# collapseable crappie poles



## Master Angler (May 26, 2004)

So I bought a 12' and a 16' collapseable pole yesterday at Fin Fur Feather. I have wanted to get a crappie pole for a while now - esp. for dapping baits in cover/ around docks for crappies,etc. Does anyone use long poles regularly? Seems like they are very simple and just graphite "cane" poles but I am interested to see if anyone has any comments, insights, etc. I don't think that their length will be too much of an issue off the pontoon. I am hoping that they will provide added stealth for those hard to cast spots or spots you hate making a loud cast into. 

MA


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## misfit (Apr 5, 2004)

pete,i've still got one 12 footer.don't use it alot lately,but they're great for the presentations you're talking about.the pontoon is a slight liability when the fish are back in that thick cover,which is where those poles can "reach out and touch them".
with the softness of the poles,they give jigs a great action without any help from you.and i usually fish minnies on them with a small shot and no float.
keep lines fairly short to make it easier to drop in the holes and pull fish out(mine is usually about 1/2 the pole length).
that's the only real disadvantage with the long length.
which is why i might be picking up a "long" spinning rod for that purpose.much easier to reach over cover and just release the line from the reel.
be careful and don't slap yourself in the face with a slab when you swing it out of the water with those buggy whips


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## steelmagoo (Apr 13, 2004)

I used them when I lived in Texas because no license was required for hand lines or poles without reels, and I was POOR then (ha, like I'm not now?) and didn't always keep my licenses up-to-date, fishing OR driving  .


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## sowbelly101 (Apr 5, 2004)

Long rods is pretty much all I use now for crappie fishing. My rod of choice is a 12' BnM Sam Heaton rod. I have one that I have been abusing for 3 years now and only have had to make one small repair to the tip. There are a few other rods out there that I like the action of but they dont have cork handles on them, and I cant stand that eva foam stuff. I stick to the rods that I an put a reel on so do some casting, and also reel down to a jig and knock it free from brush or a stump. They also work good for lifting the hogs up out of the water and swingin them to shore or into the boat. I tried out a few collapsable ones in the stores but dont like the weight and balance of them. There has been times where I wish I had one on board when I need to make an extra long reach and the 12'r wouldnt make the cut. They really work great for fishing lilly pads, you can lay a jig in a pocket and work a jig with minimal effort to entice them finicky fish. Another area they work good is around floating docks, typically i have found floating docks are in deeper water and a long rod allows you to have alot more line out for working the water column to find them fish that suspend under them.

Sowbelly


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## Lewzer (Apr 5, 2004)

I got a 13' one last year. I ended putting an old Johnson spincasting reel on it(thanks Husky). I found I have more control when I can handle the line at the butt of the rod. I orginally just tied a length of line to the tip but you didn't have as much control and ended up snagging your jig too much in the reeds and brushpiles. It works great dipping for crappies on WB.


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## JimG (Apr 6, 2004)

On Lake Erie shoreline the long pole is a needed piece of equipment. From Marinas to just searching rock areas along the shoreline it's a valueable tool you never find me without.
You can cast an area with jigs and turn around using a long pole reaching out and slowly dropping a jig into a good looking area and Wahck, there's a slab.

One area in the Sandsuky are old pilings where barges useto to tie up. The dock poles are about 8 feet off the shoreline and useing a long pole you can reach out and slowly lower a nice jig down the side of the wood.
Being a deep area the crappies are found at all different depths there and because of the long pole I have collected hundreds off that area through the years.

Size of the poles are a personal thing , but I have them from 10 foot to 20 and each one has it's on place. I use the pole with a built in reel on the end only because I'm brutal when it come to storing them in the truck and it seems to hold up better in the long run, besides having different pound line on each of them.

In first ice out periods these poles are also great for collecting perch along the shoreline also.
I think a person who owns one and uses them have a edge at times when regular poles just can't reach.

JimG


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## Big Daddy (Apr 6, 2004)

I use 10 footer out at WB all the time when fishing the willow bushes... If you don't have a reel on it, make sure your line is about a foot shorter than the total length of the pole. You'll have better control that way. I've hooked pike and musky on mine, and even caught a 7lb LM bass out at WB with that method. Wind can give you control fits, but you'll get used to it.

It sure is fun fishing them though...


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## Master Angler (May 26, 2004)

Thanks for the feedback...I wondered how well small jigs might fish from them. The 16' model is definitely a boom...the 12' seems abit more workable but I wanted an extra long model as well. One of them had a note attached saying the company can send slip on giudes and a small reel. My biggest concern is with just having line tied to the tip I won't have as much control. I am going to try setting them up with 4lb and an mini Thill slip float. Big Daddy - I cannot imagine landing a 7lb bass on it- wow. I figured that long poles would work great for the applications you guys described. Anther tool for the arsenal I guess


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## Big Daddy (Apr 6, 2004)

I usually use 6# Yozuri Hybrid or 8# P-Line on mine. You need a tough line fishing in the cover the way you will... An absolute BLAST though. once you find the fish...


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## Master Angler (May 26, 2004)

Hadn't thought of that...I am so used to using 4lb or 6lb...I haven't used either of the line brands you suggested but have heard good things about both. Man I can't wait for Spring!!


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## misfit (Apr 5, 2004)

forgot that part  
carl's right.i also think heavier line should be used.and the two he mentioned are good ones.i've been using p-line for several years,myself.
but i use 8-10 pound test.


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