I have been surf fishing from the beach for over 30 years. I have fished for many different species, including Striped Bass, Bluefish, Cod and Pompano. It wasn’t until I moved to Florida that I learned about making an extra long sand spike out of PVC schedule 40 plumbers piping. The sand spike allows the fishermen to put their expensive fishing rods down, unhook fish, re-rig and retie terminal tackle, and re-bait easily. A sand spike helps fishermen keep their reels clean and sand free. The sand spike is an essential piece of equipment for the surf fisherman.
Making the sand spike three or 4 feet long, helps keep the fishing line out of the breaking surf for one thing. Also, the higher the line is above the waves, the less chance there is of weeds getting on your fishing line. There are times when seaweed is thick 40 or 50 feet from shore. The higher your line is above the water, the less chance that seaweed will get on your line. So the extra long sand spike is a useful thing
to have in your surf fishing arsenal.
Most stores don’t carry extra long sand spikes. The few stores that do carry sand spikes stock very flimsy and short ones. So what is a resourceful fisherman going to do? Simple. Make your own sand spike out of readily available PVC pipe.
Be sure to use the heavier schedule 40 PVC pipe. There is a lighter plastic pipe available that is used for sprinkler systems. Don’t buy that. You need to have the heavier grade of PVC pipe that will be more rugged and be able to take a beating. Once you have made a sand spike from this heavy material, it should last forever.
Here are the tools that you will need to assemble your sand spike. You will need a hack saw to cut the pipe at an angle so that you will have a pointy end to force deep enough into the sand to hold your fishing rod securely. Use a file or a small piece of sandpaper to remove any rough edges from the pipe once it is cut. A drill to make a small � inch hole.
A 10 foot piece of PVC pipe will make three extra long sand spikes. 2 inch diameter pipe should be enough for most fishing rods. You may be able to get just enough cut for one sand spike at the larger hardware stores. Some places allow you to buy PVC pipe by the foot. If you are going to make two spikes then buy a 10 foot piece.
Simply measure and cut the PVC pipe at an angle 45� or more, sharp enough to penetrate the sand when you push it in at the beach. Don’t forget that the point of the spike will be stuck in the sand a foot or more. Take that into consideration when you cut your pipe. A 4 or 5 foot spike may seem large but it least a foot or so of it will be buried deep in the sand.
You can adjust the angle of the cut deeper after you have cut the pipe. Measure twice, cut once. Now that you have cut your pipe, you will want to sand or file any burrs on the edges.
Measure how much of the rod butt that you want to go into the holder. Probably at least a foot. Now take your drill and drill a hole through the middle of each side of the pipe. You will then get a galvanized or stainless steel bolt and nut long enough to go across the pipe. Tighten the nut securely. Doing this will keep your fishing reel from possibly slamming into the sand spike and damaging it from repeated use.
To make it easier for you to put your fishing rod into the holder and taking it out without damaging the butt, you can flare the end of the sand spike. Carefully hold the end of the sand spike over your stove top. The heat will soften the plastic. Then quickly insert a Coke bottle into the heated pipe end to bend (flare) it out. This makes it easier to put your rod in and take it out of the holder without ruining the rod handle.
There you have it. An extra long sand spike that will keep your rod and fishing line higher over the surf and keep the seaweed off your line. You could also drill a hole in each spike about an inch from the top that will allow you to tie the spikes with a stout piece of cord. Then you can carry the two spikes slung over your shoulder and free your hands for carrying your rods and other tackle.
