No Poles - Line & Weight Method - See Pic.

I don't use any poles. I pull it down the brush down with a down rigger ball on a long lanyard I made from aircraft cable.

I'm not sure but in the diagram, they show a 12lb weight....I don't know if the intention is to pull the brush down through or not. But, from experience, I aint gettin' up there with my lanyard/brush/wrench for the chimney cap AND a 12lb weight.

It boils down to how easy is the access to your chimney and how comfortable you are up high.

I'd use a light ball (just to get your rope/chain/lanyard to the cleanout) and pull from the bottom.

Bet you'd stay a lot cleaner if you pulled it up first. Drop a rope down, attach brush, throw it in the firebox, close doors, pull from the roof top. Take a look down the pipe and if you're not satisfied drop the rope down and pull down from inside. Most of the junk will be gone in the first "up pull cycle" making the second "down pull cycle" less of a mess. Dont ask me how I know.