Printable View
I'm sure a lot of you guys around the south have seen the random bamboo growing around (NC area specifically). Out of curiosity, has anyone made a cane pole out of it? Both my in laws have got it in their backyard. Just wondering if it would be worth a darn.
When I was young I did not realize that canepoles were sold in stores. Yep we used the ones growing. Might not last quite as long due to not being kiln dried or varnished but that did not matter as we would just cut another. Could even get em as limp or stiff as needed by selection and cut placement. I would go cut me some and go fishing.
Read an article years ago about hanging the cane by the butt and using a heavy rock tied to the skinny end to keep it straight as it dried
I've read a couple articles about that too. I just thought it would be a fun thing to try. I was just not sure how skinny that skinny end should be. I'm not sure it would matter. Just cut down a couple, and try them out I guess...
Maybe when they come a little more shallow later in the season.
You can varnish it also after it dries if you won't it to last for many years. Let it air dry till it dries out while hanging like Dockshootinjack said. We always left the end pretty skinny to see the bite better but when we tied the line on the pole we would start by tying it to a section of pole that was larger to start with in case the skinny end broke.Quote:
Originally Posted by MNKK
Just like the above post's. Grandpa would cut it and hang in barn. When dry sandpaper off the film that forms like wax on outside. Varnish and let dry a week or so. Cut tip based on wheather it was a brim pole or for bigger fish. Didn't have to hurry cause he kept some ready to go all the time.
I grew up fishing with them starting 65 years ago.....most bait shops had them.....sometimes we would go down in the swamps by the river and cut them....had to dry them out first......caught many fish on them....used a 30# test line, swivel and a 10# test line for the hook....hang up and U only loose the hook....finally switched to jig poles some years back.....this was my last batch to go.....
Attachment 189361
I have made more than a few over the years.Cut them longer than you need,and varnish the whole thing pretty quickly after cutting ( helps slow the drying process,which helps prevent cracking )Find a dry warm place to dry the pole,if possible ( I strongly suggest) stabilize the cane to something at least as long as the cane,to help it dry straightOne way that works well is to cut several canes,and tie them securely together ( by wrapping ) with twine.
After several months,they should be dry,find the sensitivity you want the tip ( I try to cut just beyond a node,leaving the node for strength.
crappie like minnows , no matter what is connected to the line . It was not very long ago that several regulars at Enid slow trolled with cane poles . They made homemade guides as well . quite often they would limit out when others did not . We spend a lot more money than necessary because we like crappie fishing not because we need it .
Brings a tear to my eye thinking bout my childhood
My brother and I cut some off the old home place and laid them on a flat metal roof to dry. The problem was they dried to fast and got brittle. I would think that if you have a steady supply you could use them green cut and when they started to become to dry toss them and cut new ones. Just my :twocents. Good luck
I would cut some that looed good then tape them to a piece of emt pipe and put them in the attic all winter, by spring they would dried out,sand them and varnish.Then cut them to size,got many years of use.
I use them put several in a peace of 3in. pvc or whatever you have around let dry .I try to make sure the smaller end is in the pvc than the end you will hold if you boo is longer than your pipe .If you have lots of little ones learning to fish ,better not having to worry about bream busters getting broke lol
Varnishing while green and before drying will prevent excess cracking,( a trick I learned when drying staves for my selfbows.)
A buddy did some here in Kentucky a couple of years back - I am still using the two I pilfered from him. I think he hung them up skinny side up in an old tobacco barn to dry for the over winter, letting the weight of the pole itself on the butt end keeping them straight. Worked just fin in my opinion.