Hooked On Bamboo Basics

Not a shred of carbon in sight – Cubs learning how to fish with home-made tackle on the Thames, using canes and wine-cork floats.

- 

I AM always looking out for ways to get more people into fishing. I am also keen to dispel the myth that you need lots of complicated and expensive gear to catch fish.

Whilst contemplating this, I had an email from my youngest boy’s Cubs’ leader to see whether any parents could spare an evening to help out or even teach the 20 or so Cubs a new skill. I took the opportunity and put myself down for two sessions, one where I would teach the kids how to make a float and rig-up bamboo canes as rods, and on the second session they would use the gear to catch some fish.

The first evening session involved the kids bringing in a wine cork and a paperclip. With some guidance, they turned the corks into half-decent fishing floats. I supplied a spool of 3 lb line, some size 18 whisker barb hooks and some BB shot, as well as an 8 ft bamboo cane to be used as a rod.