Hook and Line

Part of Fishing

The simplest and most energy-efficient method of catching fish — a hook, a line, and patience will feed you when nets and traps are not yet built.

Why Hook and Line First

In a survival situation, you need protein with minimal energy expenditure. Traps and nets produce more fish per day, but they require significant cordage, construction time, and knowledge of fish movement patterns. A single hook on a line can catch fish within an hour of arriving at water. It requires the least material, the least skill, and produces results immediately.

The basic setup has not changed in 40,000 years: something sharp that catches in a fish’s mouth, attached to a line strong enough to pull the fish out of water. Everything else — rods, reels, floats, sinkers — improves efficiency but is not essential.

The Line

Your line needs three properties: strength sufficient to land your target fish, thin enough profile that fish do not see it and shy away, and enough length to reach where fish are holding.

Improvised Line Materials

Material	Breaking Strength	Durability	Availability
Braided plant fiber (nettle, dogbane)	10-30 lb	Moderate — degrades when wet	Seasonal
Sinew (deer, elk tendon)	15-40 lb	Excellent	Requires animal
Paracord inner strands	35-50 lb per strand	Excellent	Salvage only
Unraveled fabric thread (braided)	5-15 lb	Poor — rots quickly	Common salvage
Horsehair (braided)	8-20 lb	Good	Requires horses
Thin wire (electrical)	20-60 lb	Excellent	Salvage

For most freshwater fish under 5 pounds, a line with 10-15 lb breaking strength is sufficient. For larger fish, braid multiple strands together — three strands twisted into a cord roughly triples the single-strand strength.

Making plant fiber line:

1. Harvest long fibers — nettle stalks, dogbane, inner bark of basswood or cedar
2. Dry partially, then separate individual fibers
3. Take two bundles of fibers and twist each clockwise
4. Wrap the two bundles around each other counter-clockwise
5. This reverse-twist lock keeps the cord from unraveling under load
6. Splice in new fibers by overlapping 3-4 inches before the old bundle runs out

A good plant fiber line for fishing should be roughly the thickness of heavy thread — about 1/16 inch (1.5 mm) diameter.

The Hook

See Hook Making for detailed construction methods. At minimum, you need something with a point that can penetrate a fish’s mouth and a shape that prevents the fish from shaking it free.

The three basic hook types in order of complexity:

1. Gorge hook — a straight piece of bone, thorn, or wood sharpened at both ends, tied at the center. The fish swallows it, you pull the line taut, and the gorge turns sideways in the fish’s throat. Simple to make, very effective for larger fish.

2. Curved hook — the familiar J-shape, carved from bone, thorns, or bent wire. More reliable hooksets, works on all fish sizes.

3. Compound hook — a wooden shank with a separate thorn or bone point lashed at an angle. Faster to produce than carving a curved hook from a single piece.

Rigging the Line

Basic Bottom Rig

For fish feeding on or near the bottom — catfish, suckers, carp, most survival-relevant species.

1. Tie hook to the end of your line
2. Attach a weight 6-12 inches above the hook — a small stone wrapped in line works, or pinch a lead sinker if salvaged
3. Cast or lower into water near structure (fallen trees, rocks, undercut banks)
4. Let the weight hold the bait on the bottom while the hook floats just above

Basic Float Rig

For fish feeding at mid-depth or near the surface — trout, panfish, bass.

1. Tie hook to the end of the line
2. Attach a small float 2-4 feet above the hook — a piece of dry wood, cork, or sealed plastic container cap
3. Add a small weight just above the hook to keep the bait hanging below the float
4. Adjust the distance between float and hook to match the depth where fish are feeding
5. The float signals a bite — it dips, bobs, or moves sideways when a fish takes the bait

Trotline (Passive Fishing)

The most productive hook-and-line method for survival. Runs multiple hooks unattended.

1. Stretch a main line across a stream or along a bank — 20-50 feet
2. Tie short dropper lines (12-18 inches) every 3-4 feet along the main line
3. Attach a baited hook to each dropper
4. Anchor both ends securely — to trees, rocks, or stakes
5. Check every few hours, rebait empty hooks
6. A 10-hook trotline can catch 3-6 fish overnight in productive water

Safety

Trotlines with multiple hooks are a tangling hazard. Handle them carefully, especially when wet and under tension. A hook through a finger in a survival situation is a serious infection risk. Always handle hooks with the point facing away from you.

Where to Fish

Fish are not distributed evenly. They concentrate where food collects, where current breaks provide rest, and where cover protects them from predators.

High-probability locations:

• Current seams — where fast water meets slow water, food collects along the boundary
• Undercut banks — fish shelter beneath overhanging earth, especially in daylight
• Fallen trees and debris — structure attracts insects, which attract fish
• Pool tailouts — where a deep pool shallows before the next riffle, fish feed on organisms drifting from the pool
• Inlet streams — where a tributary enters a larger body, fresh food and oxygen attract fish
• Shade lines — fish avoid direct sunlight; the shadow edge of trees or banks concentrates them

When to Fish

Best times:

• Dawn and dusk — feeding activity peaks during low-light transitions
• Overcast days — fish feed throughout the day when light is diffused
• After rain — rising water dislodges insects and worms, triggering feeding
• Night — catfish and many large species feed most actively after dark

Worst times:

• Midday bright sun — most fish retreat to deep cover
• Immediately after a cold front — fish become lethargic for 12-24 hours
• During heavy flood conditions — muddy water makes feeding difficult

Rod or No Rod

A rod is not required but significantly improves your reach and your ability to detect bites. A natural rod is simply a flexible sapling or branch, 6-10 feet long, with the line tied to the tip. Green willow, hazel, or bamboo all work well. The flex of the rod absorbs the shock of a fish’s fight, reducing the chance of breaking your line or pulling the hook free.

Without a rod, wrap extra line around your hand or tie it to a stake. Hold the line between your fingers to feel bites. This works — people have fished this way for millennia — but you lose casting distance and shock absorption.

Key Takeaways

• A gorge hook and twisted plant fiber line can be assembled in under an hour from natural materials and will catch fish immediately
• Bottom rigs work best for survival — most edible freshwater species feed near the bottom
• Trotlines multiply your catch by running 10+ hooks unattended overnight
• Fish concentrate at current seams, undercut banks, and structure — never fish open featureless water
• Dawn, dusk, and overcast days produce the most bites; midday sun is the worst time to fish