How to Make a Poke Pole

Poke poling is an old way of fishing, popularized recently, that many European immigrants that moved to the coast of California developed. It involves poking a long pole (thus the name), with a wire tip and short leader/hook, into rocky cracks at the ocean. Although there are many ways to make a poke pole, this is a sort of old fashioned one.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 7-14 ft. bamboo cane (whatever fits in your vehicle easily)
• A coat hanger or pliable piece of cyclone fence wire (18-20 in.)
• Duct tape or electrical tape
• Hot glue/epoxy OR drill/nail+hammer
• Wire clipper
• 4-6 in. of 25 lb. test fishing line
• Size 1/0 octopus fishing hook

1. Using the wire clippers, clip the coat hanger or cyclone wire to 18-20 inched long, with no weak spots. Drill/hammer a hole in the bamboo, about 10 inches from the end of the pole, and thread wire in. Fill with epoxy. Let the epoxy/hot glue dry.

2. Wrap wire around end of pole about 3-4 times, and then generously duct tape the wire. Coil a loop in the end of wire, using about 3-4 inches to form a circle. Imagine one of those big lollipops, with the wire being the stick, and the candy being the loop.

3. Next, wrap duct tape around handle end of pole to serve as a handle and grip (optional). Pull and bend the wire tip to test flexibility and strength. It should be flexible, but not to the point of breaking.

4. When ready to poke pole, tie one of the hooks to the line, and then the line to the loop at the wire tip. Bait with bait of choice, and be prepared to catch some eels! When poking into the hole, the wire end is the end that is poked in.

Tips & Warnings

• See my next article "How to Poke Poling
• Use the strongest expoxy/glue avilable
• Use strong wire
• Find fresher bamboo that won't break
• Hot glue/drills can be dangerous

[mysteriousmuse]

on 6/25/2009 Interesting and helpful article. Excellent job.

[cajunc]

on 6/25/2009 Fun article. Thanks.

Linda
cajunC