The Coach Andy May’s box advice
THIS WEEK: How to set up your seatbox properly
ANGLERS spend hours making rigs, spooling reels and checking elastics, but other vital elements to preparation can be ignored.
Current Fish O’Mania champion Andy May won’t touch a rod or bait bag for a some time after arriving at his peg – setting up his seatbox is his number one priority.
“So many people sit on their box without making sure it is set up properly and there is absolutely no doubt that is going to affect your day on the bank,” he explained.
“You’ll not be as efficient as you could be and so will catch fewer fish – and you’ll soon be really uncomfortable, too.”
LEVEL PLAYING FIELD
“If I had a pound for every time I’d seen someone sitting on a wonky seatbox I would be a very rich man!” Andy continued.
“A lot of people set their seatbox legs one session and then leave it like that for months on end. Slight adjustments need to be made to each leg at the beginning of each session to account for the peg it is on.
“Every peg – even pristine platforms on commercials – will have slight divots or a slant, and it is really important to account for these irregularities and make sure your box is level.
“If you don’t, it is bound to feel uncomfortable and that is going to divert your attention from the job in hand and lead to reduced catches.”
HEIGHT ADJUSTMENT
“One question that people often ask me is how high they should sit on their seatbox.
“Put simply, you should be able to perform every action from that height.
“You should be able to scoop bait up from your side tray without leaning over, net a fish without having to reach for it and ship back your pole on to the rollers without creating an awkward angle that could lead to an expensive breakage.
“If your box legs are extended too much and you are sat too high, all sorts of problems arise, including trouble in feeding and even losing fish.”
ACCESSORY PLACEMENT
“There’s lots of room to position various accessories on a modern seatbox and it is important that you place them in the appropriate location.
“If you are right-handed then place your feeder rest on the left-hand side of your box at a slight angle, so that you can tension the tip and be spot-on when hitting bites.
“The height of it depends on the length of rod you are using – make sure the last eye of the rod-tip is a couple of centimetres above the surface.
“A pole sock should be situated on the right-hand side of your box. This will prevent your pole from rolling around when you are unhooking fish.
“Make sure it is set at exactly the same height as your pole rollers so that it slides smoothly into the sock without putting a bend in your expensive pole.
“Setting your box up properly takes only a few minutes, but that will be time very well spent – and you’ll be amazed at how much difference such preparation will make,” concluded Andy.