First Published in Polish.
Next to my seatbox, I can’t imagine fishing without a quality side tray. Having everything to hand, so that I don’t have to bend down, allows me to concentrate completely on my fishing.
This is important during the competition, every minute counts, because it may turn out to be at a premium. More than once I have lost or won a competition by just 50 grams. Winning or losing can be down to such fine margins.
So, for me, a side tray is an absolute must have. Having such a tray, we can place the necessary fishing accessories on it. Mine has a measuring cup, a disgorger and a wallet with hooks. In addition, several bait boxes are also kept close at hand. It is an individual matter, everyone organizes a place according to their requirements on the day.
Over a year ago I invested in a decent side tray. I bought the Xitan X Shelter side tray XL with a cover from Browning. I chose this model for a reason. At the beginning, I had an ordinary, low-end tray. Unfortunately, my needs changed over the years and I had to change that. This tray is much larger than the previous one. Its dimensions are 45cm by 65cm. I can put everything on it with space to spare.
As the years go by, the amount of equipment I need to hand continues to grow. I noticed the lack of space when packing up at the end of a session. You never know what will come in handy during a competition, so it pays to have plenty of room. Returning to the trays, the model I chose has a screen. It is a cover that is permanently attached to a metal frame. The folding screen is waterproof, while the sides are made of fine and strong mesh.
The screen has many advantages. One of them is protection against wind and rain, and the necessary accessories are under it. I am not very fond of an umbrella, I use it as a last resort. If it is pouring with rain during a match I just pull the cover over the tray and the bait and gear is protected. Any rain that does make it onto the tray instantly drains away because of the metal mesh base.
The screen protects me from such situations in the rain. Additionally, it works well in hot weather. Summer temperatures can be tough when fishing. The cover prevents bait from boiling in the sun, and protects groundbait from drying out. It is also worth mentioning that during a match, no one can see the baits that I am using. The side tray in the set has two telescopic legs. This allows it to be spread over any terrain. The legs are ended with feet that ensure stability also on steep ground.
The Xitan version is a solid model. The massive base and good cover from the screen will make me use it for many years. In addition, it fits on seatbox legs from 25mm to 36mm. Which is really useful if you decide to change your seatbox system in the future.
Tight lines!
Paweł Daab Fishing_our_passion TEAM BROWNING
