Fishing Gimbal Belts and Harnesses

Fishing Gimbal Belts and Harnesses are designed to give the angler a mechanical advantage when lifting a heavy load

How It Works

Stand-up tackle is designed to give the angler a mechanical advantage when lifting a heavy load. The load is the fish, the rod is your lever, and the point where the rod is attached to your body is the fulcrum. Our body weight is the force that we use to move the load through the fulcrum and lever. There are several other factors to take into account - such as the flex of the rod and the drag setting of the reel. Still, these are designed to provide a buffer or controlled release of pressure to prevent the fish from breaking the line or tearing free through sudden movement or runs. Set up correctly, the angler should be able to use his own weight to balance the weight on the other side of the fulcrum by expending little energy. This applies to applying force to a running fish or to the line when retrieving.

The Fighting Belt

Is the means by which we secure the base of the rod and spread the load or weight across our thighs. The belt consists of a pad that houses a cup into which we place the rod’s gimbal. The gimbal will have a slot that sits over the pin in the cup. The size of the pad will vary depending on the class of the rod used. Lighter line classes, e.g. 30lbs class, will mean a smaller pad. The forces will be much higher when using heavy 80-130lbs class gear, and the pad will be larger to spread the load evenly across your thighs. The pad is supported either using a belt around your waist or, ideally, suspended from drop-straps attached to your harness. In either case, the set-up must be adjusted with the belt and harness in position, and the angler holding the rod