Survival uses for fishhooks

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Codger_64

Codger_64

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First off, we just had a thread closed because a few people took issue with the suggestion that fishhooks could be useful in survival trapping, added to traditional traps or comprising a trap themselves, so let's agree to let that application be.

I've pretty much always carried fishhooks in a kit when out and about, even when fishing isn't on the agenda. I have found them useful for many other applications. Therefore my mini-fishing kit has evolved.

I learned that fishing without bait can be frustrating and time consuming. Chasing bait can be equally time consuming. So I include several tiny hooks, just right for catching fingerlings and baby bream which, in turn, make good live bait. I've strung up to a dozen of these tiny hooks on a single line and have on more than one occasion pulled in a line with a bait fish on each hook.

Making a usable gig for frogs and fish can also be frustrating, especially when you succeed only to have your prey slip off the home-made barbs (bone, thorn, whittled wood). Several large straightened fish hooks lashed to the end of a willow branch make an excellent, nearly escape proof gig.

With a barb removed or flattened, long thin hooks (like a cricket hook) make decent sewing needles for use with cordage. They can also be used to pin the end of a tarp shelter closed. Also like a sewing needle, they can be used to improvise a compass.

A large hook attached to a pole makes a good retriever for items out of reach like fruit in a tree, dropped or found items just out of reach in a creek or lake.

A fishook can also support a cook pot from a limb or tripod, or lift a lid from the pot when lashed to a short handle.

So I carry a good assortment of hook shapes and sizes.

Can you think of more uses for your fishhooks? Besides the obvious use of catching fish I mean. Please be nice like I know most of you always are! :thumbup:
 
One way I've heard is to use them as a needle for stitching in case you get a deep cut. Sitting in my comfortable chair here, I dunno if I'd have the guts to do that, but I suppose things are different out there with survival!
 
uyotg said:
One way I've heard is to use them as a needle for stitching in case you get a deep cut. Sitting in my comfortable chair here, I dunno if I'd have the guts to do that, but I suppose things are different out there with survival!
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I've sewn myself up several times before. Never with a fish hook, but a clean, sharp, thin fishhook wouldn't be much different than the surgical suturing needles and glovers needles I have used. A pliar or multitool to yank that big eye of the fishhook through the holes would help though.
 
A weighted treble hook can be a great tool for hand line fishing everything from fish to smaller alligators. Have also used them to retrive gear that has fallen over board into water I am not personaly comfortable climbing into.
 
Agreed on the tiny #1 and #0 hooks. Lets face it, there are far more little fish than there are big ones and I'm not above eating little fish cought using larger ants for bait (readily available), golden rod gull worms etc. I must admit that I have never used a fishing hook outside of fishing though so I look forward to other creative responses.
 
I added a large stainless hook that I removed from a abandoned bank pole to my possibles bag. Ive never done anything with it but its there.
 
My grandfather [a child of the Depression raised in rural Tx] would lash a large treble hook to a whippy limber stick and use it to twist rabbits out of their holes. They were eaten. I asked him about it when I was an adult and he said it was to save the ammo [.22 short of course].-I carry a large salt water single hook in my BOB for this in a SURVIVAL situation along with a little regular fishing gear.--KV
 
I agree, even when still bent, hooks make great improvised needles. I sewed up some pants while hunting with a hook and 6 pound test mono.
 
Mike-Mike said:
1 large rock placed in 3' of water + line + hook+ Corn = Canada Goose
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Before we get too many posts in the same vein as this, One should be aware that in many states this practice may be illegal, as well as unsportsmanlike. One should take every precaution and opportunity to mitigate the suffering of game animals, however they are taken.
 
Karda said:
Before we get too many posts in the same vein as this, One should be aware that in many states this practice may be illegal, as well as unsportsmanlike. One should take every precaution and opportunity to mitigate the suffering of game animals, however they are taken.
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Agreed. And as I noted in the original post, one similar thread has already been closed because of some members' sensitivity to animals' suffering. As always, practice your bushcraft in compliance with local, regional and National laws and common sense.
 
What size hooks do you have in your
emergency fishing kit?
What other supplies do you carry in it?
 
I don't have a picture of it so a list will have to do. Mine is packed in a heavy plastic, waterproof milsurp decon kit box (Personal Decontamination Kit M258A1) a bit bigger than a pack of cigs. It contains a spool of dental floss, a pair of flyfishing leaders, a bit of monofiliment (15' or so), a few small lead split shot sinkers, and a size assortment of hooks, just the most common sizes from tiny circle hooks (for bait), wire cricket hooks, larger worm hooks, really large catfish hooks (smaller than shark hooks). I usually have a few flyfishing dry flies in there also. The whole kit is packed tight and rattle-free with a tightly folded sportsman's space blanket and a mini-bic lighter.

ETA: I forgot, it also contains a scalpal blade. You could use a single edge razor blade instead.
 
fugawee said:
Can tiny fish hooks be somehow straightened and fashioned
into the points for a blowgun?
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Actually, unless you were hunting flies with them, the best ones for that would be larger hooks. The tiny ones are as small as my little fingernail.
 
Use hooks to hang up pictures of all the pretty birds you refuse to kill and eat.

Use hooks to keep your eyelids open so you can watch the geese play as you struggle to stay awake when your organs begin to shut down at the last stages of starvation.

If you think "sportsman like conduct" and game laws are concepts to ponder when you are trying to stay alive you are very removed from reality and will likely die.

If you survive past the initial trama of a world changing event, I suspect exposure to human atrocities over time will change your attitudes regarding animal welfare in a true survival situation. Perhaps not.

If you will not feed yourself by using a hook to catch a bird, you may die. Other folks who are stronger and well fed on goose meat will take advatage of your starving condition, smash your head open with a rock and take your hooks so they can go catch more birds.

Use your hooks to poke your finger and......WAKE UP!

Remove all the offensive threads you want but this is supposed to be about wilderness and survival skills...not bushcrafting....not fat guys cooking ramen noodles in a canteen cup 40 feet from a paved road....

Survival is not pretty and you had better be prepared to loose some of societies rules of behavior when the s#@* hits the fan.


apologies to all the fat guys with the ramen noodles.

Rant over.

Continue with the thread..........
 
The above post is pretty much the type of posting we don't want to see.
Use the thread constructively.
 
Welp. I asked politely twice. I can let the thread continue or I can close it. Posters' choice. My decision. I HAVE THE POWER! :D

When you are practicing skills in the woods in a non-survival situation, it is woodslore/bushcrafting. Rules change when the situation changes. You might HOPE a game warden comes along to write you a ticket if you are lost, injured and starving. But going out to practice skills is no excuse for breaking laws and practicing poor sportsmanship.
 
Larger hooks with barbes could also be straitened out while being careful not to flatten the barbs, and then fasted to the end of a long green sapling cut and stripped of bark to make a very good fishing spear. I assume it would be much sharper with better grip, easier to make, and more durable for throwing or stabbing at fish then using shattered animal bone or antlers affixed to the end, if you could even find any. Damn this thread! Close it already I've got enough crap I have bring in my survival kit. Now I have to include an assortment of fish hooks too? You guys got me convinced I'll be packing some for now on. :p

Couple of thoughts on the spear. You'll need to be able to bend the hooks and somewhat be careful while doing it. To bend really large salt water hooks you'll likely need a strong pair of pliers. Not everyone likes to carry a multitool with them. A Leatherman Wave or Swiss Tool adds a pound to your pack. You could possibly use the pliers on a Swiss Champ but you'd better make sure it can do the job. Also this spear could be used to throw at animals besides fish.
 
With a bit of creativity, you can use a thong hole in your knife handle for a vise and a metal tube like an ink pen case or even the liners of an open pocket knife as a bender. Heating the hook will lessen the temper making it easy to bend. It can be retempered after straightening, but it might make it brittle.

Hooks themselves need not take up much room and would weigh less than a quarter. Just duct tape them inside of something.
 
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