How to Build a Homemade Cane Fishing Pole
Dad started me out with a Cane pole- a thin piece of dried bamboo that was coated with shellac- when he first taught me to fish when I was a young kid. A Cane pole allows you to feel the slightest nibble of a fish. Plus, it’s easy to tighten or loosen the line with just a pull of it. Or, if the line is tied off at the end, you can simply wait for the right moment and yank your catch up and out of the water. I used a Cane pole awhile, which allowed me to concentrate on the fine art of catching fish, until I graduated to a rod and reel.
To build a homemade Cane fishing pole, you’ll, of course, need some Canes. I have found that a Cane pole that measures an inch or two in diameter and is about eight feet long works well. But, cut your Canes a foot or two longer than you need.
Once you find a few specimens of Canes in a forest that suit your needs, you can just use a small saw to cut them off at the bottom. Keep in mind that bigger is not always better. A Cane pole that’s too big in diameter, or is too long, will be heavy and difficult to handy. Build a Cane pole that’s way too long, and you can even have problems transporting it on your fishing trips.
Carefully trim the Cane pole down so the main body is free from leaves and nubs. Find a joint that’s close to the length that you want your homemade Cane fishing pole to be. Then, use the small saw to cut through the middle of the joint so the bottom end of your pole is closed.
Then, use a piece of sandpaper to smooth the body down even more.
You’ll now need to dry your Cane pole. You’ll want it to dry so it’s as straight as possible. The best way to do this is to hang it up so it swings above the ground. During the drying process, keep your Cane poles out of the direct sunlight or it will dry too fast.
Depending on the size of the Cane pole, the outside temperatures, et cetera, your pole may take up to a few months to completely dry out. You’ll know when your homemade Cane fishing pole is dry when it turns tannish in color.
After your Cane pole is thoroughly dried out, take it for a “test drive” by whipping it around in the air several times. If your pole breaks or snaps, then it had a weak spot in it. So, throw that one away, grab another length of Cane, and try the building process again.
Now, you’ll need to tie a length of fishing line onto your homemade Cane fishing pole. The line will need to run the full length of your Cane pole, plus allow a few extra feet for depth.
Start at the thicker end of the Cane where you will hold your homemade fishing pole at. Tie the end of the line into a secure knot. Then, run the rest of the line along your pole until your reach the end. Lay the excess fishing line out of the way.
Use smaller, additional lengths of fishing line to tie the line on your Cane pole to the body of the pole. Tie the lengths into loops around the body of the Cane pole and the line. Don’t secure the line too tightly to the pole or you won’t be able to slide it up and down. But, if you tie it too loosely, your fishing line will droop and become tangled.
Tie the additional lengths of fishing line into loops at several intervals along the body of your Cane pole.
To use your pole, you’ll need to add a hook or a lure, a bobber, and any other equipment you desire.
You can adjust the length of the fishing line by pulling it down through the loops you tied to the handle end. Wrap excess fishing line around the handle.
