# HPXT Length and brand push pole



## SeanSFA (Oct 7, 2009)

I am buying a HPXT and the seller is keeping the pole. Any advice on length and pole brand for a HPXT would be greatly appreciated. Also, any advice in general about the boat would be great too.


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## Popperdave (Jul 9, 2016)

Stiffy carbon 20ft.would be my choice.


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## Permit Rat (May 13, 2014)

Length is easy.....it depends on how deep the water is/will be, where you fish. When I was a guide, I used a 21 ft. pole, but I was fishing tarpon in water sometimes 8 ft. deep. But here in Texas I use an 18 footer and so far have not wished for anything longer, in water rarely over 2 ft. deep and usually less. Overall though, I don't think there is a downside to a longer pole. 


Another consideration should be composition. Here I recommend the hybrid (glass/graphite) poles. Yes, they weigh a little more than a pure carbon fiber pole, but in deeper water, the latter has a tendency to float up before it can be set. The slightly heavier hybrid does not do this. The Hybrids are slightly more flexible than a carbon pole, so a little effort will be wasted with each thrust, but not nearly as much as with a glass pole. That flexibility also makes staking out a lot easier, since it is the flex in the pole that holds the pole and boat in place. Carbon poles, being a lot stiffer, may have a tendency to pull out, especially in choppy conditions.

Someone mentioned Stiffy. I don't know. My 18 footer is a 1-piece Stiffy composite and the finish has peeled off completely. This is while the pole was off the boat in storage. My hands were getting glass in them and they itched like crazy after just a few minutes on the pole. I sprayed the pole with a clear polyethylene and that helped a lot but IMO, this should never have happened.


As for your boat, I would have to see it. But the best advice I could offer to any skiff owner, is K.I.S.S......The simpler the better, because a skiff is so open to the elements. The less you have, the less there will be to break/corrode/etc.


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## SWCKurt (Sep 18, 2018)

The recommendation most often given on Microskiff.com is "get the longest pole you can store"

You'll probably never wish you had a shorter pole, but there can be plenty of times you wish your push pole were longer (hold the "thats what she said jokes)

Longer pole = less pushes.


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## buckweet (Aug 8, 2011)

Look up moonlighter out of Florida if they are still around 
Did not like stiffy , but I got out of need to pole years ago so they may have improved on product. Stiffy has done good job of marketing, kinda easy with that name .......


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## Bruce J (Jun 27, 2004)

It seems when this question comes up, and it does often on several boards, the most common answer is a 21 foot Stiffy Hybrid. Thatâ€™s what Iâ€™ve always used too and think itâ€™s a great length and about the best bang for the buck. When I got my last one, I called the shop in Corpus and they sold me a factory second at a nice discount. I have had that pole for years now and never could tell why it was a second. I heard that it was just the owner Kevinâ€™s way of giving a buy-direct discount rather than going through a shop.


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## Gisclair (Mar 8, 2018)

Longer is better when it comes to push poles. When you pole all day a longer push pole allows for less work and better boat positioning. I use a 24ft carbon pole and wouldn't go any shorter. Like mentioned above it does have the tendency to want to float in anything over 3ft of water. 

Congrats on the new HPXT!


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## Bruce J (Jun 27, 2004)

Capt. Josh Gisclair said:


> Longer is better when it comes to push poles. When you pole all day a longer push pole allows for less work and better boat positioning. I use a 24ft carbon pole and wouldn't go any shorter. Like mentioned above it does have the tendency to want to float in anything over 3ft of water.
> 
> Congrats on the new HPXT!


Definitely lots of advantages to a longer pole. The main downside is that it can make maneuvering around a dock more challenging with the extra overhang.


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## SeanSFA (Oct 7, 2009)

I went with a 22 hybrid for now


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## tmcpadre (Aug 27, 2005)

*stiffy*

I have used kevins products for 15 years on several boats including my chittum and stilt currently both in use. His products are great and he stands behind them. very honest guy and best fiberglass repair in south texas. he is making me an extreme as we speak. if you have an issue contact him. he has my business. oh and 21 ft extreme my 2$


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## Golden (Aug 1, 2006)

So I too recommend the hybrid, a little more weight but I believe a little less prone to snapping under load. I bought my first used "Stiffy Hybrid" from Billy Sanderfer at Austin Shallow water fishing show back in 2003. It was A 22' footer that I had to tie down to the front and rear bumpers of an old suburban my brother had to get it to my boat down in POC. You know if it was Billy's it had the good JuJu! Now here's the rest of the story.


Fishing two years ago with buddy who was poling my boat for me and we decided to re-locate. He put the pole into the holders backwards (with Y in the back). I preach to all not to do this because if you make a tight turn at speed in your boat the Y end can catch your wake and pull the pole right out of the holders. This is a fact! He said to me "I'll keep an eye on it don't worry" and so I off we went. When we arrived at our new location I noticed the pole was GONE. My bud was in shock that he didn't see or hear it come out of the pole holders. We looked for over two hours and could not find it.


The next week I bit the bullet and ordered a new pole from Stiffy. They had a new Hybrid in stock and so off we (buddy and I) go to Corpus the following week, boat in tow, to pick up the new one. We then drove back to POC to meet up with some other fly fishers for dinner. Everybody who fished that day had some great stories about their catches. But one dude stands up and says nobody caught anything close to as big as he did that day. Knowing him well and where he always likes to fish (Pringle Lake), I looked over to my partner and winked. I said I've got a "hundie" that says I know what you caught. Man he jumped all over that bet. I told him you found a Stiffy hybrid push pole didn't you! You could see the air come right out of his sails, "er ummm er" he starts stammering. How'd you know! It's mine, its the one that John lost here two weeks ago! 

Now here's the even better part of the good Billy S. JuJu. He was going to pay the bet and since I had just bought new one, I sold the old one to John for $200.00 more than I paid Billy fifteen years ago! No I didn't make him pay the bet after all he's my Dentist. So they (Stiffy poles) last for years especially if you keep them inside for storage, and lightly sand and coat it every two years with clear urethane spray to keep the fibers from getting all in your hands and arms. That pole is still serving its time on the Texas Coast! Thanks Billy where ever you are!


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