# Poling 101 - "Blowing off" while poling into the wind



## Stuart (May 21, 2004)

And don't tell me your boat doesn't do it  First off, I admit I am teh suk at poling. I guess when I setup to start poling, my natural tendency is to pole into the wind. Anyway, once the wind starts to catch me, I can't seem to ever pole fast enough or hard enough to bring the bow back into the wind and the situation just goes downhill from there. I know the answer is practice, practice, practice, but a few tips to help me along would be much appreciated. Go easy on me.

Stu


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## TailStalker (May 11, 2006)

Spend some time fishing/poling with people better than you and you'll learn all the tips and tricks! YES it is practise,practise, and practise but there a few tips. I guess I could share a few w/you....hmmmm? LOL

And 90% it's the guy poling and not the skiff btw...so yeah you got the suk! :O)

Kevin


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## Stuart (May 21, 2004)

I think when poling into the wind I'm trying to advance the boat too far on each push. I'm thinking baby pushes may be better.


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## Javadrinker (Feb 13, 2008)

Stuart said:


> And don't tell me your boat doesn't do it


Ok, I won't tell you that my boat doesn't it. But, it doesn't....

'course I don't have a boat either








j/k..had to do that


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## Bruce J (Jun 27, 2004)

Do you have someone or some weight on the bow when you're doing this? If the boat is not well balanced it will definitely be harder to keep it on track, particularly into the wind.

Little pushes may be better at first so you can make adjustments more quickly before the bow gets too far off the wind. But, it's hard to get any speed/momentum doing that.


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## Stuart (May 21, 2004)

Yeah, with my large frame, I hardly ever venture up to the platform by myself and I'm too lazy to move every loose thing up front. I just need to get up on the platform more, it's just the majority of the time I fish alone cause that's the way I roll.


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## Gottagofishin (Dec 17, 2005)

Actually Stuart, I spent about 2 hours working on just this problem a couple of weeks ago (yes, the fish weren't biting and I was bored). I think I figured it out. At least on my boat, which is kind of like yours. LOL! 

First. Long strokes, definitely are the way to go into the wind. After that, it's all basic mechanical physics. I'm not a physicist, but I understand the concept of every action has an equal and opposite reaction.

Example... I pole right handed (pole on the right side of my body). If I'm standing in the middle of the platform and I put the pole straight back parallel with the keel and push, the skiff is going to bear slightly to the left and the wind will catch it and turn it more to the left.

Why? Because I am putting a force straight into the back of the boat, but off center to the right, thus pushing the bow to the left.

To go straight, I need to put the pole slightly to the right of straight back to counter this effect.

The same thing happens when poling with the wind, but the force of the wind tends to counteract the problem rather than enhance it which makes it less noticeable.

If this doesn't make sense the call me and we'll go fishing together. It will cost you showing me one of your redish holes.


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## captlee (Feb 1, 2006)

*Poling,Wind,Waves,Current*

if you have a mild breeze and it does not push the water as in causing wind
wave current you can pole against the wind; however if wind is pushing the water and creating enough surface current you want to pole with the wind and not
against it, also you can pole at an angle(s), most of the time I pole with the
surface current and move with that, kind of drifting/poling, once I have moved
beyond where I want to be its time to fire up the motor and move to position
the boat for a new drift and poling to adjust for where fish are sighted. I can
remember when I first started to learn how to push pole a skiff and falling off
the poling platform and having my captain buddy laughing so hard he almost
fell off the boat.
CaptainLee


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## fishsmart (Dec 5, 2004)

Where possible, you may want to get a big drift sock and just go with the wind.

Charles


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## surfsideperson (Aug 22, 2005)

practice , i poled my little skiff, and got pretty good at it. good luck , tell you what stuart, call me and you can practice poling me around anytime. lol


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## Stuart (May 21, 2004)

surfsideperson said:


> practice , i poled my little skiff, and got pretty good at it. good luck , tell you what stuart, call me and you can practice poling me around anytime. lol


Yeah, we keep saying we need to do that. We need to do that


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## Salty Dog (Jan 29, 2005)

It does get easier with practice but at the same time you have to know your limitations.


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## munson (Nov 12, 2005)

sounds like you really just need to have some weight up front while you practice...im off this monday


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## Stuart (May 21, 2004)

munson said:


> sounds like you really just need to have some weight up front while you practice...im off this monday


LOL. Can't do it today. I do have a few vacation days to burn over the next couple of months. This sight casting/poling stuff is so hard to get the timing right on the weather. I guess I just need to keep going on ventures like I have been and if the wind lays, sun is right, planets lined up etc.... get up on the flats and do some stalking.


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## Little Jimmy Cook (Oct 22, 2004)

*Read this small article and see if it helps*

http://www.mitziskiffs.com/polingpage.html#flatspoling

I read this once and kept it as a favorites. You probably already have read it but I thought what the heck.

I do not pole since I do not have a poling boat.


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## Salty Dog (Jan 29, 2005)

There are better days coming Stuart. Once we get thru spring and summer starts setting in the winds will lay and we'll get plenty of great sightfishing weather.


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## Capt. Lowtide (Jun 30, 2004)

One of the largest obstacles can be getting the bow into the wind for a straight line push. Try planting the pole directly next to the hull and slightly forward of midship on the opposite side of the wind blow. If you can keep from vaulting off the platform or breaking the pole long enough until the bow swings into the wind you'll have it licked. Once the bow turns 45 degrees into and away from the blow you can pull the pole and with several hard pushes the boat will become manageable.

Be extremely careful anytime you are in the vicinity of shell or hard structure, let me know how it works- Curtiss


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## Stuart (May 21, 2004)

Yeah, I always get nervous planting the pole next to the baot midship. So how loud is a pole when it snaps LOL


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## Salty Dog (Jan 29, 2005)

Not that loud. At least when I broke mine it wasn't. Easily repaired though.


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## let's go (Nov 14, 2005)

I almost always have a customer or a buddy up front when i'm poling. But when I go out alone and intend to pole I put my large cooler all the way up front and load it down with water. Otherwise the bow rides up to high. not only does it catch too much wind, the front of the bow is out of the water and prevents the boat from tracking properly. True poling skiffs are extremely weight sensitive and need to be balanced to perform properly.


And BTW, mine doesn't "blow off" either. :wink:


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## bleb (Mar 6, 2008)

true poling skiff whats that I was hoping a power pole would pole for me what happened all it does it get stuck

lol

robert


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