No Rod? No Problem! You Can Fish in the Wild Without ANY Equipment.

Hello everyone! This is Rob Raskin of Las Vegas here again to ask you an interesting question I’ve been pondering myself all week: Could you survive the Survival Fishing Challenge? This challenge requires you to spend three days fending for yourself in the wild near a body of water. You will be responsible for purifying your own drinking water and fishing for your own food. Could you show up at a local ocean, lake, or river without food and water and survive? With these basic skills, you’ll have a fighting chance.

This article is part one of a two-part series. Next week I’ll be discussing how to clean and cook a fish using items from your bug-out bag.

How to Catch Fish

You don’t need a rod and reel to catch a fish, though it doesn’t hurt to have them. Even the most devoted and experienced fisherman can find himself without his gear through no fault of his own at TEOTWAWKI. If you want to stay healthy, you need to have fish in your diet. It’s loaded with the omega-3 fatty acids your body and brain need to function at an optimal level, which is critical in a survival situation. The protein and vitamin D in fish will help you stay strong. These unusual fishing techniques will result in a steady supply of fresh seafood for you and your family.

Nets

Around the world, myriad cultures fish with nets. The benefits make it an obvious choice. You can fit nets in a pack, and there are compact and telescoping models that allow them to take up a lot less space than a rod and reel. It’s easy to see why nets are such a popular choice for but-out bags. The only drawback to fishing with a net is the fact that you have to get it wet first. This is a tricky prospect when you’re surviving in a snowy environment.

Trot Lines

Why throw out a bunch of lines when you can attach many hooks to a single line? This is an incredible method to use if you want to be able to have baited hooks at a variety of depths. These work by tying one end of the line to the shore while throwing the weighted end into the water. It really is that easy, and on top of that it allows you to catch more fish at once.

Hand-Line It

If you love the experience of fishing with a rod and reel but just don’t have one around, hand-line fishing is for you. This method of fishing is self-explanatory. Instead of using a rod and reel, you use a heavy object and tie your line to that, then add a baited hook and use your hand as the reel. The trick is to control the line with your hand so you are in command of the tension.

Branch Poles

As long as there are branches near the shore, you can make a fishing rod, although granted you won’t have a reel available. To use this method simply cut a branch, attach a line with a baited hook, and then drive it into the mud or sand along the shoreline. Interestingly enough, you can cook fish using this method as well, as is pictured in the photo above. I’ll get more into depth about that next week.

Your Bare Hands

Yes, you read that correctly: you can catch a fish with your bare hands. In fact, people worldwide do just that every day. Here it’s called “noodling.” It’ll take some practice to master this method, and you’ll need nature on your side as well. After all, in order to catch a fish, you have to be faster than the fish. That’s something that you might have to be born with, though of course you can work to hone your instincts.

 

Catch Your Own Bait

No matter how much of your favorite store-bought bait you’ve got on-hand, eventually you’re going to run out. That is why you must know how to find your own bait in the wild. Next time you’re camping or hiking, look under the rotting logs and rocks around you and take note of how much bait you’ll find. The bugs, worms, and grubs under there will attract fish to your hooks.

Don’t forget to check back next week for part two of this series. After all, it’s one thing to catch the fish, but it’s another to know how to prepare it so it’s also great to eat. Once you’ve tried fish this way a few times, you’ll develop a real taste for it!

 

You’ve got to see this guy catch an 84-pound catfish with his bare hands!

 

Would you take the Survival Fishing Challenge?