Survival Fishing Kits

[hunter63]

How about "The Browns"?

[crashdive123]

Oh heck....anybody can catch and beat up fish when they are carted in from the local fish monger.

[TXyakr]

Thanks TX for the encouragement to find a guide, Ill have to save up for it but it sounds logical! My fishing skills are self taught, I wouldnt mind having a mentor or teacher, even if for just a little while.

EB

Cheaper and often just as good options are to join local fishing clubs through work place (office), worship place (church), or online (meet ups). Probably not a problem for you but I have to control the urge to ask an excessive number of questions or tell the person that their analysis may be faulty. (I.e I need to just shut up and listen, LOL) Always good to volunteer to pay for gas on trip there, bring snacks or whatever.
Once a local guide said that a Gar had rescued his buddy gar fish by bitting the leader line just above the lure. He was demonstrating how to use just a frayed nylon cord to tangle the gar's teeth (no hooks required) on the end of a fly line (casting reel will also work but requires weighted float). I bit my tongue said nothing but it is my belief that the second gar thought he/she could steal the "bait fish" (aka nylon cord) from the first gar's mouth and bit the line in the process. There was no reasoning on how to "free" the gar from it's teeth entangled in the nylon cord. But I could be wrong perhaps fish may have higher powers of deductive reasoning, and logic. LOL Fun with friends and fishing guides regardless.

Edit: I recommend having an agreement with your fishing companion that it is OK to cast behind his/her fish when he/she "hooks" one, because typically the "second fish" is larger than the first. So if this is understood ahead of time there is less likely to be hard feelings, especially if the lines get tangled or if one of you wants assistance netting or landing an unusually large fish. Fish are just as competitive as humans, when a big fish hanging cautiously down deep sees that a smaller fish up higher has caught something, she/he will often aggressively go to see if she can get it or more of the "school" of perceived bait fish. Fish psychology 101.

[TXyakr]

How about "The Browns"?

When the "Spawn is on" many different methods work, your hands, a sharp pointed stick, dip net. (know and obey local and state laws! these methods are often illegal for game fish.) Timing the spawn can be tricky fish do not pay attention to our calendars or our time off work, such as weekends. Moon cycles and water temperatures, and tides are more reliable indicators. Also particular plants that are blooming can help to indicate the spawn of various species. In my area these include L&SM bass, red fish, white bass, catfish, and buffalo (fish not mammal) spawns. Also sockeye salmon on the Rio Chama, NM but that is a 12 hour drive from me. A LOT OF FUN!!!

[TXyakr]

This guy gave some good fishing advice about 2000 years ago:
2014-12-24 18.17.43.jpg
Paraphrasing but he basically said if you fish all night with no luck try a different method. If you can't pay your taxes catch a fish pull a gold coin from it's mouth and pay the IRS because it is never a good idea to mess with them.
I have found a lot of strange things in fish but never a gold coin, but thankfully never had difficulty paying the IRS so perhaps that is why.
Happy birthday fishing dude.

I like your facial hair style, sort of copied it my self. Also I seriously doubt he fished in a full robe like this artist depicted. Minimal tunic or loincloth was more likely. Just my personal opinion.

[Batch]

Is it me or does that statute look like Chris Rock?

[Batch]

I took some pictures to illustrate the difference from my frog gig and the harpoon we use on gators.

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[TXyakr]

Summary of thermocline section of this guide from Purdue University, full article at:
https://www.extension.purdue.edu/ext...as/as-503.html

Hopefully this basic theory with some common sense and practice may help some readers to locate (and land) common freshwater fish without a lot of expensive and bulky electronics (sonar) and time (USGS “real time” gauges online tell you what the water temp is before you leave home, but take a little thermometer with you anyway for obvious reasons.):

Warmwater species such as catfish feed most heavily in the water temperature range of 75-90ºF. Optimum feeding temp for channel catfish is 85ºF and spawning begins at 75ºF.
Warmwater Sunfish such as bluegill start feeding at 55-60ºF, eggs hatch at about 70ºF, active up to about 80ºF then feeding declines.
Black/Largemouth bass: feeding increases from 50-68ºF, from 68-80ºF degrees they feed heavily. But above 80ºF their feeding declines. Spawning begins at 62-65ºF
Smallmouth bass feed mostly between 50°F - 80°F
Crappie: at 45-50°F start to move from deep water to shallow, 50-55°F congregate at creek outlets to lakes/ponds, 55-60°F males form spawning beds while females are around deeper structures, 62-65°F idea shallow spawning, 70-75°F males guard nests, females go to deeper water around structure. Warmer the fry become independent, adults males move to deeper structure going up and down for optimum temperature to feed and digest.

Easiest to catch all these species when they are guarding nests or during spawn if that is legal in your area.

Bigmouth Buffalofish (not a game fish): As far as I have observed these, freshwater drum and common carp (not genetically related) actively feed over a wide range of temperature similar to bass and sunfish but also very warm water and they appear to be feeding in water below 40°F but I have only snagged these 3 species below 40°F so I don’t know. They spawn at about 60-65°F but don’t make nests, they will move into small creeks after heavy rains at these temperatures. May taste muddy if you don’t purge them in clear water for a few days (net, pen or tank). But despite the small bones are eatable.

Coolwater species: Walleye and perch actively feed between 60º and 85ºF
Coldwater species: Salmon and trout optimal feeding range is 48-65ºF. (I have personally observed most active feeding is between 50-60ºF for common trout.) But they feed outside this range from about 35 to 75ºF? just not very aggressively.

In some states it may be illegal to catch/spear/net what would otherwise be considered a “rough” or “trash” fish during its spawn for example in Texas. “Fishing Restrictions for Spawning Alligator Gar: When conditions such as water temperature and flooding events would be conducive for spawning of alligator gar, the TPWD Executive Director may temporarily prohibit taking or attempting to take alligator gar in a specified area for a period not to exceed 30 days. Conditions that would be used to invoke this action include water temperatures between 68 to 82°F and occurrence of moderate flood levels as defined and reported by U.S. Geological Survey gauges (see www.srh.noaa.gov/wgrfc).” Note that is particular species of gar has risen to being a sport fish in Texas with a daily bag limit of 1. The power of TV fishing shows I guess. All gar are eatable, they just have thick scales and many bones.

When fish are outside of these ranges they tend to expend excessive energy heating or cooling to properly digest their food so go for months without feeding much, therefore targeting them as a food source may be a waste of time. Legally with a hook and line that is. If you are desperate in a wilderness survival situation using a casting, seine or dip net or by hand, if game fish are slow and dormant may be effective. Just don’t do this for sport if local or state law prohibits it. Alaska for example may allow it but for personal use only, not for sale or barter.

Thermocline 101 basics:
Cooler water can hold more dissolved gases (oxygen, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, etc.) resulting in thermal stratification commonly referred to as the thermocline. Water has its maximum density at 39.2ºF. In spring, water temperatures are nearly equal at all depths in a pond or lake. As a result, nutrients, dissolved gases, and fish wastes may be evenly mixed throughout, assuming minimal wind and creek inlets etc. As the days become warmer, the surface water becomes warmer and lighter while the cooler-denser water forms a layer underneath. Circulation of the colder bottom water is prevented because of the different densities between the two layers of water. Dissolved oxygen levels decrease in the bottom layer since photosynthesis and contact with the air is reduced. The already low oxygen levels are further reduced through decomposition of waste products, which settle to the bottom. As a result if you are fishing on a still body of water in the summer you many not catch many fish down deep in the water column even if that is where the temperature is most ideal for them. Personally I look for sudden drop-offs or rapid thermoclines near structure with just a weight on the end of cord/line to “sound the depth” but this is obviously not as effective as top quality sonar electronics. Also I use a weighted “trout stream” thermometer on a cord, its very small and multipurpose. Basically if there is a steep cliff or point above the water compared a gentle slope the features under the water will most likely be similar, thus a sharp thermocline which fish like. It is actually more complicated than this and there are many articles about it. Here is one:
http://www.bassresource.com/fishing/thermocline.html

There are also many articles and videos on what structures to look for and why. It pains me to see newbies casting into open water and avoiding structure because they are afraid they will snag their hook and lose it. Like the joke of guy looking for his car keys under a streetlight.

[TXyakr]

I thought this was funny: "Give a man a fish and feed him for a day. Don't teach a man to fish, and feed yourself. He's a grown man. And fishing's not that hard." Ron Swanson

http://www.picturequotes.com/give-a-...an-quote-11720

[jdbushcraft]

Build a man a fire and he is warm for a night. Set a man on fire and he is warm for the rest of his life.

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

[chiggersngrits]

TXyakr, I have seen a buddy spear longnose gar with a 3 prong frog gig he carried in his tacklebox with a piece of bamboo cut from the bank used as the shaft. Also your comment about the second fish being larger is definitely true, it happened to me a couple months ago twice in a 30 minute time span. I was floating a local small river and caught a 13 in. cat on a 1/8 spinner bait, got it right up to the side of the yak and an aprox. 4 lb. large mouth came up and hit him. I believe it was trying to get the spinner out of its mouth. 20 mins. later it happened again, this time it was bass on bass violence.

[pgvoutdoors]

I was just going over the thread and it seems to have accumulated a lot of good info on and off topic. So I'm giving it a bump.

[NJHeart2Heart]

[B]Common Live Bait:

Hellgrammite

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ewwww!!! that Hellgrammite looks like the nasty evil bug from Star Trek: Wrath of Kahn!!! YUCK!!

[Rick]

Hey. To his momma he's purdy.

[Wise Old Owl]

I've never had frogs legs before. Anyone want to throw some in a box and mail them up to me???

Love old threads... If you still want them from 2014 - I will send them to ya "still kick'in"

oh apparently the Eel place in Norristown is shipping all over the world.

[Tokwan]

I vaguely remember, a small fishing kit..They made it out of wood, round spool shaped and wound the fishing line around the spool which was the external diameter of the spool. In the center they placed a magnet and stuck hooks there.

[Tokwan]

Here it is. http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...ht=bait+caster

Hey Crash, this is awesome, I just saw it. Other than tape, can we use epoxy and smoothern the epoxy with sand paper so that it gives a smooth delivery of the line?

[Tokwan]

I vaguely remember, a small fishing kit..They made it out of wood, round spool shaped and wound the fishing line around the spool which was the external diameter of the spool. In the center they placed a magnet and stuck hooks there.

found its a hunter handline...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHkCIU4N1k8

But I like Crash's fishing kit better, due to the storage capability.

[crashdive123]

Hey Crash, this is awesome, I just saw it. Other than tape, can we use epoxy and smoothern the epoxy with sand paper so that it gives a smooth delivery of the line?

I don't see why not.

[Tokwan]

I made one like yours yesterday.....all set up...hehe