Fishing

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Emdiesse

Settler
Jan 9, 2005
629
5
Surrey, UK
Ah yes.
How do you guys do it?

With a net or with a rod?
Whats easiest and best for a begginer?

I know that one of my firend that would be interested in Bushcraft is a fisherman. In fact any minute of free time i can guarranti (spelling?) he is fishing! lol

Thanks,
Emdiesse
 

tomtom

Full Member
Dec 9, 2003
4,283
5
38
Sunny South Devon
fising with a net isnt particularly viable in this country in most parts..

there are various ways to fish with rod and line.. the best way to get in to it is probably to go with your mate!

be warned: fishing is probably more expencive than bushcraft :yikes:
 

tomtom

Full Member
Dec 9, 2003
4,283
5
38
Sunny South Devon
rod and line could = stick + string + sinker + hook + worm

many people carry a length of fishing line an assortment of hooks and weights!
 
Aug 4, 2003
365
0
47
Hatfield, Herts
My next door neighbour came across this problem on excercise, when he was in the marines. The bare minimum he needed was a handgrenade, in a trout farm!!!!! Boy was he rosted over the coal in the courtmartial for it!!! :D
 

match

Settler
Sep 29, 2004
707
8
Edinburgh
I haven't done much fishing when out doing bushcraft things (mostly because I've never been close enough to any lakes/rivers that would merit fishing!). However, I carry a box of hooks, a reel of line, and some weights in my pack, as well as a small plastic fishing float that I found many years ago. This all fits in a small tin, so isn't a noticeable amout of extra kit to carry.

However, the bear minimum you need is some kind of line, a hook, something to weight it down with, and some bait.

Line can be any kind of material - cotton thread/string/paracord, or woven plant fibres are good (however fish are less likely to bite on a visible line).

Hooks can be made out of a lot of different materials as well, from bits of bent wire (paperclips etc) to plant thorns, wood, bone etc.

Bait can be insects, bread, or for predatory fish, something that looks like a smaller fish (foil, shiny plastic etc).

Floats are useful if you plan to leave a line sitting, but don't want to be holding on to it to notice bites/nibbles - floats can be very easily fashioned out of elder stems, as these have a pithy core and float well.

Bear in mind with all fishing that some days, fishermen with the latest and greatest lines, lures, baits, rods etc will fail to get a single bite - so don't be disappointed if you don't get anything with a more home-made set of kit :?:

And one last important note - always make sure that you don't discard used line/hooks etc, as these have a seriously detrimental impact on wildlife, particularly birds which often get tangled in used line. If you have some spare and nowhere to dispose of it, burning is the best way to get rid of it.
 

Ed

Admin
Admin
Aug 27, 2003
5,973
37
51
South Wales Valleys
I just meant as a means of catching food whilst bushcrafting
Well unless you are at the coast then you will have to use a rod/hook&line .... you can only fish with nets and traps if you have the correct license and permissions (best ask den, he was looking into it) .... survival methods like handlines are illegal to use in the UK on freshwater so don't really get practiced unless crab fishing at the coast or abroard. (there are a couple of threads on crab fishing if you do a search)

:biggthump
Ed
 

Ahjno

Vice-Adminral
Admin
Aug 9, 2004
6,861
51
Rotterdam (NL)
www.bushcraftuk.com
match said:
(...) However, I carry a box of hooks, a reel of line, and some weights in my pack, as well as a small plastic fishing float that I found many years ago. This all fits in a small tin, so isn't a noticeable amout of extra kit to carry. (...)

A kit example (I know, more a kit chatter sort of reply) can be found here.

Fishing_Kit_Exploded_View.jpg
 

jakunen

Native
tomtom said:
fising with a net isnt particularly viable in this country in most parts..

there are various ways to fish with rod and line.. the best way to get in to it is probably to go with your mate!

be warned: fishing is probably more expencive than bushcraft :yikes:
Wrong Tomtom, very wrong.

My bushcraft kit £4000.
My fishing tackle £20,000.

Once you start match fishing and get into poles...

You can do it quite cheaply, just don't get into match fishing or specialist stuff (carp in particualr).
 

bushwakka

Member
Feb 10, 2005
12
0
wherever I lay my soul
I think that it was the comedian Bill Hicks that said - "It's a fine line between fishing and standing by a river looking like an idiot"

Not wishing to offend any fishermen out there but fishing for food and sport fishing are two totally different skills. Bushcrafters can learn an awful lot from anglers - where to find fish, feeding habits, bait selection etc... Sport fishermen are happy to pit their wits and skill against fish using lightweight tackle. The fish has a chance to get away if the line snaps...

In bushcraft you want a meal cooking in your pot or ground oven. For fishing I tend to use longlines of up to twenty baited hooks set at low tide mark or across rivers. These are left out overnight/all day then retrieved along with any fish that are caught. I use the guts and trimmings of these fish to rebait the hooks for the next days meal.

Using a fishing rod with only one hook in the water can be relaxing and fun but it is not an efficient way of getting food. Setting out longlines leaves you free to get on with other camp tasks.

P.S No offence intended to any anglers out there :)
 

JimH

Nomad
Dec 21, 2004
306
1
Stalybridge
Fishing and bushcraft are equally expensive - either will expand to consume available resources :yikes:

For what it's worth, Jak, my carp gear cost 50 quid - rods, reels, pod, alarms (naturally it is low end, but anyone carping 15 years ago would be jealous, so I'm happy) :wave:

My trout (fly) gear is nearer a couple of grand, and I don't buy dear rods!!!

It's that elusive search for the perfect tool for any given job, innit?

Jim.
 

pumbaa

Settler
Jan 28, 2005
687
2
50
dorset
I have done sea , course and a little game fishing . I have also listened to quite a few poachers tales , but i have to agree with Bushwakka long lines rule if your after food in a bushcraft situation . If your by the sea , try prawn nets . youd be supprised what they bring up besides prawns ! Also , think lobster pot . They can be made from buscraft resourses . In theory these should work in fresh water too , but have not tried them as they are illeagal in freshwater .
Pumbaa
 

Viking

Settler
Oct 1, 2003
961
1
47
Sweden
www.nordicbushcraft.com
Fishing is cheap and easy to do.

Hobo Fishing:
A beer can, some fishing line and a spinner and 5 minutes practice.

Mete (dont know the english word for it):
A 3-5 m long stick, some fishing line, a hook, some weights, flotation (that indicates when the fish is on the bait) and of course some kind of bait peronally I prefer worms.

These are simple but effective ways of fishing and oes not cost more then a few pounds. I caught my first fish when I was 6-7 years old so it not that hard to learn and is always fun even when you don´t get any fish.
 
L

logstacker

Guest
I do a lot of beachfishin` at my static `van.Whole set-up was a hundred quid,including a lugworm baitpump.Inland I lure -fish.About the same cost.Buy the gear online,you can do well.I used to match fish but now it`s a food thing.
 

Doc

Need to contact Admin...
Nov 29, 2003
2,109
10
Perthshire
When you start fishing, you just want to catch a fish.

Then, you want to catch LOTS of fish.

Then, you just want to catch a big fish.

And the final stage; you don't really mind what you catch - you just like being there, fishing.
 

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