# sand spike



## raptortrapper (Apr 27, 2014)

What do you guys use for sand spikes? Are the homemade PVC ones worth making, or is it better to buy one? If I make one, what is the minimum depth you would suggest to put in the ground?

Thanks


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## Kellercl (Jan 28, 2010)

http://www.amazon.com/3-Tand-SS-2-F...id=1398862621&sr=8-1&keywords=tand+sand+spike

I recently bought one, quite happy with it.


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## raptortrapper (Apr 27, 2014)

Kellercl said:


> http://www.amazon.com/3-Tand-SS-2-F...id=1398862621&sr=8-1&keywords=tand+sand+spike
> 
> I recently bought one, quite happy with it.


Perfect!! How long is that bottom part that goes in the ground? That looks really nice. How much have you used it?


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## 1BadF350 (Jul 19, 2006)

Make them dude! I use 1.5" PVC. Use a heat gun to heat the end and press it over a beer bottle to flare the ends.


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## raptortrapper (Apr 27, 2014)

1BadF350 said:


> Make them dude! I use 1.5" PVC. Use a heat gun to heat the end and press it over a beer bottle to flare the ends.


And yet another good reason to have a beer!!!:beer:

What do ya use for the spike? I'd much prefer homemade stuff, but didn't know if they really stand up all that well, or if it just falls apart after a season or so. Great idea!!!


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## surfchunker (Apr 10, 2006)

use the schedule 40 and it will last forever and it's cheap ... just drill a hole thru where you want it and run a 1/4" stainless bolt and lock nut and you are good to go ... never thought about the heat gun and bottle trick to flair the end ... great tip ... I make mine just long enough to where they fit in a bag chair bag and then have storage for them and an easy way to carry them too


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## surfchunker (Apr 10, 2006)

just tried the heat gun trick and worked great


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## Kellercl (Jan 28, 2010)

raptortrapper said:


> Perfect!! How long is that bottom part that goes in the ground? That looks really nice. How much have you used it?


12-18 inches, something like that. I'd have to measure to be sure. I've used it quite a bit, with good results.


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## SeaPA (Oct 12, 2013)

I use the Sea Striker sand spikes. They have the red cutting board/bait holder with knife slot which is great. Think I paid less than $20 for each.


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## 1BadF350 (Jul 19, 2006)

surfchunker said:


> use the schedule 40 and it will last forever and it's cheap ... just drill a hole thru where you want it and run a 1/4" stainless bolt and lock nut and you are good to go ... never thought about the heat gun and bottle trick to flair the end ... great tip ... I make mine just long enough to where they fit in a bag chair bag and then have storage for them and an easy way to carry them too


Pretty much this! I make mine about 48" long, with a thru bolt. So much easier to get them in the sand, and the added legth keeps your rod/reel up higher. The schedule 40 (your basic standard PVC) is much more durable than the store bought spikes. It will last forever and wont bend at the spike when you rock it back and forth in deep sand.


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## 1BadF350 (Jul 19, 2006)

raptortrapper said:


> And yet another good reason to have a beer!!!:beer:
> 
> What do ya use for the spike?


Just cut the bottom of the PVC at a shallow angle, so it looks like the store bought spikes.


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## mforbesiii (May 21, 2012)

i like making them myself. A few things i have figured out over time. One, measure where you want the bolt to run through by actually putting your rod in the holder first. I like the butt end of my rod to sit on the bolt with about 2" of clearance from the top of the tube to the reel arm. i've seen people make them with the bolt sitting so low that the whole setup just rests on the reel arm. Doesn't seem ideal. Secondly, I like to use a large eye bolt with a nut. This gives me something to hang leaders and other items (fish hook remover, etc) from to keep them out of the sand and easy to get to. I also put a few zip ties around the tube with some clasps attached for additional item hanging capabilities.


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## surfchunker (Apr 10, 2006)

My Mrs said 4' was too long she had a hard time getting them out of the spike, God Love Her Short Little Self, plus I like storing them in the bag chair bags, one bag for heavers and one for the shorter rods ... I also like the idea of the eye bolt ... got me thinking now, I might make a cut into the PVC below the bolt to slip in a piece of aluminum and glue it to make a bait shelf. I also have some with the bolt down farther for the heavers and some closer for the mullet and pomp rods


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## Islander80 (Mar 27, 2010)

mforbesiii said:


> i like making them myself. A few things i have figured out over time. One, measure where you want the bolt to run through by actually putting your rod in the holder first. I like the butt end of my rod to sit on the bolt with about 2" of clearance from the top of the tube to the reel arm. i've seen people make them with the bolt sitting so low that the whole setup just rests on the reel arm. Doesn't seem ideal. Secondly, I like to use a large eye bolt with a nut. This gives me something to hang leaders and other items (fish hook remover, etc) from to keep them out of the sand and easy to get to. I also put a few zip ties around the tube with some clasps attached for additional item hanging capabilities.


I make my spikes the same way but have always used a normal stainless steel bolt. The eye bolt is a great idea. I'm going to stop bye home depot and pick some up tonight.


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## gshivar (Aug 29, 2006)

Hello. I've been surf fishing sense before PVC. Had Al spikes. After PVC came along I have been using ever since. A good friend uses Al angle and loves it. I have seen them bump his mess in the sand twice. Bill yea you!! .


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## Espresso (Mar 18, 2005)

Kellercl said:


> http://www.amazon.com/3-Tand-SS-2-F...id=1398862621&sr=8-1&keywords=tand+sand+spike
> 
> I recently bought one, quite happy with it.


I assume you picked up the 40" version? How sturdy are they fully extended? Does the upper aluminum piece flex/twist at all? 

OP - Right now I use 40-45" PVC sand spikes and a rubber mallet to pound them into the sand. Depth depends on the sand. As long as they hold sturdy into the sand I stop pounding. While the PVC spikes works great, transport is the issue. They're long and heavy. I usually fish with 2-3 others so together we bring up to half a dozen of them to the sand. I'm very interested in the 3-TAND 40" ones but $40 + shipping will add up if you required 3+ spikes.


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## IPNURWATER (Aug 20, 2013)

I used piece of aluminum angle with pvc pipe as the top section with the neck flared . Pop revit (or strap) the top side of the pvc to the al angle and bolt the bottom . Then with extra aluminum angle make a cross bar to use to put the whole rig into the ground with this bar you can cut slits into for your knives pliers flashlights etc or attach a cup holder to one side with cut board on other. Plus with that bar you can use it for baitin hooks etc... With the aluminum angle in the ground vs the pvc it makes using the spike easier to use in all environments not just sand. Plus the pvc last longer since your not beaten on it.


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## 1BadF350 (Jul 19, 2006)

surfchunker said:


> My Mrs said 4' was too long she had a hard time getting them out of the spike, God Love Her Short Little Self, plus I like storing them in the bag chair bags, one bag for heavers and one for the shorter rods ... I also like the idea of the eye bolt ... got me thinking now, I might make a cut into the PVC below the bolt to slip in a piece of aluminum and glue it to make a bait shelf. I also have some with the bolt down farther for the heavers and some closer for the mullet and pomp rods


I use a wing nut on the bolt and drill several holes in the spike. This allows me to change the seating depth of the spike and the wing nut simply unscrews by hand.


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## offroad (Sep 16, 2011)

angle cut pvc with the beer bottle flare, I use a heavy zip tie instead of a bolt, have three adjustments pre drilled just cut and replace


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## lil red jeep (Aug 17, 2007)

You won't find a better sand spike anywhere than right here, and though he ain't real perdy to look at, he happens to be part of the P&S family, and lead pointy hat putter onner!

http://www.pierandsurf.com/ads/shooterscustoms/


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## HStew (Jan 8, 2009)

In my opinion its best to use the surf spike that fits the species and tackle( heaver for drum etc. or 7'/8' whiting, pomp set up) you want to target.I don't particularly like pvc 1 piece,though it is perfect for making one with bolt,wing nut, angle al. I like the ones sold at kure beach island tackle and reds at fort fisher for pomps and whiting. The ones with the colored tops and iron rod.


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## DANtheJDMan (Aug 29, 2012)

IPNURWATER said:


> I used piece of aluminum angle with pvc pipe as the top section with the neck flared . Pop revit (or strap) the top side of the pvc to the al angle and bolt the bottom . Then with extra aluminum angle make a cross bar to use to put the whole rig into the ground with this bar you can cut slits into for your knives pliers flashlights etc or attach a cup holder to one side with cut board on other. Plus with that bar you can use it for baitin hooks etc... With the aluminum angle in the ground vs the pvc it makes using the spike easier to use in all environments not just sand. Plus the pvc last longer since your not beaten on it.


I'm going to change mine to that. I made mine the same way with 5/8 rebar. I know, I know, they are heavy as shirt and ugly but they do work really well and are easy to get into hard sand and hard to pull out.
I made them 5 ft with 18" of PVC on the end. I hold the PVC to the rebar with SS hose clamps. They are plenty long but work great. Me and the Mrs fish four rods and with the beach cart you never have to set a rod on the sand.

I'll switch mine over to aluminum one of these days but the rebar works good at a rocky beach at a lake or a jety, you can wedge it between a couple of rocks and your golden.


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## raptortrapper (Apr 27, 2014)

I like that rebar idea!!! Here at the lake, it would work PERFECT!! Maybe I'll make one out of the rebar and one out of the PVC. You guys have some GREAT ideas! This is gonna be fun...


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## HStew (Jan 8, 2009)

when making a higher rod holder with pvc and a length of alum. angle ,I fix the pipe to the angle with wing nuts and long eye bolts so I can put a carbiner ( or whatever it is called) to which I can put a bait bucket,bait rag.bucket to hold a beverage,handy rig or two.


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## Sandcrab (Mar 20, 2002)

I use 6' fence posts from Home Depot. Get some 3' PVC rod spikes from Wally world and some stainless steel banding straps from HD. Works great and really keeps your line of the water - Especially when I use my AFAW BB 14' rod at AI and DE surf areas!

Cheap to make - have had mine now forever. You'll need to replace the SS banding straps every couple of years if you hit the surf a lot...

Sandcrab


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## mbg60 (May 11, 2008)

Make your own using stainless bolts, lock washers, and wing nuts. Easy to do.


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## hifu (Aug 3, 2006)

My fav spike is made from about 16" of PVC, cut a notch about a inch or so deep for your reel handle then find you some right angle aluminum, something that is light and strong, the cut you about 3 to 4' off, taper to point at one end then attach the other end to the PVC. Use a short ss round head bolt attach the top section with that, round head inside PVC, then a longer bolt to attach all the way through about an inch from the bottom. These can be made so when you get up from that cold one your reel will set waist hi, makes it nice. Now there are some big fish in the ocean and the I would suggest one like shooter makes. Buy aluminum tho, SS is much to heavy to lug around


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## Oldscout2 (Sep 15, 2008)

Sandcrab said:


> I use 6' fence posts from Home Depot. Get some 3' PVC rod spikes from Wally world and some stainless steel banding straps from HD. Works great and really keeps your line of the water - Especially when I use my AFAW BB 14' rod at AI and DE surf areas!
> 
> Cheap to make - have had mine now forever. You'll need to replace the SS banding straps every couple of years if you hit the surf a lot...
> 
> Sandcrab


Agree with Sandcrab. I like the long steel spikes (4' in my case) bound to a heat flared pvc top, I used stainless hose clamps. The long spike is easy to push into hard sand and very stable. Hang a lanyard from the spike to lash it a surf cart handle for transport up and down the beach.


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## raptortrapper (Apr 27, 2014)

I made a PVC one today, then headed to the lake. It didn't work. Gonna have to go with the aluminum spike idea. To many rocks and whatnot around most of the lake for just a regular PVC one to go into the ground. I have a buddy that is a welder, and he has all the scrap metal a guy could want. I'll head to his place this evening, and see what I can scrounge up. My handle on the heaver rod is 27" to the reel stem. Think I'm going to cut it back a little so I don't have so much of the handle in the PVC. I originally cut the PVC at 25" to give me a 2" buffer for the reel, but I think I'm going to shorten that up. Maybe cut it down to 15" or 20". Any thoughts on that-- pro or con??


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## raptortrapper (Apr 27, 2014)

I got one made!!! I used 2" PVC cause the ball on the very end of the butt of the Penn Prevail is almost 1 3/4" wide. 2" PVC fit perfectly. My buddy is a welder, so he made it for me at no cost using stuff out of his scrap pile! I know they aren't the best pictures, so let me try to describe what I did. (Edit after post: Pictures are very small, but when I click on them, they open up larger. Maybe I did something wrong when posting them, but hopefully you guys can see them. Sorry for the tiny pictures if it doesn't work for you.)

I wanted to be able to "fold it up" when not in use, so there are two bolts at the bottom that connect the PVC to the angle iron. When its not in use, the PVC can be flipped over and bolted upside down to the stake. One hole is drilled on each side of the angle iron so that the PVC is held on from both sides (Make sense? Hard to explain.) Just above the end of the angle iron is a hook that goes all the way through, and is what the end of the rod will rest on inside the pipe (of course you guys already know what the hook will be used for. Thanks for this idea as I would have never thought of that.) From that hook to the top of the PVC is 25" because it is 27" to the reel stem from the end of the rod, and I didn't want that resting on the PVC at all. This length may change though as it is really tall, even with me being 6'2". Getting the rod out of the holder when a fish is on with the sand spike in the vertical position may be a bit difficult at this length, or so I'm thinkin. At the bottom, 24" up from the spiked end, we notched the angle iron just slightly, and welded a 5/8" round rod in there as a push peg for my foot when putting the spike in place. He cut the end that goes into the ground at an angle from each side to form a 3 inch spike, and it works VERY well. It went into the ground with no problem when I set it up for these pictures. All hardware, except for the hook, is stainless steel. The hook will be stainless steel as well, once I find one made from stainless steel. The hardware shop here didn't have them.

Anyway, thanks for the ideas fellas! I'm very happy with how this turned out, and will be heading to the lake with it to break it in. If all goes well, I will be making a second one just like it in case I run across one of those days when bait is working, and plugs aren't. Both poles will have their own spike, and I should be set!!!


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## Mastrbaitr (May 7, 2014)

No bull**** the heat gun trick is genius!


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## Byron/pa (Mar 14, 2007)

No need to go into how I make mine (being a genius is complicated) but one tip I will throw out; Get some large alligator clips at the hardware store and bolt them towards the top of your spike. You can use the clip to hand a towell from, and you'll never be walking back to your truck to wipe your hands off.........I also have small tool holders attached to my spikes that hold a pair of needle nosed pliars = a rag and a pair of pliars at each rod leaves more time for catching.


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## pods (Sep 10, 2013)

Byron/pa said:


> No need to go into how I make mine (being a genius is complicated) but one tip I will throw out; Get some large alligator clips at the hardware store and bolt them towards the top of your spike. You can use the clip to hand a towell from, and you'll never be walking back to your truck to wipe your hands off.........I also have small tool holders attached to my spikes that hold a pair of needle nosed pliars = a rag and a pair of pliars at each rod leaves more time for catching.


I am going to do that! I am anal about not touching my rods with any sand on my hand (yikes, that didn't sound very good) but others I fish with are not so diligent. Instead of rebuilding reels at the family beach trip, I can merely instruct them to wipe their hands off before touching any fishing gear.


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## 1BadF350 (Jul 19, 2006)

Byron/pa said:


> No need to go into how I make mine (being a genius is complicated) but one tip I will throw out; Get some large alligator clips at the hardware store and bolt them towards the top of your spike. You can use the clip to hand a towell from, and you'll never be walking back to your truck to wipe your hands off.........I also have small tool holders attached to my spikes that hold a pair of needle nosed pliars = a rag and a pair of pliars at each rod leaves more time for catching.


Pshh....please....beginners
I mounted a 110v duplex outlet on mine. Wires up to the inverter in my truck. Runs a beer/bait cooler and a flat screen TV. (or a massaging recliner...cant run all 3 at the same time though  )


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## Mtn Mike (Mar 27, 2013)

A few years ago, I made myself a mallet out of a piece of 4x4 -- used a skill saw and a chisel to whittle down the "handle" before I cut to length. Works great to pound in PVC sandspikes as well as for the bottom half of beach umbrella poles.


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## Mastrbaitr (May 7, 2014)

5 min adjustable sand spike....
42" AA
24" PVC (no particular reason)
2 U bolts 
Not shown is the eye bolt idea to hold the bottom of the PVC so your reel arm is not the holding point. Going to drill in a 1/2 " eyebolt that will run through both sections to make it stronger and be able to use it as a leverage when driving in the spike with your foot. 
Total was about 20 bucks today at Home Depot.


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## Mastrbaitr (May 7, 2014)

W


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## cooper138 (Aug 8, 2012)

1BadF350 said:


> Pshh....please....beginners
> I mounted a 110v duplex outlet on mine. Wires up to the inverter in my truck. Runs a beer/bait cooler and a flat screen TV. (or a massaging recliner...cant run all 3 at the same time though  )


haha


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## Mastrbaitr (May 7, 2014)

cooper138 said:


> haha


Wouldn't a cooler w/ ice and a smartphone do the same?


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