That has been a question I've been asking myself a bit, and after looking on the internet about it, I've found a few answers, but they either require lots of work, a hook, or don't seem really efficient. What's been your best method?
Fishing without a rod
- Thread starter WanderLost Radical
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- fishing wilderness living
Pop can, hook of some sort ( the real ones are better but paper clips or wire work) twine string ect bait. They call it fishing for a reason, not catchin 
hooks are cheap, light and do not take up much room. with a roll of fishing line, you are set to go. coil the line around a can or bottle tie on a small stick for a float (also for weight to make casting easier) and you are fishing. or tie shorter lines onto overhanging trees or bushes (we call them bank lines) go do something else and check back every now and then. or just find a long springy branch and make yourself a fishing pole. if you have no hooks carve a "gouge" and use that instead. bank lines are my favorite way to fish, cuz i can do other stuff while the lines are in the water. and multiple lines increase you chance of success. if cat fishing i'll put out 10 or so lines then check them every 30 minutes or so. gives me more time to sit by the fire and get a buzz going::drinkingbuddy::
I don't know the name, but it's a piece of scrap wood about the size of your hand and then you wrap the string around it for storage. Most of the time if you go down to a river or any place where people fish you can find string, bobbers, and hooks laying around or stuck in the trees or brush.
Sweet I like the idea on bank lines. Would probably work well with an overhanging tree/shrubbery/bush by the water.
Just have to find the right spot I suppose... a steep bank? Camp farther some ways away...
I'm in the process of getting rid of stuff. Never had professional fishing gear but I have some poles to get rid of or store and I plan to take the line and my hooks and sinkers and stuff from my lame tackle box.
Bottle reels are pretty cool also. Not the best video but the guy gets the point across. You can use plastic bottles also.
Bank lines are illegal in some states, where i live they are legal. i can have 2 poles out and 5 bank lines. i will usually cut small willow trees down into poles about 6-7 feet long, but leave a tuft of leaves on the end. drive them into the bank or river bottom where i want to fish, then tie the line at the top, so the springy willow will help set the hook and keep the fish on. that way if you have a fish on the line, you can see the leaves on the end jerking around. i said earlier i'd put out about 10 lines, cuz i am usually with someone else and that's the max we can have. if you do not have a fishing licence, i feel fishing with bank lines is less risky than sitting on the bank with a fishing rod in your hands.
Yeah, I could keep a few hooks in my sewing kit!! But I'm not sure I understood what you were saying about the floats... small sticks make a float and a weight? How's that possible? xD
I think it's illegal if you don't check on them. If you're staying around, doing other things, I don't think there'd be a problem. I think it's illegal because it makes fish suffer too look before you check on them. But I'm no expert though, that's just what I think. And God knows cops can be douchebags if they want to.
So I'd just need a fish line and some bushes to hang my lines to....
Any bait suggestions? I've read that bugs and cat tails makes good bait, has anyone ever tried it?
@Carl Wander, the stick acts like a float, but it weighs more than the line/hook/bait so its weight helps you hand cast the hook farther out. if you need a weight to keep the hook deeper in the water (or on the bottom) you can sometimes find a screw, bolt or a nut for the bolt will work fine. again, it varies from state to state but is legal in many states. they cannot be left out indefinitely, but you can also set your fishing rod in a holder and do other things too, which amounts to the same thing as a bank line. I would say check the laws in whatever area you are in, instead of just jumping to conclusions, on legality.
worms, most any insect, corn, marshmallows, cheese, minnows, frogs, crayfish, chicken livers, meat, just about anything can be used to entice fish to bite. many fishermen will gut their first fish to see what it has been eating (trout fishermen do this a lot) then use a fly or bait, that resembles what they have been feeding on.
i agree that cops and wardens can be real dicks, so it is better to err on the side of caution
worms, most any insect, corn, marshmallows, cheese, minnows, frogs, crayfish, chicken livers, meat, just about anything can be used to entice fish to bite. many fishermen will gut their first fish to see what it has been eating (trout fishermen do this a lot) then use a fly or bait, that resembles what they have been feeding on.
i agree that cops and wardens can be real dicks, so it is better to err on the side of caution
I know a lot of places consider bank lines and yoyos trapping not fishing, trapping is stupid illegal if you don't follow the law to the letter. I would check the regulations for what ever area you are in, and if it is not clear call the game warden.
Edit: it has more to do with controlling the fish population and preventing over fishing from an already fragile ecosystem. If you don't have a license please still follow the regulations so us humans don't cause further collapse of already struggling fisheries. You want to be able to still have fish 50 years from now right? Just give them a fighting chance.
Edit: it has more to do with controlling the fish population and preventing over fishing from an already fragile ecosystem. If you don't have a license please still follow the regulations so us humans don't cause further collapse of already struggling fisheries. You want to be able to still have fish 50 years from now right? Just give them a fighting chance.
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I always try to hunt/fish responsibly, but it's quite risky to ask a warden when you don't have a license, right? So I just use common sense. Like in anything
Not really, just call the office and ask. They don't know if you have a license or not. The game wardens office is like the only good agency in the govt for now in my opinion. They do a lot of good.
Although I'm not writing this as a "recommendation", I will say this:
I've been busted nearly a dozen times for fishing without a license. Bellingham, Washington...Laramie, Wyoming...Littleton, Colorado...Lawrence, Kansas....Ketchikan, Alaska, just to name just a few of the places I've been busted fishing without a license.
However, I have never received a fine, and this is because I politely and respectfully explain my position, and I fully apologize:
"Oh shit, I'm sorry man...I'm just a homeless traveler passing through town, inbetween seasonal jobs, and I just wanted to see if I could catch a small fish to cook for dinner tonight. I apologize and I'll put my pole away if I'm causing a problem, I just can't afford a license. I'm really sorry, and you'll never see me again sir"
For me, that has worked 100% of the time. Half the time they even let me continue fishing, and will stick around to hear stories of my travels or get some hobo-fishing-advice from me.
Honesty and respect will get you a long way with wildlife officers.
Once again, I'm not saying this is a recommended way to fish, nor am I saying this will work 100% for you as it has for me.
Your best bet, always, is to scope out the area first. Try to hide in some bushes by the bank, or even better, walk downstream/upstream a few hundred yards from the popular fishing spots to avoid anyone seeing you period.
Just my two cents based on my experience.
I've been busted nearly a dozen times for fishing without a license. Bellingham, Washington...Laramie, Wyoming...Littleton, Colorado...Lawrence, Kansas....Ketchikan, Alaska, just to name just a few of the places I've been busted fishing without a license.
However, I have never received a fine, and this is because I politely and respectfully explain my position, and I fully apologize:
"Oh shit, I'm sorry man...I'm just a homeless traveler passing through town, inbetween seasonal jobs, and I just wanted to see if I could catch a small fish to cook for dinner tonight. I apologize and I'll put my pole away if I'm causing a problem, I just can't afford a license. I'm really sorry, and you'll never see me again sir"
For me, that has worked 100% of the time. Half the time they even let me continue fishing, and will stick around to hear stories of my travels or get some hobo-fishing-advice from me.
Honesty and respect will get you a long way with wildlife officers.
Once again, I'm not saying this is a recommended way to fish, nor am I saying this will work 100% for you as it has for me.
Your best bet, always, is to scope out the area first. Try to hide in some bushes by the bank, or even better, walk downstream/upstream a few hundred yards from the popular fishing spots to avoid anyone seeing you period.
Just my two cents based on my experience.
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Thanks! I usually find places to fish way out and don't bother either, I'd just hate to see a greeny with charges for feeding themselves. I also love to fish and hardly use barb hooks, I like to have a little "bump". I got busted once, ended up getting invited back to the cabin for a drink a meal and a shower. But people do get fined and such, just air on the side of caution.
I use a hook and sinker wrap the string around a pop can, tie it and use the pop can as a float, then tie the end of my string to a key chain ring which I keep on my finger. Pop can dips, I pull up to set the hook, and that's when the fun begins! If too many get away or I'm really hungry I will use a barb hook tho.