Swiftcast Rod Holder

My boat came with some rod holders that I didn't love. I bought the Swiftcasts and they were delivered quickly and with all the hardware I needed to mount them.
Highly recommend.

Wow! You know the feeling you get when you inbox a brand new iPhone? The packaging is perfect, and the anticipation of something new is such a good feeling? That's how I felt when my Swiftcasts arrived.

After watching a brief, but informative YouTube video from Riversmith, I set out on my own to start assembling my Swiftcasts. Everything was surprisingly simple, and looked familiar. The machining on the extruded rod holder and fittings were all perfect- always a welcome experience!

Once I had an idea of the geometry of the holder, I set out to decide what configuration would work best on my boat- (a 14' FlyCraft Pro Guide Model)... after some shifting and turning of the tubes, I installed the Swiftcast. From opening the box to final tightening of the bolts, I'd say I have about 30 minutes invested. (Now comes the fun part!)

Once at the boat ramp, I unloaded rods from my Riverquiver- and straight into the Swiftcast. When we were in position to fish- BOOM! One handed operation to unlatch and free the rod from the holder- and you're casting. The same goes with storing the rod when you're not fishing.

When it's time to move from spot to spot, the rod goes back in the Swiftcast. Gone is the annoying "clacking" around in the boat- which is the best feeling you didn't even realize you deserve!

With my Swiftcast rod holders I know my flyrods are safe and secure. And that's as simple as I can make it.
Safe.
Secure.

Nice work Riversmith on another well thought out and designed product. Thanks for keeping my favorite tools safe!

Cheers,
Neil Sunday
Winston Fly Rods Pro Staff
Relentless Fly Fishing Guide
TCO Fly Shop, Boiling Springs PA

Extremely durable and easy to use and install. I’ve had clients, my kid and dog stepping on my swiftcast all season and this thing can take a beating. I love the way they designed the rod end section/reel to slide into a grove with a bungie cord that wraps around the reel and keeps everything in place. It’s very secure if you are running any whitewater. I’ve used other rod holders that seem to always catch somewhere, when sliding rods in, the swiftcast is very streamlined and doesn’t have any catch points when sliding rods in and out. Its super easy to assemble and is great for a number of configurations on my raft. I have a 14’ NRS E-Series and the swiftcast fits my raft perfectly!

These things are awesome!

If you have ever spent a day on the water in a raft, you know how difficult it can be to keep gear organized and secure. In the midwest you need to get off the beaten path to find water without pressure. I’m constantly dragging my boat, gear, friends, and customers to places most wouldn’t think to go. These things are easy to install, well designed, and put up will more abuse than I thought possible.

I was seriously shocked to see how well they put up with customers accidentally stepping on them to get in and out of my boat. Having that ability to keep spare rods rigged up securely is well worth the investment. Often we’ll fish the evening hatch before pulling out the mousing rods and keep on going until two or three in the morning. Knowing my rods are safely in the Swiftcast as we work down the river in the darkness lets me completely focus on having fun.

*Install notes: really spend some time thinking about how and where you want these to be. The mounts are really easy to manipulate with their own “T-Rail” style bolts. I tried a few different things before I decided to mount one on each side of my Smithfly outside of the frame for maximum interior space. After putting the first one together, it only took five minutes to build the second.

Stay versatile on the water and protect your rods, you won't regret it!

"People who are into fishing rafts tend to be really into the things that go into them. I know this because I’m one of those obsessives who spends a lot of time weighing the merits of everything from the right tie-down straps to the right anchor ropes to the right frame configurations to the right koozies for a multiday float on the North Fork of the Middle Finger.

Install is a no-brainer. With a couple of pieces of 2X4s to create separation between the rubber and the raft frame, the Swiftcast goes on mostly headache-free. I chose a left-side configuration, with the reel end of the rod tube aimed at the angler sitting in the bow, and with the curvature of the Swiftcast hugging the stern of the raft.

On the water, the Swiftcast does as described, providing safe nesting for rods in need of a timeout. Without additional support this tube section can rotate upside-down, potentially destroying your heirloom Winston and defeating the Swiftcast’s protective purpose. The included Mole with Velcro Strap solves the issue, allowing you to lash the Swiftcast (or multiple Swiftcasts) over and around your raft tube, locking the unit in place. This enclosed end piece can also fill with water. Just pop the clips to drain it, or DIY-drill some drain holes into the bottom to let it breathe.

If you’re looking to improve the fishing performance of your raft — the Swiftcast’s price, durability and convenience make it easy to justify. The more rods it saves, the more value it gains.