Hey all!

I am looking for a push pole to assist my trolling motor when pushing through the ultra dense lili pad fields i fish here in FL. I was wondering if anyone here has tried this one or one similar. Would it being aluminum make it too weak for this. Any suggestions on on other brands or ways to get through matted veg fields.

THANKS 8-)

http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_-1_10001_65856____SearchResults

I have two poles very similar to the ones you asked about.  Mine are longer, 15' I think, but they have the same duckbill foot on them.  They work fine so long as the bottom isn't too soft.  Some places my son and I have tried to use them, the bottom muck layer is so thick, by the time you hit something hard enough to push against, there isn't much pole left to push with.  If the bottom is firm enough though, they work great for easing around in the heavy cover.

Hey all!

I am looking for a push pole to assist my trolling motor when pushing through the ultra dense lili pad fields i fish here in FL. I was wondering if anyone here has tried this one or one similar. Would it being aluminum make it too weak for this. Any suggestions on on other brands or ways to get through matted veg fields.

THANKS 8-)

http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_-1_10001_65856____SearchResults

im from the old school. i have a 7' 1X4 with a piece of chain screwed to the end so i can use one end to push/row and use the other end to pull baits out of trees that shore fisherman lose.

works great

I used to fish Mosquito Lagoon a lot about 8 years ago with my dad and he made a home made push pole out of like 1.5" diameter wooden rod and he fabricated a foot for the end out of pvc probably cost him a total of $15 and it worked very well for years. I still have the pole portion I just need to re-fabricate the pvc end.

I thought of fabricating one also but the comfort of this telescoping model makes it easy to store in my 16ft boat. Any comments on the strength/durability of this aluminum pole? That is my main concern!

Never used one but it looks pretty useful.  

Mine are longer, 15' I think, but they have the same duckbill foot on them.

I have the same pole. Works as expected. Simple but effective. I have been pleased.

Mine are longer, 15' I think, but they have the same duckbill foot on them.

I have the same pole. Works as expected. Simple but effective. I have been pleased.

Is it strong/durable enough to push through matted vegetation? I have heard that the aluminum construction is weak? THANKS

the aluminum will be plenty strong as long as you dont kink or bend it by droping somthing on it or prying with it. as long as you just use it as a push pole you wont have any trouble

DW,

I am in NE FL and I haven't had to use the pole in the worse conditions yet, but I tend to agree with grizzly1654. If used properly I think it is a value pick. If you are going to hammer on it then I would by a better pole.

Certainly you can get into situations where it's not the best pole, but for over 90% of normal conditions I think the cost (not spending $200) and the ability to break down the pole are worth the investment. Just my 2 cents.

I fish/hunt the marshes of Southwest Louisiana so do yourself a favor and get a Rich-Mar 2-Piece Telescoping Octagon Push Pole; the octagon shape is 5 times stronger than round.

http://www.pushpole.net/Pushpole_Products.html#anchor_13146

I fish/hunt the marshes of Southwest Louisiana so do yourself a favor and get a Rich-Mar 2-Piece Telescoping Octagon Push Pole; the octagon shape is 5 times stronger than round.

http://www.pushpole.net/Pushpole_Products.html#anchor_13146

THANKS A LOT MAN!!!  ;D

I have the telescopic model and it works well.

When growing up in south Louisiana my uncle had push poles made for him.  They were wood, 12 feet long, and we used them in the marsh and for saltwater fishing out of the skiffs we pulled behind his 46' boat.

I suggest the telescopic models as you can store them in your boat easily.  

I have the telescopic model also and it works and stores well.

My only complaint is that it is only good good for water 6' or less.

Any deeper and you don't have much left to grab onto.

Brute

That would be great for me because the deepest lili pads i fish are in about 4-5ft of water.

A friend of mine worked in the athlettic department of the local high school. I had him get me an old pole-vault pole and I applied the duck bill foot on it. It works perfectly.

I am still debating on the bass pro or the Rich-Mar one(http://www.pushpole.net/Pushpole_Products.html#anchor_131460). The bass pro one costs 1/2 of what the other does but one is aluminum and one is galvanized.

Both are powder coated aluminum

The Rich-Mar is 1' 11 longer

Thicker metal

The octagon shape is 5 times stronger than round

Octagon pole shape and push button locks make aligning holes easy

The head is way stronger

For deeper water the Rich-Mar offers an 18' model that comes in three 6' sections the can easily snap together.

The octagon shape is 5 times stronger than round

Really??  I thought round / circles / cylinders were physically the strongest shape?  Eggs are round, not octagons. : )  If you were comparing by shape and not thickness, would not the flat sides be weak points where buckling could occur more easily?  Just wondering, i could be completely wrong.

On another note, I have not used one but my buddy has one for duck hunting and it does just fine.  Im sure he puts it through the ringer duck hunting more than you would fishing lilly pads.

The octagon shape is 5 times stronger than round

Really?? I thought round / circles / cylinders were physically the strongest shape? Eggs are round, not octagons. : ) If you were comparing by shape and not thickness, would not the flat sides be weak points where buckling could occur more easily? Just wondering, i could be completely wrong.

That is exactly what i was thinking too! Each bend would be a weak point? I am seriously considering the BPS one because the price tag is 1/2!!!  >