How To Build An Emergency Fishing Kit

How to build an emergency fishing kit is important to outdoor survival. The spring and summer fishing season is in full swing. Many people are heading outdoors to enjoy camping, fishing, or hiking. A personal emergency kit is a critical item to have with you while outdoors. However, most advice about individual emergency kits gives little insight into a fishing kit. Trapping small game seems to be more prominent in personal survival kits than fishing.

In this article, I will discuss how I made my emergency fishing kit. The emergency kit that I have developed for myself is one that works for me and is by no means the apex of all emergency fishing kits. It is functional and practical based on my needs. The kit is small so that it will fit in my pocket emergency survival kit. Moreover, it is tailored for the kinds of fish that are available in the areas that hike and backpack here in the southwest. You can take these principles and build your kit that is tailored to your outdoor context.

1. Container

The container that I use to put the contents of my emergency fishing kit is a jewelry Ziploc bag that is 3 inches by 2 inches. These can be purchased at places like Hobby Lobby or Michael’s Arts and Crafts. If you wish to make your emergency fishing kit more comprehensive, then the Plano fishing accessory box or a surplus U.S. Army M258 Individual Decon Kit Container are great options to consider.

As you think about the kind of container for your emergency fishing kit, there a couple of criteria to ponder when making this decision. First, is your fishing kit going to be part of a more significant loadout, such as being in a separate pouch in your backpack? Second, do you want your fishing kit to be part of your emergency kit? For me, I already carry a fishing kit in my backpack. I wanted a fishing kit small enough to fit in my emergency kit as part of my back up option.

2. Fishhooks

The fishhooks that I use are three #4 Snell hooks by Eagle Claw®. I secure the hooks with transparent scotch tape. The line is then wrapped around itself into a small enough loop that it fits in the bag. My reasoning for using these hooks is because, in a field environment, my fingertips tend to get chapped pretty good. These hooks are more comfortable to employ with the use of a barrel swivel with a safety snap than trying to make a fisherman’s knot with sore fingertips. The key is getting the rod prepped before my fingers start to get chapped. Thus, in an emergency scenario, an essential task would be to secure a wood branch suitable for a fishing pole and get it set up as quickly as possible. In case, a pole cannot be obtained, then setting up a trotline is a second option.

One optional consideration for hooks are the jig head hooks. These are special weighted hooks designed to be used in conjunction with soft bait lures such as worms or grubs. However, it is best not to get too fancy with your emergency fishing kit. If you choose to set up your kit to include lures, I would recommend only putting one or two jig head hooks of ¼ oz with a couple of grubs.

3. Fishing Line

A good fishing line is a key to an effective fishing kit. I use 100 feet of the 65-pound test, braided line by Power Pro®. It must be remembered that survival fishing is different than sport fishing. Braided fishing line is the best for survival purposes because of its durability and the multitude of uses this kind of line gives a person in the field. My fishing line is wrapped around a plastic floss sewing bobbin. A lighter test line is an option, but this is what I use in my kit.

4. Leader Line

One consideration to think about adding into your kit is a leader line to complement your fishing line and hooks. A nine to twelve-inch steel leader line is an average length for most fishing needs. However, for my kit, I use the 8-inch micro-leader from Eagle Claw® with a 12-pound test rating in my fishing kit.

5. Sinkers

Sinkers in your emergency fishing kit give it the ability to set up different rigs based on your level of fishing aptitude. The weights to have in your emergency kit are the split shot sinkers. I have these in my kit because they are easily placed on the fishing line by just pinching them closed. There are no fancy knots to tie as with more heavier sinkers such as a swivel sinker. Split shot sinkers do not take up much space in my container. Therefore, I put three to four split shot sinkers in my emergency fishing kit.

6. Barrel Swivels w/Safety Snap

A barrel swivel with a safety snap is a versatile item in your fishing kit. It will allow you to conserve your fishing line by letting you replace hooks without restringing your pole. They will also allow you to set up different rigs without cutting up your line.

7. Lures

Lures are an interesting topic of discussion when it comes to personal emergency fishing kits. There are two basic categories of lures: soft lures and hard lures. The soft lures work best for small fishing kits like mine, such as the 2-inch grubs by Berkeley® or the Storm® WildEye™ Swim Shad. However, some of the hard lures are small enough to be a great option to consider, such as the Rapala® 1-inch minnow.
The question of using fly lures for fly fishing comes up for an emergency fishing kit. Fly fishing is a special type of angling technique. If you are experienced with fly fishing and regularly catch fish with this technique, then it would not hurt to include a couple of fly lures in your kit. However, for those not proficient in fly fishing, it is recommended that you do not include fly lures in your kit.

8. Bobber

Some premade emergency kits include floats or bobbers. However, having a float or bobber is not essential to getting the most out of your survival fishing kit. If you want to build a kit with a float or bobber, then the small, ¾ inch snap on ball floats would be sufficient. However, if your fishing rig requires a float, some options to consider would be a cork stopper for bottles. Bottle corks come in various sizes and can be purchased for a few dollars at a craft or hobby store. Furthermore, if you need a float for your rig, you can fashion one from any piece of wood found in the field.

Final Thoughts

The summer months in the outdoors brings its unique set of survival concerns. Those living in areas where freshwater fishing is plentiful understand the value of angling for food. Backpackers and hikers also enjoy a good time fishing while on the trail. An emergency fishing kit is a must for the outdoors. A person that becomes lost or separated from their gear will have a survival edge with a small fishing kit in their emergency kit. Thus, as you reflect on the suggestions above, keep in mind your needs and level of experience. Therefore, experiment and tailor your kit to your needs.

This post may contain affiliate links which means I may receive a commission from purchases made through the links. I only recommend products I personally use and love, so if you support what we are doing, thanks for clicking.

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