Worst-Case Wednesday: How to Catch Fish without a Rod

Photo by Kasper Sorensen

With the Fall season upon us, it’s hard for me not to think about blustery Autumn afternoons fishing with my uncles in New Jersey.

When the leaves started to change, that meant putting on thick awkward fishing vests and standing patiently along the shorelines of various lakes. Sometimes, it meant casting fly fishing lines across rippling streams, the bait dancing over the water. We always had fishing poles though, and seldom found ourselves in a situation where we’d need a makeshift net like this.

But hey, now I know how to make one. And so do you, thanks to the Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook: Travel. Read on for some helpful tips from Joshua Piven and David Borgenicht. Because it’s always good to prepare for the worst.

How to Catch Fish without a Rod

1. DETERMINE THE BEST LOCATION FOR YOUR FISHING: Fish usually congregate in shadow, near the edges of lakes, rivers, and streams.

2. FIND A FORKED SAPLING APPROXIMATELY TWO FEET LONG: The forked ends should be approximately one foot long. Cut it down or break it off.

3. BEND THE TWO ENDS TOWARD EACH OTHER AND TIE THEM TOGETHER: The tied ends will form the circular frame of a net.

4. REMOVE YOUR SHIRT OR T-SHIRT.

5. TIE A KNOT IN THE SHIRT JUST BELOW THE ARM AND NECK HOLES.

6. SLIP THE SAPLING INTO THE SHIRT AND PIN OR TIE THE SHIRT SECURELY TO ALL SIDES OF THE FRAME.

7. SCOOP UP THE FISH.

ALTERNATIVE

– Large fish can also be speared with a pole sharpened to a point at one end. This method works best at night, when fish come to the surface.