My fishing tackle

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MikaelMazz

Tenderfoot
Jan 19, 2007
80
0
33
The United States Of America
Hey everyone, This is my first post on this forum. I have not seen anyone on this form using dogbane(maybe I just missed it). It is probably one of the most rot resistient natural fibres I know of. That is why it is my favorite. As far as I know it does not grow in Europe. Here is my primitive fishing tackle.
Here is a 6 inch(15 centemeter) wooden reel with a lanyard. It has about 30 feet(9 meters) of 1/16th inch(2 millimeters) thick twisted dogbane line. Next to that is anout 10 feet(3.5 meters) of 1/16th inch(2millimeters) wide braided dogbane line that I am currently working on.

Next is a pair of wooden floats and a small slate wieght and a bigger slate wieght that is 1 1/4 inches(3 centimeters) in diameter.

Here are my hooks. Most of my hooks have very fine twisted or braided leaders. Starting from the left. A bent halibut hook that I will never use because I live inland away from halibet, it has a bone barb and is wrapped with pine root. Another style of halibet hook. A composite hook with a wood shank and an antler barb. Six easy to make hooks with two crabapple thorn barbes. And finaly an all antler hook that is 3/4 inch(2 centemeters) long. Torjus and his blog has helped me to finally make a one peice hook after breaking 3. The key was soaking it in warm water.

The next two photos are fishing spears.
This one is a survival type spear.

This one is a leister. A wile after I took this photo the two arms came off so I have to secure them better.


I have made all this stuff in the last month so I have not had a chance to test the stuff out. The lakes have not frozen over enough to ice fish because we had an unusually warm winter so I will probably have to wait untill spring to test all my tackle.
 

MikaelMazz

Tenderfoot
Jan 19, 2007
80
0
33
The United States Of America
Hey everyone, I am sorry to hear that you guys in the UK cant fish. Do you mean ice fishing or hook and line all together?
Hello torjus, I have never even got to go fishing with them yet. I am so anxious to test the stuff out and report my sucsess or failer to everyone. I saw on your blog you went out ice fishing Torjus. I asume your lines you left out were not succesful. Am I right? If so I hope you get some of those pike soon.
One thing I worry about with those thorn hooks is that a fish will just fight or flop its way off the hook because there are no barbes. Do you think it will be a problem?
 

falling rain

Native
Oct 17, 2003
1,737
29
Woodbury Devon
Hi MikaelMazz,

Welcome to the site. In the UK spearfishing is illegal but the hooks and lures you've made would be fine, (very nice work by the way :35: ) although you must have a licence to fish in fresh water but not for the sea.
I'd imagine the hooks without barbs would work if you didn't allow the hooked fish any slack and bring it in as quickly as possible fishing in close to the bank/rocks etc. although of course barbs would be better.
Nice looking fishing kit, did you make the cordage as well? it looks very neat. Well done :)
 

MikaelMazz

Tenderfoot
Jan 19, 2007
80
0
33
The United States Of America
Oh, that is not that bad. I am not sure if spear fishing is legle here in the US either. You also need a lisence for fishing after you turn 16. I believe that native american indians can fish with nets and spears on reservations. I am part native american but I think you have to live on a reservation for it to be legle.
Yes, I made the line out of dogbane other wise known as indian hemp. You cannot buy this stuff.
Thanks for the commpliments.
 

torjusg

Native
Aug 10, 2005
1,246
21
42
Telemark, Norway
livingprimitively.com
MikaelMazz said:
Hey everyone, I am sorry to hear that you guys in the UK cant fish. Do you mean ice fishing or hook and line all together?
Hello torjus, I have never even got to go fishing with them yet. I am so anxious to test the stuff out and report my sucsess or failer to everyone. I saw on your blog you went out ice fishing Torjus. I asume your lines you left out were not succesful. Am I right? If so I hope you get some of those pike soon.
One thing I worry about with those thorn hooks is that a fish will just fight or flop its way off the hook because there are no barbes. Do you think it will be a problem?

I were not successful and have yet to have contact by fish on my primitive lines, but I will check them today as well, so hopefully there is something there now.

The chance of loosing fish without barbs is higher, but especially when actively fishing the pull in the line will keep you from loosing it anyway.
 

pothunter

Settler
Jun 6, 2006
510
4
Wyre Forest Worcestershire
Hi

LIke your cordage also the slate weight we have easy acces to slate and I never thought of working it for weights, but will now.

I sure that we can spear fish for eal in the UK although I have never tried it.

I hope you dont have to wait to long to try your tackle, good luck and let us know how you get on.

Tight lines, Pothunter.
 

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