I guess it's about time I come out of the closet. After a few trips north the last few summers I fell for the long rods and knuckle buster reels.

What I didn't like was using down riggers. I wanted to apply the Canadian set up to the coastal bays of Oregon where we typically fish water from 6' to 20 ' in depth. It was the rod holder that was holding us back. Neither Scotty, Fish On, or Folbe had a product on the market that fit my needs. Through a night of Jack Daniels a buddy and myself designed a rod holder on a cocktail napkin that would allow us to fish a Loomis SAR1265BC with a Islander MR2 reel on our local water. It is set up to hang between 4 to 12oz of lead and lets us fish the bottom of the water column where the Tyee resides.
We gave it a test run on Tillamook Bay last weekend it it worked awesome! Holder is home fabricated aluminum, coated with a spray on rubber to protect to cork, the upright is a stock Scotty extension that was fitted with some 3/8" thread and a knob ( to allow adjustment ) purchased at the home depot.
I will fish this set up hard this fall rolling herring at the coast and then bring it out again when the springers hit the Columbia and Willamette.
As for the expense of the Islander / Loomis combo. You might as well buy it once and have it last you a life time then to buy junk that will fail once a year.
Here are the pics.