# Fishing from the Poling Platform



## dbrady784 (Feb 17, 2014)

I fish solo a lot too, and put a yeti up on the bow and fill with water to help even out the weight a little. Then I keep my fly rod in a stripping bucket with the line already stripped out in it next to me. I have one of these belt push pole holders and it helps a lot. 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/STIFFY-FLO...281959?hash=item2829669aa7:g:SjEAAOSwZQRYgOeO


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## WatermanGB (Jan 25, 2019)

Do you keep the basket on the deck or on the poling platform? thanks


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## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

When I'm solo and poling along - I set up my gear in the bow, ready to use then simply stake out (you do have tethers on each side of your platform that you can reach don't you?), ease on down from the platform, make my shots, then it's back up on the platform poling down the bank looking for my next shot...


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## EasternGlow (Nov 6, 2015)

dbrady784 said:


> I fish solo a lot too, and put a yeti up on the bow and fill with water to help even out the weight a little. Then I keep my fly rod in a stripping bucket with the line already stripped out in it next to me. I have one of these belt push pole holders and it helps a lot.
> 
> https://www.ebay.com/itm/STIFFY-FLO...281959?hash=item2829669aa7:g:SjEAAOSwZQRYgOeO


I second this. Been using a pole mate for years and it's extremely helpful. Beats putting the pole between your legs. Not sure why it's $58 on eBay, I usually order it straight from the website and it's $38.

https://www.floridabackcountry.com/polemate/


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## jay.bush1434 (Dec 27, 2014)

When I’m solo, I usually pole from the front of my boat. Yes’m I lose some visibility but there is too much stuff in the back of the boat for the flyline to catch on.


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## Boneheaded (Oct 4, 2017)

I hate poling the boat backwards...but it my boat polls 10x better when solo.


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## Capt.Ron (Mar 5, 2014)

buy a yeti bucket and a line layer built for it from carbon marine. I do the same a lot. I keep the bucket between my feet when poling, with the rod standing up and ready.


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## crboggs (Mar 30, 2015)

I pole from the nose of the boat when I am solo.

I also tend to stake out in likely locations and wait more than stalk around.


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## efi2712micro (Sep 17, 2015)

Been fishing some alone lately and used the Stiffy pole belt and the bucket strategy. works great. I have tried bow polling but do not like it much. I have used drifting strategy using the pole to correct direction occasionally. i do have two 55 lbs batteries on the bow and I do keep a full tank of gas. helps with balance. i will definitely bring the cooler and see if I can improve the balance some more (I am a big guy at 240lbs)


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## MatthewAbbott (Feb 25, 2017)

I fish solo pretty much exclusively. I do not like poling from the front at all. Currently I use a collapsible laundry basket for a stripping basket. I put it on the step up and tucked under the bottom of my poling platform. My rod stays in there with line stripped until it’s time to make a cast. When I see a fish I clip my push pole in the holder and grab my rod. 

Not a perfect system but it puts fish in the boat.


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## salt_fly (Apr 23, 2012)

When by myself, I generally pole by standing a cooler on the front deck. I have a stripping bucket with notches cut into the edge to hold my fly rod pointing straight forward. I have a belt that I made from nylon webbing with one J-shaped push pole holder on each side. That way I can clip my pole into either side when I see a fish and then reach down and grab the fly rod. I also hit the remote for the Power Pole micro to stop my drift which has helped a lot.


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## Surffshr (Dec 28, 2017)

This is my current solution when fishing alone. I keep the TM and batteries up front with a full tank. Rod in basket ready to go. Push pole either stowed that way on in the holder dragging.


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## efi2712micro (Sep 17, 2015)

Same ... but I keep a towel to lean the pole on the front to ensure I do not make any noise when putting the pole down. I also clip the pole to a holder on the belt to avoid making noise clipping it and bending


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

http://www.hammertechmarine.com/store

These are great!

But honestly, when I'm fishing solo, I'm on the bow, using the TM and fishing! Fly fishing from a poling platform is not my thing and not what I call fun.


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## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

I have a PP holder the has a pvc tail that goes into my rod tube on the polling platform. If i need to cast i clip the pole in there and it drags behind the boat


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

Surffshr said:


> This is my current solution when fishing alone. I keep the TM and batteries up front with a full tank. Rod in basket ready to go. Push pole either stowed that way on in the holder dragging.
> View attachment 71692


Nice setup


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## Shallow Guy (Mar 20, 2019)

WatermanGB said:


> I fish solo most of the time and looking for any tips best practice for sight fishing from the poling platform. Thanks in advance.


When I fish solo I’m fishing off bow from a yeti cooler that I replaced my casting platform with. Generally fly fishing and did not loose too much on visiblity. When I have a fellow angler I fish lite spinning reel underhand from poling platform and switch off throughout the day. Great way to be versatile and enjoy both fly / conventional fishing


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## Sabalon (Aug 16, 2016)

Surffshr said:


> This is my current solution when fishing alone. I keep the TM and batteries up front with a full tank. Rod in basket ready to go. Push pole either stowed that way on in the holder dragging.
> View attachment 71692


Good shit.


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## Guest (May 3, 2019)

Surffshr said:


> This is my current solution when fishing alone. I keep the TM and batteries up front with a full tank. Rod in basket ready to go. Push pole either stowed that way on in the holder dragging.
> View attachment 71692


Love the colors on this skiff!


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## flyslinger (Feb 7, 2019)

Surffshr said:


> This is my current solution when fishing alone. I keep the TM and batteries up front with a full tank. Rod in basket ready to go. Push pole either stowed that way on in the holder dragging.
> View attachment 71692


Thanks for the photo. Do you put any weight in the basket to hold it in place.


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## Surffshr (Dec 28, 2017)

flyslinger said:


> Thanks for the photo. Do you put any weight in the basket to hold it in place.


I fit some square gym flooring to a mesh laundry basket. Cut it to fit and used zip ties to hold the pieces on either side of the basket’s bottom. Left the zip tie ends wild on the inside for line management. It works well enough.


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## flyslinger (Feb 7, 2019)

Excellent!


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## Forgottencoast (Aug 25, 2017)

When I'm solo, I usually pole from the bow old school style. Rod is sitting up right in a bucket with line stripped out into it so it comes out nice, at least for the first cast. Push pole usually goes between my legs when I see fish and need to cast. It's some work and finesse when you are poling and throwing the long rod at the same time, but it can be done.


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