Carp fishing with dough and other soft baits that carp enjoy is difficult at times. Too soft of a cast, and the bait flops at my feet. Too hard of a cast and my hook lands where I want it, but my bait goes thirty feet in the air and ten feet out. At times I think casting soft bait is an art form.

Fishing for Catfish I use chicken liver. Chicken liver seems to be a good all around Catfish bait, and works as well or better than some other baits. One of the problems with chicken liver is the fact it is liver. Chicken liver on a single hook makes casting an exercise in getting that chicken liver to the bottom in the same spot as the hook and sinker.

This was a problem in need of a solution. I started reading in the Carp fishing forums, and tackle vendors web sites to see what they had to offer.After some reading I learned about “Throwing sticks”, I decided I could make one to toss my own bait with that I would be happier with.

My first design was using the white pipe with an end cap. Of course using a tube has its flaws. The largest sized bait is limited by the tube size. Not to mention getting any distance in a throw is an awkward process. I cut the end cap off and glued it on using it as a cup instead. This worked, but left a lot to be desired because of cup walls held the bait inside.

The second item I found is this gray and blue item. This is called a sweat stick, and is used on sweating horses. It is essentially an oversized shoe horn. While it worked, it was not the end all of bait sticks. The throwing distance is limited by design, and you have to be precise to get a good throw, without your bait or sinker falling off in mid throw.

The third, and I thought end all discovery may be familiar to you if you own a dog. It is a dog ball throwing stick. A tennis ball fits in the cup and when you use a throwing motion, the ball bounces away for your dog to chase. I thought it would be perfect and it is, if I want my bait to hit the water a few feet in front of me with sonic speed. The angle of the handle is not correct for a distance throw.

Next I thought I would put a spoon on the end of my now defunct plastic pipe and cap stick. I cut the cap off and tied a spoon on. The spoon stick was a big improvement. I had some control, and there was lots of room for bait and sinker. The straightness of the pipe made throwing a little awkward but it worked.

I found a no longer used garden water wand in the trash on day, and I knew I hit the jackpot. I tied the spoon on the wand, after cutting off the watering head portion. I had two design problems though. One was spoon slippage (nylon against aluminum), and the second problem was the bend of the wand. I solved these problems by putting a piece of old inner tube over the wand at the end where the spoon rested. I also placed the spoon on the other side of the bend, as it is in the picture.

Small bread balls were flying over forty yards down the road, larger bread balls and stones flew as if the were catapulted and not thrown. Whole kernel corn went wherever I sent it, up to almost four ounces a throw if I wanted. It brought back memories of my childhood, hitting rocks and golf balls with a bat. Corn, liver, dough balls, minnows, worms, whatever I want to toss gently in the lake was now fair game.

This spoon throwing stick was simple to make. Total cost for me to make was $1.05 for the spoon (nylon and the sturdiest I could find) from wally world. The wand was a free grab from the trash, also for sale at previously named place for about five dollars, probably less at a garage sale. The string was lying around the house from another project.

Here is a great Chef’s trick used for making hold able handles on all metal pans. You can use this to keep your string from rotting or coming apart. After tying the spoon on, I rubbed in as much vegetable oil on the string as the string would hold and placed it in the sun. The oil after a few days to a week hardens, and keeps the string from coming loose. Almost any cooking (not machine or automotive) oil will work.

Of course if you would rather own a hand made custom spoon throwing stick similar to mine in the picture (the green handled one), with materials I used, I am willing to make you one for a price of $99.99 with free shipping in the USA. A better idea is to do it yourself. Ten minutes to cut the wand head, another thirty minutes to tie the spoon on, and ten minutes to oil the string. With some careful shopping, and creative thinking, you should be able to make your own spoon throwing stick for less than $10.00 even if you have to buy the wand, spoon and string. Oh, and the Carp and Catfish will really could care less what it looks like, or if it matches your outfit.