$350 | riversmith.com (Photo courtesy Riversmith)
April 10, 2023
By Joshua Bergan
Unless you’re Bob Vila or Ron Swanson, your raft’s homemade rod tubes are probably less than ideal. The beefy straight white PVC tubes on my Outcast PAC 1300 left a lot to be desired.
Which is why I was stoked to see Riversmith’s new Swiftcast Rod Holders , which were smartly designed specifically for protecting fly rods on fishing rafts.
While the ultimate goal of these tubes is rod protection, they are also sleek with minimal snag points. The orange pipe clips keep the tip sections connected but allow them to pivot with your boat (and even have a slight curvature on the clip tabs that sit perfectly on an 18-inch-diameter raft tube). The reel box allows water to drain, and the tie-downs keep your reel snug.
Swiftcasts are simple to install–you just need an Allen wrench and maybe a half hour. That said, they not completely foolproof–I managed in install the pipe clips with the tabs facing outside, promptly kicked one off and then lost it (Riversmith immediately sent replacements).
I also eventually figured out that your rods are supposed to sit reel up , so that the full length of the rod is protected inside the tube (see image–my IQ is sometimes around room temperature).
Rods comfortably sit reel-up in the Swiftcast. (Image courtesy of Riversmith) Swiftcasts can be installed on the inside or outside of the oar tower, or two on the same side. The open end can face the bow or the stern, so that either angler can access the rods (or both, if you get two).
They are durable and impact resistant, which we learned when my kiddo was practicing rowing in a 30-mph downstream wind. They are also UV stable so can handle being outside without degradation.
They fit virtually any raft and without adding bulk–they were perfect on my Outcast 13-footer. They can be gently stepped on, but I don’t recommend pulling yourself on board with them.
Swiftcasts hold rods up to 10 feet and 10 weight–which slip seamlessly into and out of the enclosed portion. It is possible to fit two small or medium rods per holder, but some tangling is possible if you’re not careful.
These cases are available for preorder now and will ship on May 1.
Bring your versatile raft one step closer to drift-boat comfortability with these crafty Riversmith Swiftcasts.
$350 | riversmith.com
Riversmith Swiftcast raft rod holders wrap around virtually any raft's bow or stern (note that the orange pipe clip tabs should go inside of the pipe to prevent kicks–whoopsie). (Joshua Bergan photo)
