Growing up next to the Norfolk broads and by the sea I did a lot of fresh water and sea fishing when I was younger. Alas, no trout or salmon, for fresh water fishing mostly Roach, Rudd, Bream, Eel and Pike. For sea fishing, whiting, flounder and dabs. Note, in normal situations you should NOT use some of these techniques in the UK as they are illegal and others require the correct permits or licenses.
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Figure 8.2.0 : Fish trap
Figure 8.2.0.1 : Fitching weave (left), start end (right)
An alternative to hook and line are fish traps, as shown in figure 8.2.0. This trap is made from willow, 32 dry uprights (matching, medium width, not too thin as these can snap) placed into a wooden board with pre-drilled holes of the required diameter (could also be pushed into the ground in the required shape). Then soaked willow (one day per foot of rod) is woven in between the uprights using a Fitching weave. To start a weave select to matching rods bend over a spike such that the doubled length is the same thickness as thick end of the rod. Then twist one of the rod over (mirrored |_ _|), looping both through and around one of the uprights. Then using a twisting action move the bottom rod up and in and the top rod down and out, as shown in figure 8.2.0.1. When the soaked willow is not long enough to go round all 32 uprights fitch two of 16, then continue these weaves by one fitching weave to join the two halves together. Tidy the free ends with a short length of simple in-out weave. The initial weave uses a thumb spacing between the uprights, then an index finger and finally a little finger weaving two uprights together. At this point the uprights are too close together to weave, therefore, alternative uprights are cut out and the process is repeated. Tip, cut these uprights at the level where the next weave will be made, otherwise there will be big gaps between the uprights. The inner funnel is made in the same manner, but at an increased taper, then joiner to the main cone with another band of fitching. If this trap is to be positioned in a fast flowing stream the funnel may not be required as the water pressure may be sufficient to hold the fish in the narrowest section. Traditionally baited with either worms, offal or fish, to catch eels, fish or crayfish.
Fish traps can also be made out of netting as shown in figure 8.2.1. This is an example of a dip net, made using the square netting technique. A triangle of netting is made to the required length, then folded in half and tied together forming a cone shape, as shown in figure 8.2.1. A final row of netting is then knitted around a hazel hoop to join them together. Tip, for the last row a mess stick is not required just hand space, remember to space the netting around the hoop as it is formed, doubled cord can be used to re-enforce the final row. Attached to a pole this net can be used to scope out or land fish. It can also be baited by tying a bait e.g. fish heads, to the inside of the bottom of the net. Weight the bottom of the net with a stone and lower into the water. Leave for a while and pull up quickly. As the bottom of the net is weighted it will stay in position whilst the sides move upwards, trapping fish or crabs eating the bait. Another alternatively is based on the thorn funnel traps described in the link below. These funnel traps are either lined with backwards facing thorns or enclose the fish in a compressing tube preventing it from turning around or backing out. These traps can be baited as for the eel traps or, can be staked out in a stream and the fish driven into it. The example shown in figure 8.2.1 is made from flat netting, an initial tube of 7 meshes is expanded to 14, then 28 to form the funnel, the intent being that the fish is entangled in the narrow net tube at the base of the funnel.
Figure 8.2.1 : Dip net (left), Funnel trap (right)
Figure 8.2.1.1 : Fish trap
A common fish trap design is shown in figure 8.2.1.1, which can be used to catch fish, crayfish or crabs. The net is made from garden Jute twine (size2) using a mesh stick of 1 1/4" (an old Helix ruler). Functional this design is equivalent to the Willow fish trap shown in figure 8.2.0, in which a funnel is used to prevent the fish from leaving the main body of the trap. The main body i.e. the net tube, is made using the same technique as for the net bag described in the cordage section. The initial foundation ring (sometimes called a grommet) is made of 15 loops. This forms a net tube of 16 meshes. In this example 20 rows are knitted producing a trap approximately 24" long and 10" wide. When the desired length is reached the tube’s width is reduced by one mesh for each new row, this new section forming the funnel i.e. this section is folded inside the main tube. The funnel section of the trap is approximately 10" long with a final entrance size of 7 loop, or 2.5" – 3" diameter. Note, I’ve read on the web that crayfish traps must have a maximum entrance size of 95mm to prevent larger animals such as Otters from becoming entangled. To hold the funnel section in position the top and bottom of the entrance are tied to the middle hoop, forming an oval entrance rather than a round one. I decided on this shape to make it more difficult for the fish to escape. Observing fish whilst fishing you see them push their way through reeds and weed to get to food, therefore, although pulling the entrance into an oval shape reduces its size I’m quite sure larger fish will push their way through as the end is quite flexible / expandable. Also looking at commercial fish / crab traps its quite common to see soft plastic fingers on the end of the funnel to prevent the fish escaping. Its also important to match the entrance size to the nets mesh size, in this example the mesh size is approximately 1" square, therefore, the entrance must be large enough to allow fish of a sufficient size that cannot pass through this mesh size to enter. To hold the net open a series of split Bamboo hoops tied to the outside of the net are used, with two split Bamboo rods holding them apart. Note, these rods are only pushed into string bindings in each end hoop, springy Bamboo rods holding the net in tension. The advantage of this approach is that the rods can be easily removed and the trap collapsed for transport or storage. Tip, the hoop bindings are coated in varnish to prevent them from slipping or from coming undone. To hold the bait in the trap a small net bag is used, tied to the second from back hoop. This is formed by knitting a small square net, 5 meshes square, with a mesh size of approximately 1cm (formed using a pencil as a mesh stick). This is then folded in half and one edge stitched together to form a cone, into which bait such as bread, fish, bacon, black pudding or worms threaded onto a metal ring can be placed. The key here is to place the bait in the bag such that the only way for the fish to get the bait is to enter the trap. Finally the cord used to form the initial foundation ring is cut and a plaited draw string feed through the meshes to allow the net to be closed and bait to be put in or fish removed.
Figure 8.2.2 : Bottle fish trap
Figure 8.2.2.1 : Improved bottle fish trap
A common fish trap shown in survival books / websites is one made from a 2 litre plastic bottle. Realistically perhaps not the most practical example of an emergency survival trap, unless there is a plastic bottle tree growing near by. However, it is a bit of fun, therefore decided to have a go as shown in figure 8.2.2. Simply cut off the top to form the funnel, invert and tie in place with a couple of lengths of string. An improved version on the basic model is shown in figure 8.2.2.1. To allow easy access to any fish caught i.e. minnows etc, added a screw top from a plastic milk bottle. Measured the neck size of this bottle and marked its outline with a permanent marker on the 2 litre plastic bottle, cutting it out with a sharp knife. Note, have a very sharp knife and go slowly, very easy to slip / apply too much pressure and go off track. The milk bottle top was then cut to size and pushed up through this hole, secured in place with two brass paper fasteners. Note, made the holes through the plastic with an awl and trimmed down the ends of fasteners with a pair of snips. As with other designs the front of the bottle is cut off and inverted to form the entrance funnel, again held in place using brass paper fasteners. Also made a small swim feeder like bait box / container to hold the bait e.g. bread, out of the milk bottle’s handle, adding extra holes using a hole punch. This was held in place by a length of string at the rear of the trap, twisted around another paper fastener. To fill the bait holder the string is released so that it can pass through the screw cap, being pulled back in place when loaded. Thought about adding extra holes to allow the scent of bait to flow into the water, but decided that there would be a natural flow of water through the front funnel and out of the hole at the top of the bait box, but may add extra hole later. To secure a line to the trap drilled a hole in the top of the bottle, reinforced with a section of milk bottle plastic through which a loop of cord was passed and tied around a length of wood. Tried to position the hole such that when the trap was retrieved the top of the trap would naturally swing upwards, trapping the fish in a pool of water in the base of the trap. Below are some useful documents on fish traps I’ve found on the web (due to possible copyright conflicts these are only accessible from the local machine) :
Looking at examples from around the world, the hook and the spear seem to be competing technologies, in that cultures tend to focus on one or the other. Not, to say that there aren’t examples of indigenous peoples using both as illustrated by the tribes of North America. In such cultures they form a complementary approach to fishing. The hook being a set-and-forget device allowing the hunter to go off and do other things. The spear being a much more immediate and specialised device, designed for particular species, seasons and situations. Reading around this subject there seems to be a bit of confusion on terminology, a good description of this given here:
"The terms used for arms and weapons - spears, lances, harpoons, darts, leisters, arrows - can be confusing. A spear leaves the hand, i.e., it is thrown and does not have a line attached to the head. If the spear has a fletched shaft it may be called a dart. Some darts are only slightly larger than arrows that are shot from a bow. Whales were killed with long darts. An implement that is held and thrust is a lance. Lances tend to be heavier than spears. With a harpoon, a connection is maintained with the struck animal by means of a line attached to the harpoon head. Harpoons can be cast like spears, thrust like a lance or shot from a bow as in the case of the harpoon-arrows used for hunting sea otters. Leisters are spears and darts with multiple prongs or tips used for birds and fish." D.W. Clark, Report for Afognak Native Corporation, Native Village of Afognak
One of the interesting areas of spear fishing design are the different types of spear points used, from simple single-point (sharpened stick), multi-point (trident) and barbed-point (Leister) designs. In general the more points the better, giving some leeway in your aim. When throwing a spear the general advice seems to be to aim slightly below the fish to allow for refraction. Spear point construction is determined by the materials available, normally made from either stone, wood, bone or antler. Antler or bone is commonly used by the tribes of Alaska where wood is scarce, however, when you look at examples from Australia, spear tips tend to be made from different hardwoods. Examples of simple harpoon points are shown in figures 8.3.0 and 8.3.0.1. The most commonly used design has a single row of ‘wave’ like barbs along the top edge, the retaining line being attached via a central hole or prevented from sliding off by a larger rear section. The example shown in the bottom frame of figure 8.3.0 uses a three cord plaited line secured to the harpoon using a loop formed using a figure of eight knot looped over to form a lark’s foot knot around the harpoon. The other end of the line is threaded through a hole in a small length of wood, allowing it to swivel forming a handle. Tip, carve these harpoon points with a triangular or pear shaped cross section with the widest section at the bottom, increasing strength. Note, a hardwood must be used to allow the point to carved and sanded to a fine point and edge (hardwoods give a very smooth and detailed surface). A double row of barbs can also be used as shown in figure 8.3.0.1. However, there is a danger of weakening the harpoon due to the reduced central cross sectional area. To compensate for this the barbs can be offset such that they are not directly opposite, alternatively a wider blade width can be used, however, this does have the disadvantage of increasing the required force to spear the animal. Tip, to maximise the central section carve out thin barbs using the tip of your knife as shown in the bottom frame of figure 8.3.0.1.
Figure 8.3.0 : Single row barb harpoon points
Figure 8.3.0.1 : Double row barb spear points
The tribes of Alaska are a good example of a culture that have perfected the use of different harpoon points :
"Winter harpoon-The Eskimos have harpoons of two types: that for winter use is designed primarily for harpooning the seal through its small breathing-hole in the ice, and is therefore smaller and lighter than the harpoon used in summer hunting of bearded seals, walrus, white whales, and narwhals. It consists of a short wooden handle rigidly attached to an iron foreshaft about three-eighths of an inch in diameter and rather over 2 feet long. At the opposite end of the shaft there is often an ice chisel made from three-quarters to one-inch rod iron. The harpoon head is made of metal, usually brass, with a sharpened piece of saw blade or some such good steel riveted in to form the cutting edge. The point of the foreshaft fits into a hole in the harpoon head which is held in place by the taut harpoon line. If the harpoon is being thrown at a seal carcass floating near the floe edge the line is passed through a loop on the shaft, so that the shaft can be drawn back after the throw; but when striking at a seal through the ice this loop is not used, since the attached shaft would only be in the way. Summer harpoon-The wooden shaft of the summer harpoon is both longer and heavier. The foreshaft is generally made from a single walrus tusk selected for its straightness, but if a suitable one is not available pieces from two are scarfed together. The foreshaft is not rigidly attached, but its rounded base is lashed with skin line into an ivory socket on the wooden shaft. The summer harpoon head is considerably larger than the winter, and the brass of the latter is replaced by ivory. Both the winter and summer heads are fixed to the foreshaft in the same manner." T. H. Manning, Hunting Implements and Methods of the Present-Day Eskimos of North-West Hudson Bay, Melville Peninsula, and South-West Baffin Island.
Bone or antler are commonly used to form the tip or barbs of a spear head, due to their hardness, allowing them to be ground to a fine point or edge. A common example is to use a bone splinter obtained from crushing a bone as a bard on a small spear and dart tip. This is recessed into the tip and tied into position with thin cordage. Note, to minimise the friction caused by this binding in spearing the animal it was normally coated with a glue made from Pine resin and charcoal, as shown in the last frame of figure 8.3.1. Tip, apply the resin to the spear tip, then warm very gently over a candle, continually rotating the spear tip until a smooth surface forms. Remove from the flame, don’t be in a hurry to test if the resin has set, continue to rotate the spear tip until cool to prevent the resin from sliding to the bottom. Another common use of larger pieces of bone and antler is to form the spear tip i.e. the cutting tip, as bone can be ground to a finer, sharper, more resilient edge, as shown in figures 8.3.1.1 and 8.3.1.2. The example in figure 8.3.1.1 also has hardwood side barbs. The advantage of using separate barbs and tips is that the main body of the harpoon can be made from a softer wood without any significant disadvantage. This spear point is attached to its shaft using a lap joint i.e. two 'L' shaped cut outs are overlapped and held together with a binding. Note, the retaining line is attached via a cord loop threaded through a small hole in the harpoon point and whipped in place. The example shown in figure 8.3.1.2 is based on an Alaskan design. The original tip was made from flint, having quite a round point, similar to that shown in figure 8.3.1.2, not sure if this is deliberate or a sign of damage i.e. the original tip of the point has been snapped off. Another feature to note is the size of the rear plug that fits into the socket on the shaft. As this example shows this plug is very short, I would guess that additional strapping would be required to hold this harpoon point onto the shaft to prevent it from being knocked off when being used.
Figure 8.3.1 : Dart point, single bone barb
Figure 8.3.1.1 : Harpoon point, bone point, multiple wooden barbs
Figure 8.3.1.2 : Harpoon point, bone point
The spear head in figure 8.3.2 is based on an Australian design. A socket is carved into either the spear’s shaft or a separate body. Into this multiple hardwood prongs are inserted. These are roughly split then carved from a straight section of Pittosporum, a close grain hardwood. The tips being thinned and carved to a point. The bottom ends are angled such that when a central wedge is inserted they are splayed out into a trident. This central wedge can either be a short flat topped peg allowing it to be hammered into place, or alternatively a fourth wooden prong can be used. Tip, use a softwood block to protect the tip when hammering in a fourth prong. Note, to stop the socket from splitting a tight binding is tied around the head of the socket. To minimise the height of this binding a recess is cut into the socket into which a thin nylon cord is tightly wrapped. Tip, a thin cord wrapped multiple times around the socket exerts more compressive force than a single layer of a thicker cord whipped around the socket. The spear heads shown in figures 8.3.2.1 and 8.3.2.2 are examples of fishing tridents where the primary function of the prongs is to hold the fish rather than penetrate its flesh i.e. the fish’s body passes between the prongs, the backwards facing barbs holding the fish in position. Again the hardwood prongs in figure 8.3.2.1 are Pittosporum and Elder in figure 8.3.2.2. Mature Elder is a surprisingly hard wood, the soft central pith can be easily scrapped out, giving it a split Bamboo appearance. This allows the barbs to be carved with the grain such that they face inwards, retaining the fish. Recesses are carved into the base of each spear head to hold the prongs in position. Unlike the previous example where the force from a central peg holds the prongs in position, these versions use a simple single layer whipping. In addition to this a little Pine resin glue is used just to hold the prongs in place whilst the whipping is being tied. The holding force from this binding is not as large as that exerted from the peg so there is a little movement when forced. Experimenting I didn’t find this to be a problem as the recesses carved into the base prevented the prongs from twisting or being pushed back.
Figure 8.3.2 : Trident fishing spear mark 1
Figure 8.3.2.1 : Trident fishing spear mark 2
Figure 8.3.2.2 : Trident fishing spear mark 3
A leister, or pronged fishing spear, combines a piecing tip and backwards facing barbs, both designed to hold a fish on the spear head, rather than kill it straight out. The Leister spear head shown in figure 8.3.3, is made using an oak body (hardness), yew barbs (hardness, could also be made of bone) and ash sides (flexibility), these being secured together using Birch tar glue and artificial sinew (made as part of a course). Due to its long tapering plug this spear head can be easily attached to a hazel rod by making two crossed splits in one end. Note a lower binding on the shaft is required to prevent these splits running down the rod. The spear head is designed to be detachable i.e. a harpoon, secured to a length of cordage through a central hole. The spear head shown in figure 8.3.3.1 is again based on an Alaskan design. In the original example the side pieces were made of Musk-ox horn which was immersed in hot water then bent to the required shape. Alternatively Caribou antler was also commonly used. The spear head was securely attached to a long wooden pole, 12 – 16 feet long and used to spear fish through an ice hole. Note, the spear tip and bards in the example shown in figure 8.3.3.1 are made from bone, with Elder slides, re-enforced with a cord backing. Note, didn’t get the distance between the tip and the barbs quite right, in the original example these were almost touching. Tip, when making the bone tip and barbs, the best method to achieve the desired shape is to rough them out using a hacksaw then grind them to shape on the side of a brick and a little water, as shown in the top frame of figure 8.3.3.1. An alternative method is to try and split them off a section of bone. Didn’t have much success with this method, scouring did help a bit, however, in general I found that bones are difficult to split.
Figure 8.3.3 : Leister fishing spear mark 1
Figure 8.3.3.1 : Leister fishing spear mark 2
Below are some useful documents on fish spears I’ve found on the web (due to possible copyright conflicts these are only accessible from the local machine) :
Figure 8.2.3 : Artificial lures : plugs
An alternative to baited hook and line is the artificial lure; plug, spinner, spoon or fly. Tip, in general a baited hook and line is best e.g. worm, bread etc, as these attract the fish by vision and scent. The exception to this is in the summer when the water temperature is up, the predatory instincts of a fish to strike out are more likely to be triggered by a artificial lure. Plugs are wooden or plastic imitation fish, designed to mimic the swimming actions of a prey fish or animal. There are three basic types, floaters, floating divers and sinkers. Floaters typically don’t have a diving vane, designed to simulate surface prey i.e. injured fish, vole, frog etc. Floating divers have a diving vane at the front, causing the lure to dive when retrieved i.e. the faster the line is retrieved the deeper the lure will dive. If retrieval is stopped the lure will float to the surface, mimicking the swimming action of an injured fish with swim bladder problems. The larger the angle of the diving vane relative to the main line the shallower the dive. Tip, by repeatedly speeding up and slowing down the retrieval speed you can make the lure work more water, increasing the probability of finding a fish. Sinkers have additional weight imbedded into its body (may or may not have a diving vane) to allow the lure to be fished at depth. Plugs can be easily carved from wood, some examples are shown in figure 8.2.3.
Figure 8.2.4 : Making a wooden plugs
To make a plug, first rough out a basic cigar shape approximately 2 - 3cm in diameter and either 5, 10 or 15cm long. The plug in figure 8.2.4 is made from a piece of pine (split out of a larger log), approximately 9cm long and 2.5cm wide. The shape is based on the Creek Chub Pikie and River Runt Spook designs, classic floating diver plugs. When the basic shape has been carved out, a slit is cut along the base of the plug using a saw and another across its mouth. These are to house the connecting wire and diving vane. The areas where the connecting loops will be positioned (front, middle and back) are enlarged to accommodate the twisted wire. The connecting wire is made of galvanised steel (easy to form) but could equally be made of brass, or stainless steel (difficult to form). The diving vane (made from flattened copper pipe, alternatively tin can or plastic) and wire are now glued into position using two part epoxy glue. Use sufficient glue to fill the saw cuts such that when sanded it will be flush with the surface. Sand initially with a course sand paper to remove knife cuts, finishing with a fine grade (be careful not to remove the protective zinc covering the wire). Then undercoat and paint. One theory when choosing colours is to contrast the plug with the water it will be used in e.g. in clear bright water use darker colours, in turbid / coloured water use reflective foil, brighter colours. Finally hooks are attached using split rings. Tip, to achieve the desired swimming action (wobble) extra weight can be imbedded in the plug by drilling holes at key points (normally in the base at the front, be careful not to drill into the wire) and fill with melted lead or solder, then cap with epoxy. Alternatively, the size, angle and shape of the diving vane can be adjusted. Achieving a good swimming action is not an exact science, what your looking to create is an unstable system i.e. something that moves in the water, wobbling, twitching, darting from side to side. This has a lot to do with the shape of the plug, the buoyancy of the wood and the weight and angle of the diving vane. In addition to this each plug will require slightly different retrieval speeds to get the best performance (even plugs with a poor action can be enhanced by varying the speed and angle of retrieval). Note, a 15 – 30cm wire trace must be used when fishing for pike to stop the fish biting through the line. For small medium size fish, a 10lb breaking strain will do, 1 or 2 strand of brass wire, higher breaking strains will be required for large fish, different techniques.
Figure 8.2.5 : Alternative wooden plug design
Spinners and spoons don’t try to imitate a prey fish or animal directly but to replicate the vibrations they make in the water. Spoons can be easily made by sawing off the handle from a teaspoon, drilling holes top and bottom and attaching a hook using a split ring (figure 8.2.6 middle). Alternatively a brass or stainless steel wire is passed through these holes and small fins soldered on or cut / formed out of the spoon to make a Colorado spoon (figure 8.2.6 left). The teaspoons handle can also be made into a bar spinner by bending it into a shallow ‘S’ shape, again attaching a hook using a split ring (figure 8.2.6 middle). The final method of making a spoon is to hammer one out of sheet metal. The sheet metal is cut to size, an oval shape, typically 5 – 10cm long (can be larger). Then using a ball point hammer start in the middle and gently hammer out to the edge to form the concave spoon shape. This process can be made easier by carving a depression of the required size and shape into a block of wood and then forming the metal in this mould. Spinners are best bought as the moving parts involved are difficult to make. Some variations I’ve had good results with are double spinners and spinner/plug combinations. One spinner that is easy to construct is a mackerel spinner. This has the same basic construction as a Colorado spoon, except that its main body is made from a flat triangle of plate metal and tubing i.e. brass, copper or steel (figure 8.2.6 second left). The sheet metal is cut to size, a long thin heart shape, typically 2 – 6cm long. The vanes are then curved to generate the spinning motion when retrieved and the tube soldered in place. A brass wire is placed through the tube and connecting loops formed, a bead is normally placed at the bottom to prevent the vanes jamming on the lower loop. Contrasting colours are painted onto the top and bottom faces i.e. silver and brown, to produce a flashing action when retrieved, however, when retrieved at speed you cant really see this. Tip, when using spoons and spinners use swivels to prevent the hook trace and main line becoming twisted.
Figure 8.2.6 : Spinners and spoons
The finally category of artificial lures are Jellies, Jigs, feathers and flies as shown in figure 8.2.7 – 8.2.7.2. Jellies are a relatively new addition, made of a soft plastic giving the lure a more realistic feel and action (figure 8.2.7 right). The down side to this is that they are more prone to bite damage. Feathers have long been used in the construction of lures, giving a very flowing, streamlined action when in the water. Mackerel feathers were traditional made from the hackle feathers of a chicken (small, long thin feathers) 2 - 4 tied near the eye of a hook. Modern alternatives tend to be made of plastic foil (figure 8.2.7 top left), I have also seen them made from aluminium foil, insulation and duct tape. A number of these feather are tied to a main line at regular intervals using standoff knots and a short hook trace. Flies come in a large number of different types and sizes from streamers and pike flies shown in figures 8.2.7 and 8.2.7.1 to smaller wet and dry flies shown in figure 8.2.7.2. I have used dry flies a couple of times when on holiday with success, using a length of button cotton and a simple pole. Cut a sapling 1 - 2m long, about as thick as you finger at the base and attach a length of button cotton (strong cotton, almost impossible to snap with your hands) to the tip, the same length as the pole (use a dark colour cotton if possible, good idea to continue the cord down to the base just in case the tip snaps). Tie the fly to the cotton and flick the fly out to where the fish have been spotted rising. This is relatively easy to do as the cotton takes in water giving it a little weight. Using this rig I’ve caught dace and bleak.
Figure 8.2.7 : Jellies, Jigs, feathers and flies
Figure 8.2.7.1 : Variations on the basic fly design
Figure 8.2.7.2 : Dry flies
An alternative to rod and reel is the hand line. This is well suited for backpacking owing to its small size and robustness, some examples are shown in figures 8.2.8 - 8.2.8.4. The line is secured to and wrapped around a spool, either specifically designed for the job or an improvised item such as a can or bottle. To cast the hand line, hold the spool in one hand and point it in the direction of the target, gently holding a finger against the line to prevent it un-spooling. Then in the other hand hold the line about 50cm from the bait or lure. Swing the lure in an under arm (by your side) circular motion, releasing when the lure is pointing in the desired direction. When you release the lure move the finger resting on the line away from the spool to allow the line to peel off the spool with as little friction as possible. Replacing it to slow down or stop the line. To retrieve the lure, simply hold the spool steady and wrap the line around it. The main disadvantage of the hand line is that you don’t have the shock absorbing effect of the rod, as a result a higher breaking strain line should be used e.g. 10lbs+. This problem is particularly problematic when hooking and playing a fish i.e. you don’t want to pull the hook out of the fish’s mouth, and you need to let out line allowing a fish to run to avoid breaking the line (use finger pressure again to control the line as it is feed out). An alternative to the ‘casting’ type hand line is the ‘static’ hand line as shown in figure 8.2.8.1, an example of a Cod boat fishing line. These hand lines are designs to pay out the line straight down e.g. from the side of a boat or pier. You can cast out the line as previously described but the line needs to be laid out on the ground first. To allow the line to be un-spooled quickly a heavy lead weight is normally used, in addition to this the handles on the spool are normally free to rotate i.e. allowing the spool to spin freely. From looking at designs in books and on the web there seems to be two basic styles, one made from a solid piece of wood and those made from separate pieces of wood. Note, in general the wooden frame is rectangular in shape, a longer length allows a more compact design for the length of line used i.e. allowing more line to be retrieved every revolution. An example of a solid frame design is shown in figure 8.2.8.2. A central hole is drilled through the side handles and screwed onto the body, such that they are free to rotate. Note, a longer than required screw is used to prevent the handles from becoming overly tightened or working loose. To use firmly hold one handle in each hand and rotate hand line body to un-spool or retrieve the line. A multiple hook paternoster setup is used, each hook is attached to the main line using a ‘standoff’ knot, forming a loop approximately 10cm long. The end of the loop is passed through the eye of a swivel to form a ‘larks’ foot knot. The swivel is then pulled through a length of plastic tubing to hold the hook lengths off, away from the main line. Note, a length of wire helps pull the swivel through the tubing. In this example the hook lengths are made from 10lb monofilament line with a size 8 hook, these are pushed into a block of artificial cork glued onto the side for safety. A 4oz lead weight is attached to the main line (yellow braided nylon cordage) using a split ring.
Figure 8.2.8 : Casting hand lines
1. Image : reference -
Figure 8.2.8.1 : Static hand line
1. Image : reference -
Figure 8.2.8.2 : Solid body hand line
Figure 8.2.8.3 : Rotating hand line
Figure 8.2.8.4 : Frame hand line
The example in figure 8.2.8.3 is made using separate branches, two thicker side bars with three holes drilled into them, the central holes being a larger diameter to allow the frame to rotate about the middle rod. The top and bottom bars are carved to produce a friction fit, held in place with a small amount of epoxy glue. Note, ensure that the holes are drilled square to ensure that the middle rod will rotate freely, this hole may need to be enlarged to realign the holes. The frame style hand lines are the simplest to make, an example is shown in figure 8.2.4.4. This is made from four sticks bound together. To help prevent the frame from distorting when reeling in the line, lap joints are caved into the sticks at each corner. Note, before you carve each joint, hold in place the previously completed joints to ensure that the frame is flat and the corners are square. I made this example to replace a plastic crabbing hand line which snapped when I accidentally stepped on it. I made it a little wider than required so that I could slip my fingers through the frame when in use. Note, the bait i.e. raw meat, is placed in the mesh bag, the line is left in the water for 10 minutes and then pulled in gently, hopefully with a crab still clinging onto its prized find. To ensure the crab does not let go I have seen examples where a series of small snares / nooses made from heavy gauge monofilament are tied around the bait bag i.e. as the crab tries to get to the bait it will hopefully push its claw through a noose, this being pulled tight when you reel in the line.
Figure 8.2.9 : Dip net with hand line
Figure 8.2.9.1 : Securing the bamboo ring
Have seen these being used on a pier to catch crabs, so decided to make one. The basic design is based on a net bag described in cordage section. The initial foundation grommet is made using 21 loops. This is continued for 5 rows, there after the number of meshes are expanded every 3 rows. To expand a row an extra loop is added every 5 meshes until the end of that row. This process is repeated until the desired diameter is obtained. The mesh bag is then tied to a split bamboo ring, approximately 24" diameter, using a length of cord, looping around the ring and outer meshes. Tip, to hold the net in position whilst being tied on use five temporary thin wire (22 gauge) twists spread out evenly around the ring, loop the cord around the ring only 3 times in between meshes to evenly spread the outer meshes out around the ring. The ends of the bamboo ring are again tied together using thin wire. The wire is tied on as shown in figure 8.2.9.1, first form a loop at the free end and rest it on the bamboo. Bending the spooled end 90 degrees to the loop, wrap the wire around the bamboo and over the loop, repeat for approximately 8 turns. To finish cut the wire off the spool, pushing this end through the eye of the initial loop, pulling the initial free end of the wire to tighten the loop around the cut end. Finally bend the cut end over to form a hook and trim the free ends. To ensure that the net remains level whilst it is being pulled up and that the crabs remain in the bottom of the net, the main line is attached at four points on the bamboo ring. These are formed from two lengths of cord (approximately 40" long) tied on 90 degrees apart using a simple turn and two half hitches. The two loops formed can be placed over your finger, adjusting their lengths to find the nets middle / balance point. When the ring is balanced the top of the loops are tied together using a figure of 8 knot, to produce a small double loop onto which the main line is attached. To keep these lines off the net whilst on the sea floor a small cork is also attached to the same point. Note, attached using a ‘U’ loop of stiff wire hooked around the cord and pushed into the cork. The net is weighted down using three stones, one tied to the bottom of the net and two to each side of the bamboo ring. To attach these stones a Turk’s head knot is tied around each stone. Finally at the bottom of the net I’ve tied on a small bait box made out of the base of a cut down 2 litre milk bottle. Tip, raw chicken wings or bacon are the recommended bait.
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