Pole elastics: pick, fit and tension them right
Course pack: Elastic choice card and tension check. Coach Willy, our virtual AI coach, can explain each step, set you a practice task and check your understanding.
Who it's for
New to this? Perfect — no experience needed.
Where and when
Mostly done at home before you go. Best in: all.
What you'll work through
- 1Match the elastic to the fish you expect
- 2Fit and set the tension
- 3Play fish on the elastic
- 4Look after the elastic and spot wear
Step 1: Match the elastic to the fish you expect
Alright mate, let's get stuck into pole elastics: pick, fit and tension them right. I'll walk you through what to look for, what to try and how to tell whether it helped. We'll start with match the elastic to the fish you expect, then work through a proper practice job at each step. Take it at your own pace and keep a few notes so you've got a useful plan for next time.
By the end of this step
Have a go at: match the elastic to the fish you expect.
Willy’s take
Right, elastic is what soaks up the fight when a fish bolts on the pole, mate, so matching it to what you're actually after saves a lot of grief.
For small silverfish like roach, rudd and skimmers on light rigs, a solid elastic in grade 4 to 8 is a sensible starting point — it's simple, cheap and gives you a soft, forgiving response.
If you're after F1s with the odd bonus fish, grades 8 to 10 are a reasonable starting guide, but always check the actual product description rather than trusting the colour, because colour coding isn't standard across brands.
For proper carp or tench in open water, hollow elastic in the 12 to 14 range gives extra stretch to cushion bigger, more powerful runs, while margin work near snags might push you to 14 to 16 — but only within what your pole and top kit are actually rated for.
Kit I'd start with
- You don't need much to get pole elastics sorted, mate, but what you've got needs to actually match your top kit. Check your pole manufacturer's rated elastic range before buying anything, since fitting elastic heavier than the top kit is rated for risks cracking or splitting the tip section under load.
- Buy a proper puller kit or elastic connector system rather than improvising with whatever's in the shed, as a ready-bushed kit genuinely makes fitting easier if you're new to it.
- Carry a small range of elastic grades rather than just one, say a light solid around grade 6 for silverfish and a hollow around grade 12-14 for bigger fish, so you can swap top kits to suit what's in front of you on the day.
- Pack a spare length of elastic and a spare connector in your kit bag too, because running out mid-session when a length splits leaves your top kit out of action for the rest of the day.
- A dab of elastic lubricant, where the maker recommends one, helps it run smoothly through the pole and can extend how long it lasts before it needs replacing.
On the bank
Worked example
Say you've got a commercial day ticket water where you might hook anything from small roach to a lump of a carp on the same peg. Hypothetically, would you rig up with grade 6 solid for the silverfish and hope for the best, or think about what you're realistically likely to connect with first?
Your turn: Match the elastic to the fish you expect
- 1
Check your pole and top kit's rated elastic range before buying anything
- 2
Pick a grade based on the fish you realistically expect, not just the biggest one possible
That's the free sample — this is where it stops
The full step keeps going with the rest of the practice job, common mistakes and fixes, a check-your-understanding quiz and your Elastic choice card and tension check. Then 3 more steps, each with its own task, and Coach Willy on hand to talk it through.
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