I have a confession to make. When I first saw a boat with the novel (at the time) Power-Pole, I remember thinking, “That will never get off the ground.” Boy, was I wrong. Not only are these mechanical “anchors” present on most inshore fishing boats, now there’s also one on my boat! The originator of this game-changing accessory for anglers was John Oliverio, a Sarasota native. The concept was hatched one day in 1998 when he was fishing Sarasota Bay’s Longbar with Sweet Lady Vidalia, his dog and favorite fishing partner. He noticed that when he spotted fish, they often spooked before he could stop his boat with an anchor or push pole. According to Oliverio, “I wanted something I could lower from anywhere on the boat without taking my eye off the fish.” It didn’t take Oliverio long to also realize the environmental benefits of his invention too. A friend who was monitoring seagrass on popular flats areas had noticed that anglers’ anchors dragging in those beds had left scars.
In 2008, Power-Pole added a new innovation to their invention that was quickly catching on with tournament anglers in salt and fresh waters alike. Oliverio had the environment in mind again with his next advancement of the product. The original Power-Pole was designed never to leak, but Oliverio realized that it was inevitable that with continued use in all conditions, the petroleum-based hydraulic fluid that powers the device would find its way into the water.
“I was thinking we needed to do the right thing here,” Oliverio said. “These guys using Power-Poles are in the best places to fish. The worst thing that could happen would be to spill out a quart of hydraulic fluid in your favorite fishing hole.” He made the decision to develop a bio-degradable fluid that wouldn’t harm the environment if a Power-Pole did begin to leak hydraulic fluid.
Since their introduction, Power-Pole anchors have had a huge impact on inshore fishing, first in saltwater and then in fresh water. Produced by JL Marine Systems in Tampa, Power-Pole anchors are available through over 3,500 dealers, retailers and boat manufacturers.
But don’t expect to hear from Oliverio about how he alone made this concept so successful. “I didn’t bring this company to the level of success we enjoy today all by myself,” he said. “It’s been with the efforts of all the employees associated with the company. Everyone has worked together to make Power-Pole anchors a leader in the marine industry.”
When Suncoast Waterkeeper obtained its patrol boat, the board quickly recognized the value of an innovative “green product” like Power-Pole. Much of the organization’s work is done on the shallow grass beds around Sarasota Bay. Whether it’s monitoring water quality, conducting debris cleanups after storms, flying drones to assess mangrove health or participating with Kids for Clean Water to monitor sea grass health, the Power-Pole is the perfect partner. Ever the environmental ambassador, Power-Pole provided us with an anchor. That’s what led me to see the benefits of the device and put one on my boat. I highly recommend this innovative accessory for the ease of use and practicality and its value to protecting the angler’s greatest resource, our grass flats. To learn more about this product and get one for your boat, check out a dealer near you.
