How to Fish Without Having Fishing Tools
In a survival situation, you may be called upon to catch fish without fancy fishing gear. Fortunately, there are many ways to capture fish with only a few simple tools-- or even your bare hands!
[edit] Steps
Improvised hook
- Find an item that can be fashioned into a hook. Good candidates include:
- Paper clips
- Broken pop-tops
- Sharp twigs
- Bobby pins
- Twist the item into a hook shape, if necessary.
- Attach the "hook" to a line. Good items for improvised line include:
- Shoelaces
- Unraveled thread from clothing
- Twine
- Long grass stems
- Bait the hook. Items that can serve as bait include:
- Food scraps (meat is ideal)
- Bits of colorful plastic
- Leaves
- Dead insects
- Jewelry
- Dangle your hook into a promising location. Fish tend to hide in shadowy areas, such as the overhangs of banks, below overhanging trees, or near rocks.
- Wait for a fish to bite.
- Scoop your fish up. Don't try hauling it in with the line, which will likely break.
With a trap
- Get a container in which to trap fish. Good items include:
- Clothing
- A bucket
- Jar
- Plastic bag
- Lay your trap in a likely fish hideout and wait for a fish to swim in. If possible, hold the trap so that your hands will cease to alarm the fish.
- When a fish swims in, pull up your trap with the fish inside.
By cornering the fish
- This method is best if you have assistance. You will need to get something to block and corral the fish, such as a length of cloth.
- Stretch out your length of cloth. This is best if your partner(s) holds the other end. Make sure that there is no escape route underneath.
- Move slowly towards the fish, backing them into an area, such as a bend in the river, or the end of a tidepool, where they cannot escape.
- Once you have backed the fish into a sufficiently small area, grab for them.
With scoops
- This method requires speed and dexterity. Get two scooping devices, such as buckets.
- Find a group of fish in a relatively contained space, such as a tidepool or small pond.
- Lower the scoops slowly into the water.
- When the fish are comfortable with the scoops and have settled between them, bring the two scoops together. Many fish will probably escape, but a few may be caught. This method is not recommended in a serious survival situation.
With a spearing device
- Get an object with which to spear the fish. Useful items include:
- Pocket knives
- Scrap metal, glass or hard plastic
- Scissor blade
- Use twine, shoelaces, or other string to attach the sharp object to a stick or pole. Alternately, sharpen the stick itself.
- Get used to light refraction. Water distorts the position of underwater objects, so make some practice stabs at rocks and debris to make sure you understand how much you must alter your aim to account for this discrepancy.
- Find a fish in a relatively contained area. Understand that you will only get one opportunity to spear the fish.
- Aim and stab quickly.
By hand
- This method requires the most patience and skill on your part. First, select a fish hideout, and check for fish.
- Slowly lower your hand into the hideout, palm up, with your fingers extended towards the fish.
- Keep your hand as still as possible.
- After several minutes, after which the fish should be used to your hand, begin inching it towards the fish.
- When you can feel the fish's chin, close your fingers onto the fish's gills, and pull the fish from the water.
[edit] Warnings
- Raw fish contain many parasites, such as tapeworms, which are dangerous to humans. Cook throughly before eating, unless you're in a dire survival situation.
- Many fish species are protected by law. Don't fish without a liscence, or fish for endangered species, or you can face jail time and heavy fines.
