Thursday, September 18, 2008

The Fish Traps

I was so interested in the Curious Beings Epic Adventure, I bought the Noble Birthright curriculum. So far I'm loving it! I'm learning more than the kids probably are, but it is fitting in nicely with our school and I think the kids are getting something out of it, at least occasionally.

Like the Indian Fish Trap project we decided to do this week.

I looked up how to make these simple traps. I wasn't going to get real technical about it since we are not "outdoorsmen". A bottle, some string, a box cutter and duct tape is all we needed. Cut the top of the bottle off, invert it back into the bottle, punch some holes around the rim, tie it together, add your string, and tape it for good measure. We were ready. Off we march to the pond/swamp/lake.

Jesse with the trap. (Anyone notice how short the string is?)


The choice location


Baiting the trap with bread


The Launch


Simeon getting grossed out by the algae as we pull the trap in


SNAPP!!! The string broke and the trap is floating freely in the pond.


Now to try and get it out, with branches at least 10 feet too short.


Branches didn't work and we had nothing else to try to get it out with, so we decide to pack up and return later with intentions of fishing out the trap (no pun intended, hahahhahhhaaa).


We return with Curtis and three more traps. All of which snap, get loose or get thrown out too far and we loose all of them. Curtis, not wanting to get in trouble for polluting local lakes/ponds or endangering wildlife, wades into the pond to retrieve all the traps. I don't think he was enjoying himself to the fullest.


Notice the big knot in the line. He was also grossed out by the algae. I don't suppose it's because he had to step into it and now his shoes are full of it?


But, here's the ray of hope!!! We caught a fish!! He was in the first trap we put out. We released him right after his picture was taken.


All in all the only casualty was a pair of Curtis' shoes. A friend of his from work happened to stop by too and helped us get the other traps we lost in by use of his fishing pole. I think if we do this ever again, it would work better in a stream or river. The fish were biting around 1:00 pm because after we lost the first trap we saw fish jumping around it and saw some of them in the bottle. I do know these traps work, so if its ever a need that we have to catch our own fish, this will work if no other means are available (like the grocery store, or even your own fishing pole).

3 comments:

Pirate Princess said...

I'm just impressed you went with them. I have a phobia of fish - you would not have caught me within any length of your traps!

Kassie said...

We are using this same EPIC adventure this year. My daughter just built her fish trap this morning, but we have to wait to use it. No lakes or streams here.
I am also really loving this adventure. Lots to learn!

Dawn Salisbury said...

Oh my goodness on the lots to learn! I don't remember anything on the Lost Colony of Roanoke and I've been researching the mess out of that one. I found "Who's Stepping on Plymouth Rock" at the Library today and the librarian said she is amazed how the kids that come in to do research never look at these old books, which she thinks have more info in them than the new updated ones. And then there are the discussions that have arisen from scriptural references. Learning a lot myself on this one!!! I love it!!