How to Make Homemade Fishing Poles

Photo by C. Storm.

A new fishing pole featuring all of the latest fishing gadgets and gizmos can take its toll on your pocket book. The truth is, fishing poles are easily made right at home -- almost for free.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

Tree branch Knife Scissors Fishing line Fishing hook Cork
Tree branch
Knife
Scissors
Fishing line
Fishing hook
Cork

Step 1

Find a straight tree branch, then trim the branch. This means removing all protruding branches and twigs. You might need a knife to accomplish this. You'll want your branch to be roughly the size of a standard fishing pole and around the same height as its intended user.

Step 2

Purchase fishing line and a fishing hook. Hooks come in all shapes and sizes, so consult with the salesperson about the types of fish you aim to catch in order to determine the appropriate size.

Step 3

Cut a piece of fishing line with scissors that is the same length as your fishing pole. Use the knife to cut a groove around the end of your pole, then tie one end of the fishing line to this grooved end, fitting the line tightly into the groove so that it cannot slide.

Step 4

Cut a similar groove with the knife around the middle of a cork. This will serve as your bobber. Tie the line around the grooved section of the cork 6 to 10 inches from the free end of the line. Be sure that 6 to 10 inches of line remains free.

Step 5

Tie the end of the fishing line to the hook.

Step 6

Attach some bait, such as worms that can be found in your front yard, and go fish.

Tips & Warnings

Wet the fishing line before you make your knot. This enables it to pull tighter and become more secure. See Resources for different types of fishing knots.

Fish hooks can be dangerous. Children attempting to make their own fishing poles should be supervised by an adult.

Article Written By William Jackson

William Jackson has written, reported and edited professionally for more than 10 years. His work has been published in newspapers, magazines, scholarly journals, high-level government reports, books and online. He holds a master's degree in humanities from Pennsylvania State University.

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