Starter pole recommendations

[fruitloopy]

I have a 5m telescopic whip and the first time I used it I struck into a 6lb carp! I almost had a toilet accident on the bank!

 

I then used my dads 8m pole off the front of a cruiser on the Norfolk Broads and caught a 1lb perch. I had mostly seen poles as a match fishing must have but now I can see that in certain situations a pole may be quite fun.

 

I am looking to spend around £50 on my first pole. Probably 8 metres would be suitable as a cheap long pole would be quite heavy. One that it already elasticated so I can enjoy bringing in tench and bream but also be able to land a larger carp if I'm lucky. I cant say I will use it all the time so I dont want to spend too much money on it.

 

I have looked around some online shops and found an 8 metre Shakespeare pole with spare top tip and pre-elasticated on eBay.

 

eBay 8m pole

 

I have been to my local tackle shop but they usually cater for the serious pole angler and I dont have several hundred pound to spend!

 

Any thoughts or advice greatly appreciated.

[Anderoo]

I haven't done that much pole fishing, but I remember when I was reading up on poles in preparation for buying my first one, the advice I kept seeing was 'spend as much as you can possibly afford - and then, if you can, a bit more'. I ignored it and bought a 9m pole that was unusable beyond about 5/6m because it was so heavy.

 

Technology has moved on a bit since then, so I expect the more up-to-date pole fishers will have more useful advice, but I would say it's better to save up a bit more money. 'Buy cheap, buy twice' certainly proved true with me and poles!

[Sportsman]

I would echo Anderoos opinion.

Having said that the pole you linked to on Ebay looks OK if you could get it at the right price.

My first pole was a Dam 8m for around 25 quid and to be honest it served to get me interested in pole fishing. I then bought a decent second han pole (on here) and have never used the Dam again.

Have you looked at the poles that Ian Bass has for sale on the tackle for sale section. Mite be a better idea

[old_gh]

Save up your money and buy the best you can afford... a cheapie will be heavy, sloppy and a nightmare in windy conditions. If you are new to pole fishing, I would consider trying to get hold of a "decent" second-hand pole, preferably one you can inspect before buying, so you can check for wear in the joints or damage etc. and you can also fit together and handle at its maximum length. If you're considering buying new, check out the sales/special offers on "last seasons" better range of poles... you'll save a fortune and still get a pole that is light and strong plus comparable with the latest hi-tec version. Also look for deals where you get plenty of extra top 2/3/4 sections, as these will become hard to get or very pricey as time goes by.

 

Basically, you are paying for lightness, strength and rigidity at its maximum length (and the brand name), when buying a decent pole. Remember, unless you're built like the incredible hulk, weight is a big factor when fishing a long session where you need to be fishing 14 metres plus to get into the best action.

[Rusty]

I agree with Anderoo & Sportsman.

 

I don't own a pole but it seems most of the cost of expensive ones goes into making them long, light and usable and although it's against my better judgement I would spend as much as I could afford on a first pole. I still have £100 worth of vouchers for a local tackle shop but I'm not sure that would get me a decent one.

 

Keep saving, it'll be worth it when you buy one that you still like using a year later.