Pole v rod and reel

[MALC2]

I've seen a friend of mine, an exceptionally good stick float angler, choose to fish the pole on a fast, narrow river to extract good chub from under far bank cover.

 

I'm in the "It's just a tool" camp. I'd usually rather fish a running line, but there are circumstances where a pole just makes much more sense. Fishing on the drop, particularly in water over a rodlength deep, it's a hell of a lot easier than a running line.

 

When water is deeper than your rod just up your feeding rate to bring the fish up into a more comfortable depth, another advantage with rod & reel is you dont spook them with a pole hovering over their heads.

Many anglers suffer from poleithis, they get the pole out on every occasion when most of the times they would be better off using a running line. I match fished for many years and i must admid the pole was a major part of my armoury but mainly on Carp puddles and canals, any fathers out there please teach your kids to use a rod & reel first as we are loosing the old methods, stick float, waggler, topper, slider, all these methods will be lost, once they have learnt a few of those pole fishing will come easy as it will give them a better understanding as to why they are doing it.

[Alan Hammond]

If the water is deeper than your rod, as it is on two of the club waters that I fish, then just tie on a sliding knot that will pass through the rod rings but act as a stop for the float or alternatively use a Polaris type float.

[Steve Walker]

When water is deeper than your rod just up your feeding rate to bring the fish up into a more comfortable depth, another advantage with rod & reel is you dont spook them with a pole hovering over their heads.

 

Each to their own. These days I tend to fish a slider in those situations, because I'm after larger fish than I'm comfortable catching on the pole, but for smaller fish I'd take the pole any day.

 

 

If the water is deeper than your rod, as it is on two of the club waters that I fish, then just tie on a sliding knot that will pass through the rod rings but act as a stop for the float or alternatively use a Polaris type float.

 

You can't properly fish on the drop with a sliding float. Not with the degree of sophistication you get with a pole rig, anyway. I fish sliders much of the time, but then I'm usually after tench on the bottom.

[DavyR]

Many anglers suffer from poleithis

 

MALC2, the correct spelling is "poliomyelitis", but those anglers aren't in fact disabled. They only appear to be so because they're rarely seen away from their seatboxes (the ones you have obviously mistaken for wheelchairs). All the additional metalwork is just the full range of add-ons for the boxes (none of it is permanently attached to the angler, despite outward appearences). Hope this sets your mind at rest.

[poledark]

Oi you!!! I use a pole AND I had Poliomyelitis as a kid, so just watch it.....

 

And the correct spelling IS poleitis for those addicted to pole fishing,

 

Den

[DavyR]

Oi you!!! I use a pole AND I had Poliomyelitis as a kid, so just watch it.....

 

And the correct spelling IS poleitis for those addicted to pole fishing,

 

Den

 

Sorry, mate - no offence meant. Anyway, "poleitis" means "inflammation of the pole" - check any dictionary of etymology.

[Steve Walker]

Anyway, "poleitis" means "inflammation of the pole" - check any dictionary of etymology.

 

I think there are special clinics for that kind of thing.

[kleinboet]

Boozlebear -

12.5m Leeda assassin pole £100.00 (Argos!)

Maintenence? I clean my pole AND MY RODS when I've been fishing (doesn't everybody?) and make my own rigs at about 50p each WHAT MAINTENENCE??

[Steve Walker]

12.5m Leeda assassin pole £100.00 (Argos!)

 

That's bloody cheap. Is it any good? I've bought cheap Leeda kit before and regretted it. I'm still using an ancient 11m Browning, though, and I expect even a modern budget pole would blow it into the weeds.

[kleinboet]

Carpstar - don't answer half a statement out of context.

A pole is a tool to place your hookbait in EXACTLY the same place, with as little disturbance as possible.

The second half of the statement negates your remark!