# Beach Cart as ORV Rod Rack??



## Byron/pa (Mar 14, 2007)

Hope the title made sense.

I need to get a new rod/cooler rack to mount on the front of my older Cherokee. 

But, since it seems that there is no way of being 100% certain that I will be allowed to drive on the beachs of southern OBX at any given time, and the fact that I like to be prepared, I was thinking; 

About taking a beach cart, like the large Anglers Mate, and mounting that on the Jeep. I know that there is a bracket made for this purpose, has anyone ever used it loaded down with rods/bait/ice/beverages/etc? Is it strong/stable enough? Or is the available bracket better suited to hauling an empty cart?
I am capable of building my own bracket that would be sturdier, if need be.

The thought here, is that if I was fishing areas open to ORV use, I could leave it mounted and use it as a cooler/rod rack. And if I needed to set out on foot, I could disconnect it from the bracket, load it up and proceed.

Any thoughts that might save me some headaches??


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## Fish Hunter (Jul 31, 2002)

Yes, had it and with the way it is, wish I had it back. It is not as nice as a dedicated rack, but it was strong enough to handle most situations and being able to take it off and pull it over the dunes is a definite benefit. Do not load it too heavy, as it can be a handful to pull if you weigh it down


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## Papa-T (Sep 5, 2011)

I currenty have the Angler’s Fish-N-Mate® Cart priced at $249.99 at Bass Pro Shop. I also purchased the Angler’s Cart Caddy priced at $149.99. They are both made from Corrosion-resistant anodized-aluminum. I purchased mine about four years ago because I have always ORV fished and then other times I park and used the cart to go over the dunes and fished favorite spots. I usually carry Two surf rods and two bait cast rods. I have a tackle box. One square cooler was set up as a bait well. When unloading from the cart caddy I just take out the tackle box and the bait cooler if it's loaded with bait and water and reload them after I get it off the caddy. Takes about 15 seconds .


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## MSRIEF (May 21, 2007)

Deputydog could you please tell me which model Igloo coolers are shown on the picture of your Fish-N-Mate? Thanks


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## Ghostrider (Jul 27, 2010)

I love the Bass Pro Shop Cart but need a pick-up truck to transport it...that will be next


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## Ranger Fishing (Jan 9, 2010)

I have a Fish -n-Mate cart & the reciever rack to haul it on . When surf-fishing I take the handle & the axle & wheels off. It will haul all you can put in it . Very stable & this way it serves two purposes , pier & surf fishing.


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## jakuka (Oct 12, 2009)

Ghostrider said:


> I love the Bass Pro Shop Cart but need a pick-up truck to transport it...that will be next


You can carry it with your car using a bike rack. Any 4-bike rack will work and a few 3-bike models will also provided the arms are long enough.


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## hillbilly47 (Jan 3, 2008)

I have used this set up for 2 yrs now. When this ORV *&&^^#% started. Like Ranger said I take my wheels off to avoid sometimes draging in the sand ruts. Check your clearance to the ground and also height, depends on your rods. After all said & done There will be areas foot traffic will be in violation. I thinking about fishing the planks only, and to Hell with the Feds, Birders & Tree huggers. MY 2 cents


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## Samblam (May 22, 2011)

Ghostrider said:


> I love the Bass Pro Shop Cart but need a pick-up truck to transport it...that will be next


sh!!!!tt I carry mine in the back seat of my Impala hahahaha


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## Garboman (Jul 22, 2010)

"Any thoughts that might save me some headaches?? "

If I am doing a walk over somewhere and not driving on the beach which looks like may be the case for the foreseeable future.......

If it does not fit in a small igloo cooler, or a five gallon drywall bucket, it stays in the Suburban

In my time fishing OBX I never have owned/mounted a Rod/Cooler Rack

I do personally know three fellas that ran over 100 plus quart coolers and/ rack combos when their front racks came unhitched at Highway speeds on Rt 12, one fella torn the beeeje.....s out of his transfer case and brake lines......Big rack makes a racket when you are driving over it.....


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## Rockfish1 (Apr 8, 2005)

I don't carry anything on the front rack while running down the road... everything is inside or in the roof rod rack... the front rack is folded up and only used for the beach... if you want to carry a cart out front good for ya but I'd not load it down with a bunch of weight specially traveling the distance you are...


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## Byron/pa (Mar 14, 2007)

Thanks for the replies, seems that the idea in general is good. Like the idea of removing the wheels/tires, and some other good tips.
I was not thinking of loading it up and driving on I95 at 85mph, more concerned about stability at 5mph on the sand...


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## Papa-T (Sep 5, 2011)

MSRIEF said:


> Deputydog could you please tell me which model Igloo coolers are shown on the picture of your Fish-N-Mate? Thanks


The two coolers I use on the cart are Igloo "Ice Cube". The blue one I got at Walmart it's 16"x16" and 17" tall with a 1" lid. The white one is also a Igloo "Ice Cube" however the lid is alot thicker 3". It's also 16"x16" but is 18 1/2" tall; I got this one at Bass Pro Shop. It seems to have thicker insulation in the lid and sides. They both have a flip up lid on the top of the cooler with a small compartment. On the white one since it's has more insulation I use it for my bait cooler. I velcroed a bubbles airrater in the small top compartment then drilled a hole just big enough for the clear air hose and let it go down into the cooler to the bottom and put the air stone on the end. I also added drain plugs to both. I bought the drain s at Walmart. Both coolers also have a basket tray that sits in the top inside of the cooler. By the way the blue cooler is used for food and drinks.


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## Papa-T (Sep 5, 2011)

Byron/pa said:


> Thanks for the replies, seems that the idea in general is good. Like the idea of removing the wheels/tires, and some other good tips.
> I was not thinking of loading it up and driving on I95 at 85mph, more concerned about stability at 5mph on the sand...


I carry mine on the rear reciever of the truck with the Cart Caddy. The Cart Caddy holds the fishing cart well. I do strap dowm the coolers and tackle box with bungie straps when traveling. I've never had a problem on the road or on the sand while driving.


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## gilly21 (Feb 15, 2006)

I used a pier cart as my front rack for three years when I had my explorer. It worked just fine. I upgraded to a custom rack after that. Much nicer but now I am having a problem mounting it to my Ridgeline. Kept the cart for pier and carry on use.


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## SurFeesher (May 5, 2010)

Deputydog said:


> I carry mine on the rear reciever of the truck with the Cart Caddy. The Cart Caddy holds the fishing cart well. I do strap dowm the coolers and tackle box with bungie straps when traveling. I've never had a problem on the road or on the sand while driving.


x2. I also use small bungees to hold any rods in the cart while traveling since the holders aren't real deep. But almost always carry my rods horizontally on the roof anyway. And on my Avalanche, the tailgate can fully lower with the cart in the rear hitch and stop about 1 1/2" from the top of the cart for access. Don't know how that works with other vehicles.


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## lil red jeep (Aug 17, 2007)

Byron/pa said:


> Hope the title made sense.
> 
> I need to get a new rod/cooler rack to mount on the front of my older Cherokee.
> 
> ...


Byron,

I have one of the Angler cart racks and I use it to carry my cooler and stuff while on the beach. I have mine attached to the rear of a 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee and it is not lifted. The problem I have found is that with mine mounted on the back, if I hit a rut the wrong way in the sand, the tires of the cart will bounce off the sand, This has caused the axle toget pushed to one side of the cart so hard that it wouldn't roll until I loosened it and centered it again. I dont carry rods in mine on the beach because I have ski racks that I lock mine into so no advice there. I would say to go for it if the bottom of the rack (tires especially) have good clearance. Good luck!


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