Willow pole fishing?

[Cal]

I've fished with a willow (or other suitible sapling) pole a few times, mostly in Michigan for panfish and the odd bass. I got to thinking about it lately and realised that I can think of quite a few spots where I catch fish within willow pole range and I've decided I'm going to try it again this year. Just wondering if anyone else has done any of this sort of fishing in AB and if they have any tips for me.

[BeeGuy]

That sounds like fun.

Did it icefishing a couple times this season for RMWF.

I have more experience with the beer bottle bolo.

Take 50' of line and wrap it around a beer bottle, preferably a stubbie. Add a hook and pea sized split shot 18" up.

Add some sort of bait, usually a piece of fish or whatever you can find on shore.

Spin that line around at high speed and shoot it out into the drink while holding the far end of the bottle so that the line comes off smooth.


As for the willow thing, I would be up for the challenge.....competition?

Actually this reminds me of a "new" super elitist fishing method called Tenkara (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2inK8J7Yz7k)

Sorry, dont have any great tips

[crazyfish]

about ten years ago , sept bow hunting west of fox creek, too hot to hunt , found some old line and a few small jigs and flies behind the seat. Pulled out the axe and found about a ten footer, tied it all up and spent the afternoon along tony creek fishing. Caught a few small grayling and a couple really nice whites . Made my weekend, had a great supper of whitefish over the campfire. Great memories, and a reminder to always have a few extras stored behind the seat !:sHa_shakeshout:

[Cal]

That sounds like fun.

Did it icefishing a couple times this season for RMWF.

I have more experience with the beer bottle bolo.

Take 50' of line and wrap it around a beer bottle, preferably a stubbie. Add a hook and pea sized split shot 18" up.

Add some sort of bait, usually a piece of fish or whatever you can find on shore.

Spin that line around at high speed and shoot it out into the drink while holding the far end of the bottle so that the line comes off smooth.


As for the willow thing, I would be up for the challenge.....competition?

Actually this reminds me of a "new" super elitist fishing method called Tenkara (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2inK8J7Yz7k)

Sorry, dont have any great tips

Yeah, I did the beer bottle thing too. But if the fish were within willow pole range there were less tangles involved after bringing in a fish. In Wabasca you still see lots of the natives fishing just using a spool of line to cast, they call it the "indian way". It results in a lot of birds nests lying around on the riverbank unfortunatly. The willow pole is far more elegant.

Sure I'll take that challenge, actualy we should do it allong the lines of the "offhand shooting challange" in the guns section. Just a challenge to catch a fish on a willow pole for whoever is interested, with props going to the biggest fish of course.

[BeeGuy]

I'll have to find a nice willow that will fit into the rod holder on my canoe.

This gonna be fun.

Are there any rules?

I'm thinking of a design with a single guide on the tip and one end of the line anchored on the butt, so that I can strip the line in to play a fish.

[fishtank]

i did this @ that trout pond by devon , caught a few small trouts whiles sitting on the dock . good times .:sHa_shakeshout:

[Cal]

I'll have to find a nice willow that will fit into the rod holder on my canoe.

This gonna be fun.

Are there any rules?

I'm thinking of a design with a single guide on the tip and one end of the line anchored on the butt, so that I can strip the line in to play a fish.

I'm going to say use as much ingenuity as you want but if you use a reel it has to be home made. IE duct taping your Stella to a willow pole and putting guides on it doesnt count. Fish taken from shore trump those taken from a boat, thats swinging the odds in your favor the Bee. I'd imagine I can haul walleye in from a boat untill mid July without even missing the reel.

Does that sound fair to you?

[BeeGuy]

sure does

I think I'm still gonna try it in the canoe too though.

Maybe even become a willow pole purist.

[boonedocks]

Years ago , I was given the opportunity to teach " water safety"
And basic fishing techniques to children in the North Saskatchewan river at the Devon campground ( courtesy of Imperial oil). The day of the tournament consisted of teaching the kids to watch out for undercut banks, dont get to close to the water,respooling old lines and then untangling them, and releasing LOTS of goldeye and smaller walleye. Two of the days contestants were a brother of about 11 years old and his sister of about 7. The boy had a rod and reel, which he would not share with his younger sibling, so I cut a willow about 6 feet long and tied on some line with a sinker and minnow, pickeral rig style. Shortly after throwing out the rig I heard the little girl yelling and turned around to see her walking backwards, pulling on her willow" rod" and a 6 lb walleye sliding up on shore!!! It was the tournament winner by a long shot and the little girl walked away with a rod, reel, net, life jacket and tackle box full of gear. Thats a day I will never forget, and neither will her big brother!

[Pikecrazed]

In Europe we have poles with no reels so we put the line and make it about 10-30 cm shorter than the pole so you can actually control the line and it makes it easier to cast also when fishing for smaller fish or want to have some play with the fish we put a long strong elastic on the end we used size 20 and maggots with a row of split shot up the line a bit

[MtnGiant]

I'll have to find a nice willow that will fit into the rod holder on my canoe.

This gonna be fun.

Are there any rules?

I'm thinking of a design with a single guide on the tip and one end of the line anchored on the butt, so that I can strip the line in to play a fish.

We want pics of this backwoods style competition with descriptive details

[Cal]

sure does

I think I'm still gonna try it in the canoe too though.

Maybe even become a willow pole purist.

Yeah, I'm deffinatly going to try it out in the canoe, its going to be easy for me to catch fish from a boat but much harded from shore. I'm going to make one more amendment to the rules, the rod must be home made and from natural materials.

So rules are as follows, pole must be home made from natural materials, reel must be home made. Sound good? My biggest fear is that you will somehow catch a laker on your willow pole. That would be pretty hard to top.

[BeeGuy]

I'll have to find a pretty good willow pole so that I can run it on the downrigger.

There is no way I'm makIng a reel for it.

[fish gunner]

A reel would render the outfit not a "pole". Just saying

[Cal]

I'm not thinking so much a reel but a line wrap, such as you find on some ice fishing rods. I'm just thinking I might need an extra few feet of line once in awhile.

[MtnGiant]

When is this competition taking place?
Im guessing in the summer when opening season starts?

[crazyfish]

my uncle was teaching english in China , he brought me some rods from there, no reels used , about 4M long , extendable/ retractable, tip ends in a loop or piece of string , tie line to that and have fun , great for bank fishing , kinda fun for a change. I'll post a few pics if i can dig them out tomorrow !

[BeeGuy]

When is this competition taking place?
Im guessing in the summer when opening season starts?

I think we should use iceshanty style rules. Well marked picture and maybe someone to vouch.

I'm not thinking so much a reel but a line wrap, such as you find on some ice fishing rods. I'm just thinking I might need an extra few feet of line once in awhile.

I'm against a reel.

I'm really struggling (:thinking-006:)with whether the line should be fixed to the tip, or to have a single guide on the tip and the line fixed near the butt with something to hold extra line, like 2 pegs or something.

If you had 2 pegs and hooked into a decent fish you could hold the line just out from the pegs and let the fish take some line. Also would let you store some line.

I think the purist would abhor anything but the line tied to the tip.

[MtnGiant]

I think we should use iceshanty style rules. Well marked picture and maybe someone to vouch.



I'm against a reel.

I'm really struggling (:thinking-006:)with whether the line should be fixed to the tip, or to have a single guide on the tip and the line fixed near the butt with something to hold extra line, like 2 pegs or something.

If you had 2 pegs and hooked into a decent fish you could hold the line just out from the pegs and let the fish take some line. Also would let you store some line.

I think the purist would abhor anything but the line tied to the tip.

if ur gonna make it ice fishin rules....you'd better come up w/ the build parameters quick

Then maybe a total handcrafted one in the summer....

Post pics and let the AO members decide the winner.

I agree....NO REEL

How many people are entering this exibition?

[BeeGuy]

It's just for fun/personal challenge.

Not sure any rules need to be enforced at all.

I'm now considering getting a long elastic band and tying that to the tip. Like 4 feet or something just to have some give. then a swivel and then a bunch of line.

You'll be able to ID my vehicle because I'll be the guy with a 14 foot willow branch tied to the roof...

[MtnGiant]

It's just for fun/personal challenge.

Not sure any rules need to be enforced at all.

I'm now considering getting a long elastic band and tying that to the tip. Like 4 feet or something just to have some give. then a swivel and then a bunch of line.

You'll be able to ID my vehicle because I'll be the guy with a 14 foot willow branch tied to the roof...

You could make ferrels from the willow bark.
Make thin strands and weave them into a rope and then into little loops and tie them to the rod stock.
Mono would prolly cut thru.....but fly line would work ok i think


Yes I know its just for fun....but a lil competion can create something sweet.

So lets just say....make whatever you wish and see what turns out.
Post pics for referance

[KegRiver]

It is how I learned to fish. I never even knew what a reel was till I was in my teens.

Saskatoon poles are the best type, available locally. It's the toughest wood around these parts.
Sandbar willow are second, because they are straight and thin for their length.

Our favourite setup was; a Saskatoon pole 10 feet or so long, 10 to 12 feet of braided chalk line, a foot of Rabbit wire and a Diana spoon.
We would bait that with Frog (preferred) or beaver meat.

Then toss out the line and wait.

Not the most sophisticated method but it was productive back in the day.

[MtnGiant]

It is how I learned to fish. I never even knew what a reel was till I was in my teens.

Saskatoon poles are the best type, available locally. It's the toughest wood around these parts.
Sandbar willow are second, because they are straight and thin for their length.

Our favourite setup was; a Saskatoon pole 10 feet or so long, 10 to 12 feet of braided chalk line, a foot of Rabbit wire and a Diana spoon.
We would bait that with Frog (preferred) or beaver meat.

Then toss out the line and wait.

Not the most sophisticated method but it was productive back in the day.



Sweet
would you happen to have one layin around or a pic of one?
if not....hopefully you make one for this lil home made competition....then post pics

[BeeGuy]

It is how I learned to fish. I never even knew what a reel was till I was in my teens.

Saskatoon poles are the best type, available locally. It's the toughest wood around these parts.
Sandbar willow are second, because they are straight and thin for their length.

Our favourite setup was; a Saskatoon pole 10 feet or so long, 10 to 12 feet of braided chalk line, a foot of Rabbit wire and a Diana spoon.
We would bait that with Frog (preferred) or beaver meat.

Then toss out the line and wait.

Not the most sophisticated method but it was productive back in the day.

Oh man, I have a soft spot for live lining frogs for bass, pike and musky.

If only it were still the 1980's sigh

[Pikecrazed]

I'm in but what would be the winner if I got a carp or perch walleye pike or catfish on it

[BeeGuy]

You get a catfish on it in AB I'll concede defeat

[Gust]

So I am a tad confused; the pole is line at end only or an amount of line for freehanding?

I'm in and have found a suitable sapling.

What is max length?

Tournies would be good as small meet and greets at various lakes and streams and on an honor system for the lone fishers.

[Gust]

How about upping the anti; all lures including hooks must be hand tooled (no lathes or machining allowed)? Hand carved plugs and a max line test of 8lb and no braid or fluoro?
Leaders handmade -if needed- of wire?

[BeeGuy]

That sounds like a lot of work!

How about a meet and greet where all you can bring is line and terminal tackle.

You must find your pole onsite.

hows that for a challenge?

[Gust]

That sounds like a lot of work!

How about a meet and greet where all you can bring is line and terminal tackle.

You must find your pole onsite.

hows that for a challenge?

Me like.

I've always wanted to try the hookless method which is a series of loops of thread which get caught on the teeth of the fish,, kinda like giant velcro,, used in africa.

we should do an onsite pole find at a prairie lake,,, I wonder how well bull rush act as rods?

[ak-71]

I must have missed the point, but anyway, in case you were born into more advanced times/society or missed the fun of fishing as a kid :)
Fished like that all the time when I was a kid, pole as long as you can manage, line a bit longer than a pole (to be able to "swing cast" it with one hand). No reel, wrap line around the pole for "storage". Bamboo poles were much better, but not disposable.
Worked for short distance, if you need more line and fish on the bottom - forget the pole - led spoon weight (cast from a car battery plates into a spoon pressed form in a shore), couple hooks on a leaders and cast holding a line.
If you need more distance - tie a thread/thin rope to a bigger spoon weight with short stick for handle to hold between fingers to cast. There are some tricks how to cast it without loosing bait, but it gains good distance.
For even more distance some people used a long stick/pole but it was too advanced for me than
Popular "bite detector" was a stick split at the end and on the line - weight creates an angle on the line - easy to adjust weight, to remove and can be very sensitive (not easy to read in the wind, if windy I preferred to just hold a line over a finger)

BTW. It's not "primitive" to make it a sport, it was just what was available

[Cal]

I think we should use iceshanty style rules. Well marked picture and maybe someone to vouch.



I'm against a reel.

I'm really struggling (:thinking-006:)with whether the line should be fixed to the tip, or to have a single guide on the tip and the line fixed near the butt with something to hold extra line, like 2 pegs or something.

If you had 2 pegs and hooked into a decent fish you could hold the line just out from the pegs and let the fish take some line. Also would let you store some line.

I think the purist would abhor anything but the line tied to the tip.

So you are in favor of a line wrap or not? Dont get me wrong, the spirit of the chalenge is to go as primitive as possible and I intend to do so. But to catch a fish from the shore of Slave Lake I think I'm going to need the ability to throw a hook a bit further, therefore I will make a pole with a line wrap and a couple guides for this purpose. Other situations, such as from a boat or in the river a simple pole would work.

I think we should have bonus points for any fish caught from an old innertube.

One of my favorite fishing memories was of a trip to my Grandparents place in Michigan. My mom said we didnt have room in the car for my fishing stuff so when we got there I picked some bottles and came up with enough money to get a spool of 4lb line, a baggie of splitshot, and some #10 longshank hooks. I could ride my bike to a nearby lake and I used the "beer bottle method" to catch a few fish but I got tired of getting tangled everytime i caught a fish. On the way to the lake I crossed a little stream so I decided to fish it with a willow pole, the fish were mostly tiny sunfish but there was a good hole that sometimes had bass and bullheads. One particlarly nice afternoon I caught a 15" largemouth on my willow pole. At this point I've spent an awful lot of time fishing and caught plenty of fish but that bass is still one of my favorite ones to remember.

[50/50]

It is how I learned to fish. I never even knew what a reel was till I was in my teens.

Saskatoon poles are the best type, available locally. It's the toughest wood around these parts.
Sandbar willow are second, because they are straight and thin for their length.

Our favourite setup was; a Saskatoon pole 10 feet or so long, 10 to 12 feet of braided chalk line, a foot of Rabbit wire and a Diana spoon.
We would bait that with Frog (preferred) or beaver meat.

Then toss out the line and wait.



Still the same system I use while fishing the Peace /Smoky rivers. River willow, 10-12 feet of line ,1/4 inch nut for a weigh,small hook and piece of steak or a 1/2 minnow. Catch flathead chub,walleye,ling and the odd pike.

Nothing better then haiving a line of kids all with their sticks stuck in the riverbank waiting for something to happen.

[densa44]

I met an old fellow years ago in New Brunswick fishing with a long willow pole. The stream was over grown will alders and I was having trouble keeping my back cast from getting caught in the bushes. The gentleman was using his rig like a sling shot, he held the fly, a coachman, in his left hand and pulled it back bending the willow, he then was able to shoot his fly under the overhanging bushes to the best spots near the shore.

He had a 8' to 10' piece of 8 lb. mono for line. I saw him catch a couple too.

He said his fly rod was being repaired, in retrospect I don't think he had one.

You don't want the line too long or you can't land the fish you hook.

[KegRiver]

Sweet
would you happen to have one layin around or a pic of one?
if not....hopefully you make one for this lil home made competition....then post pics

None laying around. And,
I don't have a photo but I'm sure one of my brothers or sisters will.
I'll ask next week when we get together.

If not I can build one come spring. In fact it would be fun to use one again.
I'd be happy to make one and take some photos of it and it being used, perhaps with a fish on the line.

[H380]

I must have missed the point, but anyway, in case you were born into more advanced times/society or missed the fun of fishing as a kid :)
Fished like that all the time when I was a kid, pole as long as you can manage, line a bit longer than a pole (to be able to "swing cast" it with one hand). No reel, wrap line around the pole for "storage". Bamboo poles were much better, but not disposable.
Worked for short distance, if you need more line and fish on the bottom - forget the pole - led spoon weight (cast from a car battery plates into a spoon pressed form in a shore), couple hooks on a leaders and cast holding a line.
If you need more distance - tie a thread/thin rope to a bigger spoon weight with short stick for handle to hold between fingers to cast. There are some tricks how to cast it without loosing bait, but it gains good distance.
For even more distance some people used a long stick/pole but it was too advanced for me than
Popular "bite detector" was a stick split at the end and on the line - weight creates an angle on the line - easy to adjust weight, to remove and can be very sensitive (not easy to read in the wind, if windy I preferred to just hold a line over a finger)

BTW. It's not "primitive" to make it a sport, it was just what was available

I have one of those old bamboo poles that use to belong to my great uncle, has to be 70 years old at least . . I used it as a kid catching minnows and suckers in a nearby creek . Brought so many minnows home for the cats that they got sick of eating em ..lol. Pole nows serves as a curtain rod , maybe have to get it down and use it with the grandkids , thanx for the thread and all the memories it brings back , Cal .

[heretohunt]

Still the same system I use while fishing the Peace /Smoky rivers. River willow, 10-12 feet of line ,1/4 inch nut for a weigh,small hook and piece of steak or a 1/2 minnow. Catch flathead chub,walleye,ling and the odd pike.

Nothing better then haiving a line of kids all with their sticks stuck in the riverbank waiting for something to happen.

Wow! That takes me back:)
We used to head down there with a garbage bag full of pre made lines and set them like traps up and down the Peace. Chub was common for bait but moose or duck worked great too.
The rods were usually just a piece of driftwood and no reel or drag, just wind the line up on the stick and use as heavy gauge as we could find. Washers were considered the best weight because it was believed to be that it would act as a bit of a lure going side to side as it was retrieved.
We would use the whole head or tail as a setup for a "ling line"
Ther willow pole set up was really good for catching bait along the shore grass in high water.

[KegRiver]

Wow! That takes me back:)
We used to head down there with a garbage bag full of pre made lines and set them like traps up and down the Peace. Chub was common for bait but moose or duck worked great too.
The rods were usually just a piece of driftwood and no reel or drag, just wind the line up on the stick and use as heavy gauge as we could find. Washers were considered the best weight because it was believed to be that it would act as a bit of a lure going side to side as it was retrieved.
We would use the whole head or tail as a setup for a "ling line"
Ther willow pole set up was really good for catching bait along the shore grass in high water.


And that takes me back, to a happier time. :)

We called them set lines. We'd set two or three at the head of a couple of back eddies and then leave them for a few hours to overnight.

Sometimes we went swimming while the lines did their work, or we would move to the belly of the eddies and fish for Chub.

We caught some monsters that way, and saw plenty of bears in the process.

But it's illegal now, so I haven't fished that way in many many years.

In the main river we used set lines most of the time, and Saskatoon poles most of the time when we fished the mouth of the Wolverine.

Late in the summer we would go after chubs along the sandbars, with a different rig.

A two foot long stick with three feet of 4 pound or smaller line, the smallest hook we could buy and a tiny bit of Chicken gizzard. Gizzards were best for fishing chubs cause it is tough and hard for them to steal.

Anyway, we'd wade out till we were waist deep in the river. Waste deep on a ten year old that is.
Then we'd lower the baited hook down onto a bare toe. When we felt a Chub touch that toe we' give a might yank hoping to catch it with the bait still in it's mouth. It worked about 50% of the time.

Our target was two to three inch long chubs, for use on set lines, to catch the REAL fish LOL.

Being kids we got hungry most days so we would take some of our mighty catch and spread them on a flat rock propped over a fire made with drift wood.

It wasn't very tasty fare, but to a ten year old, it was fit for a King. LOL

[Cal]

Hey Keg, have you ever tried birch or pine? I've always used willow or poplar saplings but breaking off a green pine branch can be amazingly difficult, just wondering if they'd make a good pole once you get the rough bark off.

[heretohunt]

And that takes me back, to a happier time. :)

We called them set lines. We'd set two or three at the head of a couple of back eddies and then leave them for a few hours to overnight.

Sometimes we went swimming while the lines did their work, or we would move to the belly of the eddies and fish for Chub.

We caught some monsters that way, and saw plenty of bears in the process.

But it's illegal now, so I haven't fished that way in many many years.

In the main river we used set lines most of the time, and Saskatoon poles most of the time when we fished the mouth of the Wolverine.

Late in the summer we would go after chubs along the sandbars, with a different rig.

A two foot long stick with three feet of 4 pound or smaller line, the smallest hook we could buy and a tiny bit of Chicken gizzard. Gizzards were best for fishing chubs cause it is tough and hard for them to steal.

Anyway, we'd wade out till we were waist deep in the river. Waste deep on a ten year old that is.
Then we'd lower the baited hook down onto a bare toe. When we felt a Chub touch that toe we' give a might yank hoping to catch it with the bait still in it's mouth. It worked about 50% of the time.

Our target was two to three inch long chubs, for use on set lines, to catch the REAL fish LOL.

Being kids we got hungry most days so we would take some of our mighty catch and spread them on a flat rock propped over a fire made with drift wood.

It wasn't very tasty fare, but to a ten year old, it was fit for a King. LOL
And if you didn't catch fish there was always your bait to eat!
Remember leaving your bait in your fishing box till the next time? Mine was the most fowl smelling thing around but not by much!