willow fish traps

[humblebumble]

i was just discussing these with a friend today. he was saying how you can weave these cages that you just leave in the river. fish swim in and can't get out. like a creel i suppose.

i love weaving with willow, and it seems such an obvious thing to do.

does anyone have any pics of such a thing or links to an online tutorial on how to build/use one?

i guess they'd have to maybe have a reasonably narrow mouth with a wide chamber in which you place bait. or maybe even just putting a walled off barrier across the burn would work if the currents sufficiently strong? i really don't know, just throwing ideas around

i remember trying to build dams out of sticks to catch fish when i was a kid. it never worked. but we were nippers, and splashing about in the water throwing mud at each other probably doesn't help attract the fish

 

[Shewie]

There's a good tutorial for a fish trap which Jonathon did in the DIY Articles section

http://www.bushcraftuk.com/index.php/DIY/Fish-Trap.html

 

[Chinkapin]

The one in the tutorial listed above, looks a great deal like the ones I have seen in Arkansas. In the U.S. these are illegal as hell, in all states that I know of. Any U.S. citizens are forewarned. I'm surprised they are legal in the U.K. (I'm assuming they are legal)

 

[humblebumble]

it's more a case of whether you're allowed to fish in a particular river or not, it's all estates you know, if you're caught fishing without a license you're in trouble.

i can't see why'd they'd be banned, they're not cruel are they?

or is it a conservation issue?

 

[Toddy]

It's because fishing is considered a 'sport' not really done to fish for food

Mostly conservation is preferential for species like salmon and sea trout unless it's in waters stocked by angling associations.

cheers,
Toddy

 

[humblebumble]

i don't know anyone that fishes for sport. i'm no vegetarian, but i don't think anyone should kill or trap for fun.

 

[Native Nathan]

got to say I agree with humblebumble 100%

I am top of the food chain, I do trapping as all bustcrafters should do, but I eat what I catch; and I believe in a phrase I got taught a long time ago "A quick kill or no kill"