How to Make a Fishing Rod in the Wild
Nothing can outdo the fun that comes with sitting under the warm sun with a beverage in your hand, relaxing near the water while experiencing the thrill that comes with reeling in a fish. But just like any other hobby, there is a lot that goes into fishing, including buying new fishing gear to increase the chance of reeling in the big fish. In an ideal situation, you’d have your favorite fishing pole, but what if you find yourself in a survival vestige? Wouldn’t it be perfect to catch a fish using a rod crafted by your own hands? With this, let’s dive into how to make a fishing rod in the wild.
Step1 Locate The Perfect Branch
A perfect fishing rod requires the right tree. However, we are not searching for a specific wood type but a living tree branch that is around 6 to 7 cm long and tapers towards the end. After having identified the perfect tree and length, ensure you test the branch for suppleness. This includes how easily the branch bends without breaking.
Step2 Thread The Line
To pull in a big fish, you will need a line to bait your hook. If you already have a fishing line, then you have an advantage. If no, you have to look for vines or get extra creative and tie your shoelaces together. What is significant here is how you thread the chosen lines on the homemade rod. Unlike the commercial rods, we do not have a spool, reel, or guide holes to work with. Therefore we have to ensure that the pressure that is applied to your line is equally distributed within the entire rod to reduce the line breaking due to pressure.
When threading, start from the handle section of the rod. Tie a knot around the stick’s end and gently coil the chosen line around the rod, maintaining equal distance around your rod until you reach the tapered section. Make sure you allow extra line hanging for sufficient length casting into the water. Important to note here is coiling the line all through the rod. Once the fish bites on the line, it’s pulling pressure on the line has to be equally distributed along your rod o avoid breaking and cracking.
Step3 Creating a Hook to your Bait
This is the most important part but also the trickiest part. A fish swimming in a water body has to be attracted to your fishing line to secure a bite. If not, then the fish will not notice your line meaning you will never catch anything.
The hooks can be made using three different materials: wood, bone, and metal. With this being a survival situation, you will most likely not have a commercially metal made hook. Therefore you need to look for either of the available hook materials. You might have with you an aluminum can or find one within the woods. Regardless of how you manage to secure one, pull the can’s tab off and design it into a sharp hook. The same also applies to wood and bone hooks.
Make sure you tie the hook tightly on the end of your line, testing the strength and reliability of your line and knots by pulling them using your hands.
Step4 Choose a Bait for your Rod
Now the rod, hooks, and line are all set, and the only thing left is to secure bait that will lure the fish into your rod. If you are operating within a wooded area, the best bait to work with will be worms. The best area to find the worms is in moist regions and under rocks. Ensure you capture enough baits so that once the fish manages to steal the lure, you can easily replace and recast immediately instead of searching for the baits every now and then. This will help you save time and energy.
Whether you are in a survival situation or need to boost your survival skills, go over your Bass Guy to learn more about survival fishing techniques. Understanding the right tools to use will ensure you are on the right path the next time you find yourself in need of securing food to survive.