Talon Vs Power Pole?

[Bill Babler]

Folks, I am putting together a new Bay Boat. It is a center console AlWeld with a 6 degree tunnel hull. Going to use it on Bull and Taneycomo as well as a gulf boat. 22 plus feet powered by a 115 merc 4S.

My question is that I'm going to put a shallow water anchoring system on it and want to know if any of you know what you would suggest the Talon or the Power Pole. I'm leaning toward a 10' talon as it will completely lie flat on the deck when not in use and has a multiple position anchor that adjusts with waves. Very important on taney.

I have been on lots of sites and it seems to be 6 one, 1/2 dozen the other. I do like the fact also that the talon is not on an articulating pivot point that lots of people are saying gets really sloppy really quick.

Thoughts?

[dtrs5kprs]

Do you want a hydraulic one, or a simple one that does not require any moving parts to operate?

Looked into building one of these for Ned fishing. Gentleman in the videos is a catfish guide. Looks pretty much bulletproof.

http://www.mgs4u.com/shallow-water-boat-anchors.htm

I stayed at Schooner a couple of years ago next to a Grand Lake guy from Wichita. He'd been in a windy tmt somewhere in KS and had a Power Pole malfunction in the deployed position. Had to get in the back of his Ranger and cut the hydraulic lines to get them to release.

And he is running them on a not entirely different rig than you are describing.

[abkeenan]

Bill,

No doubt you will get some great feedback here. But, this forum is TINY compared to BBC (BassBoatCentral). Also, Table Rock as you know really isn't set up great for Power Poles/Talons as rarely are you going to set up shop in 10 feet or less and remain there so our crowd here in the Ozarks might not have a lot of experience with them. So my suggestion would to be post this exact same question over there. You will get more feedback than you probably want and it will come from guys who use Power Poles/Talons from all across the country.

[denjac]

Bill, where I am wanting to borrow it and take it (mobile bay) power poles would work as the average depth is 7ft. Although I don't think they would hold during incoming or outgoing tide. Get a good anchor too. Better yet I will get a beach house and you can bring the boat. Girls can lay on the beach and we can fish for bull reds and specs.

[Bill Babler]

Sounds like a plan. I have read lots of other forums including BBC and I don't know any of those people, and really would not trust any as far as I could throw them. Just interested if any of our members have any knowledge as that is way more reliable.

I'm really thinking the Talon from all that I have read so far. Love the fact that it is self adjusting and it lays flat on the deck when not in use. It also has no internal parts or needs any interior mounting other than running the battery cables.

[okie]

I don"t often get a chance to add something to these discussions-I get a lot more than I'm ever able to give, but I'll add my experience on this subject, if I may. I put two 10' power poles on my Triton late last summer after lots of research. I finally decided on the PP's after my friend (who sells and installs both PP and Talons and has used both) told me that while he thought the MG held a little better, the PP's had a slight edge in dependability, and were quicker and quieter to deploy and retract. I've used them for fishing, but can't say that I'm any kind of an expert yet,. I have found a lot of uses for them in addition to fishing like launching alone, retying, grabbing a drink, etc. Best of luck with whatever you decide on.

[5bites]

I have been studying these for a while now. Tuesday I was on the verge of ordering a power pole but found a Talon waaaaay to cheap to pass on. So now we will see how I like talons.

The thing with power poles is they can be lowered so the back boater can cast easier. Also for a dock fisherman like myself getting them out of the way to go under walkways and cables is a plus.

The on table rock you won't use them malarkey is a myth. I can't tell you how many times in the last couple years I wish I had them. From using them at the ramp to helping my kids when it's windy I think it'll be extremely handy.

If I like the Talon I'll buy another. If not I'll sell it for a power pole.

[abkeenan]

I have been studying these for a while now. Tuesday I was on the verge of ordering a power pole but found a Talon waaaaay to cheap to pass on. So now we will see how I like talons.

The thing with power poles is they can be lowered so the back boater can cast easier. Also for a dock fisherman like myself getting them out of the way to go under walkways and cables is a plus.

The on table rock you won't use them malarkey is a myth. I can't tell you how many times in the last couple years I wish I had them. From using them at the ramp to helping my kids when it's windy I think it'll be extremely handy.

If I like the Talon I'll buy another. If not I'll sell it for a power pole.

Didn't say they aren't useful or not used on Table Rock just said that Table Rock really isn't the ideal lake for them like they would be say Florida lakes or other shallower bodies of water where they consider anything past 15 feet deep.

[abkeenan]

Sounds like a plan. I have read lots of other forums including BBC and I don't know any of those people, and really would not trust any as far as I could throw them. Just interested if any of our members have any knowledge as that is way more reliable.

I'm really thinking the Talon from all that I have read so far. Love the fact that it is self adjusting and it lays flat on the deck when not in use. It also has no internal parts or needs any interior mounting other than running the battery cables.

There is a ton of bull that goes on at BBC and you have to weed through the clutter but 2 brains are better than one. There is a lot of info to be had and you just have to take that info and make an educated decision. I've learned a ton from all the guys over there.

[Hunter53]

After doing a bunch of searching and reading I went with the Talons. My biggest reasons were......

1: I wanted the most depth I could get and Talons have a 12 foot model. I would recommend getting the 12's if you go with talons.

2: I also did not want to add all the weight of the hydraulics.

3: It seems the power poles all end up getting sloppy and needing bushings replaced if you use them much at all.

4: Another thing is that if the poles get stuck down you have to get in the water with the power poles and pull them loose; with the talons there is a bolt head you use a wrench on to manually turn them up if they get stuck down so you don't have to get in the water like power poles. You probably don't have to worry about this with all the hard bottom of the lakes. Up here we have mud bottoms so I was concerned about them getting stuck.

5: I liked the option on the talons for the settings for 'soft bottom' and the 'wave' setting where it automatically bumps them down every few seconds. That helps in the wind for sure!

I am sure in your research you will read about people having problems with them not going down; what is happening is they are getting mud and stuff up in them when they retract them and then it hardens up after use. All a person needs to do is flush them with water after using them if you get mud up in them when retracting them. Again something you won't need to worry about with the rock bottoms on your lakes.