Shallow Water Anchoring Systems By Bernard Williams

I’m sure you've seen them on the back of nearly every bass boat on the lake. More and more crappie fishermen are equipping their boat with them. I’ve finally installed a set on my BassCat. I can assure you it’s not for the looks or to keep up with the crowd. They have a legitimate use.

Currently there are two companies selling them; JL Marine (Power Pole) and Minn Kota (Talon). Each one has its advantages. JL Marine was the first company to introduce a shallow water anchoring systems in 1998 with a Power Pole. Through many generations of improvements it became the system of choice for many fishermen. Minn Kota introduced its shallow water anchoring system called Talon two years ago. I’ll give you some of the features and advantages of both systems.

Depth – Talon Wins the Depth Race

The Power Pole Blade comes in a maximum 10’ model; the Talon comes in 12’ models. If depth is your primary interest, then the Talon wins in this category.

Deployment Speed – Power Pole Wins

Power Pole has the fastest deployment; Talon on the other hand has up to a three-stage deployment for the 12’ model. This takes time; the sequential deployment of each stage of the spike is slower than the Power Pole going up or down.

Strongest Hold – Power Pole Wins

The EverFlex composite spike gives you a stronger hold in all rough water situations. The Talon has a Rough Water Mode that absorbs the wave shock; this causes the Talon to lose some of holding power.

Installation – Tie

The Talon has no hydraulic pumps to install; it is totally Electro-Mechanical. Minn Kota says it’s a do-it-yourself installation. I know fishermen that installed Power Poles themselves. I had my Power Poles installed by professionals. In my opinion both should be installed by a professional.

Remote Control – Advantage Power Pole

Not only does Power Pole come with multiple remotes, it also offers Bluetooth control. That’s right it has a smart phone app called C-Monster that allows many adjustments at your fingertips. The C-Monster technology gives you independent and/or dual control over your anchoring system.

Accessories – Power Pole! Power Pole! Power Pole!

Not only is Power Pole a shallow water anchor; with the addition of Drift Paddles it can accurately control your drift speed and angle at the touch of a button. The Drift Paddles can slow your boat up to 50% while you fish without interruption. With seven quick change positions; the paddles are adjustable up to 180 degrees.
Power Pole introduced a Downrigger that slides onto the spike and lets you troll baits or lures at a variety of depths. It includes an adjustable snap release clip that pops out when it’s time to reel your fish in.

Noise – Talon is Quieter

Power Pole has hydraulic pumps that are mounted in the bottom of your boat; they’ve made significant changes in reducing the noise, they are quite noisy. The Talon uses an Electro-Mechanical Motor that’s a lot quieter.

Support – Power Pole to the Rescue

If you have a problem or a question JL Marine’s support staff is available to answer any of your questions. They only sell one product; shallow water anchors. On the other hand your wait at Minn Kota will be a long one.

Price – Talon by a Nose

I priced both Power Pole and Talon in the 10’ models. The 10’ Power Pole MSRP was $2,095.00 and the 10’ Talon MSRP was $1,850.00 with a $100 rebate. However considering the accessories available for the Power Pole it may just be the better value. Remember, you get what you pay for.

Conclusion

I’m a person that looks at a product from more than one aspect; product development takes time. I’m a computer programmer by trade. I’ve been using Microsoft products for decades. I know better than to try new software when it first comes to market; it’s got to have Service Pack II released before I try it. I’m the same way about shallow water anchors.

The Talon is new to the market; like most first time products, they need time to work the bugs out. What I’m saying is, give Minn Kota time to work out the bugs and I think it will be an excellent product. At the moment it cannot compete with Power Pole that’s been thru nearly 20 years of development.

On top of that, any product that’s totally electric scares me. How would I raise the Talon if there was no power? The Power Pole hydraulic hose can be quickly disconnected and raised manually. Not saying it will happen but who knows. As a fisherman, I have to be prepared for the worst case scenario.




By Bernard Williams aka BassCat21 on Crappie.com