# What’s the deal with guava pushpole forks?



## Lagoonnewb (Apr 16, 2017)

Ive seen a lot of people talk about them and how they want one, and I’ve seen a few in person as well. What are the benefits of one over a standard stiffy/carbon marine fork? I understand it’s a very hard wood so it probably won’t break or wear down over time like a plastic one would but is that really the only plus side to them? This is an honest inquiry lol, just can’t imagine paying top dollar for a stiffy/carbon marine pushpole only to cut it and put a guava fork on it.


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## TheAdamsProject (Oct 29, 2007)

Im sure there will be a number of answers but in my experience it is much quieter than a plastic foot on very hard bottom/rock/coral.


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## Net 30 (Mar 24, 2012)

It's a Flip Pallot kinda thing................

https://www.instagram.com/p/By_GqBzAWRO/


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## 994 (Apr 14, 2008)

It’s so you can get like 59 likes on instabook and use hash tags like #thanksflip and #oldschool, and then hop on your bow mount troller and ride off to the sandbar.


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## Capnredfish (Feb 1, 2012)

Yup pretty much an old school thing. Take it back further. Carve a dugout canoe and use a branch for a pole. Apply some face paint and you will be one bad ass old school fisherman.


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## Rookiemistake (Jan 30, 2013)

I believe his buddy sells them for $80 shipped, too much for me.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

They are quieter when poling over hard bottom so you don’t spook fish. He also carved guava fan blades for his air boat so it doesn’t spook any fish when he runs over them. Just flip a 180 and make a cast...


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## LowHydrogen (Dec 31, 2015)

Lagoonnewb said:


> This is an honest inquiry lol, just can’t imagine paying top dollar for a stiffy/carbon marine pushpole only to cut it and put a guava fork on it.


You just don't understand how social media works bruh. #guavalife #herecomeguavatillerhandles
LOL


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## LowHydrogen (Dec 31, 2015)

I do have an old wooden push pole that someone was trying to pass off as a closet rod, in Home Depot. But that's just because I refuse to buy a push pole that costs more than the boat it's pushing.


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## jmrodandgun (Sep 20, 2013)

Rookiemistake said:


> I believe his buddy sells them for $80 shipped, too much for me.


That's less than you would pay carbon marine to mail you a plastic one. 

You don't need to take a trip into the everglades. Just cut a branch off your wife's lagerstroemia. The common crapemyrtle.


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## SomaliPirate (Feb 5, 2016)

Flip makes them with a flint knife that he knapped from a piece of the rubble of the old Orange Bowl. So they have to be the best.


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## bryson (Jun 22, 2015)

Hand built stuff is cool and has character, so I totally get it.

I think it's cool, but wouldn't cut a functional foot off my push pole to have it. If I were repairing a push pole and needed a foot though, I'd seriously consider making one.


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## el9surf (Dec 23, 2008)

Soon we will be seeing had carved guava steering wheels to match.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

el9surf said:


> Soon we will be seeing had carved guava steering wheels to match.


I have one. Are you jealous?


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## LowHydrogen (Dec 31, 2015)

I only use guava breaking sticks for my pitbulls.


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## el9surf (Dec 23, 2008)

Smackdaddy53 said:


> I have one. Are you jealous?


Maybe... Pictures please.


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## SomaliPirate (Feb 5, 2016)

el9surf said:


> Maybe... Pictures please.


I don't want to see his wood.


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## el9surf (Dec 23, 2008)

Jedi level = guava fly rod


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## el9surf (Dec 23, 2008)

SomaliPirate said:


> I don't want to see his wood.


Good call Somali. Nevermind on the pictures smack, keep them to yourself.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

el9surf said:


> Maybe... Pictures please.


About to get some brown and tan paracord wraps on this bad boy.


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## el9surf (Dec 23, 2008)

Lol I thought you were joking. That makes it even funnier.


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## flyclimber (May 22, 2016)

Smackdaddy53 said:


> About to get some brown and tan paracord wraps on this bad boy.
> View attachment 93558


How is @SomaliPirate driving around with out that thing?


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## SomaliPirate (Feb 5, 2016)

flyclimber said:


> How is @SomaliPirate driving around with out that thing?


My skiff already handles like crap, and it would make a nice conversation piece. I'll install that baby.


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## flyclimber (May 22, 2016)

SomaliPirate said:


> My skiff already handles like crap, and it would make a nice conversation piece. I'll install that baby.


Does your rudder need some grease? I thought you said the oyster kisses were racing improvements.


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## csnaspuck (Apr 2, 2013)

LowHydrogen said:


> I only use guava breaking sticks for my pitbulls.


Cannot stop laughing


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## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

Now I know I'm in geezer territory - since I actually know how most of that came about.... Years and years ago - early seventies for me... you had little choice in poling gear. You either bought a fiberglass pushpole with aluminum ends - or you bought a fiberglass pole and made your own fork and point... Yep, since it was heavy and flexible... not the best pushpole around - but it was what we had... I didn't hear about using guava for the fork until I'd already made a couple of forks on my own... The wood of choice for me? a green mangrove fork... Nowadays you'd be looking over your shoulders before cutting one - since they're protected... 

Here's how... cut the size fork you want (the end has to fit inside your pole...) then peel off the bark to ready it for baking... Hmmm - not something you do when your wife (or Mom) is home.. I used to bake the green fork until relatively dry -so the epoxy glue would stick... Very distinctive smell -mangrove baking - so open all the windows and turn on your fans.. I did mine at about 300 degrees for about an hour if memory serves... For the pointed end you had a buddy with wood lathe turn down a hardwood dowel to shape the point and the part you'd be gluing into the pole...

Those old forks and points worked like a charm - but most immediately went to "store bought" poles the moment good ones came available... All of the early fiberglass poles that were available way back then were actually "hot stick" poles meant for power companies (poles to handle hot lines since fiberglass won't transmit electricity..). They were far too flexible and heavy so when graphite (carbon fiber it's called now - so they can charge more money...) and hybrid (graphite and glass blended) poles came along that's what everyone wanted...

These days just about every outfit that makes and sells pushpoles will also sell components... so none of the woods craft is necessary any more - but it did work - and work well way back when....


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## Finn Maccumhail (Apr 9, 2010)

I've talked with a guy who made his pushpole foot out of crepe myrtle and others who used bois d'arc (a/k/a bodark; a/k/a osage orange; a/k/a horse apple tree).

Like some have said, I doubt I'd cut off a functional plastic one but if I were repairing/replacing the factory one I'd try the wood foot.


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## jmrodandgun (Sep 20, 2013)

lemaymiami said:


> . The wood of choice for me? a green mangrove fork... Nowadays you'd be looking over your shoulders before cutting one - since they're protected...


I'd take my chances and cut a fork out of a mangrove before coughing up $100 to get someone to mail me a new plastic foot.


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## No Bait / Lures Only (Apr 10, 2011)

In South East Louisiana i used aluminum duckbill type. Mostly cypress or fir wooden poles n y shaped wooden foot n cap.


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## TGlidden (May 24, 2013)

The shape works better. While I don’t use a wooden pole foot, the Carbon Marine unbridged foot is designed to mimic a guava fork. Without a bridge it’s easier to pull out of the mud. Also, quieter in and out of the water. Having the points in line with the pole it won’t skip on a hard bottom like a Stiffy style foot.


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## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

I don't care what your PP foot is made of. That NC sucking mud will eat it

I'm keeping my plastic foot


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## EdK13 (Oct 3, 2013)

Its all BS. Except the gayness. That is real.


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## Zika (Aug 6, 2015)

EdK13 said:


> Its all BS. Except the gayness. That is real.


LOL


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## CPurvis (Apr 6, 2016)

LowHydrogen said:


> I do have an old wooden push pole that someone was trying to pass off as a closet rod, in Home Depot. But that's just because I refuse to buy a push pole that costs more than the boat it's pushing.


Come on man really!!! All this time on here and you can't find you a decent used push pole!!?


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## Backcountry 16 (Mar 15, 2016)

You


LowHydrogen said:


> I only use guava breaking sticks for my pitbulls.[/QUOTEYou should probably kill that pit bull according to dipshit @Capnredfish.


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## BassFlats (Nov 26, 2018)

The guava pp foot is an accessory in the Fish Hippie apparel line.


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## LowHydrogen (Dec 31, 2015)

CPurvis said:


> Come on man really!!! All this time on here and you can't find you a decent used push pole!!?


Haha. For that boat I didn't really need one any better. I replaced that boat with the Little Jewel, and I'm going to sell it soon so never really worried about it.

That wooden closet dowel actually didn't do too bad. 

Thought about one of these but then decided to stick with the wood dowel.

https://mgs4u.com/fiberglass-push-poles/


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## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

For all of you high tech, no expense too much anglers... consider that the best guides in the islands used a simple wooden pole to put folks on fish for years and years.


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## NDuncan (Jun 18, 2016)

When Dick Snyder first attempted to make fiberglass pole vault poles in his Miami rod blank manufacturing plant he had some rejects, when I found this out I asked him to sell me one. Dick said they were heavier than the wooden push poles being used at the time and he thought they would be too heavy for a push pole. I began using the pole and found it to be durable, the heavy weight was a problem but my fishing friends and I were young in the early-60’s and it suited our purposes just fine. At my urging, Dick soon started making lighter weight versions that became popular as the first fiberglass push poles.


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## dafjib (Mar 7, 2019)

Lagoonnewb said:


> Ive seen a lot of people talk about them and how they want one, and I’ve seen a few in person as well. What are the benefits of one over a standard stiffy/carbon marine fork? I understand it’s a very hard wood so it probably won’t break or wear down over time like a plastic one would but is that really the only plus side to them? This is an honest inquiry lol, just can’t imagine paying top dollar for a stiffy/carbon marine pushpole only to cut it and put a guava fork on it.


I might be old school ,but I cut a 2in. Bamboo pole stuck a pvc cap end on it a sprayed it with Flex spray and it has lasted me for 3yrs.,and people that have tried it love it . cost me 15.00.


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## dafjib (Mar 7, 2019)

lemaymiami said:


> For all of you high tech, no expense too much anglers... consider that the best guides in the islands used a simple wooden pole to put folks on fish for years and years.


With you on that ,Bamboo rocks and its free !!!


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

My Stiffy foot is about worn out. I’m making a wooden foot.


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