As a kid I made bobbers out of styrafoam found on the side of the road, or sections of cane that I would harvest off the creek bank and dry in the sun. Then I started getting into my mom's sewing box for thread, and chasing our game rooster to pluck some tail feathers for flies (I wonder why he hated me so much). I took a break while in the Army.
First crank was made a few years ago out of a spruce 2x4, sealed and painted with my wifes fingernail polish. It worked well enough to catch an 8 lb bowfin, but is sitting on a shelf in my living room now.