When your life depends on it! Not all anglers are created equally. Some need more support, bait, and practice than others. There are days when anglers that are fully equipped struggle to catch a fish!
Survival, “Must Catch”, fishing is a skill all survivalists need to master. When you need food to survive, it is when knowing these skills will pay off. Practicing these survival skills can be a fun game to play when camping and afield. Create a scenario and see how you and your buddy’s fare.
I remember the Robert Redford movie, Jerimiah Johnson, when he was hungry and was trying to catch fish in the snowy, freezing cold. He is interrupted by a Native chief on a horse. The Native boasted a stringer full of trout as Jerimiah was soaked and skunked.
Recently, I went camping and was not prepared for a primitive camp. My buddy went home so his trailer was no longer available. I still wanted to hunt so I went out on my own. When I got to my hunting spot, I tried to start a fire. My lighters were all old and out of fuel. I also could not find any matches. I have resolved both issues. Anyway, I went back in time and practiced my primitive fire-starting skills using a steel axe and a piece of quartz. The sparks ignited my tinder bundle, and I was warm and cozy. Adapt, adjust, and find a way.
So, what if you had to catch a fish without your Winston, Garcia, Shakespeare, or Pflueger reels and rods? Could you do it? As kids, we mastered cane poles so maybe start by cutting a long willow limb. For line, unravel some shoelaces or parachute cord. My survival kit contains a spool of monofilament, hooks, and weights. You could also use animal sinews if you happen to have a deer or critter down. There are also fibers from plants like Yucca and other vines that could provide line.
For a hook, use a safety pin, paper clip, beer tab, wire, or some form of thin metal. Maybe a zipper pool. Thorns and bones can be fashioned into a hook. Carve a hook out of a bent stick. Bait can be under rocks or use colorful attractive berries, leaves, or rocks like mica. Tie a decent knot and fasten the line and hook to your willow rod. A small pinecone or stick can serve as a bobber.
If you don’t want to recast and watch one rod, set up a stream full of Bush Bobs. These can be tied to branches and act like traps. Check your set lines routinely and rebait as needed. Once you catch some fish, the guts, skin, and fins can serve as additional bait.
Don’t waste what you catch. Bake or boil the whole fish, minus the guts, and feast. Raw fish is just sushi! The skin is tasty and full of protein. I have seen fish coated in mud baked over a fire. Cook a fish like a hot dog on a stick. Wrap the fish in wet leaves and steam over fire coals. Use a flat rock that has been heated on the fire to fry a fish.
You could also build a net from vines, fibers from clothes and parachute cord. Form into a basket or stretch across the creek. Stampede the fish from upstream into the net. You could also make a dip net to capture fish or crayfish. Don’t forget that insects under rocks make great bait. Insects above the water are also a food source as appetizers for your fish dinner.
A Gig or spear is also a way to stab and capture fish. Stalk and slowly ambush the fish. Create a barb on the spear or gig to hold the fish once you get one. I have also seen people drop big rocks into a pool of water and stun the fish in the restricted area.
Let them eat fish! If you can catch them!
Montana Grant
