Fishing Rod - Sharky

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Fishing Rod “Sharky” — THE Perfect Beach Companion for Fishing Enthusiasts

• 🖨️ 100% printable – no extra hardware required (except for fishing line and hooks of course)

• ⏱️ Fast print – ready in around 2 hours
• 🧵 Material efficient – under 50 g of filament
• 🎣 Fully functional – thanks to two years of feedback with lots of improvements
• 🚀 Instantly ready – no tedious assembly every time you want to use it
• 📜 Detailed Documentation – printing instructions, assembly guide and tips & tricks ⬇️

Sharky is a fully 3D-printable fishing rod designed to be the ultimate ultralight travel companion. Compact in your bag, fully capable in the water. Print, Pack, Catch!

You may also like my other Design: Fishing Rod - Grizzly - optimized for fishing from the riverbank or shore!

Boost Me❤️ I put a lot of work into this design and continuously collect feedback for future improvements, so every bit of support is highly appreciated ❤️

Impressions from the Comment section:

Chapters

1. V6 -What's new?
2. Printing Instructions
3. Assembly Guide
   • Disclaimer
4. How to use
5. Story behind this design

1. V6 - What's new?

• Optional 6702ZZ Bearing Version

  One of the most requested features over the past year was the addition of bearings. I didn’t expect Bambu Lab themselves to sell deep-groove ball bearings that fit perfectly into Sharky. This optional version uses 6702ZZ ball bearings for smoother rotation, less friction, and a noticeably nicer feel while reeling in your catch.

• Rotating Handle

  The second most requested feature was a rotating handle. Despite the very limited space I managed to integrate a fully print-in-place solution that rotates smoothly. No assembly required, no extra hardware, no supports. Read the Assembly Guide for more information!

• Cable Tie Slots

  The top side now includes two dedicated slots that let you thread cable ties through the body to attach the reel to a stick or similar object — instantly turning it into a proper fishing rod. Thanks to @PapaChez for this idea! See Assembly Guide for reference.

• Additional Improvements
  • Reduced risk of tangling due to extra clearance inside the spool area
  • Forced recessed seam positions on rotating parts, improving mechanical movement even on less finely tuned printer setups.
  • Larger, rounded opening tabs for easier disassembly and a more comfortable grip.
  • Optimized internal clearance around the reel teeth, further improving smoothness of rotation.
  • Redesigned modifier for a stronger, more rigid back plate.
  • Larger attachment hole to better fit hand-wrist straps such as those from Bambu Lab (see also the parts list for reference).
  • Detailed and easy to read assembly guide

2. Printing Instructions

I highly recommend using the print profiles for Bambu Studio — all required settings and modifiers are already configured and tested.

There are two separate print profiles to choose from:

V6 – No AMS (compatible with any printer)

• Includes both versions:
  • Standard version (no bearings required)

  • Bearing version (requires 6702ZZ bearings)

    Build plate structure:

    • Full Set – complete assembly in one print
    • Body Only – body parts only
    • Mechanism Only – mechanical parts only

V6 – AMS Dual Color (P/X/A/H Series)

• Includes both versions:
  • Standard version (no bearings required)

  • Bearing version (requires 6702ZZ bearings)

    Build plate structure:

    • Full Set – body and mechanical parts arranged for sequential printing with a single color change

I recommend printing this in PETG or PCTG, since they withstand outdoor exposure much better than PLA.

In case you want(need) to slice it yourself, here are some recommendations:

• Set wall generator to “Arachne” or enable “detect thin walls” - otherwise the rotation mechanism of the handle might not work.
• Set layer height to 0.2mm (dimensions are specifically designed for this layer height)
• For screw, pin and tip increase the wall count to 8 and slow down outer wall speeds to ~40mm/s for clean threads.
• load the bottom-body modifier into the part and set walls to 1, solid top- and bottom layers to 0, infill to 20% honeycomb and infill-perimeter overlap to 25%

3. Assembly Guide

⚠️Please read the assembly guide carefully before use to ensure proper setup⚠️

Only Bearing Version Press two 6702ZZ Bearings into the wheel. Push in the bearings as far as possible. There should be a 3mm gap between the bearings and the surface of the reel afterwards.

Preparation — Clean up & Attach line Inspect all parts for any debris left from printing. Clean up any imperfections using a sharp knife. You can now already test whether the spool rotates freely in the bottom half of the housing. If resistance occurs, gently press on the spool while rotating it inside the housing. This will smooth minor surface imperfections caused by the printing process. Repeat this on both sides of the spool if necessary.   ⚠️Important: Before continuing with the assembly, 5–50 m of fishing line should already be wound onto the spool. Inside the spool there is a dedicated recess intended for tying the first section of line securely in place. After you wound the line onto the spool, feed the loose end of the line through the front opening of the housing and temporarily secure it if necessary.

Step 1 — Insert the Spool Begin assembly by inserting the spool. Make sure that the threaded side faces upward — this is where the handle will later be attached.

Step 2 — Install the Lever Insert the lever next. The spring must be slightly compressed during installation, as it is designed to remain under constant tension. Before continuing, verify that the lever moves freely on its axle without binding.

Step 3 — Closing the Housing ⚠️Important: Before clipping on the upper housing half, make sure the fishing line has already been routed through the front opening of the lower housing.   Now place the upper housing half onto the lower half. Apply moderate pressure until the clip mechanism engages and both halves are firmly connected. If a visible gap remains between the housing halves, open the housing again and check for filament residue or print imperfections along the clip mechanism. Remove any obstructions before closing it again.

Step 4 — Installing the Tip ⚠️Important: Before screwing in the tip, the end of the fishing line must be fed through it.   Screw the rod tip into the housing. This area is subject to significant wear. It is therefore recommended to print and carry several spare tips. Very thin fishing line can gradually cut into the plastic and wear it down over time. Both the fishing line and the tip should be inspected regularly for wear and replaced if necessary!

Step 5 — Securing the Assembly Now secure the assembly using the printed screw. The screw does not need to be tightened firmly — it only serves to additionally secure the middle section of the housing.   ⚠️Important: Do not forget to remove the screw before attempting to open the housing again. (It is very easy to overlook — speaking from experience.)

Step 6 — Installing the Handle ⚠️Important: Do not force the handle into the thread. This may cause the thread to seize, making the handle impossible to remove later. Make sure the threads printed cleanly and contain no plastic residue inside.   Now screw the handle into the spool. If screwing in the handle is difficult, repeatedly screw it in a small amount and then unscrew it again. This gradually cleans and smooths the threads.

Step 8 — Activating the Handle Once the handle has been fully screwed in, the rotation mechanism must be activated (if not happened already by screwing it in). Gently move the handle in the X–Y-direction to weaken the connection between the outer and inner component. Then try to rotate only the outer part clockwise until the connection breaks. If it won’t come loose, carefully score the area just above the threads with a sharp scalpel/knife to release the connection. You can further improve smoothness by applying gentle pressure and rotating back and forth to wear down minor surface irregularities.

Step 9 — Prepare for storage Assembly is complete — congratulations! You can now attach a hook or other bait to the end of the fishing line. To prevent accidents when device is stored away, the hook can be inserted into one of the front holes. Just apply slight tension to the line afterwards . The gear mechanism will prevent the hook from coming loose.   Now the handle can also be unscrewed from the spool and stored in the center of the rod.

Finish — Add optional Hardware The V6 Version cooperates a larger attachment hole that perfectly fits the Bambulab Hand Wrist Strap.   Alternatively, you can add a carabiner or similar attachment for storage although I strongly recommend using some kind of safety tether when fishing — you don’t want the rod getting ripped out of your hand if an unexpectedly  large fish suddenly strikes.   I also added two slots on the top to use cable ties (max. 4mm in width and 2mm thickness) to attach the device to a stick. Huge thanks to @PapaChez who brought the idea to my mind! For this, consider printing a few extra guide rings for the line. Alternatively, you can improvise some makeshift ones using additional cable ties ;)

⚠️Disclaimer⚠️

Always check and follow the fishing regulations in your area — fishing is not permitted everywhere or for everyone. Make sure you are familiar with local laws, seasons, and size limits before using this device. Because this setup can easily hook very small fish, pay extra attention to minimum size requirements and release undersized catches carefully.

Please fish responsibly and avoid causing unnecessary harm to wildlife at all times. Thank you!

4. How to use:

1. Go snorkeling or diving and bring some bread or other bait with you.
   Once you spot some fish, press the trigger and pull out the hook with a bit of line.
2. Bait the hook – I personally recommend day-old pizza crust.
3. While holding the trigger, manually pull out more line until the bait reaches your desired depth.
4. Watch the fish gather around your bait… and wait for one to bite.
5. If the fish just had a good time snacking on your bait (congrats, you just fed some wildlife!), simply repeat steps 3–5.
6. Reel in your catch.
   Take a picture and share it in the “Makes & Comments” section.
   And of course, treat your catch responsibly and follow local rules and regulations.

⚠️To avoid any tangling issues I recommend to always pull out more line manually and not unwheeling line without having tension on the hook.⚠️

 

Pro Tip: If you are having a hard time impressing the fish with your bait, just throw some more of that pizza crust (or other bait) to the fish. In the commotion, they will forget about the hook, and you increase your chances of one actually going for it!

Alternatively, you can also try this technique shared by Pixelplanter (thank you very much for sharing!)

“To cast out put a weight on the line and let about a foot of line. Swing the line in a circle and get it moving quick (like slinging a rock). Press the button when the timing is right and it’ll launch up to 20 feet in the water! Super fun once you get the technique down, don’t put much line on it and be careful of backlash!”

5. Story behind this design:

A couple of weeks ago, I went on vacation and found myself snorkeling in the beautiful Mediterranean Sea. Little did I know already (as the hobby fisherman and snorkelist that I am): There will be fish! So, before I left home I decided to pack some fishing line wound up on an old pencil and a little hook with me. After a couple days of snorkeling, I even managed to hook a fish using some old pizza crust as bait. I had the fun of my life watching the hook dangling down from the surface, observing the fish surround the bait and then some of them actually going for it. It quickly became my favorite activity on the beach!

Back home and with just one week until my next vacation to the Mediterranean, this time camping with some friends, I reflected on my makeshift setup and thought to myself that there must be a more elegant way to do this. At least more elegant than an old rusty pencil. So I browsed the fishing contest page and found this beautiful design by ZF Designs. I instantly knew this was going to be awesome. But after a closer look at the original design, I immediately realized that I needed to change some things to suit my specific needs when snorkeling with this device so I decided to design a similar device on my own.

So, I made the following “improvements”:

1. I designed a wheel with ratcheting teeth and added a spring-loaded lever. Now, the line cannot be pulled further unless the lever is triggered, just like the bail on a normal fishing reel.
2. I added small threads to the wheeling pin. Now, it can be screwed into the wheel when the fishing rod is in use but can also be unscrewed and screwed in the other way around into the body to prevent it from breaking off. This also minimizes the thickness of the whole device when not in use and prevents the risk of loosing the pin overall.
3. I increased the wall thickness of the entire body to enhance its stability and incorporated a clipping mechanism so that the whole assembly holds together without any glue. This also allows the device to be opened again in case you need to change the line or accidentally pull the hook completely into the device. I also added a 3D-printed safety screw that can easily be (un-)screwed with a penny of your choice.
4. I reduced the size of the hole in the front so that it is unlikely to accidentally pull your hook into the device, which would require opening the body to retrieve it. To store the device, you can now attach the hook to the small hole in the front and put some tension on the line. The “bail” will hold the tension and this way the hook won't come loose when the device is stored away.

Experience report:

This design was tested last week on said camping trip to the Mediterranean Sea and it worked flawlessly. Even my fishing-inexperienced friends were immediately able to use it and this time we even caught a couple of fish! It was an absolute blast. Definitely recommendable! I would share some photos of the fish, but as every good fisherman does, I too of course forgot to take pictures. The device can also be used from land by pulling 2-3m of line and throwing it into the water by hand! 

I hope you enjoy the design, have fun with it and share your experience and feedback in the comments!

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