Update

I know it looks like I have abandoned this blog but I have not. While out filming for some videos my kayak hit a tree stump and knocked my camera off of the tripod. Untill I can afford a new camera do not count on any video updates just text and pictures

Improvised fish hooks (Guest Article)

Today I am going teach you how to make fishing hooks from the stuff around you. Start looking around for suitable thorns to use. In this article I will be using Wild Orange Thorns. The sharpest and sturdiest the better. Be careful not to dull the sharp tip of the thorns because this makes the hook so much more effective. I started by scraping the thin bark layer off my thorns this is not necessary, You can see how the tree has allowed the tip of the thorn to die so that it is harder and sharper. You need to find the strongest thorn branch possible, look for it to be thick at the base (next to the branch) and thin at the tip the thorns should be facing up. you could whittle it at the top for the string to fit and stay in place.

The thorn in the picture is not attached to the wood...but you could stick it to the wood with a very small amount of Pine tree resin or other glue to make binding the thorn less fiddly

Make a length of very thin cordage or you can just use a plain length of some kind of strong fiber or even a shoelace. Put the thorn through a loop knot on the end of the cordage. Hopefully the following pictures explain themselves and show how to bind the thorn to the wood.

 Continue wrapping the string around the stem of the hook and then to finish it off pass the end underneath the last couple of wraps and pull tight

Finished hook... It would have been better to carve the top of the hook so that it is easier to attach the line. Have fun!