The period shown in episode 10 was an interesting time! November struck and the ice/cold came with it! I had imagined the lake freezing over over the course of a couple weeks - but much to my surprise it took about two days for it to go from open water to frozen completely. That was a big surprise and a wake up call to get my net finished!
I thought about bringing a net as an item, but I decided I would be better off taking paracord with which I could fashion not only a net, but also traps, trip wires, fishing lines, etc...but it would cost that time to make - I thought the freeze up time would be perfect for that.
The process of making the net was tedious, and it took troubleshooting a particular knot to get one that wouldn't come untied or slip (paracord strands are strangely difficult to keep tied). In fact, I had been working on my net for two days when I realized the knots began to loosen up and I would have to come up with something else. But after a couple hours I had it down.
Its hard for me to idly sit still for long periods of time out there, so it was a nice job to pass those early November days before the Ice became thick enough to walk on. Weaving kept me busy doing something productive, but not calorie intensive. It was cold, but i would take regular breaks to warm my feet and heat rocks to put in my pockets as hand warmers while i worked. I had long stopped snaring rabbits, as I was in no need of protein (only fat), and in fact still had several on my cache. But as November progressed I began to get bothered that I was eating more food, especially fat, than I was bringing in - and cringed at the idea of my supplies dwindling. I badly wanted to get out on the ice ASAP and catch some fish.
I had made the snow skis in the first week I was there so they would have time to dry (lighten up) before deep snow. That time had not come yet, but they worked great for going out on questionable ice. I did so as soon as possible and got my net under the ice. I actually made the mistake of floating it, and almost lost my net as the next day it was frozen into the rapidly thickening ice (inch a day), but I chopped it out, removed the floats, and sunk in back in.
I, almost jokingly, said a prayer - "Lord, let me catch a fish in this net, it would be one of the great joys left out here for me to achieve!" (after all that work, no other game animals aside from absent musk ox available to hunt, it was my big hope for the future). And when I found a fish in there I was overjoyed! It changed my perspective from one of "Ahh I’m eating more than I am catching" to "Man, you know what? I got something going here!”
Amazing what a perspective shift can do for you, and with the positive boost i began having fun again!
