Recently purchased my first flats boat…now the easy and cheap part of outfitting it.
I’m looking to purchase a push pole and was hoping for some advice. There seem to be more options than I realized for something that seemed so simple. The boat I have is 17’ and has a poling platform, therefore I think I want something in the 20’ range. Does fiberglass versus carbon make a big difference? I don’t have a firm grasp on how much I’ll be using it at this point, so far I’ve just been using the trolling motor.
Any advice is greatly appreciated or anyone that has a used one they are looking to sell.
I know nothing of pushpoles except the cheap collapsible ones I used duck hunting, but as to the easy and cheap part of outfitting your boat with stuff, well, there isn’t anything easy or cheap…
I’ve got a 17 flats boat w/ poling platform and a 21’ Stiffy push pole. 21 is the correct length, don’t go any shorter. You’ll need it when you stand on that platform. It is very light, much lighter than a fiberglass one. They are expensive, like $600. I belong to the East Cooper Fishing Club and get a 10% discount at Haddrells and Chas Angler, it helps with a big expense like this. Also 10% off at Shades of Charleston which I didn’t know about until AFTER I bought my wife a pair of Costas for her birthday. Membrship is $50 per year to ECFC.
SeaTow has relationships with local shops, they might have a discount with the tackle shops too.
I was proud of my self-cut bamboo pole I used for a few years on my 16’ Carolina skiff. That won’t look too cool on a flats boat though!
Before investing in a good push pole, get a better sense for your boat. What does it draft? How much does it weigh? How does the wind impact drift? These are important considerations when deciding to pole a boat or not.
If you a flats boat is heavy with a wide beam and a large sail area, poling will not be as enjoyable. These boats need a good trolling motor.
good advice there fishtales, my humble opinion is push poles work best on microskiffs and trolling motors on flats boats. another consideration is the type of fishing you do. If you fish alone a trolling motor may be the way to go. I find it difficult to pole and fish,I know some folks do very well this way, but they are way good.
Agree with comments on the longer the better;) I have a 23’ on my 18’ skiff. Even if you don’t end up poling that much, having a pole on a flats boat or skiff is almost a must in my opinion. If you are aggressive about getting shallow you will need it eventually just to push yourself out of areas. I mostly fish by myself and troll but I use my push pool every trip for one reason or another.