Welcome to Part 4 of Surviving! Easier than you think!

Today we are going to learn how to fish, it’s really simple just takes a bit of practice!

(Note I forgot to add fishing line , hooks and sinkers as a absolute must have I’m sorry for this error)
So

Q: I know how to cook a fish how in the world do you expect me to catch one!

A: This is one of the few times I can say its simpler than it seems…. Does that mean your going to always catch a fish … absolutely not.
To fish youll need; Bait, Sinkers, Hook and Wire.

Bait

Fish will eat anything but that’s not what your going to be looking for, the real reason a fish tries to eat something is because it moves like it would taste good. This is why I always use live bait. Live bait can be anything … your classic worm … large insect … I’ve even heard of a guy who uses a wispy piece of cotton and catches fish all the time.

Need to find a bug? Turn a few rocks over near the shore… potato bugs and worms love it here … just grab the little bugger and get something to keep him in (so that he wont escape).

Constructing your pole!

Truthfully you don’t need a pole if you’ve got a bunch of line (remember though the more line you use the more of a mess youll have to clean up … and trust me is is a mess). Take a sturdy stick … nothing too huge and preferably with a fork in it … what yor going to do is tie the line around both prongs of the fork a few good times … 10 or 15 is a safe bet… then tie it off close to the v in the fork. Then grab your sinker (the sinker … is really just a piece of metal made so that your hook doesn’t float at the top of the water) and slide it up about an inch or 2 from the end and tie it off… next grab your hook and tie it at the bottom. Now some people like to use a floater to keep the sinker from dragging the hook to the bottom… I agree with this not necessary but it can improve your chances … so assuming you used about 10-12 feet of line (and before you’ve attached the sinker and hook) go about a foot from the end of the line and tie the stick to the line. I only add as an afterthought because you really don’t need it. But none the less time to attach your bait! Take that worm or insect and with intent stick him right on that hook, don’t feel bad for him feel bad for yourself cause if you pussyfoot around when putting him on he’s more likely to slip off. Once you’ve got that done your ready to cast!

Discerning a fishing area

I happen to like rivers but that’s because I wont have to use a bob the current will keep everything nice and afloat… and at a river you can just throw your line in anywhere.

Lakes are a bit trickier you don’t wanna go to shallow with your line, find a nice outcropping of rocks (large ones) sit up ontop of em and cast that will be the best fishing spot. (in which case youll also need a longer line)
Casting … now if you did as another poster suggested and got a real fishing pole … casting is a synch. With a fixed amount of line don’t cast over head your going to have to pull a fish hook out of you. I suggest an under handed wrist flick… though it takes some practice … so if you can just take that sinker and chuck it without losing your bait … there ya go.

So you’ve got your line in the water … time to wait … but be mindful of the tugs at your rod. The first little nudge you get, pull with intent but only a couple of inches… you see as the fish starts gobbling your bait the hook doesn’t magically just stick in him … you gotta yank it into him. Now you’ve got a fish… don’t pull on your rod like some crazy professional angler … grab the friggin line. That stick of yours no matter how solid is not going to cut it. Now slowly tug a bit at a time and remember a little bit of movement is still positive movement … don’t let your stomach control your hands … if that line breaks you’ve got to start again. If you catch the fish awesome get to gutting! If you lost it no biggy start again.

Q: I’m sick of fish! What about wild game?

A: Tracking is hard … and unless you are really that sick of fish id stick to waiting for critters to pass by. Now laying snares and traps and all that … I think it’s a bunch of crap. The chance that a critter just so happens to step in that trap is a long shot. Don’t start laying snares and traps until you already have a handle on fishing and foraging (you bet we will get to that).
On to the basics of tracking. Tracking is tough especially if you’ve never done it before (hunting) it’s a pain and if you didn’t bring a rifle theres no point in it. But for those of you who did and don’t know how to track heres some basics!

poop!

If you’re walking down the trail and you see poop that isn’t yours (hopefully its not as your burying yours right?) take a minute to look at it …make sure with your eyes that its not dog or human feces… on the off chance that someone was there before you. Human feces is considered log shaped… and dog feces will be coiled but both will smell of ammonia. If that’s not the case and they look like small pellets your good to start looking for tracks! ( I cannot convey in words the different types of poo and from what animals they come from … you need pictures and youll have to memorize what animals they belong to, tho if it’s a large grainy like cigar ash shape it’s bear poo and I advise moving away from the area.)

Prints!

Now look for animal foot prints once you find one take a moment to check
how most the ground is around and inside the foot print. If the ground and the print are roughly the same moistness that’s a good sign, take a moment to gently touch the ridges (definition points) of the print … if they are starting to dry the animal has a considerable lead. If everything looks roughly the same in terms of moistness of the ground to inside the print and the ridges of the print go ahead and start following the tracks.
After that its really all luck as the prints could suddenly stop, the animal could be long gone.

That’s really why I’d say just have your rifle ready and when an unsuspecting critter crosses your path boom.

Thanks again guys for checking back! All the input and suggestions have been great keep it up guys!

Sneak peak next question!

Q: I’m sick of meat, Where’s the veggies!?!?! Foraging for life!


[edit on 22-10-2009 by conspiracyrus]

Great thread, although I doubt I'll ever need to use any of these survival techniques living in Ireland but it cant hurt to know the basics if this place goes to hell.


Don't know if you had mentioned this or you were going to mention it but you said that if you ran out of water purifying tablets you would have to head back to town, but I was watching a documentry on tea and it said that tea leaves have great sterilising abilities. I suggest packing in a few hundred tea bags they are light and can be easily compressed. I do this all the time when I'm on holidays on mainland europe because the water there can sometimes make you sick if you drink it and you're not used to it.

I'm talking about green tea now though because as well as being good for body and mind they can make dodgy water safer to drink. I don't think the brown tea leaves would be as effective but I'm not sure.

Obviously If there's a dead animal upstream or its a pond that you know is stagnant and stinking dont use it but generally speaking if you have to drink some water tea can be a life saver.

Great thread though keep 'em coming

Wheres your walkin stick?

Daddybear and myself love these, they make a great place to keep your fishing line, para-cord and can be used for a fishing pole, and a spiderweb radar tool, and evan a weapon if needed..
I'm a big trapper so I use mine to find traps at times, you don't want one of my traps sprung on your hand without a medic close!

I just want to take a moment to thank everyone that posted thus far! Everyone has great suggestions. At the end of my little series i will dedicate a post to everyone who threw their 2 cents in. And definitely keep em coming we still have alot of ground to cover

Future talking points include

Identifying plants to eat (northeast american)

Wildlife involvement (protecting against bears)

Hygiene

and if you guys have any topics you would like discussed bring them up!

Thanks again for making this a great thread!

Originally posted by conspiracyrus
Sure use a tarp be rambo if ya want. Ill be comfy and you can freeze under a tarp...

I've spent winter in the woods and never frozen, i was trying to help your thread so that people could pack lighter and move faster.

Originally posted by conspiracyrus
Hand sanitizer ... yeah ... cuz im sure after you wipe yourself the first thing you do is run into town soap up those hands.... oh yeah did i mention it doubles as an igniter?

And what will you do when it runs out? As for an ignition source, when you already have a lighter, matches and a flint and steel you don't need an alcohol ignition source.

Originally posted by conspiracyrus
This thread isnt meant to teach experts on how to do what they already know how to do.... Im trying to tell average people how they can prolong their lives in the wild... Whens the last time you used a good flint and steel? they last quite a while....

I was doing the same, tents are unecessary but more importantly they are easily damaged and hard to repair. They also make you a more vulnerable target to anyone passing by.

Originally posted by conspiracyrus
Backpacking towels? really guy? w/e

What do you mean whatever? A towel is a very useful thing and backpacking towels are designed to be packed down small, fast to dry and easy to clean. So whats the problem with them?

Your thread is good i'm just adding some helpful stuff.

[edit on 22-10-2009 by ImaginaryReality1984]

I have posted this before but thought I would add it here as well.

Fire - pack a few tampons.

1)They come wrapped to help keep them dry.
2) They are compact cotton that can be "unfluffed" for the amount you need for each fire.
3) Very portable and take up little space and add little weight.

Dryer lint & candle wax

Make a few "Fire-Starters" with this. Just compact it and add a little candle wax for a longer (better) burning starter.

If a little wax is dripped over the tinder it will also help to get the fire burning as the wax helps it from going out.

Just a few thoughts on Fire Starter Supplies.....

double post

[edit on 23-10-2009 by conspiracyrus]

double post

[edit on 23-10-2009 by conspiracyrus]