Home Forums Fishing Freshwater Cane poles.

Does anyone still fish with cane poles? I remember as a kid quite a few folks still did.

My wife has always liked to bobber fish. She has some significant memory issues and running a reel can be frustrating. She remembers fishing as a kid with a cane pole and I got to thinking it might be a good way for her to fish. Can’t get much simpler and she’d be thrilled watching the bobber disappear.

I see some jointed ones listed at Sportsman’s Warehouse. Any thoughts? Thanks.

My best angling as a kid in Tenn happened under the tutelage of a fishing fool farmer using cane and crappy jigs along the river's edges when the TVA lakes were drained. A mixed bag stringer at the end of the day. If recall is correct, poles were cut along the river's edge.

I also recall lots of cane pole fishermen along canals and rivers as we vacationed through North and South Carolina. A bucket of worms, line, small weight, and a float. Those were the days of the KISS principle. Now it takes half of a pickup bed for me to pack up for a day's worth of trout fishing.

Hadn't seen anyone in years until last summer. We take a few trips to Cherokee NC every year to fish and check out the elk. Couple kids there were using bamboo cane poles they had probably cut locally. They were doing pretty well on stocked trout

First fishing tackle I ever used and been using
one form or another ever since.
I've caught many many thousands of fish with
natural cane poles and bobber and telescopic
fiberglass poles with bobber bait rigs and straight
line and jigs and various other things.
I've had and used various other tackle, spinning
baitcasting, spincast, medium heavy in the GOM,
stock tanks, rivers, lakes, creeks, mud puddles, etc.

I've never felt handicapped with a cane pole of
any construction. IMO more kids should be
started with one.

I don’t see anyone using an actual cane pole these days. But we might as well be when we’re dipping crappie during the spawn or catching sunfish in the creek for catfish bait.

I wish you were in the neighborhood Mart, I have a pond where endless amounts of perch can be caught on a gold hook with a pinch of worm or an ice fishing jig. You could go and catch until she was tired of catching.

A drive through the south on warm spring days you'll see black women fishing with cane poles.

Thanks for that offer. I have a 10 day stretch in late April coming up with no appointments and no mail runs so I think we’ll get the camper ready and take the boat up to Dworshak for a few days. See if we can find some crappie.

When I was about eight years old, my father took me to such a pond owned by a local farmer and we used a long cane pole.

It was GREAT fun, and probably contributed to me becoming a lifelong fisherman (more than five decades later now).

TheKid - thanks for bringing these memories back!

/John

When I was little my uncle leased a place with a big spring fed pond on it. Water as clear as gin year around and no fish besides thousands of little perch. None much bigger than the bottom of a soup can and probably 3 or 4 different species.

He’d drop my two cousins and I off while he went to check cows and we’d catch perch nonstop from the minute we put a line in the water until he showed back up to get us. With the imagination of small boys we soon had a scoring system wherein the different kinds were “Marlin” or “swordfish” or some other exotic saltwater fish we’d never laid eyes on.

We had a lot of fun for three kids aged 6 to 10.

Had a similar situation with my dad helping a friend with some building construction after work through one summer. My brother, myself and the son of dad's friend walked down some horse trails to a local lake and terrorized the local panfish (pumpkinseed) population nightly. For three boys aged 8-11 it was a great adventure and hooked my brother and myself on fishing! Back when boys could just be boys and find their own entertainment!

The first year I fished on Wabigoon I used a cane pole.

The first year I fished on Wabigoon I used a cane pole.

My maternal Grandfather, who taught me to fish and instilled the love of fishing in me, only used cane poles.
When I was a kiddo, fishing with him, we literally caught wash tubs full of crappie using cane poles.
His family fish fries were epic!!!
I’d love to spend just one more day fishing with him.
Unfortunately, he passed when I was 10.

I remember our last Christmas together, when one of my Uncles, who was 7 years older than me, got a Zebco reel and fiberglass rod for Christmas.
GrandDad said: “You’ll just scare the fish away with that damned thing”. 😬

I used them a couple years, but not anymore... they're awkward from a boat for me, and I do the vast majority of my fishing from one.

Used to hit the government pier in Port Washington WI with a whole bundle of cane poles. My dad made pole holders that clamped on the sheet pilings, we had a bunch out catching lake perch.

In the early 2000's we used fiberglass cane style poles with 10 ft of heavy line and trolled redeye wigglers, five of diamond and daredevil spoons out the side of the boat for fall northern pike.

My first fish was caught on a cane pole. I still like them.

One question: What is the best way to cure a fresh cut cane? We have tons here for free. But, every time I cut and leave one to dry it cracks and becomes brittle. If you find one that's cured right by someone, they are hard to break.

Cane polls are great. The original cane poles dad bought in the 60’ were chosen carefully from a bundle as some could get awfully thick and heavy. I still have them hanging on the buildings in the northern camp ready to go.

More these days are the telescoping fiberglass poles and again you can get them awfully long but they too get heavy.

I was guiding a fun group of guys not that many years ago at a northern Ontario fly-in camp and I’d brought a telescoping cane pole just for giggles. That lake has some places where you can sit on walleyes from 14”-26” or so all day long. That cane poll with a jig and tail was the hit of the trip. What a hoot. The guys cut cards for who was going to use it until the third day or so one of the monster pike slid in and hit.
I gave it all I could chasing it and trying to keep the boat clear while the guy tried to play it. What can you do for play with a 46” plus pike on a cane poll?
The fish made a cutting run under the boat and snapped the tip of the cane poll off, terrific fun for the 10 minutes or so it lasted.

To the OP I think the cane poll for her or anyone is a terrific idea.

Osky