Push Pole Tips

First rule of push-poling is control. Worrying about how fast you can get from Point A to Point B flies in the face of poling's slow and easy intent. Get going too quickly, and you'll blow past your quarry.

Practice stands as the most efficient instructor, but keep in mind a handful of proven tips:

• Balance the boat: Evenly distribute bodies and gear forward and aft. Otherwise, you'll exhaust yourself with each new start.
  
• Leverage and power: Your legs and arms can produce more power than your upper body alone. With a stance perpendicular to the platform, start each stroke by leaning forward with the pressure on your front leg and pulling downward and backward on the pole. As the boat moves past the pole's midsection, transfer the force to your back leg and follow through with a final push.
  
• Stabilizer: Partially lower the motor to serve as a stabilizer. Consider it aquatic training wheels. The boat will track better with this added guidance, which compensates for off-center pushes.

Effective poling starts with the pole's foot centered behind the boat on each forward stroke. If a push gets away from you and the boat veers off course, simply use the partially submerged foot as a rudder. Pull the tip right, the boat eases to the left. Pull left, and the boat goes right. For more significant turning, sink the foot at the gunwale, level with your feet, pull inward and the boat will leisurely rotate around the pole's axis.

For sharper moves, place the pole just ahead of the platform on the side to which you'll be turning, and push in that direction. Providing a pivot point and a sudden directional force makes the boat veer abruptly into the direction from which the force is applied. Pay close attention to balance on this move, however, as one slip will land you in the drink.

Make sure also that the pole doesn't end up slanting under the hull. Especially risky in windy conditions, the boat can slide over the submerged foot forcing the operator to bend the pole dangerously close to its maximum stress tolerance. If pole damage appears unavoidable, let go and motor back to retrieve the pole.

When it's time to sit still, dragging the foot against the bottom provides a gradual but noisy stop. For quieter braking, stick the tip diagonally into the bottom toward the bow and push until forward motion stops.

In a stiff wind or fast current, stopping requires more effort, so stick the pole vertically into the bottom, holds firmly and gradually let the bending pole feed through your hands as the boat glides to a halt. Depending on your speed, repeat as needed. The key is smooth resistance -- don't try to stop on the first attempt.

For stationary fishing, a pushpole doubles as an impromptu anchor. Some prefer to "stake out" any planting the pole vertically and tying off short. The proximity of the pole allows you to move easily and quickly, but the pole's high position can create a casting obstruction, especially for fly fishermen.

Another option calls for sticking the pole at an angle, dropping a lanyard over the top and drifting back until the rope comes tight and the pole bows over the water. This option yields no casting interference but requires more effort to retrieve the pole. To compromise, plant the tip in the bottom and hold the pole vertically to maintain the boats position. This manual braking enables you to adjust the pole to avoid casting impediments and instantly resume poling should a fish appear just out of range.

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