There are many tools and gadgets in carp fishing designed to make the task of catching fish far easier. Some will be seen as a gimmick, whilst others have become an essential part of any carp angler's tackle collection. For me, the Nash Bushwhacker Baiting Pole has turned into the latter.
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All anglers know that delivering your rig and free offerings accurately on to a spot is a massive edge, and as any good match angler will tell you, there are few things better for this than a pole. There will be carpers out there who might consider it cheating but for me, being able to ship a baited rig and some loosefeed to a spot with 100% stealth and accuracy, is an edge I just can't ignore.
I've owned the original Bushwhacker Baiting Pole system for a few years now and can certainly say, it has on many occasions caught me carp I would not otherwise of caught.
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The original kit contains a 15m pole and a self-loading spoon, with a unique design allowing for limitless extra sections to be added. These 1.5 metre sections can be purchased separately and it really does mean you can improve the pole to benefit you in any situation you might face.
A design improvement on several other baiting pole options historically on the market, is the fact these sections are universal, not numbered. That means that other than the spoon and handle grip end, they can be put together in any order, which not only gives superb ease of use but makes them easy to replace should you suffer a breakage (which is incredibly rare!).
The sections on the Bushwhacker really are pretty special, once clipped together they maintain good strength and are surprisingly light, meaning you can easily add extra sections to take you as far as 50m or more (this will be pretty expensive though!). The further you go, the harder it becomes to control the Bushwhacker but with a bit of experience you can control the snaking of the pole and use it to your advantage.
Another superb piece of design included with the Bushwhacker is the spoon itself. Not only can it deliver 900g of weight from your rig and loosefeed, but there are several elements that improve the effectiveness of this task. The internal floats keep the spoon stable, to the point where I can honestly say it has never turned over by accident whilst I've been shipping it out. The design also includes a deep recess for the lead, preventing line drag from moving the rig once deposited. There are also slots on either side of the spoon so you can turn either way depending on the situation.
LEARN MORE ON HOW TO BAIT CORRECTLY WHEN CARP FISHING IN THIS EXPERT ADVICE ARTICLE.
WHAT ABOUT THE PRO VERSION?
Whilst the original Bushwhacker was and still is a superb piece of kit, Nash were keen to add a few additions to aid anglers even further with the release of their Bushwhacker Pro kit.
Costing a little more, the benefits of the Pro mainly centre around the spoon itself. Several interesting features have been added, one of those being a groove so a light can be fitted to the front of the spoon, making manoeuvring the pole in the dark far easier than having to shine a headtorch on the pole from the bank. This same facility can also be used to mount a Deeper Pro Fish Finder, helping the user map their swim and chosen spot with incredible precision and accuracy.
Perhaps one of the faults of baiting poles and bait boats are the angler can sometimes be fishing a bit blind when it comes to what's below the surface. As we know, a spot may look good from above the water but below might be a jungle of weed and debris. With the Bushwhacker Pro, Nash have added a leading bridge, so you can remove the guesswork. Clip this into position on the rear of the spoon and invert the spoon, you can then lift and drop to check the spot before delivering your rig - clever right?
The Pro is also available with an XL capacity spoon, capable of holding 1.5kg of boilies for those who like to really give them some bait.
THE VERDICT
In my opinion, every carp angler should own a Bushwhacker pole, the only trouble would be, that it then might be less of an edge!
The Bushwhacker really is a superb piece of tackle, I don't use mine all the time, however, as casting still very much has its place when the time is right. But for those situations where you want to get a bait bang tight to a spot, or sneak a rig in without making any noise at all, the Bushwhacker is honestly one of the best investments you could make. I have now had it on two separate occasions where I've had a take whilst shipping the pole back in - that's how deadly this piece of kit can be!
No review would be worth anything if there weren't some negatives and there are a few for me with the Bushwhacker. The first is the package itself. I can't help but feel that for the price, Nash could have included a few extra sections, as 15m is fairly limited. I've added 6 extra sections to mine and the pole now suits the vast majority of situations I face on my club waters. I have no doubt you will want to add more sections when you buy yours.
Another minor niggle in this regard is the carry bag it is supplied with, which can potentially only house an extra 10 sections at most, meaning eventually you will need to invest in luggage to store it.
The final frustration can come with using the pole and that comes when trying to use it in windy conditions. Due to its design, that in fairness makes the pole incredibly light and easy to manoeuvre, the pole can bend and snake quite easily, particularly in a cross wind. This takes some getting used to as you constantly have to make adjustments to counter this, which can become rather infuriating. It's a minor niggle for sure, but don't be expecting to ship out 30m of Whacker on a large windswept pit and be very accurate with your rig placement.
Those negatives aside, the Bushwhacker is without doubt one of my favourite items of carp tackle. It is vastly more accurate than any pro carp angler could be with a Spomb and your rig is perfectly placed on top without the plop of a lead to spook the fish. When testing the Pro kit we even shipped the pole over two carp that were not spooked by it at all. Add this to your armoury this season, you won't regret it!
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Pro
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The Nash Bushwhacker Pro Baiting Pole system is the ultimate baiting pole on the market, which with add on sections can be shipped as far as you are willing to push it. This pole really does make your fishing much more accurate and you can safely position rigs in places where casting is impossible, somewhere the carp won’t be expecting it.
The kit still comes with the spoon and 15m of pole, but the Pro version now has improved features on the spoon itself to make fishing that bit easier still. There is now a headlight mount, allowing you to clip a headtorch onto front of the spoon so you can ship out with ease and accuracy during darkness.
There is also a Deeper mount and a leading bridge to further assist with stealth. The Deeper can be anchored to the front via a specialised mount and shipped out to the chosen area for investigation. The leading bridge allows line to be positioned through a metal clip, that when inverted allows the lead to drop to the bottom and transmit the make-up of the lakebed back to the rod, saving endless casting with a marker rod which may spook carp in the area.
Pros
- Unlimited ability to extend the pole with extra sections.
- Unique leading bridge and sonar attachment.
Cons
- Can be difficult to use in the wind.
Original
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The original Nash Bushwhacker Baiting Pole package. This baiting pole system includes 15m of 1.5m pole sections, the unique Nash Bushwhacker spoon and a drawcord case. Still a great choice and is more readily available than the Pro package.
Pros
- Cheaper than the Pro package for those that don't need the benefits that offers.
- The best carp fishing baiting device you will find (other than the Pro version!).
Cons
- You will want more than 15m for most situations.
OUR PICK OF THE ALTERNATIVES
Strongest Put-Over pole
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The Cygnet baiting pole comprises of 8 carbon/composite sections to take the pole to 12m in length, ideal if you fish smaller intimate waters and don’t need a longer pole.
The end section of the pole has a thread on it to allow you to attach a spoon or whatever else you may feel like, such as weed cutting blades to remove overhangs or snags.
The pole is very rigid and stable once put together to help ensure accuracy.
Pros
- Rigid design.
- Strong sections.
Cons
- Limited length at 12m.
Best baiting pole for small venues
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Saber’s new 18m carbon baiting pole comes as a standard 16m pole with a 1.75m extension to take you further.
The sections have been reinforced for added strength to prevent breakages and increase the rigidity whilst shipping out and placing rigs. The sections are pushed together and are finished with a special coating to prevent them sticking together when wet, a common issue with carbon sections.
The spoon has an improved square, flat profile to help its stability whilst out on the water and has a dividing wall option to help stop your rig tangling or the hook being masked if you’re using livebaits like maggots. Being fully watertight, the spoon can deliver liquids and solid bags too.
Pros
- Non-stick section design.
- Lightweight.
Cons
- 18m is the maximum length.
Best long range baiting pole
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Available in a 12m or 18m set, the Corus Long Reach Baiting Pole offers a great solution to delivering rigs with stealth and accuracy.
Unlike some poles on the market, the Corus pole has sections made from carbon fibre, which reduces the overall weight and helps the pole stay rigid even in windy conditions. Numbered sections also make for a quick and efficient set up.
Parallel 1.5m extensions can be purchased to take the pole to lengths in excess of 30m, so you can push rigs out as far as you dare. The scoop holds a nice amount of bait, up to 900g in fact, which is more than enough to get a bite. There is a slot on the spoon to hold an isotope for increased accuracy at night, the pole also comes with a bespoke neoprene case for safekeeping.
Pros
- Unlimited extensions.
- Strong, rigid design.
Cons
- Sections can pull apart so make sure they are secure.
Author Chris Haydon is a keen and lifelong all-round angler that is currently in the position of Online Editor at Angling Times. As an angler, Chris likes to fish for just about everything that swims, from big roach to monster carp.