The Genuine primitive fish hook

The steps to making a good wooden fish hook....

http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...&pictureid=206

the first thing you do is split out the hook shafts from a bent grained chunk of wood with a knot in it.

http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...&pictureid=211

and This...

http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...&pictureid=210

then you pin or peg two thorns togather and lash tightly with cordage and melted pine resin.

http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...&pictureid=208

and..

http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...&pictureid=207

The finished product is a good hook...

http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...&pictureid=206

And if a knot doesnt have the diameter and curve that you need just find a tree BURL, and you will be able to spilt off what you need. Some times seperating the wood with pressure is better than wedge splitting(For long slender curves that have sharp bends). its easy to do so dont be afraid to try it.

Here is a book that explaines how to make fish hooks much like the ones that I make. spliting off of Burls is an alternative to the STEAM BENT WOOD hook described in his book. (Ramond Mears)THE WILDERNESS SURVIVAL HANDBOOK

http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...&pictureid=212

Nice posts and pics.

Thanks erunkiswldrnssurvival for this idea :)

You really nailed primitive fishing. I haven't yet got anywhere close to something that good looking. Did you use sinew on the bindings of the hook?

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Originally Posted by Jericho117

You really nailed primitive fishing. I haven't yet got anywhere close to something that good looking. Did you use sinew on the bindings of the hook?

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Yes the Highest quality binding is sinue, my second choice would be Stinging Nettle, the third would be Indian hemp.

I am curious if you have caught anything with hooks such as these, I have made similar ones before in practice but have never succeeded in catching anything with them. They always seem too large to me.

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Originally Posted by tacmedic

I am curious if you have caught anything with hooks such as these, I have made similar ones before in practice but have never succeeded in catching anything with them. They always seem too large to me.

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I do catch fish with this type of hook, what I use is a Grape Vine pole (30')
At the tips of the "pole" I retain a few leaves so that the hook , bait and a couple leaves , all togather promotes fish strikes.If fish can see the hook, they are less likely to strike. so adequit bait and something else to distract them.

And also to add, for small fish the materials change. instead of thorns I would switch to bone splinters. if they are too small to tie or lash, these would have to be pressed into a live honey sucle twig and in a year or so ,the bone would be securely moored into the wood ready to use.
so theres lots of options. there are a lot of things like that are available for use , and only comunity lifestyle can support some of the practices.

Some of the Burl Growing practices involved Introducing ants to the tree (Poplar) And they would Sting the Red oaks, Black Willow,and Hophornbeam with sea enemimies.(And the stung tree would form a Burl).And there are many other things that they did to manipulate groth to provide what they wanted.

This is a pic of some fish bones that would make exelent fish hooks, The ribs can be lashed, resin coated, then broken down to a small size, a feasable means of obtaining a small hook when you need it.

http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...&pictureid=102

Thanks! Really good info.

Here is a fishing spear that I made awhile back. I use the same methods to make these also...

http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...6&pictureid=78

really well laid out thread, pictures and explanation

This was a good post!

Nice thread, very nice pictures and techniques.