Experienced anglers know that the key to fishing isn’t luck: it’s preparation. Having the right equipment is everything, especially if you’re using your boat for fishing, and that includes getting outfitted with the proper gear to complement your rods, reels, and tackle.

Bait boards need to be counted among those special preparation items. That’s because instead of using your cooler, tackle box, or even your expensive transom tables as a surface for cutting bait and rigging lures, they’re designed specifically to make the angler’s life easier. Only bait boards offer the durable, on-board convenience and utility that’s compatible with any size boat or budget, and they’re the most conclusive step you can make to solidify your preparation process.

Bait Boards Help You Prepare for the Big Catch

No matter if you own a 10′ tinny, or a 47′ sport fisher, it’s a fact: if you’re an angler who’s committed to capitalising on equipment that can give you the sporting edge, a sturdy, combination rod holder bait board is one of the best investments that you can make. These easy-to-clean / easy-to-remove boards provide a stable, multi-purpose platform that’s irreplaceable for keeping your tackle, bait, and other gear at arm’s reach. Organization is the key to preparation, and bait boards allow you to spend less time chasing gear and processing bait, and more time concentrating on landing the big catches.

Today’s premium quality cutting board combinations aren’t just sturdier and longer lasting than classic, and homemade wooden and metal boards, they’re also more practical. Starting with either abrasion and UV resistant polyethylene (PE), or corrosion resistant 316 grade stainless steel, modern rod holder bait table combinations are typically available in 3 main configurations:

• Adjustable bait boards. Adjustable bait tray rod holder combinations are mounted on adjustable aluminium legs that slot into standard vertical rod holders, and can also be angled along the x-axis for convenient positioning.
• Fixed bait boards. Fixed bait board rod holder combinations are permanently mounted to locations like your boat’s coamings or transom, and can be conveniently folded out of position when they’re not in use.
• Rail-mounted bait boards. These bait board and rod holder combinations mount directly onto your boat’s railing, and typically feature quick release mechnanisms that allow them to easily fold away, or for quick removal and stowing.

The main benefit that each of these highly versatile rod holder bait tray combinations has is their virtually unlimited range of mounting options. The wide selection of sizes within each configuration means that they aren’t limited by either the size or shape of your boat, or your desired mounting height. No matter if it’s at the transom, the breasthook, or along a coaming: a rod holder cutting board can be mounted anyplace where there’s sufficient clearance. You can even mount one behind the thwart seats in small boats or canoes where space is at an absolute premium.

Maximizing Your Free Space With the Right Bait Board Size

High quality bait table rod holder mount combinations can be fitted to any size boat, and are available in a complete range of sizes from some of the marine industry’s leading accessory and fabrication manufacturers, such as:

• Eastsun Marine;
• JPW Marine;
• Manta Marine;
• Reef Runner Marine; and,
• Viper Pro.

They understand that space is an asset when it comes to high quality rod mount cutting board tables, especially for dinghy, canoe, and other small runabout owners. Every free millimeter of hull space has to be utilized to the fullest, which is why they manufacture combination bait cutting board rod holder tables in a range of sizes that are suitable for any size boat or any type of angler, including:

• Small rod holder mounts. Typically ranging in size from 450 x 370mm to 665 x 340mm, these rod holder cutting table combinations can be easily secured by a single-leg, and are perfect for small boats that don’t have a lot of space to sacrifice.
• Medium rod holder mounts. Ranging in size from 650 x 440mm to 850 x 440mm, these rod holder bait cutting board combinations come in single- and dual-leg, as well as rail mounted configurations, and fill the niche between smaller and larger boats.
• Large rod holder mounts. Varying in size from 700 x 420mm to 1020 x 500mm, these full-size, dual-leg combination cutting boards are designed to take full advantage of the free space around transoms and railing areas on larger recreational, or dedicated angler boats.

Not surprisingly, the best rod holder fillet table combination won’t necessarily be the largest one, but the one that allows you to maintain the most well-organized working area. More often than not, size is secondary to feature-richness when it comes to being prepared, and that makes choosing the board with the right features an integral part of being prepared.

Features are the Key to Keeping Your Angling Organized

While easy positioning and stowing away are essential bait board characteristics, it’s the built-in features that are the key to getting the most use out of one. Ideally, the features you decide upon need to be consistent with both your boat’s layout and your bait boards configuration; and in addition to 2 or 4 rod holders, a typical array of feature offerings could include:

• A recessed drainage tray;
• Recessed tackle or bait holders; and,
• A knife keeper.

Organization means everything; and for the angler with lots of gear, or who prefers to work with live bait, the selection, placement, and organization of the features themselves can make all the difference in their preparation.

The Final Word

At the end of the day, no matter if it’s a new high-speed reel or an exotic balsa lure, serious anglers are always looking for ways to seize the advantage. They also understand that landing the big one has just as much to do with their deckside preparation as it does with what’s happening in the water.

A combination rod holder bait board lets you achieve the deckside organization you need to come out on top when the fish start biting. It’s a small investment in the scope of boat ownership, but you’ll be surprised by just how much more prepared you’re going to be with it.