Power-Pole Mini

Review by Paul Volkerson

John Oliverio revolutionized how the fishing community views anchoring boats in shallow water ten years ago with the introduction of the Power-Pole anchoring system.  It does not matter what type of bottom you are anchoring in oyster bars, mud, grass, or sand bottom the Power-Pole can stop your boat in all of these.  The Power-Pole system has undergone several changes over the years to further advance its product line and fit the needs of all inshore anglers.  Some of the advancements include the introduction of adapter plates for mounting the unit to almost any boat, wave-pak system, remote control access, and the stealth pump for quieter deployment.

A large portion of flats boat, bay boats and even bass boats owners have realized the advantages of this shallow water anchoring system and equipped their boats with one or in some cases even two Power-Poles.  One of the most recent additions to the company’s line-up is the addition of the shallow water (mini) Power-Pole.  The new mini Power-Pole is designed for water depths up to four feet.

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As an owner of the mini Power-Pole I am very impressed.  This new mini power-pole is perfect for people who spend the majority of their time on the water fishing extremely shallow water.  After using some of the manually deployed stick type of anchor systems I feel the Power-Pole system has several advantages over these other types.  One advantage I quickly realized is that you can pole from either side of the poling platform without having to worry about hitting your push pole on the Power-Pole.  Attempting this with the other type of anchoring system I would tend to strike my push pole on the anchor stick creating a nice loud banging noise.

Another major advantage is the deployment of the Power-Pole when equipped with the remote control option.  The remote should be considered a necessary option if you are planning on purchasing the mini Power-Pole.  The remote system allows extremely easy deployment from anywhere on the boat to include the poling or casting platforms.  The remote gives you the ability to deploy the anchor without having to take your eyes off of the potential fish of a lifetime.

Weight comes into play when deciding which accessories to add to your shallow water skiff.  The possible negative affect the additional weight will have on the draft of the skiff comes into play in every anglers mind when deciding what accessories to add to your boat.  Power-Pole has addressed the weight concerns that may come from anglers by porting the lowering arms and modifying the base plate bracket all in an effort to lighten the mini power-pole.  The small amount weight added to your skiff with the addition of the mini Power-Pole will be greatly overshadowed by the benefits you gain with the addition of the Power-Pole.

All of these advantages can lead to only one thing, more fish in the boat and less fish stories on the forum.  All around Power-Pole has scored a home-run with the introduction of the mini power-pole for the shallow water skiff market.