takes to make a cast, I created a rod and push pole holder out of schedule 40 PVC that sits inside the sail mast mount. I originally got this idea from "Bearsfan" but modified it to fit my needs.
PVC Used
1" PVC Pipe
1" to 1.5" Tee (2)
1" Tee (1)
1" 90 Degree (4)
1" 45 Degree (2)
1" Cross (1)
1/2" PVC Pipe
1/2" 90 Degree (1)
1/2" Tee (1)
1/2" Endcap (2)
1/2" to 1" Coupler (1)
I used duct tape to form an indentation so that the rods won't slide across the PVC. I wrapped a tapered section of electrical tape around the 1/2" PVC pipe that goes into the sail mast mount so that the fit is snug. I added a piece of Seadek (closed cell foam) where the push pole sits to eliminate sliding. I also use the bungees from the front hatch to prevent rotation and add stability.
After a few trips to find the optimal dimensions, here is the final version...
