# fishing alone



## hawaiifly (May 28, 2011)

Sometimes its hard finding a fishing partner. What kind of teqhniques do you guys use fishing and poling alone?


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## thawk (Apr 1, 2011)

I enjoy fishing alone sometimes. No competition and it allows me to relax a bit more. I haven't found a way to pole alone, not that I even care to with the thick mud we have here in Jacksonville. That's the number one reason I have a trolling motor, even if it does clutter my boat up a bit.


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## firecat1981 (Nov 27, 2007)

I agree, I have had a trolling motor on all my boats.


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## mmjamp (Jul 3, 2011)

I use my trolling motor 99.9% of the time!


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## firecat1981 (Nov 27, 2007)

Anytide makes a clip for your pole that you can mount on the platform, then mount a rod holder there too. When you spot a fish, just clip the push pole in and pick up your fishing rod.
That's really the best alternative I can see to a trolling motor.


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## Pereira123 (Aug 9, 2011)

There is also a push pole holder that you attach to your belt. Its called a "poleholdster". Pole Cat Push Poles sells them. That to me is the best way, no bending down or time wasted, attach it to your hip, grab the rod, and set the hook.


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## Pereira123 (Aug 9, 2011)

Just googled it. There is also a different brand called "Pole Mate"


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## Brett (Jul 16, 2008)

8 out of 10 trips I'm out on the water solo.
Very few are willing to put up with the heat and bugs back in the marsh.
I've found that poling from the bow is the best technique for balancing the hull.
If a fish is spotted the pushpole is set down across the hull
and one foot holds it in place so I can lift a rod out of a holder and cast.
Or, using a kayak paddle, I sit in the bow and work my way through the creeks
sneaking up on feeding fish and birds. Paddling quiet and slow,
while keeping a low profile works better most times than standing and poling.
As for electrics, they make too much noise in the places I'm playing.


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## makin moves (Mar 20, 2010)

I use the push pole holder that anytide has and I also have the fishing pole holder that goes on you belt. Picked both of them up from anytide.com They make fishing by yourself alot easier


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## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

Since I work out of an old 17 foot Maverick that's also the hull I pole when I'm fishing solo.... Many times I pole into a spot, corner, or river mouth, then stake up and step down to fish. There's a tether line on each side of my poling platform and that's what they're for. If I'm actively hunting fish in shallow waters, I've already set up the fly rod (if that's what I'm using) at the forward casting deck with line stripped out and everthing ready to go. It's a simple matter to step down off of the platform after you stake out with your pushpole, then pick up the fly rod and get into the action... If I'm using a spin or plug rod there's no need to step down off of the platform at all... Many years ago I leaned to fasten a single plastic rod holder up under the edge of my poling platform so that the rod to be used is horizontal to the deck, pointing forward, and easy to reach after staking up. Sounds complicated but it's not, spot the fish, stop the skiff by staking out (over oysters or rock you'll have to use a small grapnel anchor instead....), then step down quietly as possible , pick up the rod and take your shot.


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## riptide (Dec 31, 2009)

I use a 5 gallon bucket to put my fly rod in (butt first) with the line already stripped off in the bucket 
its difficult to make it all come together 
sometimes i leave the pole , leave the boat , any thing to make it work


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## [email protected] (Jun 23, 2011)

Nice and tranquil. Yea baby. I use my bow mounted trolling motor most of the day so I pretty much stay up there.
Also do it during the week, its even quieter.


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## WhiteDog70810 (May 6, 2008)

I love fishing alone because you don't have to worry about letting your partner down. If you feel like seeing where those ducks landed or using live bait to catch sheephead or catching some crabs on a chicken neck more than beating the water for redfish, no one cares. However it is a lot slower way to cover water.

I pole from the bow and set up my drifts with the wind. Once I start a drift, I just let the pole drag and focus on fishing. The push pole acts like a sea anchor and keeps the bow straight into the wind and keeps the boat from trying to spin. I think a belt mounted push pole holder would be great for the way I fish because my push pole has tried to leave me several times while doing this.

I will be getting a stake anchor eventually. When the wind won't permit a reasonable drift, I will pole to a good spot, stake out, fish that spot then pull the stake and pole to the next promising spot. I've done this with a mushroom anchor, but I get tired of washing off mud and weeds.

If the bottom is hard and the water is warm, you can sit on the bow and walk the boat across the flats. Several guys here do that, but I've never fished a place where it would be effective.

Trolling motors are great and I have caught the vast majority of fish in my life using one. Recently I tired of chopping silage and tilling up mud flats when I got way back in the marsh. Now I would rather just pole and save the weight of the batteries, but it will be much less convenient when fishing in deeper water.

Nate


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## Rooster (Mar 13, 2011)

I find myself fishing alone 90% or the time. Most times I don't have a lot of advance notice for a partner, and many times I just want to go out and do whatever I want and not worry about going in at a certain time, fishing in the way that a buddy would like, or the pressure of catching X nuumber of fish. First off, I MAKE myself wear my PFD when I'm running - I have promised my wife, and it is a good idea besides. I like to pole, but with my boat weighing only 200 lbs with a high freeboard, if there is any kind of breeze, the box blows around and forces me to the bow. While I don't pole from the bow (hmmm, I might have to try that...) I do paddle by standing in the bow cavity, but would like to get a stand up paddleboard paddle so that I can stand on the bow seat and see better. I have looked at those "Stick It" anchor pins, and the price certainly looks right and I think that will help position my boat when fish are sighted. I don't have a trolling motor, mainly because of the area it would take up, battery, catching fly line, etdsc but I can see where people would like them, especially in being able to cover larger areas of water. A lot of good ideas on these posts, which is why I love this Forum!


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## thawk (Apr 1, 2011)

I love using my stick it when I find a good spot, and lately I've been practicing finding spots that allow me to fish with the tide or wind instead of fighting it. Another method I use sometimes if I'm moving a lot is to use the trolling motor as an anchor...I just loosen the collar that stops the shaft from going down and when I find a fish backing or crashing and I don't have time to grab the anchor pin, I shove the motor into the mud to hold my spot. As it is now, I'm considering a SECOND trolling motor battery because I spend such a long time on the water when I go. Plus the flood tides are in Jax right now, so you're talking some major current once the tide swings!


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## beyondhelp (Nov 6, 2008)

> I find myself fishing alone 90% or the time. Most times I don't have a lot of advance notice for a partner, and many times I just want to go out and do whatever I want and not worry about going in at a certain time, fishing in the way that a buddy would like, or the pressure of catching X nuumber of fish. First off, I MAKE myself wear my PFD when I'm running - I have promised my wife, and it is a good idea besides. I like to pole, but with my boat weighing only 200 lbs with a high freeboard, if there is any kind of breeze, the box blows around and forces me to the bow. While I don't pole from the bow (hmmm, I might have to try that...) I do paddle by standing in the bow cavity, but would like to get a stand up paddleboard paddle so that I can stand on the bow seat and see better. I have looked at those "Stick It" anchor pins, and the price certainly looks right and I think that will help position my boat when fish are sighted. I don't have a trolling motor, mainly because of the area it would take up, battery, catching fly line, etdsc but I can see where people would like them, especially in being able to cover larger areas of water. A lot of good ideas on these posts, which is why I love this Forum!



I hardly ever fish alone for whatever reason but I can strongly recommend an anchor pin. Alone or otherwise, that is one of the best things I have on my boat.


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## dingoatemebaby (Sep 14, 2011)

> I use a 5 gallon bucket to put my fly rod in (butt first)  with the line already stripped off in the bucket
> its difficult to make it all come together
> sometimes  i leave the pole , leave the boat , any thing to make it work


5 gallon bucket trick is brilliant! my buddy showed me this a few years back when we forgot the stripping baskets, also keeps the dog out of the line


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## Bob_Rogers (Oct 14, 2009)

I fish alone frequently, especially given my penchant for overniting in the Glades during the summer. Its rejuvinating to go for 48hrs without speaking to another human being, focus on the next cast and the next and the next.....test your self.


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## jmercer (Sep 24, 2008)

I like to fish my 18 waterman alone for tailing reds if the water height is right. I put flyrod with line stripped out in line tamer next to casting platform on the bow. I pole until I spot a tailing fish. I tether the pole to my poling platform, ease down, and make the cast. Takes a little practice, but is deadly when tailing fish are in a specific area.


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## Rooster (Mar 13, 2011)

Got the Stick It Anchor Pin and used it for the first time this weekend - WELL worth what I spent for it and works very well with no fuss!


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## actionc (Oct 12, 2011)

+ 1 on the Stick it I used mine for the 1st time on Saterday worked great.


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## dwin (Mar 22, 2011)

I stopped at a metal supply shop & picked up a piece of aluminium tube with an inside dia of 9/16" a a piece of 1/2 stainless rod for $35 to make an anchor pin . Before I could get the alum welded to the trolling motor mount I went fishing & decided to just attach a rope to the stainless rod, 
I gotta say no boat on the flats should be without one the rope method worked well.
I think I'll get a bigger alum tube & try to sleeve it with pvc pipe before I get it welded.


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## BigSkyDave (Oct 18, 2011)

As I recall you're sight fishing for bonefish in Hawaii. One of the challenges with bonefishing is keeping your eye on the fish. With both the boat and fish moving if you have to look down to deal with the boat or equipment you lose sight of the fish and may not find it again.

So what I do is try to set up my drift with the wind if possible. Drop a drift sock off the stern to slow my drift. Use a hand controlled trolling motor on the bow. Hook a shooting basket to my belt. Cast out about 70 feet of line. Then retrieve/coil the line into the basket and hold the fly rod in my left hand with enough line out to start a cast and the fly in my fingers. I drift/cruise with my right hand controlling the trolling motor. When I spot a fish I keep my eye on it, shift my rod to my right hand and cast. 

Keep your eye on the ball!


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## richg99 (Nov 28, 2009)

I see many guys are trumpeting the virtues of the stick type anchor pin, with which I heartily concur. 

Many fishing kayakers add an "anchor trolley" to their boats to allow them to position the anchor/stick pin anchor/drift chute .....at the bow or amidships or at the stern.  

It is a neat device that gives one even more control for placing the add-on anchor/chute/etc..  You can adjust the casting angle by simply sliding the line in the pulley while fishing.

You might want to Google "anchor trolley" to see if adding such a trolley to a skiff makes as much sense as it does adding it to a yak. 

A couple of pulleys and a SS ring; some cording and there you go!   regards, rich

http://www.nativewatercraft.com/article.cfm?id=8&category=fishing


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## el9surf (Dec 23, 2008)

I keep the gas tank full, add a couple buckets of water into a cooler on the bow to balance things out. Then use the height of the tower and the design of the hull to pole around just as if I had someone on the bow. I have a rod holder mounted within easy reach of my left hand and the pushpole goes into the edge of my pocket so I can make a quick cast.


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## gmisener1 (Aug 2, 2012)

I find its very relaxing to go fishing by yourself sometimes. Last time i took someone with me, they hooked and broke my favorite rod on the back swing. 

i have tryed poling my boat from a cooler but i found that its not worth the extra effort because the aluminum hull makes just as much noise as the trolling motor. The stick it anchor is a great way to quickly and quietly stop the boat to make some casts.


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## Cody_F (Oct 26, 2010)

I stand on my poling platform and drive myself around with the ipilot.


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## backwaterbandits (Dec 15, 2006)

I was out fishing today and saw a guy alone in a 
   flats boat. He was standing on a tall casting plat-
   form on the bow. He had some kind of remote 
   control trolling motor because he was trolling and
   fishing as if someone was poling him around...
   It seemed strange at first then I realized just how
   cool it really was!


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