Catfish Gear: Driftmaster No-Drill Rod Holders
By Keith “Catfish” Sutton
When you’re chasing big catfish, good rod holders aren’t just convenient accessories. They’re an important part of the fishing system.
Whether you’re anchored over a deep river hole, drifting a flathead rig along a bank or suspending live bait over deep structure, you need a secure place to keep your rods. And when a big catfish decides to eat, you need to be able to get that rod out of the holder quickly.
That’s where Driftmaster’s no-drill rod-holder options come into play.
The company offers solutions for three very different situations. If your boat doesn’t have suitable rod-holder mounts, Driftmaster’s clamp-style bases allow you to add rod holders without drilling holes. And if your boat already has flush-mount, tube-style rod holders or T-slot rails, Driftmaster products can turn those existing mounts into a more catfish-friendly system.
For anglers who don’t want to modify their boats, that’s a pretty appealing combination.
A Trophy Holder for Big Cats
When a big catfish hits hard, the last thing you want is to wrestle your rod out of a holder that won’t give.
Driftmaster’s new Limited Edition Trophy Rod Holder addresses that problem with a stainless-steel design built for strength while allowing quick, smooth rod release.
The Trophy Rod Holder features a durable gloss-white powder-coated finish and is available in 15-, 30- and 90-degree angles. Each model is designed to slide into an existing flush-style, tube-type rod holder already installed in the boat. There’s no drilling. No new base to install. No permanent modification. Just slide the Trophy Rod Holder into the existing flush mount and you’re ready to fish.
That’s particularly attractive to catfish anglers because many boats already have flush rod holders, but those holders aren’t necessarily positioned at the most useful angle for catfishing.
Clamp-On Bases
For anglers whose boats don’t have an appropriate flush-mount rod holder, the company’s 208-B Pro Series Universal Clamp Base provides another option. The aluminum clamp opens to 1 7/8 inches and can be attached to suitable boat gunwales, small-boat edges, docks and piers.
The clamp provides a threaded attachment point for Driftmaster Pro Series rod holders. Instead of drilling holes and permanently installing a base, the angler clamps the unit in place and installs the rod holder. When the fishing trip is over, the system can be removed.
That’s a useful option for anglers who fish from boats that serve multiple purposes. A bass boat, for instance, might spend one weekend chasing largemouths and the next chasing blue cats. A family boat may pull recreational duty most of the time but become a catfishing platform on the weekend. With a clamp-style system, there’s no need to permanently dedicate the boat to catfishing.
Driftmaster also offers the 218-B Universal Clamp Base for its Li’l Pro Series holders. Like the larger clamp, it opens to 1 7/8 inches and provides a way to mount a rod holder without drilling into the boat.
The important thing is to match the clamp base with the appropriate Driftmaster rod-holder series.
T-Slot Bases
For anglers whose boats are equipped with T-slot rails, Driftmaster offers another way to add rod holders without drilling through the boat’s deck or gunwale.
The company’s stainless 550-B and 560-B T-slot bases are designed to work with track-style mounting systems. The 550-B-SA and 560-B-SA models fit SeaArk boat T-slots, while the standard 550-B and 560-B fit most other T-slot systems. These position the rod holders at 20, 45 or 90 degrees.
Each base comes with 5/16-inch carriage-head bolts and flange nuts. Installation does require making a small hole in the track to allow the bolt head to enter, but once installed, the base provides a secure mounting point without drilling through the boat itself. For catfish anglers whose boats already have T-slots, these bases offer yet another flexible way to position Driftmaster rod holders where they’re needed.
Placement Still Matters
Even the best rod holder won’t perform well if it’s installed in the wrong location.
Before installing a clamp base or T-slot base, or sliding a Trophy Rod Holder into a flush mount, think about how you’ll fish from that position.
Make sure the rod doesn’t interfere with the steering wheel, throttle, electronics, seating or other equipment. More importantly, make sure you can grab the rod quickly when a fish strikes.
Think about the direction the rod will point and how you’ll move once a fish is hooked. This becomes particularly important when fishing multiple rods. You don’t want one rod blocking another, and you don’t want to discover after hooking a big catfish that the rod can’t be lifted cleanly from the holder. A little forethought can prevent a lot of frustration.
The Bottom Line
One of the best things about Driftmaster’s no-drill approach is that it recognizes that not every catfish angler needs—or wants—the same boat setup.
For the angler whose boat already has flush-mounted rod holders, the Limited Edition Trophy Rod Holder provides a way to get a more useful, horizontal fishing angle and a quick-release design without drilling or installing anything new.
For the angler without suitable existing mounts, Driftmaster’s clamp bases provide another way to put dependable rod holders where they’re needed without permanently modifying the boat.
Either way, the idea is simple: spend less time worrying about your rod holders and more time worrying about the catfish. And when that big blue, flathead or channel cat finally decides to eat, being able to lift the rod smoothly from the holder, set the hook and get into the fight is exactly what you want.
Proudly made in South Carolina, Driftmaster products come with a lifetime warranty. “If anything breaks, just send it back,” says owner David Baynard. “We’ll replace it—no receipt or proof of purchase required. We stand behind our gear because we know it’s built to last.
“If customers can’t find exactly the right product they need, they also should know we often can manufacture items that aren’t already in our catalog. Just ask and we’ll do our best to meet your needs.”
For more information, go to driftmaster.com.
