When it comes to bamboo fishing pole, bigger is not necessarily better. Larger poles can be cumbersome to hold and awkward to transport. It’s probably best to cut three or four pieces of bamboo at a time, in case your first piece breaks after you’ve dried it out and you have to begin the process again
Find a joint at the thicker end of the cane and saw through it. This will ensure that the butt of your fishing pole has a closed end. Take a piece of sandpaper and use it to smooth the body of the fishing pole as much as possible.
Dry the cane pole in a warm, dry place but do not exposed it to direct sunlight. Sunlight will dry out the cane too quickly, causing it to become brittle. Depending on temperature and humidity levels, the cane will take a few weeks to several months to dry out fully. You will know it’s ready when it turns a tan color. When the cane is dry pick it up and give it a few test swings through the air to make sure it doesn’t break or bend. If it does, try another piece. You want your fishing pole to be as straight as possible, so if it dries with a slight curve you can straighten it out by weighing it with bricks.
Run the line along the length of the pole until you get to the end. This will allow the pole to bend all the way through when you’re fighting a fish, which will prevent the line from snapping. Then take some extra pieces of fishing line and use them to tie the running line to the fishing pole at 2 or 3 different points (including the tip). Be careful when tying the running line to the pole—if it’s tied too tightly you won’t be able to slide the line up and down, but if it’s tied too loosely the line will droop and get tangled. Use a whip-finish if possible. The length of the fishing line (from the tip of the pole) should measure the total length of the pole, plus an extra 2 feet (0. 61 m). If you prefer, the extra 2 feet (0. 61 m) can be monofilament leader instead of the Dacron line. After you’ve tried this out, experiment with a longer amount of line so you can cast out farther.
Now your homemade bamboo fishing pole is ready to use! To shorten the line, pull it back through the loops and wrap the excess around the handle.
Use a saw to cut the PVC pipes to the desired length. Keep in mind that the combined length of the 2 PVC pipes will be the approximate length of your finished fishing rod. For example, for a small child-size fishing rod you could cut each pipe to a length of 10 inches (25. 4 cm). Use some sandpaper to smooth the sawed edges and remove any markings from the body of the pipes.
You will also need a 1⁄2–3⁄4 inch (1. 3–1. 9 cm) threaded connector (female/male) and a 1⁄2–3⁄4 inch (1. 3–1. 9 cm) threaded connector (female/female). These fittings are available very cheaply from the hardware store. Slip each fitting onto the corresponding piece of pipe, but do not glue in place.
The number of holes will depend on the length of the pipe you are using. No matter how many holes you make, ensure that they evenly spaced.
Use a pliers to bend one leg of the silver wire across the other. When you’re done, there should be a closed loop on one end of the wire and on the other end the legs should point inwards towards each other. Repeat with the other wires. Take a wire and clip the legs into the holes on either side of the 1⁄2 inch (1. 3 cm) pipe. The loop at the end of the wire forms an eyelet for the fishing line. Repeat with the other wires.
You can do this by using the same drill bit as before to make 2 holes in the side of the pipe, then screw the fishing reel into place
The great thing about this fishing rod is that you can remove the slip caps from either end of the rod to store tackle or anything else you want!
Make sure the knot is nice and tight. Wrap the remaining string around the end of the stick. Tie 2–3 feet (0. 61–0. 91 m) of thin fishing line to the end of the string, as this will make it easier to attach the hook.
