Cane pole fishing.

[FirstBubba]

As a kid growing up (1950's/60's), I did a LOT of fishing with a cane pole or simply a "whippy" willow limb.
I didn't have any bamboo, but I thinned out a switch cane thicket cutting little 6 to 8 foot, not quite finger thick poles.
Had a blast with them.
I once hooked a small bream about the size of a half dollar.
Just puttering around, I began to skitter him across the top of the water.
Geez! Gimme a break! I was bored! LOL!
Suddenly, the water swirled, my tiny perch disappeared in a boil of water and my switch cane pole began to bend...and bend...and bend!
Whatever it was, I couldn't turn with the fragile pole.
It finally snapped and I tossed it in the tank (Texan for small farm pond) and watched it swim away.
I ran to the house, grabbed my Zebco 202 and raced back (about 300 yards from the house!) to the tank.
I finally located the broken pole floating against the off bank.
Snagging the pole wasn't hard, but whatever had taken the perch had taken perch, hook and split shot weight with it! LOL!

My grampa would only cane pole fish for crappie or blue gills.
Bamboo is difficult to come by anymore. I use those whippy, black collapsible 12 foot poles found at WalMart.
About a 3 pound channel cat on one such pole was quite a battle!

Do you or would you still use a cane pole, given the opportunity?

[fitch270]

I’m not sure I’ve ever used a true cane pole but as a kid I’d fish small creeks for brook trout with my fly rod. Since the rod was as long as the water was wide there wasn’t any casting involved, you’d just hang back out of sight a drop whatever fly at the head of the pool and when you felt the strike just lift the fish out. Kind of the same.

[FirstBubba]

I’m not sure I’ve ever used a true cane pole but as a kid I’d fish small creeks for brook trout with my fly rod. Since the rod was as long as the water was wide there wasn’t any casting involved, you’d just hang back out of sight a drop whatever fly at the head of the pool and when you felt the strike just lift the fish out. Kind of the same.

Pretty much. The cane pole just adds a "antique" touch to the process and a Tom Sawyer"ish" facet.
It's the difference between an inline muzzle loader and a traditional, iron sight, sidelock flintlock.
It's going back to something more primitive.

[franchi20]

I caught my first fish (bluegill) on a bamboo pole, have thought about trying to do it again, for while now. In these times, it seems like simple things are the thing to do. A little bit of old fashioned simplicity.

[FirstBubba]

I caught my first fish (bluegill) on a bamboo pole, have thought about trying to do it again, for while now. In these times, it seems like simple things are the thing to do. A little bit of old fashioned simplicity.

Yes sir. Sometimes we allow our lives to become way too complex.
What's simpler than a pole, line, hook and a sinker?
I know I've backed off a lot.

[bowhunter75richard]

I am not sure if your ‘spell checker’ functioned or not !

[FirstBubba]

Oh, for the days of bluegills, cherry gills and crappie!
Meal worms, Georgia wigglers (worms) and red horse minnows!

[FirstBubba]

Bubba, there's nothing holding you back from that.

No sir, except my dad and Uncle Ducca on Lake Frankston in east Texas. LOL!
Good times for a 4 year old!

You're correct pighunter, but anymore, I have no idea where to find bluegills. I suppose a bobber, some mealworms or crickets and a cane pole I could locate some somewhere!
Down here in S Texas, available bait dunkin' spots are scarce.
I'm fifty miles from one of the big border reservoirs, but even the locals are reluctant to go there. There are other big impoundments, but a 100 mile (round trip) drive for a stringer of bluegills? Guess it could be "worser"! LOL!

[fitch270]

Regarding the simpler things, up on the hill there’s a small pond from the spring overflow that is only a couple feet deep now. It was dug out years ago using horses but has been slowly mucking back in. The past to afternoons my wife and kids have gone up and my daughter has been ice skating. The Kid took our ice auger up the first time to check the depth which was a safe 6”. They knew enough to stay away from where the water run in.

If the weather holds and snow doesn’t cover the pond I’m going to rig a hose up to the spring box overflow and hose down the ice to smooth it out. If it works out we’ll invite some family over for a skating party. There’s a pile of trees pushed up from this past summer’s line replacement that we can get a hon fire going with. Could be a good time if I can make it happen.

[fitch270]

My proof reading needs work, especially when I post from work.

I ran the idea by my family, the only glitch might be finding skates as not everyone has them. We're going to check with a few folks and see if they're game.

[FirstBubba]

Sounds like that could be a real blast!
Now, what's a "hon" fire? LOL!

[fitch270]

I'm not sure if I typed that or if spell check changed it. I was in a hurry, lol.

[FirstBubba]

The "spill chick" is famous for that! LOL!
Here lately, I seem to be having difficulty hitting the "n" on my keyboard, or my phone needs to be updated.
The screen looks like its covered with spider webs. To say I've dropped it a time or two is an understatement.

[FirstBubba]

I can't remember the guy's name, but he bought a farm out in the country, probably 15 miles from town.
It had been a dairy and the masonry milking barn was still standing and solid.
Fall and winter and until it started getting too hot, he would call in some musicians and have a barn dance once a month.
No charge, all welcome! BYOB!

One cold winter night, a kid was headed home from the dance, missed a bridge* and flipped upside down into a creek. He was in the creek about 30 minutes before the EMT's got there.
They pulled him out, resuscitated him and last I heard, was doing just fine.
That was the last barn dance!

*it was a single lane, wooden county bridge probably 75 or 80 feet long. It had runners but no side rails.
Can't remember the kids name, but his last name was Mitchell. I worked with his dad.