Turn a Can Tab into a Survival Fish Hook

This is very easy and simple.  All the tools needed for this fish hook can be found on most multi tools.  It takes only a few minutes to create.

Step 1 Materials

-can tab
-file
-wire cutters (or anything that can cut through metal)

Comments

[breumer]

great idea!

[alex codeburn]

it would be much better to make one out of sardine can tab

[simongalp]

I used EMT shears and didn't need a file. In case anyone has those on hand and no wire cutters or file.

[Rteen]

How big of a fish (pounds) could you catch with this?

[upitaa]

excellent idea. but i wonder what sort of fish i can get with this hook:)

[theo67]

Probably canned fish

[fatperson1239214]

ha ha ha :D

[sdavidson3]

haha

[McNoodle]

:D

[TruorFalse]

haha nice...

[Tkdwn]

It`s a nice idea, but i would atleast cut it more in a hook style.
I think that copper wire hooks would be nice to.Something in this style:

[yuanyuan9.mli]

this is an awesome idea

[vanaka]

umm.... wouldn't the pop tab just float on water.......I don't know

[bcarpenter4]

If you had typical fishing gear, you could put a lead sinker on the line, which would take the hook under the water...If the entire getup is survivalist, though, I imagine you could perhaps tie a rock to the sting near the hook, or something else heavy, like if you had/found a metal bolt or screw lying around. Also, the weight of the bait should help it sink.

[vanaka]

k thx!

[splazem]

Awesome, very creative!

[camraguy]

The historical precedent for this type of "hook" is called a gorget. It was commonly used over 12,000 years ago on the California Coast.

[saintdoggx]

Creative.

[nibbler125]

ill bet if the fish swallowed the hook you would snag something

[nikitzz]

This is too hard for me to make:(

[McNoodle]

lol

[sunshiine]

This is a great idea.

[McNoodle]

Thanks!

[sunshiine]

uw

[lalexander]

there is also the tried and true "stick" type fish hook. basically a short thick toothpick formed from a hard wood with a skinny area in the middle. bait is formed over it so that the string lays flat tward one tip. the fish swallows the stick longways and the string yanks it from the center, causing the stick to dig its forward most tip in and jam sideways. the points dig in and the stick can not be gotten out or worked deeper to release the first tip. this works better than non snelled jerry rigged hooks. the trick is to not set the hook too hard because a really hard yank of the string can snap the wood. metal works too. as long as you can attach a string to the center the concept works the same.

[McNoodle]

Never heard of that before, but it sounds great! I'm going to try it the next time I go fishing.

[bleeper]

i make my own fish hooks using the spring out of old wondow shade rollers using wire cutters and a torch and a dramel tool and a hammer. you straighten it out into the fishhook shape and heat the barb end and pound it flat and use the dremel to sharpen and notch the barb using the ruby cutter wheel. works and is cheaper than buying new hooks . i get 25 to 30 hooks out of each spring ...also you have to heat treat it so its not soft anymore after you cut the barb into it.

[McNoodle]

Nice! You should make an Instructable on that.

[tzsch]

Not to be anti-DIY but fish hooks are dirt cheap and this looks like it would be pretty rough on the fish. I'll keep it in mind for the Zombie apocalypse though.

[saskew]

have you found yet a hook that is not rough on the fish?

[tzsch]

Good point.
Still, I'm kind of a sap, I file the barbs off of my fish hooks. You know, you can poke a pin through your own cheek and it doesn't really hurt. The barb can cause some damage if the fish pulls loose and this hook looks a little likely to come loose. Still, I would definitely keep it in mind for real survival situations.

[Microbe]

Yes, I agree. In fact, in Australia my understanding is  that non-rusting fish hooks are not allowed (I am sure someone will correct me if I am wrong) - the idea is that if a line breaks eventually it will rust away, but I shouldn't want to wait that long if I had a hook in my cheek.

But would that hook be strong enough to hold anything?

[dummy1977]

That's a good point, in case anyone's thinking about using these for fun -- they shouldn't.

But for a survival situation (which is the point of this .able), it's a good technique.

[David97]

Who cares if it rips the fish up. When you need to fish with one it will problay be survival situations so I don't think you would be to worryed about the fish as long as it got to shore and you got a feed.

[stupidninja]

i was thinking that you would want the hook area to be larger so it would go through the fish and to tie the string (assuming you have a pocket knife) you drill a small hole in the larger area at the top. p.s. please respond.

[McNoodle]

sounds like a great idea! I will test it out as soon i get my hands on another poptab

[Batryn]

Anyone tried it yet?

[woodNfish]

Well this is sort of a McGiver survival thing where you use what you have. I think if you bent the hook 90 degrees from the tab, you'd have a better chance of catching a fish. Nice instructable, and very creative.

[MandingaRes]

FELICITACIONES!!Me parece una idea fantástica!! Por fin un genio le encontró una utilidad a esos estúpidos ganchos que solo sirven para acumularse inutilmente o simplemente para tirar a la basura...
Pero esto no es todo.Veo que con un poco de ingenio todo puede servir y más cuando uno está en una situación de urgencia si se trata de supervivencia. Aquí en la patagonia Argetina donde las distancias entre pueblos es muy grande y los bosques muy solitarios, es importante estar preparado en caso de accidentes o extravíos.
Por favor, sigue ideando nuevas alternativas para esos elementos que pueden ayudarnos a salvarnos la vida...
Sorry, my english is so bad.....

[JosiePosie76]

I could see a few uses for this other than fishing even.... Hanging bundles of flowers outside... Drying sunflower seed heads.... Hanging small game for cleaning(if properly barbed......). Cut the other end...and hang it from a branch..to hang clean your fish even.... And anywhere I have ever been camping.... There are ALWAYS plenty of soda cans lying around... People are litterbugs... Lack of cans wouldn't be a problem... But carrying around the tools to make the barbs... Different story.... :)