if you knew you were going to be stranded at sea on a life raft for an
extended period of time (lets say, 30 days) with no help of outside aid
and had plenty of water but no food whatsoever, what equipment would
you take with you given that it was something you would have to be able
to carry with your hands? a rod and reel? what type of lure? a net?
dynamite would be a possibility if you want to be silly, but only so
much as you can carry. fish finders would be allowed, but only with as
many batteries as you can carry again. The emphasis here is not on
morals or ethics, but on surviving purely off the ocean.

I've read quite a few accounts of people on life rafts at sea for long
periods, and once water is taken care of, food seems to be the biggest
problem. They try things like knives on poles, gaff hooks (if they are
lucky) but a lot of them simply rely on catching fish with their hands
or the fish jumping into the raft! does nature truly supply for the
needy? there must be a better way!

Thanks,
Shaun

The way I catch fish....I'd want cyanide tablets.

Line, hooks, weight and lures. Forget the Fishfinder, you'll be fishing
wherever you happen to be, not searching for the most likely looking spot.


"imagineero" wrote in message
ups.com...
if you knew you were going to be stranded at sea on a life raft for an
extended period of time (lets say, 30 days) with no help of outside aid
and had plenty of water but no food whatsoever, what equipment would
you take with you given that it was something you would have to be able
to carry with your hands? a rod and reel? what type of lure? a net?
dynamite would be a possibility if you want to be silly, but only so
much as you can carry. fish finders would be allowed, but only with as
many batteries as you can carry again. The emphasis here is not on
morals or ethics, but on surviving purely off the ocean.

I've read quite a few accounts of people on life rafts at sea for long
periods, and once water is taken care of, food seems to be the biggest
problem. They try things like knives on poles, gaff hooks (if they are
lucky) but a lot of them simply rely on catching fish with their hands
or the fish jumping into the raft! does nature truly supply for the
needy? there must be a better way!

Thanks,
Shaun

no bites for the net? it seems everyone favours their chances with a
line, but how many professional fishermen do it this way (i mean guys
who make their living selling fish every day at the markets etc). do
you really think you can catch enough fish with just a line and lure to
live off indefintely? any specific weight of line? anyone prefer a
wire leader?

imagineero wrote:
: if you knew you were going to be stranded at sea on a life raft for an
: extended period of time (lets say, 30 days) with no help of outside aid
: and had plenty of water but no food whatsoever, what equipment would
: you take with you given that it was something you would have to be able
: to carry with your hands? a rod and reel? what type of lure? a net?

If I "knew" (as you state), I'd bring 10 pounds of beef jerky. Then I
wouldn't have to worry about fishing for food.

b.

imagineero wrote:
no bites for the net?

IMHO the surest way to survive would be to bring along a very fine mesh
net (a nylon stocking will do) and pull in plankton. It's yucky, but
it'll keep you alive. Drinking water is a bigger problem, which can be
addressed by either a solar still or a hand-pump RO unit.

Fair Skies
Doug King

Yes, I know it's about fishing.... but, many of the stories I've read
included catching and eating sea gulls. Raw fish is bad enough, but raw sea
gulls... yuck... strictly for survival!!!

Butch


"Shortwave Sportfishing" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 31 Aug 2005 11:50:19 -0400, Harry Krause
wrote:

wrote:
imagineero wrote:
: if you knew you were going to be stranded at sea on a life raft for an
: extended period of time (lets say, 30 days) with no help of outside
aid
: and had plenty of water but no food whatsoever, what equipment would
: you take with you given that it was something you would have to be
able
: to carry with your hands? a rod and reel? what type of lure? a net?

If I "knew" (as you state), I'd bring 10 pounds of beef jerky. Then I
wouldn't have to worry about fishing for food.

That and your 50 caliber Hawken, and you're set to hunt grizz on the
high seas.

Anyone remember that wonderful movie with Robert Redford and Will Geer?
Jerimiah Johnson?

About the only way I'd eat beef jerky is if I were stranded somewhere. I
wonder how long the commercial stuff keeps if the package is unbroken?

Trust me- forfreakin'ever.

Whattya expect? Seagulls live on a diet of french fries scavenged from
parking lots.

"Butch Davis" wrote in message
nk.net...
Yes, I know it's about fishing.... but, many of the stories I've read
included catching and eating sea gulls. Raw fish is bad enough, but raw
sea gulls... yuck... strictly for survival!!!

Butch


"Shortwave Sportfishing" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 31 Aug 2005 11:50:19 -0400, Harry Krause
wrote:

wrote:
imagineero wrote:
: if you knew you were going to be stranded at sea on a life raft for
an
: extended period of time (lets say, 30 days) with no help of outside
aid
: and had plenty of water but no food whatsoever, what equipment would
: you take with you given that it was something you would have to be
able
: to carry with your hands? a rod and reel? what type of lure? a
net?

If I "knew" (as you state), I'd bring 10 pounds of beef jerky. Then I
wouldn't have to worry about fishing for food.

That and your 50 caliber Hawken, and you're set to hunt grizz on the
high seas.

Anyone remember that wonderful movie with Robert Redford and Will Geer?
Jerimiah Johnson?

About the only way I'd eat beef jerky is if I were stranded somewhere. I
wonder how long the commercial stuff keeps if the package is unbroken?

Trust me- forfreakin'ever.

Shortwave Sportfishing wrote:
EEEEWWWWWWW!!!!!

That's almost as bad as some of the stuff I used to make my survival
students eat when I was in the service.

Note the almost. :)

What, slugs?

If you're hungry enough, you can eat almost anything.

At one point in my life, being young & tough & stupid, I went on
extended primitive camping trips ("primitive" in the sense of having
almost no equipment & no modern comforts). One time, a companion was
very proud of having bagged a porcupine. I made him clean and we all ate
it... or at least choked down a few bites...



Actually, I read somewhere, can't remember at the moment, that
catching fish is actually the best way to slake thirst - in particular
eating the liver and gills. Apparently there is a lot of fresh water
in those organs.

Now that's EEEWWWW!!!!
I have read that squeezing fish in an improvised press will provide
fresh dirnkable water... my guess is that you'd have to be very thirsty
to be able to get it past your nostrils.



Also shark is good source of water, but I can't remember the
particulars on that one.

Hmm, IIRC eating shark organs can be deadly due to the way they
concentrate insoluble proteins that the human body doesn't tolerate.
Also, if you eat fish organs, you're likely to overdose on Vitamin A
which is also insoluble. This can be fatal.

Well, being stuck in a liferaft with no food or water can be fatal, so I
guess you takes yer choices!

Fair Skies
Doug King