How to Make a Bamboo Fishing Rod: A Simple Cane Pole From Scratch

Pick a straight cane that tapers evenly

Cast & Spear, a fishing blog by Jon Stenstrom, says to “Look for a stalk that is relatively straight and has a gradual, even taper from the thick handle end to the thin tip.” It suggests 10 to 14 feet (3 to 4.3 m) for an all-around pole and 8 feet (2.4 m) for a child. Casada adds that a pole for bream or crappie differs from one for bass, so think about length before you cut.

Saw the butt end below a joint

Casada says to cut the cane “close to the ground using a fine-toothed saw,” squarely through a joint with the blade parallel to the ground, and to avoid a hatchet or ax because it “risks a crack or split.” Field & Stream says to saw “through the fat end at the bottom of a joint so the butt end will have a closed cap.” Wear safety glasses or goggles, and follow the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety’s hand-saw advice: “Hold stock being cut firmly in place,” use a helper to support long stock, and “Start cut carefully and slowly to prevent blade from jumping.”

Trim the side shoots and leaf stems flush

Casada says pruning shears or a sharp pocket knife will work, and to “cut foliage away cleanly and closely.” With a knife, the Missouri Department of Conservation says “Always ask a grown-up for permission before using any knife.” It also says “Always cut away from your body — and away from the hand holding the wood,” and warns that “A dull knife is more likely to slip off of what you’re cutting and slice you instead,” and to “make sure there’s a safety zone around where you work” and “If someone walks into your safety zone, quit cutting.”

Smooth the stubs with sandpaper

Casada uses coarse sandpaper where the foliage was removed, and Cast & Spear says you want a smooth surface “so your fishing line doesn’t get snagged.”

Leave the tip on the thin side, then trim after curing

Casada says you want plenty of limber “give” but not a tip as floppy as a buggy whip, and adds: “it is best to err on the “too small” side, because you can always cut a bit more after curing the pole.” In his text, “too small” is the thin, limber end: you can shorten a tip later but cannot lengthen it. Cast & Spear says to cut the thinnest, weakest portion off “right above a sturdy joint.”

Hang the cane with a weight on the tip

Casada says: “Just tie a weight of several pounds to the tip of the cane. Half a cinder building block or a couple of bricks work quite nicely.” The cord stays put because of “slight swelling at the joints,” he says. Hang the pole so the weight is off the ground, and give it “a few weeks to dry and straighten out.” Field & Stream ties a string to the tip, suspends the cane until it “dries to a tan color,” which “could take several weeks,” and says a brick will “straighten out a curved cane fishing pole.” If a bend remains after the weeks are up, a cane that stays badly bent is better replaced with a straighter one.

Sand, then brush on the varnish you chose, following its label

The label is the instruction for your product. As an example of what one maker writes, Rust-Oleum’s Marine Spar Varnish sheet says “Use in an area with adequate ventilation at all times,” to apply only “between 55-90°F (13-32°C)” and below 85% relative humidity, to “Allow the finish to dry 8 hours before re-coating,” and to recoat “only when previous coats have dried clear and feel hard.” It recommends “A minimum of three coats” (Casada says a couple), and “Allow the finish to dry 24 hours before light use. Wait 3 days before subjecting the surface to normal usage.” The same sheet lists a “Flash Point” of 109°F (43°C), says “Do not apply in direct sunlight,” and points to the product’s safety data sheet: “For additional information, see SDS.” Its sheet says “USE ABOVE THE WATERLINE ONLY” for boat surfaces, so read the can of whatever you buy for the use you plan.

Cut the line a few feet longer than the pole

Casada says to “measure off a length a few feet longer than the pole,” so that after the two ties “The remaining line should be a bit longer than the pole.” Cast & Spear says the free line is about the pole’s length “or perhaps a foot longer.” Field & Stream leaves “about 14 to 16 feet” (4.3 to 4.9 m) from the tip of its 10-foot pole, leader included.

Tie the line to the pole twice with clove hitches

Casada says: “Tie it to the pole twice—once three or four joints below the tip, then run the line to the tip and tie it again.” He does not name a knot, and Field & Stream rigs differently (an arbor knot near the handle, then whip-finishing the line to the pole with old fly line), which this article does not teach because no step-by-step source was found. Animated Knots, a knot-instruction site, gives the clove hitch for attaching a line to a pole: “Form a loop in the working end of the rope. Place it over the post. Form a second loop identical to the first. Place it over the post and tighten.” Drop each loop over the tip of the pole and slide it down to just below a joint, which is our reading of Casada’s point that the swelling at the joints stops a cord slipping. The same page warns the clove hitch “slips and, paradoxically, can also bind” and “should be deeply distrusted when used by itself,” and says “To make the hitch secure, additional Half Hitches must be added in the same manner.” So add extra half hitches, each tied as the loops were, at both ties. At the tip the line carries on past the knot to the hook, so leave it hanging from the tip, as the diagram shows.

Tie on the hook with the Palomar knot

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service’s pamphlet says “Be careful when handling sharp hooks.” Its Palomar steps: “Double 4 inches of line and pass the loop formed through the eye of the fishing hook.” “Let the hook hang loose. Tie an overhand knot in doubled line. Don’t twist or tighten line.” “Pull the loop far enough to pass it completely over the hook.” “Wet the line. Hold the hook carefully, and pull the loose end with the standing line slowly to tighten the knot. Clip the loose end.”

Add split shot and the bobber

The pamphlet says to attach “1 or 2 sinkers or fishing weights to the line, 6 to 12 inches above the hook” (15 to 30 cm), and that “Most bobbers attach to fishing line with a spring clip.” Casada’s order is split shot, bobber, hook. Our guide to putting a bobber on a fishing line covers clip-on and slip bobbers.