Home Made Fishing Rods,

[TheCricket]

Sorry not me demonstrating my prowess, but I was wondering if anyone has made one before and if so, how did it perform? any monsters on it? I can imagine it being pretty difficult to make something like a fly rod from scratch which needs a bit more whip (without being whippy).

Anyhoo was just wondering!

 

[mountainm]

I've caught fish on a garden cane with a wire loop on the end. If you fish pole style with elastic you can get away with any old stick - you're only limits being weight, strength and reach.

For a proper rod you can buy the carbon fibre (or fibre glass) blanks and add all the fittings yourself but split cane or greenheart rod would be my approach if I really wanted to do it completely from scratch - you could then make your own eyes from brass wire.

 

[StJon]

My Dad had a rod made from a tank aerial back in the day...

 

[TheCricket]

a Tank Aerial? seriously? haha, thats awesome. I used to have a garden cane with a bit of fishing line attached, though I don't seem to remember catching anything on it. My Grandad used to have a split cane rod that I think he made, though not sure if he ever actually used it or not.

 

[plastic-ninja]

My Grandad used to use two home made 11ft beachcasters from Redcar beach when I was a teenager. He made them from greenheart and had made the reel for one of them too. His favourite tool for getting the shape right was a broken bottle used as a scraper.
I don't know what happened to the rods but he left me the reel when he died along with a nice wood and brass Scarborough reel.
I think he could have taught us all lots of skills for foraging on the coast as I remember him spear fishing for flat ties and drawing out lobsters from the rocks with a red rag on a stick.
good luck with the build too.
Simon

 

[mountainm]

My Dad had a rod made from a tank aerial back in the day...

So did mine. Still got it..

 

[Robbi]

So did mine. Still got it..

+ 1 screw together sections and a big rubber handle