How to Build a Fishing Rod Storage Rack for the Garage

Build a storage rack for your fishing rods, rather than leaning them up against a corner in your garage. A simple, space-saving rod rack can safely store your fishing rods upright. A rod rack eliminates the likelihood of fishing lines becoming intertwined, rods getting snapped, or people getting hurt by tripping on rods lying on the floor in an unlit garage. If you're ready for a better way to store your fishing rods, create a solution yourself, even if you're not a master craftsman.

Things You'll Need

  • 3/4-inch-thick oak wood beams
  • Table or circular saw
  • Drill with 1/16-inch, 3/8-inch and 1 1/4-inch drill bits
  • Sandpaper
  • Screw gun
  • 12 rubber rod holder clips
  • Cabinet clamps
  • 4 3/4-inch L-shaped metal brackets
  • 10 1 1/2-inch wood screws
  • Mushroom style button plugs
  • Wood glue
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Instructions

    • 1

      Cut 3/4-inch thick oak wood beams with a circular or table saw into four pieces. Cut two side pieces to measure 11 1/2-inch wide by 36-inches tall, one bottom piece to measure 10 inches wide by 19 inches tall, and one top piece to measure 3 1/2 inches wide by 19 inches tall.

    • 2

      Use the pattern on outdoorlife.com to fashion the side pieces into a shape, narrowed to 3 1/2 inches and rounded at the top and wider (11 1/2 inches) at the base. Drill two 1/16-inch holes, with a drill and 1/16-inch drill bit, into the top of each side piece and three evenly-spaced holes at the bottom of each side piece. Drill 3/8-inch wide holes, 1/4-inch deep, into the 1/16-inch holes on the outside face of each side piece with your drill and a 3/8-inch drill bit. Sand all four pieces smooth with fine-grit sandpaper.

    • 3

      Measure and mark up to 12 holes, 1 1/2 inches in diameter, into the bottom piece with a 1 1/2-inch drill bit and your drill. Make as few as four holes or as many as 12 depending on how many fishing rods you want your rod rack to hold.

    • 4

      Measure and mark a coordinating number of holes for rod supports through the long sides of the top piece. Thread rubber rod holder clips into the rod support holes with a screw gun.

    • 5

      Hold the top and bottom pieces to the side pieces with four cabinet clamps. Screw four, 3/4-inch L-shaped metal brackets into the underside of the bottom piece to strengthen the rod rack.

    • 6

      Thread 1 1/2-inch wood screws into the four holes at the top of the rack's side pieces and six holes at the bottom of the rack's side pieces.

    • 7

      Squirt wood glue onto the bottom of an appropriate number of mushroom-style button plugs and insert them into the bottom side of the holes at the base of the rod rack.

    • 8

      Set the rod rack in your garage and store your fishing rods. Place the bottom of the fishing rods into the holes at the bottom of the bottom of the rack. Secure the tops of the rods into the rod support holders at the top of the rack.