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Looking for a push pole for my 18ft flats boat w/ poling platform. Any advice or suggestions? Looks like the Stiffy costs an arm and a leg.

Lokk at skinnyanglersgear.com I think. They are local.

Skinny Water Products in Woodville.

http://skinnywaterproducts.com/

I actually made one out of a 12ft length of closet rod 1 1/4", any thing thicker is too heavy. I attached a metal duck bill on it for 25 bucks. I got a lot of use out of it, until it 'mysteriously' disappeared from the yard in La. I made another one out of a my dads old aluminum pool cleaner handle, this time I paid 40 bucks for the duckbill, and still have it today... Just suggestions for a more frugal way out. Good luck!

Here is a simple and inexpensive home made push-pole made from 2.5" or 3" sch 40 pvc. You can get it in 20' lengths and cut it down to make the "T" schedule 40 is capable of withstanding internal pressures up to 140 pounds per square inch. When it is properly capped and sealed it will float. I borrowed the idea from an FWC officer when he pulled me over one year. Be sure to paint the pole a red florescent color. If it falls out of the boat on a choppy day it will disappear in the white caps. The T is very useful for pulling up to the dock or another vessel, or picking stuff up from the bottom. It's a poor mans push pole, but it works when you get up in the skinny or to push your way through the rocks.

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Thanks for the suggestions!

I have some #231 handrail in 16' lenths for 32.00, sold one this morning

Depends on what you want to do. A wood stick or PVC pipe is fine if you want to pretend to pole around for a few minutes every now and then.
If you want to serious sight fish where you spend all day on the platform then a good quality, light weight, Graphite ($600 to $700) pole in the 19 to even 20' range will last for years, perform far better, take less energy, and help you catch more fish.

A fiberglass 18' pole might be a good compromise. I have seen theme for sale for less that $300.

IMHO.

rockyg wrote:... PVC pipe is fine if you want to pretend to pole around for a few minutes every now and then.....

It's a lot better than not having a pole at all.

mjsigns wrote:

rockyg wrote:... PVC pipe is fine if you want to pretend to pole around for a few minutes every now and then.....

It's a lot better than not having a pole at all.

True.........but he says he has a flats boat with a poling platform. He will be severely scorned by the other flats fishers in their designer skiffs if he shows up with a PVC pole.

rockyg wrote:

mjsigns wrote:

rockyg wrote:... PVC pipe is fine if you want to pretend to pole around for a few minutes every now and then.....

It's a lot better than not having a pole at all.

True.........but he says he has a flats boat with a poling platform. He will be severely scorned by the other flats fishers in their designer skiffs if he shows up with a PVC pole.

Yep.. you've got a point, but I would expect the other fishermen (gentlemen) in the area would mind their own business. There is plenty of room on the water for everyone to show some respect for others. I see a lot of crappy boats on the water, and I respect the people in those little rusty john boats regardless of their cheap fishing gear or the clothes on their backs.

Again, thanks for the help. Didn't mean to start a fight on here. All i have is a little 18ft Sterling w/ a poling platform. It also has the pop-up clips on the right gunnel to hold a pole. Not sure how the larger PVC would work on this? BTW, I only fish JT51's holes so I rarely catch any fish.

I'm not running anybody down there MJ. He didn't say he was fishing for food to feed his family. He said he bought a flats skiff which is not a necessity but a luxury item by any standard. I suggested he buy a quality push pole in order to use his boat the way it was designed. Nuff said.

Just a little Sterling, huh? Go with a carbon or graphite pole. If you don't want to buy a $1000 Stiffy brand you can also try Carbon Marine. They are less expensive but most people seem to like them. They have apparently been successful with multi-piece poles (they offer a decent warranty as well) that are easier to ship than a one-piece pole.

Like the PVC idea, think Im gonna make one this weekend, has to be better than my big peice of cane that I have used before, what to you have on the other end of the PVC pole, just a cap?