A tripod or some form of rod rest is an essential piece of kit. It negates the need to hold your rod throughout the session and should be the focal point of your base camp. But is it just a case of sticking it up and placing your rod on it?
Jansen Teakle discusses.
A rod rest of some description is one of the most important pieces of kit you can own. They are inexpensive and if looked after will remain serviceable for many years to come. But what should you consider when setting up your station?
The tripod should be the first thing you assemble when arriving at your mark. I’ll often put mine up before I’ve even taken my box/rucksack off my back. But before it is erected, there are some key points to consider.
Sea and tide state
If the sea is relatively settled, I like to position my tripod nice and low. This will mean that when the rods are in place, the tips will be at such a level that bites are easier to spot. There’s nothing worse than being sat next to a tripod, staring up at the tips and straining your neck. I see this all the time and it’s a surefire way to give yourself a headache. If you can, keep the rod tips at eye level. If you arrive at your mark and find a strong onshore wind that has kicked up a big sea, it’s important to do the opposite of the above and get the rod tips right up in the air. This will prevent large waves from grabbing your line and potentially burying it in the shingle/rocks.
To do this, slide the cups of your tripod up a few feet and position the tripod legs at a more acute angle. In this scenario, standing next to your tripod awaiting a bite will again cause you to strain, so be sure to set up camp a good few feet back. You’ll be surprised just how easy it is to see bites when you’re actually standing further away from your tripod than you might usually do.
The direction of the tidal flow on your mark will also have some bearing on how you position your tripod. If the tide is running from right to left, for example, turn the tripod ninety degrees so that is facing the direction of the flow. By doing so, bites will be far easier to spot, especially when targeting larger fish which are likely to break the lead out as they take the bait and slacken the line off. The line will be coming off of the rod tip at ninety degrees and any attention your bait receives will be far more obvious than if you were to sit behind the tripod, and your rods, straight on.
Weather
In particular, the wind direction will also have some bearing on how you might position your tripod. If for no other reason than comfort, getting the wind on your back when possible will make looking up at the rod tips far easier. If it raining heavily, this will also prevent driving rain from coming straight in at you. As above, moving the tripod around ninety degrees will enable you to sit side on to the wind, avoiding the worst of the weather. Keeping comfortable is incredibly important when you’re fishing and will enable you to fish more efficiently.
Sea state and weather are both important considerations when it comes to setting up your tripod. There will be times when some compromise is needed, for example, if the wind and tide are against each other, but with a little thought, it will be possible to set up in such a way that the rod tips are easy to keep an eye on and that you are comfortable. Next time you arrive at the beach/on the rocks, don’t just stick the tripod up any old way. Take a few minutes to get it right and then it’s done!