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How to set up your pole rollers correctly

Setting your pole rollers up correctly is paramount to protecting your fishing pole!

by Tony Grigorjevs |

Updated on27th May 2026 at 12.37pm

A pole is among the most expensive tackle items you’re likely to own, so protecting it from damage has to be a key concern.

The overwhelming majority of anglers are aware that owning a pair of pole rollers is a vital part of providing this ‘duty of care’ when out on the bank, yet many fail to utilise them properly.

Erecting or positioning the rollers incorrectly can lead to that sickening sound of a section snapping in half, and the realisation that a hefty bill will be coming your way.

Taking a little time to get them set up properly at the start will greatly reduce the chance of that happening, and will help you to fish altogether more fluidly.

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A roller is a vital piece of equipment

One roller or two?

For distances up to 11m, one roller is enough. Use two when fishing further out unless you have a bush behind you to act as a makeshift roller! They make shipping much smoother, and prevent any stress to the pole due to lack of balance.

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Position them properly

Rollers must be positioned so that the sections aren’t put under excess pressure, with no long lengths left hanging off the end. If you’re fishing at 13m and have shipped back, the end of your fifth section should be on the first roller behind you. This is usually 4m-5m away, with the second roller positioned around the same distance beyond that.

Get the right angle

I try to set my rollers so that the pole slopes slightly down towards the water. The back roller should be a few inches higher than the front, creating a slight angle which allows you to keep your top kit low while shipping back. This speeds up unshipping, and when playing a fish and pushing the pole back, the fish won’t be brought up to the surface too quickly, risking a hook-pull.

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Pick the right roller

There are lots of different pole rollers, but a flatbed version with a divider in the middle is the best type. If there’s limited space behind the peg, it allows you to break your pole down twice without both parts rattling against each other on the roller.

Blockers on each end that fold in will also prevent sections from flying off in windy conditions.

Put a sock in it

It will only take the slightest gradient for the pole to slide towards the water when it’s resting on the rollers. A pole sock that sits on the right-hand leg of your seatbox footplate will prevent this. Position it at approximately knee height, and on the outside of the footplate, so that it doesn’t get in the way when you are trying to net fish.

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