Fish spear: carving a fishing gig and aiming correctly
A fish spear is a long straight pole whose end is split and carved into several points. In shallow, clear water it can be used to pin a fish to the bottom. Because water bends light, the fish is not where it seems to be – you aim lower. Spearing is a prohibited fishing method in Austria and Germany; it appears here only as emergency knowledge.
- 1 hour of carving, plenty of patience at the water
Explained simply
A fish spear is a long pole whose end is split into four points – like a giant fork. You stand very still on the bank, hold the points already in the water and wait until a fish swims past. Then you thrust down quickly.
There is a trick to it: the water cheats. Look at a stick half in the water – it looks as if it has a bend. In the same way, the fish looks higher than it really is. So you have to aim lower than you think.
Here it is forbidden to spear fish. This is only knowledge for a real emergency, when someone is stuck for days and has no fishing line.
How it works
Light is bent when it passes from water into air. To the eye, the light from the fish therefore comes from a different direction, and the brain places the fish higher and farther back. The more slanted your view into the water, the bigger this error. Looking straight down gives the smallest error.
The four spread prongs form an area rather than a point. You do not need to hit the fish exactly with one tip; it is enough to press it between the prongs against the bottom. That is why the spear only works in shallow water with a firm bottom.
The binding below the split holds the wood together. Without it the split would run further with the first thrust.
What really matters
Calm matters more than speed. Fish notice movement and shadows. If you keep the points under water already, the thrust does not have to break the surface first – that is quieter and more accurate.
Clear, shallow, calm water is essential. In murky or deep water you see nothing; in fast water the fish is gone before you strike.
A caught fish is stunned and killed at once. Fumbling for a long time with a struggling fish on the spear causes needless suffering.
Safety: what to watch out for
The biggest danger in spearfishing is not the spear but the water. Slippery stones, cold current and sudden depths are life-threatening when you are alone and weakened. So fish from the bank or at most ankle-deep.
When splitting the wood the knife slips easily. Work with a baton and a base, never towards your own hand.
Spearing is not a permitted fishing method in Austria and Germany. Without permission any fishing is fish poaching.
Step by step
Check the emergency and the water
Only in genuine danger to life, when fishing with line and hook is not possible. You need shallow, clear, calm water at a spot where you can stand safely – the bank, a flat stone or ankle-deep.
- 1
Check the emergency and the water
Only in genuine danger to life, when fishing with line and hook is not possible. You need shallow, clear, calm water at a spot where you can stand safely – the bank, a flat stone or ankle-deep.
- 2
Choose the pole
Find a straight pole of hardwood or a young, straight sapling, about as long as you are tall. The thick end becomes the point. Cut side shoots off smoothly.
- 3
Bind first, then split
A hand's width from the thick end, wrap strong cord several times around the pole and tie it off. Then split the end crosswise down to the binding with a knife and baton. The binding stops the split from running further.
- 4
Spread the points
Push two small wooden wedges crosswise deep into the splits so that four prongs form, standing slightly apart. Secure the wedges with cord.
- 5
Sharpen and harden the prongs
Sharpen each prong with the knife. If you have a fire, hold the points briefly over the embers until they are dry and lightly browned but not charred – this makes them harder.
- 6
Stand still and wait
Position yourself so your shadow does not fall on the water and hold the points already in the water, just under the surface. Hardly move. Fish often return to their spots after a short while.
- 7
Aim lower and press
Aim below the fish – the more slanted your view, the lower. Thrust calmly and quickly straight down and press the fish against the bottom. With your free hand or a second stick, grip it behind the gills.
- 8
Kill at once and tidy up
Stun and kill the fish at once with a firm blow to the back of the head, as described in the entry “Killing, gutting and cooking fish over the fire”. Take the spear apart after the emergency.
Common mistakes
- Aiming straight at the visible image
- A shadow on the water
- Slapping the spear into the water hastily
- Wading into cold or fast water
- Splitting without a binding – the wood splits apart
Quick view
Materials
Straight, fresh hardwood stick
About as long as you are tall, straight, one to two thumbs thick
Only take dead wood or wood you are allowed to cut
Always carve away from your body
Knife (fixed or locking blade)
Cut away from your body.
Rules on carrying knives differ by region – check local rules.
Thin twine
To bind below the split
Low breaking strength – light loads only.
Sturdy sticks / poles
Two small wedges to spread the points
Do not cut live wood where prohibited.
Suitable for
- Clear, shallow streams, pools and margins near a fixed camp
- When no fishing line or hooks are available
Not suitable for
- Murky, deep or fast-flowing water
- Cold water you would have to wade into
- Nature reserves and spawning grounds
- Situations without genuine danger to life
Prerequisites
- Genuine danger to life with no help within reach
- Safe handling of a knife
- Shallow, clear, calm water you cannot fall into
Safety
- When splitting the wood the knife slips easily. Stand the wood on a base, work with a baton and never put your hand in front of the blade.
How it works
Light changes direction when it passes from water into air. That is why you see a fish higher and farther away than it really is. If you aim straight at the image, you strike above the fish. Several spread points enlarge the area you hit and press the fish against the bottom instead of skewering it.
Advantages
- No line or hooks needed
- Made from a single piece of wood
- The fish is reached at once and can be killed straight away
Disadvantages
- Needs clear, shallow water
- Many misses
- Prohibited as a fishing method
- Risk of slipping and cold water
Deep knowledge
Background
Fish spears and gigs are among the oldest fishing tools; Stone Age finds show prongs of bone and wood. Military survival manuals describe how to make a spear from split wood and how to allow for refraction.
The fishing laws in Austria and Germany only permit certain kinds of gear, above all the rod and line. Spears and gigs are not among them because they injure fish without selecting them. That is why the spear is purely emergency knowledge.
Variants
- Two prongs
- A single lengthwise split with one wedge gives two prongs. It is quicker but hits a smaller area.
- With thorn barbs
- Hard thorns bound to the prongs pointing inwards hold the fish better. But they injure it more – so kill it especially quickly afterwards.
Common mistakes
- Aiming straight at the visible image
- A shadow on the water
- Slapping the spear into the water hastily
- Wading into cold or fast water
- Splitting without a binding – the wood splits apart
Limits and risks
- No underwater spearfishing
- No spears for hunting land animals
- Measurements are guide values
Material alternatives
Derived from material properties: a substitute must have all relevant properties. Observe the notes on the substitute.
- Straight, fresh hardwood stick
- Trekking poles, Sturdy sticks / poles (Do not cut live wood where prohibited.), Tent pole repair sleeve (Temporary only – have broken sections replaced at home.), Round logs (straight, sound) (Fell or take only with the forest owner's permission.)
- Thin twine
- Rope (Never use unknown or damaged rope for life-safety purposes.), Paracord (Not a climbing or safety rope.), Accessory cord (Use only certified cord after training for life-safety purposes.), Webbing (tubular webbing) (Inspect knotted webbing before every use.), Jute or sisal twine (bought) (Low strength, absorbs water and rots – light loads and practice only.), Tree straps (Load only within the manufacturer's limits.), Monofilament fishing line (Never leave scraps of line behind: birds and other animals get tangled in them and die slowly. Wind up scraps and take them with you.), Thin, soft wire (brass or galvanised steel) (Wire ends are sharp – protect eyes and fingers when bending), Tow rope or tow strap (Attach only to the towing eyes provided by the manufacturer; never stand next to it under load.)
Results come exclusively from structured entries. No improvised instructions are generated.
Sources (6)
- Headquarters, Department of the Army (USA) (2002): FM 3-05.70 Survival · Fish spear from split wood with spread prongs; aim lower because of refraction
- Bundesrepublik Deutschland – Bundesministerium der Justiz (gesetze-im-internet.de): Strafgesetzbuch (StGB) – § 293 Fischwilderei · § 293: fish poaching
- Republik Österreich – Rechtsinformationssystem des Bundes (RIS) (1974): Strafgesetzbuch (StGB), BGBl. Nr. 60/1974 – §§ 137, 138 (Eingriff in fremdes Jagd- oder Fischereirecht) und § 222 (Tierquälerei) · §§ 137, 138: interference with another person's hunting or fishing rights; § 222: cruelty to animals
- Freistaat Bayern – Bayerische Staatskanzlei (gesetze-bayern.de) (2008): Bayerisches Fischereigesetz (BayFiG) · Fishing only with permission and with permitted gear
- Land Niederösterreich – Rechtsinformationssystem des Bundes (RIS), Landesrecht (2001): NÖ Fischereigesetz 2001 · Fishing rights and a fishing licence as a requirement
- Bundesrepublik Deutschland – Bundesministerium der Justiz (gesetze-im-internet.de) (2012): Verordnung zum Schutz von Tieren im Zusammenhang mit der Schlachtung oder Tötung und zur Durchführung der Verordnung (EG) Nr. 1099/2009 des Rates (Tierschutz-Schlachtverordnung – TierSchlV) · Stun fish before killing