How to make a poke pole?

I'd like to make a cheap poke pole. I got several old poles from my father and I'm thinking maybe I can use one to make a poke pole out of it. I don't know what makes a good poke pole. How long, how flexible etc.  Any thoughts or ideas?

I’ve used old surf rods, PVC pipe, and even a telescoping wind sock pole as poke poles, but my favorite is the trusty 10 foot bamboo stick.  It’s versatile, strong, and way cheap (sometimes free).  I would unravel a wire clothes hanger, then wrap the wire several times around one end of the bamboo so about 12-18 inches of wire was hanging off the end.  I’d secure the wire wrap on the bamboo by wrapping over it with heavy fishing line and some Gorilla Glue.  At the end of the free-hanging wire, make a small loop.  Tie a 6 inch piece of 40 pound mono onto it, and a heavy octopus hook on the end of the mono.  If you’re going for monkeyface, you don’t even need the mono leader: just slide a snap swivel on there and clip a hook to it.

In my opinion, the two most important qualities in a good poke pole are diameter and strength.  You want something narrow that you can squeeze into every nook and crack in the rocks you can find, as sometimes those tiny cracks open up into larger caves.  And when you hook a big fish, you need a STRONG pole to wrestle him out of his hole.  Bamboo fits both of these qualities and it’s probably the cheapest thing out there.

I’ve used old surf rods, PVC pipe, and even a telescoping wind sock pole as poke poles, but my favorite is the trusty 10 foot bamboo stick.  It’s versatile, strong, and way cheap (sometimes free).  I would unravel a wire clothes hanger, then wrap the wire several times around one end of the bamboo so about 12-18 inches of wire was hanging off the end.  I’d secure the wire wrap on the bamboo by wrapping over it with heavy fishing line and some Gorilla Glue.  At the end of the free-hanging wire, make a small loop.  Tie a 6 inch piece of 40 pound mono onto it, and a heavy octopus hook on the end of the mono.  If you’re going for monkeyface, you don’t even need the mono leader: just slide a snap swivel on there and clip a hook to it.

In my opinion, the two most important qualities in a good poke pole are diameter and strength.  You want something narrow that you can squeeze into every nook and crack in the rocks you can find, as sometimes those tiny cracks open up into larger caves.  And when you hook a big fish, you need a STRONG pole to wrestle him out of his hole.  Bamboo fits both of these qualities and it’s probably the cheapest thing out there.

What he said^...I used a 10' piece of paracord with common whipping knot on the end to secure the coat hanger end piece

Bamboo works great... Smoked monkey face eel  is soo good.

I've got a heavy duty boat pole, but it's only 6ft. Where's a good place to get the bamboo?

Ace hardware...or a friends backyard

Drive around...
Or
http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/grd/4966430015.html

Ken, if you're  ever in the SF area look up GUS fishing tackle in Balboa st (close to Great Highway) I believe I saw some poke pole (bamboo) setup there and if not mistaken just plain bamboos also and they're not expensive either. The owner (Stephanie) is a sweetheart and very knowledgable.

TD, there's that stand of cane at the Port about 20 yds west of the bridge on the south side - bring your machete.

I'm all for DIY, but for $11 this is the 12' collapsable poke pole that I use

http://www.shakespeare-fishing.com/Shakespeare®-Wonderpole®-Spinning-Rod/1365051,default,pd.html#prefn1=ZZSERIES&prefv1=Shakespeare%2520Wonder&start=1

It has a metal ring on the end. I add a split ring and snap swivel to that. I then use the pre snelled hook packs that are sold everywhere. No need for anything fancy on the end. And when you break off or dull your hook beyond recognition it's very easy to put new ones on!

 I like the set up I use. Its a telescopic painter pole, aluminum doesn't rust, the kind with the twist lock. This way I can adjust on the spot the depth I'm capable of reaching. I say capable, because the deeper I can stick it down, the better quality of fish, IMO. Next, I remove the threaded end, which accepts the painters roller frame. Once removed, I drill a small hole at the end of the tip and slide through a very rigid length of metal wire. I use an "Insulation Batt" hanger available from Home Depot, made by Simpson. Bend an eyelet at one end, use a torch and pliers for simplicity. This keeps the wire from slipping past the hole. Once inserted through, repeat at the other end, for your leader line to attach to. Reinsert the threaded end cap, and hold in place with a screw, self tapping sheet metal screw works the best. Voila, your ready to fish. I tie on 60lb Mono, and a Squid hook.

Old fishing pole, metal coat hanger, ~18" 80lb braid and a #1 live bait hook.
I have a couple bamboo ones I found, but the trusty old fishing pole has worked the best for me.

Pole design depends a lot on the rock formations, weather conditions, etc where your fishing, as well as how wet you plan to get.

Some areas are conducive to a big long 12' pole, others work best with a simple 4' section of PVC pipe.

In areas where the rock forms "shelves" where you have to get down under and poke horizontally, a short pole works best. The short pole works best if you plan to put on a wetsuit and really get down in there.

A long pole works well for spots like rock walls where you can find holes to poke down into from above. They also work better if your not planning to get wet.

Of these two options, I've had much better luck with the wetsuit and short pole method.

What exactly is a poke pole for?  Is it for spearing a fish?

What exactly is a poke pole for?  Is it for spearing a fish?

A poke pole is for fishing rip rap jetties or rocky intertidal areas where fish like to hide deep inside rocky cracks and crevices. Unlike traditional fishing, you're literally fishing right at your feet or within a few feet of the water's edge. With regular hook and line, you'd break off constantly trying to do this or would never be able to get the bait into the strike zone. But with a poke pole, you can really get the bait back into the hiding spots but still be able to drag a fish out without breaking off.