O’Pros Belt Clip Rod Holder

Carrying a second rod on the water is becoming more common, with nymphing increasing in popularity and to save the hassle of re-rigging for different water types or situations.

Personally, on rivers I will occasionally carry a nymphing rig to fish water effectively that I once would have half-heartedly buried a dry dropper rig into. On lakes, making the transition from a streamer rig or nymphing to a dry rig when the hatch finally gets rolling is a lot quicker if you’re already rigged and ready to go.

I’ve played around with a few different setups over the years, without ever quite nailing the solution. Let’s face it, carrying a 10-foot plus nymphing rod erect like a radio antenna is a recipe for aerial conflict, and efficiencies in having a second rig are soon shattered with a birds nest wrap from an errant loop. Simple is often best and many I know just shove the rod down the front of their waders.

In the search for a solution to carry a rigged rod on our bikes for our Thredbo jaunt, p34 of FL111, I stumbled on the O’Pros holder. It’s designed to be worn on a waist belt with a well designed clip at the back. The rod holder itself is a simple pair of hooks that the rod handle clips into, accommodating handles of varying sizes. A bungee cord provides additional peace of mind. The hold is relatively stable, sensibly using your body as the anchor.

The feature that really sets it apart is the rotating and locking plate which allows you to change the angle the rod projects at, so you can find an ideal angle that suits. 

The rotating feature was the clincher in providing the unconventional versatility we needed to strap the clip and rods to our bikes. A heavy duty twist tie under the saddle secured the tip out over the rear wheel and this rig took an absolute pounding, rattling long distances down the Thredbo Valley Track. 

At trip’s end the holder hadn’t slipped once and there wasn’t a mark to be seen on our precious Core grade cork handles.