# Broken Pushpole



## JaxLaxFish (Aug 23, 2010)

I have a carbon fiber pushpole from mudhole. I'm really happy with the weight and stiffness for the price but I'm afraid that the light weight was achieved by making the walls of the pole too thin for proper strength. The first time I broke it was from trying to get my boat unstuck from the mud. I tried not to bend the pole to much and it obviously wasn't stuck that badly because I was still able to get the boat loose with the trolling motor. The second time it broke when I accidentally dropped it from the poling platform and it hit the deck of the boat and cracked longitudinally in three places. My question to you guys is does this seem normal for a pole to break this easily. I can't decide if I should I fix the pole for around $175 for parts or just save my money for a stiffy hybrid.


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## mtoddsolomon (Mar 25, 2015)

I'd get a new pole, you'll be surprised by how much easier life is with a better push pole.


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## Flatsaholic (Apr 28, 2016)

Carbon Marine makes excellent push poles. Check them out.


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## JaxLaxFish (Aug 23, 2010)

mtoddsolomon said:


> I'd get a new pole, you'll be surprised by how much easier life is with a better push pole.


Thanks but I'm perfectly happy with the pole. I've used more expensive poles and yes they are nice but at the same time this pole is not unbearably heavy like the fiberglass poles or a noodle like the carbon marine mangrove. I'm just wondering if anyone has broken or not broken nicer poles in similar scenarios.


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## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

I have an old glass pole and I'm not going to say it won't break but I have had it situations that it should've. I don't mind the weight cause I don't pole every day. I would not want a pole that would not get me off a high spot


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## sotilloa1078 (Mar 27, 2014)

JaxLaxFish said:


> I have a carbon fiber pushpole from mudhole. I'm really happy with the weight and stiffness for the price but I'm afraid that the light weight was achieved by making the walls of the pole too thin for proper strength. The first time I broke it was from trying to get my boat unstuck from the mud. I tried not to bend the pole to much and it obviously wasn't stuck that badly because I was still able to get the boat loose with the trolling motor. The second time it broke when I accidentally dropped it from the poling platform and it hit the deck of the boat and cracked longitudinally in three places. My question to you guys is does this seem normal for a pole to break this easily. I can't decide if I should I fix the pole for around $175 for parts or just save my money for a stiffy hybrid.


Save your money.


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## Feather Thrower (Dec 4, 2015)

Stiffy Hybrids are tough, much tougher than what you're describing. However, my current one is only 2 years old and is leaking. Next pole is probably from Carbon Marine...they warranty leakage


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## flytyn (Aug 21, 2012)

Get a pole from Joe at Carbon Marine. He could even fix your present pole I'd bet. I had him extend my 03 stiffy that came with the whipray out to 24 feet. I purchased Joe's poles in the past when I ran my Caimen and they work great. One of Joe's early poles leaked and he replaced it with a new one. Joe da man.


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## WhiteDog70810 (May 6, 2008)

You are leaning toward a Stiffy Hybrid and I think that is a good choice for the use you describe. Many are suggesting graphite/carbon pushpoles. I am sure there are tougher graphite/carbon poles than the Mudhog. Just be sure that a graphite/carbon suits your use. How often are you in the mud? Just like fishing rods, FG push poles are heavy, floppy and tough and graphite/carbon pushpoles are light, stiff and delicate. The Stiffy Hybrid is the Ugly Stic of the pushpole world.

Notice that you never see a graphite/carbon pole with a hinged duckbill foot. Graphite/carbon push poles are made to push boats that are actually floating IMO, not to wallow out of a cut at low tide across an exposed mudflat. The pure fiberglass poles rock for that kind of abuse. They don't need to be as long as a graphite pole because it makes them heavy and floppy and you can't really use that extra length in the mud anyway. A fiberglass/graphite blend is a great compromise, but they are too heavy for the folks who pole floating boats all day long and they are pretty expensive for folks who fight mud every day, so you will hear some complaints. I am not sure if there are any other FG/graphite blends other than the Stiffy Hybrid. 

I fight mud all the time while duckhunting and will probably just get an 18' FG with a hinged foot for that abuse. If I lived in Florida, I'd pick up a used 21' Stiffy Hybrid, but I just can't pay Stiffy's "new" prices for a pushpole and shipping an assembled pushpole is just as expensive.

Nate


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## jmrodandgun (Sep 20, 2013)

JaxLaxFish said:


> I'm just wondering if anyone has broken or not broken nicer poles in similar scenarios.


Without a doubt, yes. A stiffy guide got stepped on at my house and it didn't survive. It happens to everyone at some point. Thankfully they are easy to repair.


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## J-Dad (Aug 30, 2015)

I have an MDX pole from Mudhole. Have also owned/used Stiffy and Carbon Marine poles. For the money the MDX is a very good pole, and I've dropped it and whacked it without the failures you describe. But all graphite poles are more delicate than hybrids/pure fiberglass - I don't think you should use one for staking out, as an example. If you want a better pole, I think you'd get it with a Carbon Marine G3 - a Stiffy hybrid certainly wouldn't be a better pole in my opinion (perhaps more durable.) Joe's customer service is good, and he offers a lifetime optional "fix" warranty.


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## JaxLaxFish (Aug 23, 2010)

jmrodandgun said:


> Without a doubt, yes. A stiffy guide got stepped on at my house and it didn't survive. It happens to everyone at some point. Thankfully they are easy to repair.


Thanks, this is the type of info I'm looking for. Like J-dad I'm happy with the pole so I think I'll just fix it again. Technically both breaks were probably my fault I'm just used to the fiberglass pole I used previously being indestructible.


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## SomaliPirate (Feb 5, 2016)

I run a Stiffy glass pole and it's not so bad actually. It's so heavy that after a season of poling with it you now have Ronnie Coleman shoulders. The damn thing is indestructible too. It's fallen, been stepped on etc. and is fine. I've used it to knock citrus out of trees and once even won an impromptu bicycle jousting competition with it after a few drinks. I put a minor crack in it once, but easily repaired it with my very basic glassing skills: no leaks. With that said, I'm probably getting a Carbon Marine this spring, but I'm definitely keeping the Stiffy as backup.


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## jonny (May 1, 2007)

I'm confused did you say it was $175 in parts to repair it? That sounds steep if so. Is that for a 6 foot section and two ferrules? I broke my graphite one at the end of Snake Bight fighting the wind one day. It got stuck in the soft bottom and I couldn't get it out. Lost my leverage. Then boat blew over it and CRACK


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## JaxLaxFish (Aug 23, 2010)

jonny said:


> I'm confused did you say it was $175 in parts to repair it? That sounds steep if so. Is that for a 6 foot section and two ferrules? I broke my graphite one at the end of Snake Bight fighting the wind one day. It got stuck in the soft bottom and I couldn't get it out. Lost my leverage. Then boat blew over it and CRACK


That's how much it will cost if I buy from mud hole. Last time it broke I saved money getting a shorter piece from carbon marine but I'd like to get the full 7 ft section from mud hole so I don't have such a patch job going on


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