Is POLE fishing still popular?

Saxa · Sep 27, 2018

Hi guy, ive just taken early retirement and I am thinking of getting back into fishing after a 15 year break. My question is.....Pole fishing! Is it still popular, the reason I ask is that I had a walk around 2 pools which I'm thinking of joining, and there was not one person fishing the pole. Don't get me wrong I used to enjoy fishing with a rod & line myself but when fishing a match I used to fish the pole.

So I would be interested to hear your feed back on whether there as been a down turn with pole fishing in recent years.

Thanks Phil. :noidea:

daniel121 · Sep 27, 2018

I would say it's more popular in certain venues, fishing has become quite tribal, by this I mean people like to identify as a particular genera, if that's specimen then to be seen with a pole would make you as popular as like having a 'selfie' with Hitler to those in your genra.

However match fishermen and general pleasure anglers are possibly more pole fixated now than ever before? We have even built lakes designed for pole fishing - snake lakes.

108831 · Sep 27, 2018

I can only talk from my own standpoint,I have three poles,they rarely see the light of day,in fact I have two or three feeder rods,but I use these six to eight times a year,my fishing mainly rotates between float fishing,mainly lakes in the months from April to november,rivers the rest,I barbel fish in between....why because that's what I enjoy doing ,imo pole fishing killed the ability to be able to cast accurately and control your float,do what YOU enjoy and don't follow the flock,you'll probably have better results. Reading this back it sounds like a rant,it's not meant to be,more a little suggestion.

Jim Crosskey 2 · Sep 27, 2018

Assuming you're not intending to start fishing competitively, then as Alan says above, just do whatever makes you happiest. I've never owned a pole so can't really comment but what you may find in the 15 years that have passed is that most tackle has grown stronger to accommodate an increase in the numbers of carp that are stocked. What would have been a one-pound pasty back when you were fishing is now a 15 or 16 pound bruiser of a fish hoovering up bait in the margins... and tackle has grown stronger as a result.

However, there's still plenty of whatever type of fishing you want... just go an enjoy it, you've got the time to now!!

O.C.F.Disorder · Sep 27, 2018

daniel121 said:
I would say it's more popular in certain venues, fishing has become quite tribal, by this I mean people like to identify as a particular genera, if that's specimen then to be seen with a pole would make you as popular as like having a 'selfie' with Hitler to those in your genra

I have never encountered this! Do people really shun other "tribes"? I would never shun someone for their method of fishing and am always keen to learn other methods to catch fish (if I see them used effectively). I guess I have opinions about certain ways to fish.. like self hooking rigs being a bit boring or poles being a bit unsportsmanlike but I still use and enjoy both these methods regularly.
I have felt a tribal vibe around what venues people fish but thats pretty understandable considering human nature.

sam vimes · Sep 27, 2018

Pole fishing is as popular as it ever was. However, if you fish certain waters, and talk to certain types of angler, it could be easy to believe otherwise.

Ask on a different forum to this one, and pole fishing is likely to appear more popular. Look in on a certain type of water and it's likely to be the predominant method being used.

Whether an individual bothers with pole fishing is likely to come down to two things, the venues they tend to fish and whether they enjoy fishing a pole.

I've nothing against pole fishing. I even have a top end pole, though it is an old one. However, I no longer tend to fish the type of venues where a pole would be most useful because I don't particularly enjoy fishing them. I can say just the same for fishing quiver tip rods.

Neither my poles or quiver tip rods see the light of day very often, but I have no doubt that they can be most effective tools. Unfortunately, I simply prefer to floatfish with running lines, even if other methods might be more effective.

theartist · Sep 27, 2018

I was thinking the other day when was the last time I saw a pole angler, probably on the Canal where they are still used a lot. Used to see them a bit on the smaller rivers but they have shrunk so much in size you only need a standard rod to hold station on the far bank now, plus there's the need to rove on these venues so which isn't suited to the pole angler and the gear that goes with it. Can't remember the last time I saw one one a river.

103841 · Sep 27, 2018

daniel121 said:
people like to identify as a particular genera, if that's specimen then to be seen with a pole would make you as popular as like having a 'selfie' with Hitler to those in your genra.

I mentioned in a recent post that it reminded me of a well known phrase used by Catherine Tate’s character Nan, I’ve just been reminded again!

daniel121 · Sep 27, 2018

s63 said:
I mentioned in a recent post that it reminded me of a well known phrase used by Catherine Tate’s character Nan, I’ve just been reminded again!

But am I bovvered? :thumbs:

Best way to be, fishing is first and foremost about personal enjoyment, I feel lots of people forget this nowadays, how the individual gets that enjoyment is up to them and nobody else's business.

I have to admit to turning up in camo to match lakes and bright colours including my pink pound shop hat to specimen waters just for giggles. Amazing as it may seem the fish don't seem 'bovvered' what I have on my body :thumbs:

rich66 · Sep 28, 2018

daniel121 said:
But am I bovvered? :thumbs:

Best way to be, fishing is first and foremost about personal enjoyment, I feel lots of people forget this nowadays, how the individual gets that enjoyment is up to them and nobody else's business.

So True, I’ve spent a few months chasing the bigger bream and carp on my club waters and to be honest I’m not nearly as satisfied as I was the other day when I caught a chub of about 1lb on the river. Then a load of small perch. So my lesson learned do what you enjoy and sod the rest!

iain t · Sep 28, 2018

By going by all the pole articles in angling magazines i would say it's still as popular. Say that from personal experience i only see poles being used in matches and rarely on pleasure waters.

mikench · Sep 29, 2018

I still buy AT and browse the reports and reviews. Manufacturers are continually producing new and expensive poles( rods as well) so there must be a demand!

I still remain at a loss to understand why! The latest model from Matrix sounds like something used on another planet, is 16m long and weighs 1,475g or getting on for 3lb 4oz( for The artists benefit )! It costs £1,299 and it's lighter version costs £2,999. How can you hold something like that comfortably for more than a few minutes particularly in any breeze?.

We talk about long rods for trotting weighing less than 200g but poles are heavy in my book regardless of their presentation advantages! The manufacturers even add the word "just" before the weight! Good luck to the OP in choosing one!

no-one in particular · Sep 29, 2018

I dont know if poles are mopre popular up north but I rarely see a pole except a group of about 30 northerners who come down every year and fish a match on a local river, they all use poles. The river is more like a canal though being sluice controlled and little flow in the summer. Actually they fish right past the 6ft of weed in the margin which if they fished over the lip of that they might get more fish, they are 20ft out fishing shallow in 15ft of water. I do anyway and I told one of them that once.
I think if I was to advise Saxa what to do after a 15 year break is get kitted out with a standard 12 ft float rod first with the bits and bobs and start fishing and then take it from there, its not going to cost a bomb and whereas a pole won't suit some places and situations at all a standard rod is a lot more versatile especially when your first starting up. Once you know what your fishing and what for then if a pole is worthwhile invest in one but nothing lost in the meantime.
Mind you I have never used a pole so might be talking out of my best bit.
I was told the best thing about a pole is bait presentation.

Saxa · Oct 2, 2018

Thanks guy's for the great feedback! I've still got all my old tackle including poles, and have spent hours putting in new elastics and updating a few reels. I have decided it will be rod and line at first then wait and see if I get the bug again ready to start fishing matchs with the pole.

Thanks again Phil. ?

Keith M · Oct 2, 2018

markg said:
I was told the best thing about a pole is bait presentation

Another advantage that I found when I used to use my pole is that if I was fishing in a swim that had lots of lillies or weed lying closer in to the bank and I hooked a nice Tench, or another largish fish, then with a pole I could often play it out at full distance before having to start breaking the pole down and bring the fish in through the gap in the lillies or weed.

Whereas if I was using a rod the fish would naturally tend to be pulled toward the lillies/weed as I was playing it.

Keith

markcw · Oct 2, 2018

mikench said:
I still buy AT and browse the reports and reviews. Manufacturers are continually producing new and expensive poles( rods as well) so there must be a demand!

I still remain at a loss to understand why! The latest model from Matrix sounds like something used on another planet, is 16m long and weighs 1,475g or getting on for 3lb 4oz( for The artists benefit )! It costs £1,299 and it's lighter version costs £2,999. How can you hold something like that comfortably for more than a few minutes particularly in any breeze?.

We talk about long rods for trotting weighing less than 200g but poles are heavy in my book regardless of their presentation advantages! The manufacturers even add the word "just" before the weight! Good luck to the OP in choosing one!

Mike, my Daiwa is 16 metres, the stated weight is 1400 g, it is all down to the balance of the pole, you want the weight at the back end not the front, Dunhams Copper Beech is between 13 metres and 14.5 metres across, I would not hesitate to fish across there most of the time if that is where the fish are. Bait presentation is better, on a river with a decent flow you can more or less fish a static bait using a float, You can feeder fish using a pole, Fish lighter line than if you used a rod. Pick fish off the surface by lowering a bait in front of them. But saying all that using a pole is not the be all and end all of a days fishing. There are many times when I will opt for a small bomb rod or waggler rod if conditions or a venue merits it. The poles Saxa has from 15 years ago may be totally different in weight, balance and length than what is available today. A £400 pole today would more than likely have been double the price 15 years ago and not be as good or have as good a spares package.

MRWELL · Oct 6, 2018

Being a pole user i can say it is preference really but i never use a rod these days,i don't fish Rivers and seldum canals so it is all commies for me but it makes no difference if everyone is using a rod or not i still use my pole because i have faith in it doing a good job,you can feel every little bite and make adjustments to cater for missing them,with rods i just feel you can miss these tell tail things a lot but thats just me,remember the fish dictate how you fish or method used,no good using a pole on waters that house carp of over 20lb unless you know your pole can take it,i would always use a rod then and most waters have carp that go beyond that weight so know your venue and fish first then choose your method,thats my opinion.

markcw · Oct 6, 2018

A few of the commercials I fish hold double figure carp in the match lakes, I take a dedicated margin pole with me as well as my main pole, I have had them upto 15lb on both margin and main pole, Depending on the elastic in topkits you should be able to land fish of that size on most brands of pole,

Is POLE fishing still popular?

Saxa

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daniel121

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108831

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Jim Crosskey 2

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O.C.F.Disorder

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sam vimes

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theartist

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103841

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daniel121

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rich66

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iain t

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mikench

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no-one in particular

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Saxa

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Keith M

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markcw

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MRWELL

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markcw

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