was in a local fishing shop yesterday, and was looking at a telescoping surf pole.

It was 15 feet long, and all slid into the handle section, which is about 3-1/2 to 4 feet long

The salesman said "watch this" he gave the handle a flip, and it all extended out.

You just fold the eyes flat, and it all slides back together.

Don't recall the brand name, but it was $179.

Pretty COOL idea! The guy said you could stand on dry sand, and cast out to where the surf Perch are.

Anyone using one of these?

Thanks for any feedback!


Virgil B.

These must be pretty new on the market.

No replies, so no one has one yet?

Maybe I better hold off for a while.

Virgil B.

Fishing is an important enough endeavor in my life, that I tend to stay away from gimmicks. When collapsed, are there voids between the sections that would allow sand to make its way in?

vbshootingrange,

From the ONE such surf pole that I've had, STAY AWAY. Stay FAR away.
(I bought one year before last & kept it for a week. Back it went to the store for a refund.)

The telescoping rods are TRASH except for the lightweight ones for panfish...
(I bought one of those in a 14 footer, that works well for light baits/sinkers & it casts "softly" for "pitching a live bait" out to where the fish are.)

yours, tex

This.

Well I would argue they aren't trash, but would agree they are what they are, that being primarily a panfish rod.
I could own 20 of them along with many others. Im now due to age and condition a panfish angler, targeting Crappies.
I primarily use them for whats known as spider rig trolling, which uses multiple rods.
They can handle the occaissional large bass or catfish easily considering theres no reel on them.
BnM tackle markets lots of different rods including telescopic ones and some have guides on them.
Ive also seen them in Bass Pro shops here in Fl.
Ive never paid over $20 for one, and have bought them for much less.
Id be checking them out before paying that much for one.

Thanks for the feedback guys!

I think I'll just stick with my ten foot Eagleclaw Surf pole for a while longer.

Virgil B.

vbshootingrange,

My surf-sticks are all DIY 14 footers, made from HEDDON blanks that I purchased about 50 years ago at the GLOBE DISCOUNT STORE on Galveston Island. = They have served me well, for so little bucks invested, for a LONG time & still do, with the old-school PENN LEVELINE reels that I bought "way back then".
(I took my BIGGEST REDFISH in 1973 from the 91st Street Pier on one of them & quickly released her, as she was full of eggs. - She was just over 47" long.)

ADDENDA: I wonder WHY nobody in a half-century plus hasn't made a surf-casting reel that casts as well as the old-school PENNs did??

yours, tex

Without seeing it I would reserve judgement but I have learned to avoid gimmicks. All of my surf rods are good two piece rods and that makes them handy enough.

Boarmaster,

"Telescoping rods" have been sold for a long time in Asia & Europe (so there're not a new gimmick), though I think that they're still JUNK, other than the light ones for panfishing.

yours, tex.

They are not new.The first year they lifted the moratorium on Rock fish in the Chesapeake, I was fishing the pier on the eastern shore of the Bay Bridge. Some Asian guys had a couple of them. They seemed to work pretty slick, but I've never been one for gimmicks either. So they have been around a while. The best part of that story, one of the Asian guys approached me very politely, and asked what I was using for bait to catch the "long" fish? We were using live eels and the bait shop sold them for a buck each.