Margin Poles

[Ron Clay]

Can any of you pole experts out there explain the reason for wanting what is called a "margin pole"? These are much shorter that normal poles with quite heavy elastic.

What would be wrong with a fishing rod and reel?

 

[Jon Moores]

I think the answer to this lies in turning your reasoning on it's head. To someone brought up on and using nothing but the pole they probably think - Why use a rod, what would be wrong with a margin pole?

 

[Ron Clay]

How incredibly strange.

Are you saying that there are anglers out there who cannot use a rod and reel?

How sad!!

 

[Cheese Paste]

I wouldn't call myself a pole expert but the margin pole is quite a handy tool. It is most useful for poking about around any close in lily pads or under any overhanging bushes where it might be virtually impossible to cast a float on normal running line.

 

[Rob Brownfield]

Also, i have found that poles can..if balanced, beat fish very quickly...much quicker than rod and line.

 

[Jon Moores]

I'm not sure about 'can't use a rod & reel', though I wouldn't be suprised. Many anglers seem to just prefer a pole, and if they enjoy it can't be sad can it?

 

[Rodney Wrestt]

I use a pole and also like whip fishing, although if the larger fish are in the edge I'll use the top few sections of the pole. I remember a while back people using landing net handles with powergum running through them instead of elastic on the carp fisheries, I think this is where the idea for the margin pole came from. They were dropping their pellets into the margins, waiting for the bubbles and hooking the fish and landing them in seconds, the fish couldn't have known what was happening it was so quick. Within an hour or two the net would need emptying and some of the mach weights were incredible.

 

[Craig Smith]

I agree with Rodney about just using a couple of sections of my pole. As regards the landing nets poles used I think at Drayton rez if memory serves me correct, It was a dramatic mark 1 margin pole but as with all things they develop get better. The rod and line still and always will have its time and place with the pleasure and specimen angler, but with the original intention of the pole being for match fishing and now the margin pole for commercial carp fisheries with shoals of patrolling fish in the margin weed for all the left overs from previous matches it's just another invention for match anglers to improve weights.

 

[Wendy Perry]

Rodney can i ask is it easier using a pole than a rod ?? i haven't got a pole i don't fancy the idea of it i like to cast in and use my reel how come you use a pole ?

 

[Rodney Wrestt]

Hi Wendy,
I like both but I prefer to use a rod and reel, simply because it's what I grew up using. I use the pole mostly on the canal but always take a match rod as well because the pole can't reach to the far bank at some sections. I also prefer the rod and reel for bigger fish. I feel more in control of the fight, I've heard and read a lot of people say it's easier to control carp on the pole but I would rather get them on the rod, I've had a few carp on the pole and it scares me to death. Even on a size 14 elastic through three sections and doubled up in the last one, they just power away as though they don't know they're hooked and on the canal they come right at you and into the reeds in the margins. The elastic is meant to tire them out but they can pull so much out so quickly that they can get into the reeds before the full power of the elastic can kick in. I like to use the pole for small fish like roach, skimmers, bream, gudgeon and enjoy catching lots of them so the pole in my opinion is great for small to medium sized fish when conditions are right but my favourite type of fishing is the stickfloat for roach, dace and grayling on the river.

 

[Wendy Perry]

i often see people with poles in matches and they are normally the one's that win so i just wondered if there was something magic at the end of em LOL they look too heavy for a little girl like me so i think i'll give the poles a miss for now

 

[Dave Beal]

The pole can be Quite easily used for large fish the problem most people don't realise is that with larger fish you need to tighten your elastic right up.
As for ease of use try casting a float to within milimeters of far bank vegitation or casting your float underneath an overhanging bush.
lastly the presentation using a pole is far better than you can ever achieve with rod and line.
No wieght is needed as the cast is eliminated.
A pole in 90% of ocassions will out fish rod and line hands down.

 

[Murray Rogers]

Ron.
These poles are used to tame big fish (By pole standards) in as short a time as possible. I use one called "Drag and net", bought for a tournament in Cyprus where Carp in the 2 to 12 pound range are the target. Balanced correctly, ie, right elastic they will outperform a rod and line every-time. The presentation that can be achieved with a pole close in could never be achieved with a running line on a consistant basis, couple that with the fact that these hard fighting fish take too long to land on a running line and it is easy to see why the Carp match anglers go for the pole every-time.

Oh, by the way, it is also fantastic fun playing something large and lively on the end of some elastic.

 

[Rodney Wrestt]

I think that a pole might be better open water, like on a pond or stillwater where the fish can be alowed to run itself out but as I said on the canal there isn't the room to play them before they are in the reeds, well on my canal anyway the reeds are quite prolific. The elastic on my heavy section is quite tight but the carp are mostly 6-10lb and the water is 4-5 foot deep on average so they swim across rather than down the way. You are right Dave about the presentation, you are always on the exact same spot every put in and the wind won't take the float off line like it can with a waggler, but I think it's a confidence thing imo big fish = rod and line.

 

[Paul Williams]

I have often thought of using a pole to catch largish fish (roach), one thing that worries me is a point raised by Jan Porter, he reckons the shadow cast by a pole actually puts off large fish, anyone find this to be the case?

 

[Cheese Paste]

The pole can definately scare fish off. I fished a match once on a clear-ish river and I was casting a waggler into a small area of slack and catching a fish a chuck. I knew if I could catch these on the pole my catch rate would double. However as soon as I put the pole across I never had another bite, not even when I reverted back to the waggler.

 

[Ron Clay]

I have spent a great deal of time tench fishing in heavily weeded gravel pits. Most of my tench - up to 83/4 lbs have been caught in the margins on quite strong float tackle and the only way to get them out is to use hook and hold tactics, that means stopping the tench dead in it's tracks.

Somehow I doubt if you could do this with laccy band.

There is also another point. You say that elastic will beat a fish much quicker than rod and reel. By the way most anglers play fish on rod and reel I shouldn't wonder. They backwind!

You just can't beat a heavy fish on strong tackle by backwinding. Learn how to set and use the clutch is the much better way. The fightin' drag system on Shimano reels also makes using the clutch much easier.

 

[Paul Williams]

Thanks for that cheesepaste, i suppose with the airbourne predators about nowadays the fish are going to be a little twitchy with shadows from above!......i'll think about the method for coloured water perhaps.
Ron, i've never fished a pole (other than had a quick go with my mates)but i certainly would if and when i thought it would catch me fish...or give me a days fun fishing.

 

[Ron Clay]

Up to 18 months ago I owned a pole. Then it was pinched.

I used it to fish our local canal for some rather big roach. It was of course great fun. I've nothing against pole fishing and when I can afford it I will buy another.

However I do think poles are often used in circumstances where a rod and reel would be better.

 

[Murray Rogers]

I've kept a report printed a couple of years ago in one of the monthlies headed "White knuckle ride". It was a feature on pole fishing for Barbel. The venue was the Kennet at Thatcham. These guys had it sorted and caught a lot of fish for the camera the largest going 12lbs.

They were presenting the bait between two runs of weed using a stick float held back and then inched through. I often read this report and realy must get round to giving it a go.

Getting back to some of the points raised before, Ron, the poles used in places like Cyprus are incredibly strong and have to be as the Carp fight that much harder than their english equivalant. Elastics are doubled up 16 fitted very tight or even power-gum instead of the elastic. The snags in these reservoirs can be horrendous and it is a distinct advantage to be able to apply pressure from direstly above the fish.
You can forget the normal pole terminal tackle, lines are 10-12lb Maxima or braid, hooks are Carp forged variety. It is not unusual for fish to be hooked and landed all in a matter of seconds.

Do you think the Barbel police would approve if I tried this method at Adams?.