In 2018, I began turning my lifelong interest in the outdoors into new products for wilderness exploration. The first of these was a handline, a simple tool for an ancient style of fishing that uses no rod and no mechanical reel. These handlines launched a small business, Daggerfish, and the products and educational content I've produced through Daggerfish (including the Handline Fishing Field Manual) have helped revive the hobby of handlining across the US and around the world.
Today, thousands of people have started handlining through Daggerfish, and the hobby now supports a robust community of handliners sharing their tips, catches, and wilderness experiences with one another.
Maple Handline
Maple grain closeup
Cutting line on a maple handline
Cherry Handline
Cherry grain closeup
Trout caught with a cherry handline
Sapele Handline
Sapele grain closeup
Naturally-water resistant sapele
Walnut Handline
Walnut grain closeup
Reeling a walnut handline
Handline Fishing Field Manual
Casting methods for a handline