I am new to mud boats and I've had my rig, a 1960 Phowler, for a month and a half. I've been using it minimum once a week on the river, and the unexpected thing I have appreciated the most about it is how useful the spud poles have been for fishing.

Last Saturday I learned a little about the limitations of my spud poles when the current did a pretty good job of bending them. It was all the guy I was with and I could do to get them pulled back up through the hull.

While I don't intend to use them in that kind of current again, I do see the benefit of having some mechanical way to pull them back up if they get bent while deployed. If I would have been alone, I might have spent an entire day there twisting on that pole.

Do any of you have a lightweight, effective system for pulling them back up, should you find yourself in a similar situation? I already intend to throw a hacksaw into the toolbox.

I'm thinking something along the lines of a small jack and a strap/cable of some sort. Getting purchase on the pole seems to be where the issue will be.

Another option I am looking at is replacing them with aluminum bar. Right now my poles are 1.25 inch aluminum pipe (not bar). I am thinking that replacing them with round bar may eliminate the problem in the future, regardless of current/chop. While I think I have learned my lesson about the amount of current I can use them in, a few years down the road complacency may creep up on me.

My main concern with using bar is the added weight. Right now the poles are a few inches past 9 feet long and just under 6lbs each.

So, what suggestions do you have for 1. pulling poles back through the hull that are accidentally bent. 2. replacement with something more rigid.

Edit to add: If I go with a solid rod, at 1.25 diameter is it going to matter if I go with cold finish or extruded 6061 for spud pole purposes? Online metals puts the difference in price at about $40 for an 8' length.

Been through the same thing. I like the idea of the extruded as I coat mine in GatorBase anyhow. What I dont like is they are going to be 12lbs each not including the tether i would need cuz if you drop one youll be fishing for it.

what ever happened to an anchor with a rope?

Spud poles are faster and work better in shallow water.

I had the same experience with aluminum spud poles more than once.

I would never spend the money on aluminum spud poles, again. But, I'll spend $3.85 a piece for these....much more flexibility for a lot less investment.

What Blue said. Or try some fiberglass rods, they work pretty well.

Thanks, I will try the schedule 80 pvc and see how it works for how I use the boat. The lack of investment makes that very attractive.

Shamu, are you able to force much purchase on hard bottoms with schedule 80?

After I get my poles straightened out I think I'll drill out a metal plate at about 1.75 inches and drill a second hole to attach a chain/cable to hook it to a small jack.

PVC conduit here. Flexible, and easier to get into hard bottoms. Drill holes thru one end and put some rope or paracord loops in them. I have about $8 into the ones I use on a regular basis. The aluminum ones I got with the boat have both been bent and straightened a couple times. While they still work fine, they get left at home in favor of the plastic. This is a case of hindsight being 20/20 for sure.

Just cut the end at an angle.....works perfect.