Over the past 10 years or so Ive collected quite a few rods. I was wondering how most of you guys store them - I want to have them immediately available (for Emergency Fishing ??) but protected from warping etc. Is vertical or horizontal preferred over the long term? A rack or plastic tubes?
Thanks for any suggestions.

Ken

I made myself a rack out of some plywood and scrap wood. It's basically two square pieces of plywood separated by a column of wood in the middle (so it looks like a barbell if it were on it's side). Then I put posts on each corner, and ran a strip of wood from each corner to the next to keep the rods in. So, you basically stick the butt of the rod in the gap between the cross strip (the one running from corner to corner) and the top plywood square, and then put the rod vertical in the rack. The base kind of acts like a stopper to keep the butt from sliding inwards, and the cross piece keeps it from going outwards, and the top plywood piece balances everything out. It's just like if you had a pencil in your fingers, so that your index finger was below, middle finger on top, and ring finger below. Same exact principle.
-Brian

This is a great question! Has anybody out there had any experience with improper rod storage (i.e. warping)? Can an all graphite rod, like a g.loomis, warp if slightly leaned against a wall or something for a period of time? Are fiberglass rods more susceptible to this? Or is rod warpage just a big myth?

Yes I have had rods warp, both composite and glass. I've seen many blanks that were warped too, they had sat leaning in a corner for a couple months. So, now I use racks for every one. The Berkelys are only like $10 a set. And, if you buy their vert/horiz. ones you get two for one. I use two, each about 4 feet off the floor. I think each one has five slots, but without reels you can fit at least 10 in each mounts. I have maybe 15 rods in the two of them, half the rods have reels too.

Amish Ed

I use the Berkely racks that are for horiz. or vert. I use them vert. as this leaves no worries about warping. But, I just built 2 9' rods, and 2 8' ones, these won't fit vert. in the space I have, so I'm going to get another set and hang them over my closet. My suggestion is put as many as possible vert. Then you won't have to worry.

Amish Ed

I have about 20 and they are in my closet all in a big heap. My only secret is to wrap the line around the rod so they don't glob together. I used to have racks, but they were just a pain. I wanna grab 'em and go!

Where do you get those Berkeley racks?-sounds like a bargain at 10 bucks a pop

Ken

Where can you buy the Berkeley storage units?

You can get them all over the place, Big 5, Sports Chalet, Walmart probably has them too. They might be as high as $15, but that's still a bargain. They have a set that's for vert. only that has a plate the rods sit on, and one that holds them vert. But if you get the Vert/horiz then you can set them on the floor and have two brackets to hold them up. I'm really happy w/ mine.

Amish Ed

I have been storing my rods horizontally for years and have never had a problem. I do make sure that they are straight.

I built a rod rack that basically keeps about 25 rods and reels right next to the ceiling in our small guest bedroom. It not only keeps the rods up and out of the way but it looks really cool if I don't say so myself. It's kind of difficult to describe in writing. I'll try and remember to get some pictures of it and post them tonight.

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You can't catch tomorrow what you kill today - please practice catch and release.

Vertical is definitely the way to go, but you still have to move them around occasionally so they don't set in any 1 position for to long. I've had bamboo, steel, fiberglass, E-glass, Composite, and graphite rods.
Bamboo can warp in under a week if not handled properly. The bamboo that I have is antique quality and they live in wood cases with silk over cedar shaving lining. The cases stand in a closet safe and are rotated weekly, the rods are shifted within the cases twice yearly besides their once a year fishing trip.
Steel can be tempermental too. I am guilty of warping 1 of 3 Heddon Pals by leaving a wood Injured Minnow hooked to the Cast-Rite reel I'd put on it and left with tension on the line for 3 weeks. Not to mention coroding the reel by not drying the linen line on it. SHAME on me!
I've been given 2 fiberglass and 1 low-grade composite rods that were badly warped by spending years leaning 2-3' to a corner of a garage. They are un-usable.
I have yet to see an E-glass rod that was warped but I'm sure it can be done. As for Graphite I've seen 2 that were warped to the point that their tips were 2-3" from where they should be.
If your going to store rods Horizontal make sure that their whole length is well supported. If your going to go verticle make sure that they're standing as close to vert as possible.

Tight lines,
Wade