Survival fishing. Fish trap.

[sunnyrap]

I've been doing the vegan way, myself, for some time, but have recently learned another way of viewing the eating of meat. I am a member of a Native online group to gain more information and insight on native culture (I figured I needed to honor my representative portion of Cherokee genes). I loved their spiritual approach to eating fish or meat when they had to: they did it with great reverance and gratitude to the animal they consumed, and considered it a way of participating/experiencing in the spirituality of that species--and of giving that species a way of experiencing participating with the human way. These days, I'm thinking what you do/choose is less important than how you do/choose...i.e., with what heart and spirit.

[Sol Invictus]

I only ever take what i need to eat and free the rest. Never take more than you need, as those you let go will be the ones who continue to restock the very waters you fish.

[bosr]

Hi Sol I

Just saw your thread for the first time.

Post and they will come.

[pilot]

Excellent post, I love practical solutions, esp. if it involves being handy!

I assume this would work in a lake or any body of water, no?
How deep did you have it floating in the river? An what kind of floats you use?

Thanks!

[Sol Invictus]

Originally Posted by pilot

Excellent post, I love practical solutions, esp. if it involves being handy!

I assume this would work in a lake or any body of water, no?
How deep did you have it floating in the river? An what kind of floats you use?

Thanks!

You can use this as a bottom feeder trap, weigh it for mid depth, or even have it as a surface trap, and use it in a lake, river, pond... what ever water you have near by that has fish in it really.

As for what float? I have an old dinghy float for mine, but in the past I have used empty plastic milk bottles wrapped in camouflage netting, all depending on what was to hand.

I go fishing with my kids almost every weekend - cold or not. I have the stuff on hand to try it, and will do so next Saturday. I swear I'll try it, and I'll let you know how it turns out.

[Sol Invictus]

So you are in a remote area, and your starting to get settled in. You have your shelter, you have you water, but now it comes to the crunch. You need food.

Theres a river near by, but theres not enough people in your group to have one stood by a river bank all day catching death of cold or sunburn.

So what to do ?

Well, first off select your location. A bend in the river where water slows down is a great place to start - slower water means safer fishing and easier trap placement. It also narrows the choice of route for a fish to travel through the water.



So, a bendy stretch with some over hanging greenery is ideal for our needs as shade makes fish come closer to the surface and feel safer.
Heres an example of what I am talking about in the picture above.



So we know where we aim to place our trap. Now lets build it.

First off we need to know roughly how deep the water is - so we wde out with a measuring stick and mark off the depth.

Next, we need six solid shafts of wood that are say 15 % longer than our depth marker. Trim these down and sharpen one end to form a stake.

Now, taking three of these stakes lash them together to form a tripod or tee pee construction.




So we have the foundations for our fishing trap. Here we get out from our bob either some 25 Lb fishing line or para cord, which ever you prefere. I have used both with alot of success. We attach this to both of the tripods securely.


We then get some more line and hooks (of course I assume every body has fishing hooks in their survival kit - if not, why not ?) and make three or four free hanging lines along the length of our top wire. Make them different lengths and different baits to ensure maximum exposure to all fish types if you can.

These will dangle freely in the water and can be baited and lured to what ever specs you see fit. I would use a combination of fly and shiny lures. Best of both worlds this way.

Avoid weighting them too heavy as they will just present a straight line in the water to a fish, and that can spook them, instead try for a mid river sink, or no weights at all just hooks and bait.

Taking the entire trap out into the water and planting it firmly into the river bed we will end up with some thing along these lines. A trap thats both covert in nature, and able to be left alone for a few hours at a time, leaving you free to focus on other tasks. the simple beauty of it is also that it can be left in situ for a large amount of time and become a feature of the river to fish.. thus making them lazy and complacent.





So, I hope thats some thing you can relate to and possibly mull over whilst prepping yourself for what evers coming down the pipeline.

Now, do note that the trap is entirely under the surface of the water for a number of reasons.

1) it creates no surface disturbance, thus giving it an element of covertness - if a person cannot see it they will not be alerted to your presence.

2) Fish will swim near structures, but avoid structures that break the skyline unless its absolutely neccessary or there is a source of food near by. This makes the fish get used to the trap and thus will more likely take the bait offered.

3) The water itself camouflages our suspend line. if the line was above the water it would caste a glaring shadow in sunlight on the surface. Fish avoid this like the plague and you will catch nothing at all.

[pilot]

Originally Posted by sunnyrap

I've been doing the vegan way, myself, for some time, but have recently learned another way of viewing the eating of meat. I am a member of a Native online group to gain more information and insight on native culture (I figured I needed to honor my representative portion of Cherokee genes). I loved their spiritual approach to eating fish or meat when they had to: they did it with great reverance and gratitude to the animal they consumed, and considered it a way of participating/experiencing in the spirituality of that species--and of giving that species a way of experiencing participating with the human way. These days, I'm thinking what you do/choose is less important than how you do/choose...i.e., with what heart and spirit.

Hi Sunnyrap,

I once read a story about an Indian youth being taught to hunt by an elder. They were watching deer that would move into a meadow each morning to feed. One young buck was lame so it was decided to take him. The youth had to watch him daily on his going about the meadow. They noticed each morning he paused at the same location on the edge of the meadow to scan the area for predators. It was decided the youth would be in the tree he paused under for a surprise attack the next morning. All went as planned, but the youth found that after watching the deer for many days and learning his habits, he felt a kinship, and taking his life was extremely emotional for him. The elder said that when the youth could feel this compassion for every living thing, he will have learned the great truth.

We are all one.

How many people would eat meat if they had to actually hunt and kill it? I've always wondered if I could - I have never hunted, but in survival mode, things change I presume. I think that it's WAY more ethical than factory farming and hellish slaughterhouses for sure.

Peace.

[pilot]

Great Thanks Sol,

I'll be trying this out, got the materials laying about and it does sound like fun-I can even picture a spot for the trap in a bend shaded by trees down at the river.

It would be nice to get a little mess of fresh fish before it gets too cold around here.

[Sol Invictus]

Originally Posted by pilot

How many people would eat meat if they had to actually hunt and kill it? I've always wondered if I could - I have never hunted, but in survival mode, things change I presume. I think that it's WAY more ethical than factory farming and hellish slaughterhouses for sure.

Peace.

Me. I take what i need and nothing more. There is gratitude for natures bounty, but no kinship between me and my prey, only a respect for what it has given me, and that is the chance to watch another sun rise with a full belly.

[Equalitor]

Hey Sol, very nice thread you posted! Such survival skills are always very important. I will try this out too one day. What would have come in handy is perhaps an unpermanent opening modification, to invite either bigger or smaller fishes into the trap. But I see the positive sides of having a medium opening! That way the small fishes could grow up and the largest reproduce themselves [when the time is ready]. Perhaps one could try different openings now and then, but not empty the river completely. Only if one had very big hunger...

Those interested in survival should really join our survival group with the fancy name "Dark side of the Moon"! See my profile if uncertain.

Spiritual, as well as physical survival will be a sure way for "success" :]
-Eq

[Sol Invictus]

Hi equalitor.

reason for a medium sized opening is that small fish need to escape, grow and reproduce so we can have catches year after year.

Large fish that will possibly eat all the other fish in there will not want to go into such a small space.

medium? thats lunch

But good point, and yes of course you can scale it upwards or downwards - make a small scale version for great live bait for your heavy lines.

[sakuna]

This fish trap looks very much like a traditional Maori "hinaki" or eel trap still widely used today, originally was a conical shaped basket weaved from flax.
Nice1 Sol
Best regards

[Swamisalami]

Originally Posted by Sol Invictus

Hi equalitor.

reason for a medium sized opening is that small fish need to escape, grow and reproduce so we can have catches year after year.

Thats not entirely true.

Big fish lay more eggs and produce more offspring.

It is wise to take what you need, not more. Take fishy from different size, different year of birth. In this case the stock will renew itself in a good way. Sometimes small fishies like to put their sperm on the eggs of BIG woman. The can do so because they are small and dont pose a threat to them big males. Who told you fish weren't smart?

Its pretty difficult to explain it but if you take only the big ones the rest of the population will start to reproduce earlier and the offspring will be smaller. If you do so for many years the stock will eventually collapse. Some peoples call it survival-evolution.

If you want to catch shrimp a simple way to do it goes as follows. Take a good handful of small branches and tie, in the middle, them together with a piece of rope. Not to fast, not to loose. Put a small stone in it so it will sink to the bottom. As bait you can put in some meat or worms. Shrimp like these places to hide in and eat. Throw it in the water and check it every day, renew the bait and try different ones. You never now what the shrimpies like. If you pull it out dont be to slow, shrimps are VERY fast, dont do it to fast, shrimps belong in the water not in the trees.

Another way to do it is with a strong plastic bottle. Saw of the bottleneck a glue it upside down back in the bottle. Then saw off the bottom and make it that way you open en close it at will. Punch (or heat up a nail) holes in the bottle so the fresh water can circulate. Put some rope and bait on/it and throw it in the water and wait. If you have enough bottles you can make a string. You would be suprised of the amount of shrimps you can catch this way. Make sure the opening of the bottles is big enough for the species you want to catch. Even fishy will swim in to it if the opening is wide enough.

Good fishing to you all.

Love, Luck and Light to you all

thanks sunnyrap.......for this information.....it makes alot of sense......

[Swamisalami]

Check this link.

Chapter 8, page 26 and 27. The rest is also good stuff

http://www.equipped.com/fm21-76.htm

[Sol Invictus]

All survival resources are good things to have. However, I cannot urge you strongly enough to get some 'hands on' time.

Find a sympathetic land owner, and ask to do some 'wild camping' on his land. I have done this a few times on the estates around the Highlands. Most just ask that you don't shoot anything and if you make a fire, be responsible for it.