After years on the bank and in the trade i've seen my fair share of fishing poles, I’ve learned that success with pole fishing isn’t just about owning the best fishing poles or how light, stiff or strong the pole is, it’s about your pole fishing setup that enable you get the most from it. Some bits of kit are nice to have, while others though are non-negotiable. The pole itself might be the star of the show, but these five items are what let it perform at its best. Here are the five bits of kit I never go pole fishing without.
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Pole rollers
If your pole rollers aren’t set up right, everything else suffers. I always use a minimum of two rollers when fishing past 10m. Smooth, balanced shipping is the foundation of good pole fishing, and that comes down to correct roller placement. Get them too close and the pole feels clumsy and unbalanced, too far apart and it bounces, wobbles and instantly feels heavier as the weight of the pole becomes unevenly distributed. Take the time to set them correctly so the pole ships effortlessly. This small detail can transform your control and efficiency.
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Pole sock
On a level bank you might get away without one, but on a sloping bank it’s a different story. Without a pole sock or tulip rest, sections have a habit of rolling straight off the roller and towards the water. The sock supports the unshipped sections, keeping them in place whilst you rebait or land a fish. It prevents costly accidents and allows you to concentrate on fishing instead of chasing runaway sections.
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Plummet
The plummet can make or break a session, as without one, you’re guessing. Presenting your bait an inch off the bottom might mean your bait is completely ignored. Laying too much line on the deck and bites won’t register on the float at all.
I carry a few different weight plummets to suit different lake bottoms and substrate, my go to usually a 30g large bottomed plummet gives me the surface area and the weight to really get an idea of the bottom, but on slopes or on a softer botttom, I will often opt for a lighter plummet for more intricate plumbing or to avoid it become stuck in the silt.
Taking the time to find the right depth accurately will ensure that your bait is presented in the right place amongst any loosefeed, giving you the best chance of getting bites quickly and consistently.
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Pole tape and Tippex
I use both but in different ways. A dab of Tippex on the top kit tells me exactly where my rig should be set if it slips during the day. Pole tape although a recent product to the market, before that it was electrical tape, wrapped around the bigger sections gives me a distance reference so I can feed and fish to the same spot every time perfect for fishing, feeding and rotating multiple pole lines, always using a far bank marker to ensure pinpoint accuracy. These little reference points remove the guesswork and keep me consistently on the right spot throughout the session.
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Pole mounted pot
Being accurate with feed is everything when pole fishing, and while you can place your rig perfectly, if your feed isn’t in the same spot then it’s pointless. A pole pot ensures that feed is introduced exactly where my hookbait is.
I keep a few variations with me, bigger ones with more holes for releasing bait quickly, smaller ones with lids to trickle it in slowly. Being able to feed just the right amount, exactly where my rig is, means I can fish for a bite at a time being accurate and careful not to overfeed the peg to keep fish coming as long as possible.
ALL THESE ACCESSORIES MEAN NOTHING IF YOUR POLE ISN'T ELASTICATED PROPERLY.
