In a survival situation, your energy output will play a big part in how successful you are at living in a primitive setting. As well, your ability to adapt to the situation at hand is also a necessary mindset to have when left to your own devices. Your first concern in surviving outdoors is shelter and finding water. Many try to find rivers or streams to camp next to as this is the best area to find resources for food, shelter and water.
If you find yourself without your fishing rod, there are primitive traps you can make to catch small fish, crawfish and crab using resources found in nature. Sigma 3 Survival School has shared a great video on how to create a fishing trap in order to thrive in a primitive setting. They claim this fish trap made from sticks, vines and cordage or paracord is by far the single best method for catching fish.
Making a Primitive Basket Fish Trap
Making this fish trap is time intensive, but is a self-sustaining trap that can be used over and over again. The following video will demonstrate how to wrap the vines around the sticks to create a funnel to effectively trap the fish. The fish are enticed to swim into the fish trap by adding small bits of bait. The size of the trap can vary depending on what size fish you plan on catching.
As well, using inedible parts of the caught fish such as intestines or organs can be used as bait for the next time the trap is set. Adding a stone will help the trap sink more in the water and lure the fish easier.
Learn how to set this fishing trap here.
To learn more about primitive living, check this article out on six primitive traps for catching food in the wild.