Survival Fishing Kit

by Carl Rooker
(Michigan)

One time a friend and I went Bow hunting, not realizing that this day was also the opening day of duck hunting, and that we were in a very (very) popular duck hunting area. To make a long story short, we did not get much bow hunting in.

However, this friend found a stream where perch were running. Using a "hunters survival fishing kit", that is a line and 2 hooks, 1 worm that he found, and two sticks for fishing poles we kept 30 perch (we caught and released many more). We would only use part of the worm at a time, and these fish would take even the most tattered remains. We ate very well that night.

I was so delighted with the results of this that I made a more sophisticated kit. I bought a round compartmented container, a spool of fishing line, and a bolt and nut.

I filled the container with some plastic lures, fish hooks, artificial flies, and sinkers.

I then placed in the back of the spool some matches and a striker, with a much heavier line.

I then connected the container and the spool with the bolt and nut, keeping the lids on the compartment to the inside facing the open back of the spool I had already filled.

This is small enough to fit into a pocket, yet gives me a variety of options for fishing, either for pleasure or survival, if I do not have regular fishing equipment with me.

Although I have the flies and the lures, I would at first rely on natural baits, unless for some reason this is not an option. The lures are there if I need them.

I have also found that live insects are great bait. A drop of "super glue" will secure them to the hook and keep them alive, and this drives fish wild.