Pushpoles
- This topic has 16 replies, 9 voices, and was last updated Feb 12, 2007 at 12:23 am by
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Interesting read: http://www.flyfishinsalt.com/article.jsp?ID=32011
I’d ask around on some of the saltwater boards for the greatest amount of input.
Push poles are usually either fiberglass, graphite or a hybrid of both. There are some high end poles made of Kevlar, but they are big bucks. About every inshore boat around here has a push pole. They are usually 19 to 21 feet. Graphite seems to be the favored material due to weight and stiffness. The price of the poles ranges from about $300 up to about $1,000.
There are three companies I am familiar with. Pole Cat makes a decent pole in the $300 to $400 range. Stiffy it probably the best know maker. Their poles are in the $300 to $800 range, although they make a lighter 14′ pole for kayaks and canoes for under $200. Another company is Stinger that makes poles similar to Pole Cat, but I don’t really know much about them. There are a lot of small manufactures of push poles around Florida. They are relatively easy to manufacture, so there are a lot of off brands. Other brands I know nothing about are Northstar and G. Loomis.
If you are going to be in a Gheenoe type boat without a poleing platform, you could probably use a fiberglass kayak or canoe pole at about 12′ to 14′. If you are going to install a poleing platform, you will probably need a 16′ to 18′ pole.
http://www.stiffypushpoles.com/
http://www.polecatpushpoles.com/
Probably the best place to post the question would be on the Florida Sportsman forum:
Zack…do not get a fiberglass push pole!!! Very heavy, and flex way too much! I had a composite on my Hewes and liked it just fine until I bought a Loomis graphite. It’s stiff and light as a feather. Mine is 22′, however, I’m pretty sure they come in different lengths. I bought my son in law a Stiffy for his skiff, and since he is learning to pole and fish the flats, he won’t know the difference…unless I let him use mine on my skiff. But like I said, fiberglass is heavy and is extremely wobbly (too much flex).
Graphites are pretty expensive, but well worth it when you lift that thing about 500 to 1000 times a day.
Df, you catchin’ any fish over there? (not tryin’ to highjack the tread)
Still playing in the Indian River and Skeeter Lagoon, but like you, the cold and nasty wind has kept me in. Last trip for me was about a month ago. Took a buddy of mine that had never been sight-fishing and we kicked up about 300 fish in the river. They were spooky as all get out until about 11 o’clock. I got off the tower and he decided to wade with me, but he doesn’t flyfish…yet. I picked up five and he got two. He’s been asking a lot of questions about long rods lately!
I wanted to get out tomorrow, not sure what the wind is going to do.
Bob, are you in/around Sarasota? Heard you mention the gulf, and I am in New Orleans. But then we don’t have snook, so . . .
BD –
Now, now, Brian, how many times have you poled anything? 🙂 I’ve seen that van you drive – maybe you’ve had to pole it a time or two?
Bob, are you in/around Sarasota? Heard you mention the gulf, and I am in New Orleans. But then we don’t have snook, so . . .
I’m in Dunedin, Florida, which is in the Tampa Bay area, just north of Clearwater.
Sorry to hijack the thread, guys . . .
Bob, fishing is actually great in the marsh and the gulf around New Orleans. Tuesday I got my biggest (and ugliest) fish on a fly, a 28-lb. black drum. My buddy landed a 23-lb. red, which was a beautiful fish. The storms knocked out the commercial shrimp fleet, resulting in more food, as well as the elimination of bycatch mortality (which is the biggest population threat next to wetland habitat loss). Redfish and speckled trout are abundant. I understand the offshore guys had a great fall/winter. The only problem has been somewhat limited bait supply for the spin/cast fishermen, as many bait shops were washed away, though even that is better now.
Freshwater fishing south of I-10, on the other hand, still hasn’t recovered from being wiped out due to saltwater intrusion.
I’ll be heading to Sarasota sometime in March, I believe, to visit an old friend. Hoping to chase some snook for a day, have never even seen one before. If you end up heading here, p.m. me if you want more fishing info.
Zach, you might want to contact Scott Fly Rod, they used to have them in their catalog but I don’t see any online at this time. I have heard nothing but positive reports on their pushpoles.
FWIW,
Steveif you get sticker shock or just want something to start messing around with then the most common way to rig one up cheap is to get your hands on an old pole vaulting pole.
BD –
Now, now, Brian, how many times have you poled anything? 🙂
Dirty jokes aside… 😮
When I carp fish on Old Hickory, I pole my boat across the mud flats to avoid the commotion caused by a trolling motor. It may not be elegant, but it works. The main disadvantage is not the pole itself – it’s that I’m usually fishing alone, and I haven’t yet developed a good method for switching from pole to flyrod without wasting a lot of time. So I wind up missing shots at some fish, but overall it still works. If only I could find some gullible tag-along to pole the boat while I fished, it would be a perfect system. (As a side note, I think I just thought of a wonderful opportunity for you to practice your push poling…
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