Survival Fishing
In a survival situation, one of quickest ways to obtain food is by fishing and all fresh water fish are edible. You can find fish in ponds, lakes, streams and rivers. While many sport anglers will have boats and plenty of gear to catch fish you in a survival situation will not have any of this gear. However, in a survival situation you do not require boats and expensive rods and reels to catch fish. You may find yourself lost or stranded without any traditional fishing gear or none at all. This does not mean you have to go hungry however, you can find what you need in your environment.
Fishing Spears
Fishing spear made from a small green sapling. Simply split the ends to form prongs and use pieces wood in between the prongs to hold them apart. A single sharpened end is not ideal for catching fish because it may not penetrate to hold the fish and can damage edible parts of the fish. Tools needed to make this spear are a sharp edged rock or knife and a piece of wood to strike the rock or knife to split the ends.
Hooks
You can fish using the traditional line and baited hook. Hooks can be made from pieces of wire, bone, plastic and wood. If you have, a paper clip or a pop top from a soda can then you have a fishhook. If you do not have a multi-tool to bend and sharpen the metal or pop top you will have to use rocks and whatever else is available to form the hooks.
The hook can be made from a piece of bone or metal about one inch long. Both ends are sharpened and baited in hopes the fish swallows the entire hook. Tools need are a knife/multi-tool or sharp thin pieces of rock. Use a heavier rock to form the pop tops unless you can use the wire cutters from a multi-tool. Simply batter the tops into a shape hook and then sharpen using a coarse stone.
A broken button can be turned into a gorge hook. Attach to fishing line using the hole available on the button. Sharpen the ends that will hold the bait by rubbing against a coarse rock or use the file blade from your multi-tool.
Fishing Line
Paracord is a survival must have because you can unravel the seven inner strands of paracord for fishing line and it would be heavy enough for your needs. You can also make line by twisting strips of bark together. Do not ring any trees that you are removing bark from because it will kill the tree. Remove the outer bark in a long strip down one side and peel away the inner strands. Once you have three or four simply braid them together into line. Any fibrous plant can be used for string by separating the stands and then twisting or braiding together. You can use your shoelaces, and even small gauge wiring from an automobile for fishing line. You can even unravel clothing to make line.
Bait and Tackle
Bait can be grubs, worms, fuzzy seedpods and even scraps of cloth. Use pieces of Styrofoam or plastic bottle caps for bobbers, and small pebbles for sinkers. Use pop tops with cloth tied to them for lures and any piece of shiny metal for spoons.