# Home made fishing pole



## SewingMachine (Mar 26, 2017)

I am going to go through making a really, really simple bank pole.

I am not even using any guides, just the reel seat, and the tip top guide.

This is going to take longer than usual, as my tech fail wife (God bless her) just changed phones, and I have to go through the rage, accusations, screaming and pleas for help (that will then be angrily refused) that go with a tech move like that. So, gigantic soul weary sigh, and moving on.










So we need:

5 minute epoxy. If we were doing this right, we would use diamond cote, or some really nice, crystal clear, self leveling non yellowing epoxy. Or spar varnish if we were doing some old school stuff.

A couple of those cheapo foam brushes. I have some nice stainless tools for this, that are designed not to put bubbles or brush hairs into the epoxy. But I can't seem to find them, and I have to wonder if they went to school....hmmm.

A rod tip.I am using a heavy duty salt water or "boat" rod top. The size is 25/12. The 25 is a fraction of an inch, or 25/64ths. The rod is 3/8ths, so that the top tube is 25/64ths, or 1/64th larger than the rod itself. The ring or 12, is 12mm. Clear as mud.

A rod. I am using a 3/8ths inch tent pole section. I bought a few tent poles on amazon, the kind with the elastic cord inside. Then I took them apart. They are fiberglass, and flexible, and have a built in ferrule, and that's the whole point.

Some fiberglass drywall mesh. This is to build up the rod to fit the reel seat. The mesh allows the epoxy to flow through, and makes a nice solid epoxy plug under the seat, without having a lot of extra weight.

A very short EVA tapered foregrip.

Some thread. I am using a T69 nylon, red to match the Quantum Team KVD spinning reel that is going to go on it. 'Cause I'm fancy like that.

A Karate Kid headband. Trust me on this...

A Cuties seedless orange box.

I order the actual rod parts from Mudhole Custom Tackle.

The rest of this one is hardware store stuff.

The total cost of this rod is right around 10 bucks. It can be a LOT more if you so desire. Throwing in a cut down section of stand up Tuna rod would pump the price up over $150 instantly.


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## SewingMachine (Mar 26, 2017)

The fiberglass mesh tape, rolled onto the rod where the reel seat will be. I usually go a bit long, then trim it back to where it is a snug fit under the seat. Then mix the epoxy and work it in, spinning the rod. Really get that epoxy worked in, it can take more than you think.










The reel seat in place. There is space at the front of the seat, I will use a small piece of aluminum foil shaped into a cup, to pour epoxy into this space. I want that space, that forms a solid epoxy "anchor" at the front of the reel seat, at a critical point. It will help the reel seat not to flex or spin under hard use.


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## SewingMachine (Mar 26, 2017)

The reel seat and EVA foregrip in place. When I filled the space at the front of the seat, I ran a short bead of epoxy up the rod where the foregrip was going to be, then spun the epoxy around the rod with a foam brush. It doesn't take much to firmly affix the foregrip. Then I stood it up on a piece of foil, to let it cure.

It's a five minute epoxy, so I am not messing about, but I like to take a break at this point, before I put on the top guide. That way, if there is a problem with a bad mix, or a slow cure, it will usually resolve itself. If, in 20 minutes, I pick this thing up and anything spins, it is junk. I can take it apart, and use alcohol to sort-of remove the epoxy, but it is messy, and these are the cheapest of the cheap parts. Probably not worth my time to try a do-over. I would just order new parts.


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## Pessimistic2 (Jan 26, 2017)

*Fishing pole.....*

Whatever happened to the good ole tree branch and some mono?

Instructions
1
Locate an important straight, live branch that is definitely about 3/4 associated with an inch in size. Use a knife, axe, or shears to cut a 4- towards 5-foot section.
2
Cut a amount of monofilament fishing line that you wanna use.
3
Tie the tip of the fishing line around a conclusion of the woods branch. If one end of your branch is narrower versus the other, tie the item around that close. Use a half-hitch knot, that's the type you utilize to knot a shoelaces.
4
Tie a new size 6 and also 8 hook onj the end of the fishing line.
5
Attach 2 split-shot weights for the fishing line.
6
Attach your fishing bobber (optional) to line about 24" above the hook.
7
Add an article of live bait to hook. Small leeches and also worms work mainly well, as accomplish small minnows.

:dunno::wave:


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## SewingMachine (Mar 26, 2017)

The Karate Kid headband ties the rod into the box, so the rod can't spin and mess up your threadwork.









Wrap the thread on, then cross it twice...









Then once the thread is on the correct side (the side you are wrapping toward, or the right) just ignore it. You will wrap over it.









Insert a loop of thread (different color helps) and wind over it. If you are a super pro, wrap over it three times. For us mere mortals, 10 is helpful.









Now put red (or whatever) thread through the loop, and pull it out, using the looped end to pull the thread back under what you have wrapped. Use something sharp to cut the tag end. Push all your wraps back, so there are no gaps in the thread, and the last wrap is flush and even.









This one is ok. At least, no big gaps, no visible crossovers, no tag ends of thread.


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## SewingMachine (Mar 26, 2017)

Pessimistic2 said:


> Whatever happened to the good ole tree branch and some mono?
> 
> Instructions
> 1
> ...


Too foolproof. If it can't be made complicated, I'm not interested.


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## SewingMachine (Mar 26, 2017)

Ok, bad pic. But, there is a line on top of the reel seat, it is a keeper for the reel seat rings, to keep them aligned, and it is a reference line for setting your top guide. Place it on top, and your guide dead center bottom, so the lowest most point of the guide ring is at the bottom. For a spinning reel, anyway.

Some reel seats dont have it. None of the aluminum saltwater rod butts have this, but the good ones have a pin and a machined slot on the ferrule. I will show some when I build the helicopter rod later this year.

(That's right, Pessimistic.. Helicopter Rod, lol. If only I knew someone with a helicopter...)


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## SewingMachine (Mar 26, 2017)

And...THIS is what happens when you use some red thread off of a bobbin, thinking it must be nylon, even though it does feel a bit like cotton...

You get color fade, and it looks like garbage! Gahh!

Well. Now I am inspired to break out the rod wrapper, and get some diamond coat and do it right. But, the color of the spinning reel is sort of an anodized aluminum deep red, so it will look ok, and I can go over the threads again with a better epoxy to even it out. I better not mess around with the other rods, though. I will just get frustrated.

I will get the aluminum rod and pin, and make the "spike" that fits in the ferrule, and makes this pole a bank pole. I will have to come back, and resurrect this thread in a week or so.


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## marlas1too (Feb 28, 2010)

when I was real young we just cut a sapling and trimed the branches off then tied a line to it and wwe were ready to fish ---pure simple fishing


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## Flight1630 (Jan 4, 2017)

Very well done SM. good article. Might want to consider adding it to PC.


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## SewingMachine (Mar 26, 2017)

marlas1too said:


> when I was real young we just cut a sapling and trimed the branches off then tied a line to it and wwe were ready to fish ---pure simple fishing


Same thing I did. I ran trot lines for catfish, as well, all summer.

Now, I camp on sandbars, and fish places where I don't want to cut trees, even the branches. So the poles are nice to have.

Also, I just like to make things. If I don't or can't, I get in trouble.


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## SewingMachine (Mar 26, 2017)

Flight1630 said:


> Very well done SM. good article. Might want to consider adding it to PC.


Thanks Flight.

Looking at it this morning, it actually didn't come out too bad. I will definitely be using it.

I can't wait to get the reels, and sew up a carrier. A set of three, plus the helicopter rod, will be a nice rig, and should last me 5 years or so, I hope. Before I get bored and redo it all.


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## Meerkat (May 31, 2011)

I got really good in the Florida Keys with a Cuban reel is what they called it anyway. 
It is a round doughnut disk and you hand toss it out kinda like a small circle lasso toss. 
I maybe could make one of those if I had to. 
SewingM would be a lot easier to handle though.


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## Meerkat (May 31, 2011)

Sewing M I meant your's would be easier,lol.not mine.


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