The Bamboo Project

Hey guys, I made a flounder spear that I've been using for two years and it works great. I'll look for fishing pics but I have these pics of the spear. I used to use a standard flounder spear which is an 8ft pole with a single steel spear point that is 12in long and has a single barb. I decided on day that I wanted to flounder spear fish and had no spear so I made a bamboo one. It worked so well that I have been making a couple each season and changing up the style every time. The one I'm using now is 8ft long but its collapsible, made from two 4ft pieces. Not only that but it also has a detachable bone point. The original had a bamboo point but they don't stay sharp long so I made a bone tipped version. The tip is barbed and goes in the fish then comes out of the spear and is attached to the heavier spear shaft so the struggling fish can't damage the tip of the spear.
Here are some pics of the joint in the middle.

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And here is the detachable point

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And here is the spur near the back that the line is attached to. I store the tip and the lashing cord inside the back "tube" of the bamboo for easy travel.

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Anyway, this is one of the latest designs I've been using. I have flounder and fluke fished at least once a week last summer and the best I have done is 5 flounder on a Saturday that was a little cold and overcast. On average, I get 1 or 2 flounder per day if I catch the tide but I've also had many days where I've come home empty handed.
 
Interesting concept. If you have fishing pics I'd love to see them. I haven't been spear fishing since I left Florida, I love spearing and eating flounder.
 
I'm looking for the pics now. The problem is that they were actually taken with a 35mm film camera and I have to find the negatives to scan them in. I'll do my best, hopefully I'll be able to post them later tonight.
 
Md 25v said:
I'm looking for the pics now. The problem is that they were actually taken with a 35mm film camera and I have to find the negatives to scan them in. I'll do my best, hopefully I'll be able to post them later tonight.
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Cool, that would be awesome. My dad lives in Tampa but I haven't been down there is several years so I really miss the coastal fishing in the gulf.
 
i'm going to give it a go.
i've never really made anything from bamboo but why not.
thanks for posting.
buzz
 
Bamboo is great! it is one of the most versatile materials you can find in the bush. You can use it to make fire, build shelters, weapons, boil water in it, make tools like a trowel or plane. Truly one of the best things a bushcrafter could come across.
 
Md 25v that is a very cool set up. thanks for posting the pics of it. I also look forward to the pics of the fishing if you can find them.

Bryan
 
Md 25v,


That's incredibly innovative! I've spent extensive time in Asia so have spent a lot of time around those who use bamboo and have never seen a take down spear like that. I like the way you did the removable spear point too.

Nice job!
 
The removable tip is awesome, what did you make it out of, what knind of bone?
 
The detachable tip is pretty terrific, as is the cordage! Excellent work fellas!
 
Excellent work, mistwalker. It's great to see some actual Wilderness & Survival Skills in this forum. :thumbup:


Also nice work, Md 25v. I've copied your takedown spear to my hard drive. We don't have bamboo up here, except at Wal Mart :( but who knows what ideas it will provide down the road?

Doc
 
One of the many things that I like about Bamboo fish spears is that the flat, shatp edged tines KILL most fish outright. Not a lot of flopping about!
 
DOC-CANADA said:
Excellent work, mistwalker. It's great to see some actual Wilderness & Survival Skills in this forum. :thumbup:


Also nice work, Md 25v. I've copied your takedown spear to my hard drive. We don't have bamboo up here, except at Wal Mart :( but who knows what ideas it will provide down the road?

Doc
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Thanks, I am hoping others will post up their projects, I love to see other people's ideas...it's always good to get fresh perspectives. I have a ton of ideas but work has hampered execution of them....will be so for another couple of weeks.


Just wait...the climate is getting warmer.....


Horse said:
One of the many things that I like about Bamboo fish spears is that the flat, shatp edged tines KILL most fish outright. Not a lot of flopping about!
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That was one of the things I noticed about it in Tampa, I love to trap fish in tidal pools and spear them and then cook them right there on the shore.
 
kage said:
Md 25v,


That's incredibly innovative! I've spent extensive time in Asia so have spent a lot of time around those who use bamboo and have never seen a take down spear like that. I like the way you did the removable spear point too.

Nice job!
Click to expand...

The "joint" originated because I liked the spear but couldn't get an 8ft pole in my car. I cut it in half and decided to find a way later to put it back together. The joint was the end result of making it both strong and portable. I like it, I've also used a similar tied joint to bind Atlatl darts, works well.
 
I think that funnel type fish/crawdad traps could be made out of bamboo strips and cordage.--KV
 
I really like this thread, it got me thinking creatively about bamboo. I just made a bamboo Atlatl on my lunch break! I'll take pics when I get home in an hour or two.
 
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