Equipment is the easiest part.  All you need is a sturdy single pole. For jetty walls and close work I favor short poles; for reefs and deep water rocky areas, the long pole is best.  There is a good article here about long poles: Poke Poles  I also recommend you read the chapter on the Sea Wolf by Tom Stienstra in California Fishing. To make life (mine and yours) a little easier, I'll concentrate on short poles and jetty walls here. (But here is a picture of me with a super flexible long pole.)
 

Poke poling is literally that: poking a pole in cracks and crevices, enticing the creatures in their hiding places.  Hunger is one reason they strike, but I feel it is also (maybe even more so) an aggressive response to intrusion.

The procedure is simple.  Bait is normally a squid strip (don't gob it!) or, even better, abalone.  In a pinch you can resort to mussels, though they have little stamina and will not last more than a few probes.  You poke or lower it in a likely spot (you can get an idea about that on the next page) and get ready for a good solid bite.  Don't wait too long!  Crabs will pull the hook into a rock and twist it to create a perfect snag.  So be alert and pull up at the slightest touch.  You'll get comfortable with the rhythm soon enough and will know when it's a crab, a monkeyface eel, or a rockfish.  Don't worry about spooking fish.  You are in their houses and they will strike repeatedly. 

Because the fish are so aggressive, I recommend using size 2 to 2/0 hooks to prevent swallowing. (Actually, it is kind of a badge of honor to lip-hook a monkeyface eel.  Then you know you are paying attention and right on the bite.) If you are using line (see the diagram for the alternative poles), that  line should be strong but not too stiff.  A good quality monofilament in 20-30# test ought to be right.  Beyond that, the fun tends to wane. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 Dowel Rods, Broom Handles, Tomato Stakes, Bamboo Poles--all will do just fine.


Here is the classic poke pole design.  Usually a wire is wrapped around one end with just enough exposed to allow a snap leader and a hook . But there are alternatives, and never be afraid to experiment or innovate. 


These are two versions I've used on jetty walls.  Strictly speaking they are not poke poles, but close enough.  I like a four-foot pole with plenty of available line, which I can shorten or lengthen by merely twisting the pole and rolling up what I don't need.  This comes in handy if I encounter a lot of snags or snap-offs.  For shallow spots it is sometimes preferable to have no weight at all, but I do like a little sinker to aid the descent of the bait offering. 
 

 

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