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[Polaris]

In a SURVIVAL SITUATION, where current fishery rules and limitations don't apply, what minimal gear and methods would produce the most meaningful results when fishing for trout and salmon in BC's lower mainland and interior streams and lakes.  I want to be clear that this question is not about the sport of fishing but about predictably catching fish when your life depends on it; therefore, I am not restricting it to fishing with rod.

[milo]

I guess it all depends on the tool or weapon available to you in the situation.
A spear would work for migrating salmon and many other fish. A spear is also very easy to make as long as you have a good knife or multi-tool on hand.

I don't think your question would be valid in the LML as there is a food bank within walking distance from just about anywhere, so you can't claim you are killing fish for "survival". You'd promptly be ticketed for poaching.

[chronic_topdawg]

the end is coming, go watch how they fish on the rez, one shopping cart and time to stack rocks

[Driller]

Chironomid any colour, and 10 feet of 6 lb mono.

[adriaticum]

In a survival situation where one is lost somewhere in the bush and need to eat I don't think you need to worry about regulations.
Most survival kits recommend you have hook and line. But spear is probably more likely to get you a fish. That is if you have a knife you make a spear.

In a sutiation where one is poor and tries to catch fish the rules apply and they would probably swim if they were caught.

[alwaysfishn]

A couple sticks of dynamite would probably be quite effective.....

[CohoMan]

In third world countries many of the natives would use ground up plants to stunt the fish from up river.

I guess if you do not have tools like a rod, this is the only way for them to catch their food source.

[Polaris]

Yes, by survival I mean in the bush - not by a mall like Park Royal where you can make weirs from rocks and shopping carts and pick up salmon with nets in the pools thus created and assuming you are not a chemistry major who can make explosives in the forest to bomb fish like with dynamite; and don't know how to weave a net out of pine needles...  Besides a spear (which would only be useful when salmon are running and/or in shallow water - because of water refraction) and besides an indian fish trap made of sticks stuck in the mud by water's edge, what else can be improvised in a forest in winter? 
If fishing with 'rod', assuming you had a limited amount of space in your backpack, besides some basic tools and a survival knife what minimum fishing gear would maximize your chances?   Since there is not going to be a reel or a tackle box at hand, realistically one could only have a small length of line, some hooks and a few small lures.  But besides winter steelhead what species would you be targeting? What minimum length of line must your have for this type of improvised fishing is even to be attempted with a simple rod (you chopped down)? What strength line? What size hooks?  Since bugs aren't easy to find in winter, what simple lures can be improvised?

CohoMan:  do you know what plants in our forests could be used to produce this 'stunting' effect?
Driller:  you mean with an improvised rod and float, right?

[Polaris]

Driller:  also, judging that you are suggesting a 6lb line am I to assume you are targeting trout only?

[adriaticum]

I don't think you would be fishing for survival. In the winter the water is cold that you certainly don't want to get wet.
Unless you have hook and line and can make a rod from sticks, you'd be SOL.
You are really asking questions people write books about.

[Shawn6o4]

lmgtfy.com/?q=Fishing+for+survival

[Brian the fisherman]

if your going for survival food, set up a snare trap. in most cases this will provide food much faster and more efficiently than trying for fish.
do carry a bit of 6lb test and a small hook. dig up grub and worm or any other shore insect that fish may snack on. bait the hook and make your self a makeshft rod.

good luck spear fishing as you will be getting wet, and getting wet in a survival situation could be life or death.

i have done some outings for weeks at a time with no food brought with and just a water bottle with a purifier on it. snare traps worked much more than trying to fish. and the snare is always there and requires much less effort to set up and try to jig for fish wasting valuable energy

[chris gadsden]

You could always visit a salmon fish farm.

[Sterling C]

There was a user group that at one point in time relied on fishing for survival. Perhaps check in with them and see what methods worked best.

No point in inventing the wheel 

[CohoMan]

If you google, "how to stun fish" you can find all sorts of articles.

I don't think you can find plants in Vancouver to do that.