Fishing With The Cane Pole

If you've considered a fishing trip but just can't seem to get the cash together to purchase enough fishing rods for your family, or if you have no where to store those poles after the fishing trip, you may be overlooking a natural source for fishing poles. In many areas of the southern United States, cane grows naturally. Cane is a favorite for a non-casting pole because it's light weight in relation to most woods. But you don't have to use cane. If you choose carefully, a stick or even a piece of wood can work as a fishing pole.

Especially if your goal is an afternoon of fishing for small perch on a nearby pond or stream, your tackle budget can be extremely limited without totally eliminating the fun. Think back to the days of Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer. A good stick or cane pole (cane grows wild in many areas) will do nicely as a pole as long as you don't need to cast your line great distances and aren't fishing for large fish. If you're planning to drop your line directly into the water off the banks of your waterway, a cane pole will do nicely.

One tip from the "Huck Finn" story - don't tie monofilament line around your toe or try to hold it with your hands. The stories of those lazy days on the banks of a river included cotton fishing line. The nylon line of today can cut if you get even a small fish on the other end.

When it comes to choosing a cane for your fishing pole, bigger isn't always better. It takes a lot of muscle to hold up a long pole and you may find that your fishing trip turns into a lot of work if you're trying to balance a long pole. For the kids, a good rule of thumb is to make the pole no more than a couple of feet taller than the person who'll be holding the pole. Not only is it easier to balance, it's also easier for them to maneuver it without smacking other fishermen with an unwieldy pole.

One of the great things about cutting your own pole on the banks of a creek is that you don't have to store the fishing pole when you return home. You don't even have to take it back home with you. Just be sure that you don't leave any of the fishing line or your tackle (especially hooks) lying around on the ground. Small animals that are tangled in the line can injure themselves or may even die.