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Increasing Push Pole Efficiency/Boat Weight Distribution

2K views 5 replies 6 participants last post by  permitchaser 
#1 ·
Hey guys, been a while! I have a 16' Action Craft with a Merc 50 2 Stroke on it as well as an iPilot. I have been poling some but not a ton as it seems to be really difficult ( i know i do not have the lightest boat in the world). I know that part of my problem is my pole (heavy stiffy (White one?) that is a little short IMO) and I try to use a longer, lighter pole when available. What i am wondering is what can I do to my boat to increase efficiency? Assuming I am caring only the necessities, does it make more sense to have the weight on the bow vs stern? Also does anyone have a way to quickly deploy a stick-it from the platform without getting down? I'd like to be able to stop quickly and make a cast from the back of the boat. Thanks in advance for the advice!
 
#2 ·
Are you usually solo? Having a longer, lighter push pole will definitely help efficiency. If you are solo get some weight up on the bow to level the draft out and you will be able to pole over shallower areas and maneuver much more easily. As far as the stake out pole, you should just slow the boat down with your push pole and have a belt with a push pole clip on it and a rod holder so you can spot a fish, clip the push pole to your side, pull the rod out and fire a quick cast. Deploying a stake out stick should only really be necessary if it is really windy, you are having trouble getting a hook out of a fish or rigging your lure/fly.
Here’s my PoleMate belt with a horizontal rod holder I added. It works great, I won’t pole without it.
http://www.floridabackcountry.com/polemate.php
Water Fisherman Angling Recreation Recreational fishing
 
#3 ·
My solo method. As much weight up front as possible to level out skiff. I leave a small towel somewhere up front on the boat where I can stick end of pole. Against a cooler, platform tie down. I also keep a wet towel on edge of platform to set pole on. It keeps it in place and is silent. It's one quick motion, pole is not attached to me. I keep a rod on my back through my belt facing opposite side I usually pole from. I also pole from bow on calmer days. Poles quicker and shallower obviously, but changes direction quickly.
 
#4 · (Edited)
I pole a bit bigger skiff, some days - all day long (an old Maverick XL) and don't have a power pole or a "stake out pole" since my push pole is what I use to stake out with...

I have two tethers, about four feet long secured to the back legs of my poling tower (one on each side). Each one has a small loop at the bitter end that fits perfectly over one of the fork ends. Here's how it's used in places where the bottom is soft enough that you can stick the pointy end of your pushpole... When I need to stake out I simply swap ends on the pole and drive the pointy end into the bottom about a foot or so - and always at a 45 degree angle to the skiff... I quickly grab one of the tethers , make one full turn around the pole then secure with the loop end on one of the fork points.

That's all there is to it -and when I have an angler aboard I can quickly stop the skiff any time I want to keep us from getting too close to fish we've spotted. If I'm solo, once I'm staked out I have a choice of staying right on the platform and making a cast or climbing down and moving to the bow to make a presentation. If I'm fly fishing I'll already have a rod laid out on the forward platform with line stripped out on the deck behind the platform so I'm ready to go when I get there - works like a charm (and I've been doing this since the mid-seventies -I'm in geezer territory now...). Remember when poling something that's not exactly a "micro"... try no to use your arms - simply set the pole and lean on it with all your weight - a much better use of that pole than trying to "arm pole" it all day...

As far as poling a heavier skiff goes - you'll find it much easier if you make a point of poling with the wind (or with the current) as much as possible. The pole you have is probably a heavy fiberglass model (and that's all any of us had years ago...) these days I'd recommend looking for a graphite and glass pole (called hybrids by many) - and you want a minimum of 21 feet - longer is better if you pole a lot. I'd avoid an all graphite pole since they're a lot easier to break (and cost a lot more..).

Last, when you're in waters too deep to pole in with the pushpole you have... simply climb down off the platform and pole off the rear corner of your AC... My first bonefish skiff never had a platform at all - I always poled it off one rear corner or other - and we caught a bunch of bonefish with it (this was back when an average day meant you'd catch and release a half dozen bones - some of them so big they needed license plates - early seventies....).
 
#6 ·
I pole a bit bigger skiff, some days - all day long (an old Maverick XL) and don't have a power pole or a "stake out pole" since my push pole is what I use to stake out with...

I have two tethers, about four feet long secured to the back legs of my poling tower (one on each side). Each one has a small loop at the bitter end that fits perfectly over one of the fork ends. Here's how it's used in places where the bottom is soft enough that you can stick the pointy end of your pushpole... When I need to stake out I simply swap ends on the pole and drive the pointy end into the bottom about a foot or so - and always at a 45 degree angle to the skiff... I quickly grab one of the tethers , make one full turn around the pole then secure with the loop end on one of the fork points.

That's all there is to it -and when I have an angler aboard I can quickly stop the skiff any time I want to keep us from getting too close to fish we've spotted. If I'm solo, once I'm staked out I have a choice of staying right on the platform and making a cast or climbing down and moving to the bow to make a presentation. If I'm fly fishing I'll already have a rod laid out on the forward platform with line stripped out on the deck behind the platform so I'm ready to go when I get there - works like a charm (and I've been doing this since the mid-seventies -I'm in geezer territory now...). Remember when poling something that's not exactly a "micro"... try no to use your arms - simply set the pole and lean on it with all your weight - a much better use of that pole than trying to "arm pole" it all day...

As far as poling a heavier skiff goes - you'll find it much easier if you make a point of poling with the wind (or with the current) as much as possible. The pole you have is probably a heavy fiberglass model (and that's all any of us had years ago...) these days I'd recommend looking for a graphite and glass pole (called hybrids by many) - and you want a minimum of 21 feet - longer is better if you pole a lot. I'd avoid an all graphite pole since they're a lot easier to break (and cost a lot more..).

Last, when you're in waters too deep to pole in with the pushpole you have... simply climb down off the platform and pole off the rear corner of your AC... My first bonefish skiff never had a platform at all - I always poled it off one rear corner or other - and we caught a bunch of bonefish with it (this was back when an average day meant you'd catch and release a half dozen bones - some of them so big they needed license plates - early seventies....).
What Bob said
 
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