Holding them still & safe

[Mark Dale]

Hi all,

I've recently been lucky enough to land some larger fish than I've been used to in the past. I'm used to fishing for silver fish but have turned my hand to Bream of late. Nothing earth shattering but had quiet a few in the 5-7lb range.

Hooking, playing and landing are not a problem but once on the bank, on my mat, I find it awkward to unhook the fish while trying to keep them still so they don't flip off onto the grass, gravel etc.

One hand on fish, one with disgorger/forcepts, fish goes for it... seems to be difficlt to hold down. I cope with these sizes, but am concerned that if I get larger specimens I will be out of my depth and i don't want to damage them in any way.

Any tips out there? Can't imagine how you can control really big fish while unhooking.

Cheers

Mark.

 

[Mark Dale]

From another forum: I'm told that covering a fishes eyes with a wet cloth/net may keep them calm and stop they flipping. I'll try this (Sunday) but anyone got a view on this? or other suggestions?

 

[Fred Bonney]

Un- hook them in the landing net, in the water.

 

[Mark Dale]

Thanks Fred, that would indeed solve the issue. However, where I have been fishing recently has a raised bank, it's acanal. I have trouble leaning down to hold the fish in the water while releasing. Any ideas in this situation? Or should I just not target larger fish if I can't un-hook while in the water?

Mark.

 

[Fred Bonney]

Mark, the problem with big fish, is you can catch them without targeting.

Back to you original question, do you use barbed hooks?

If so, I would suggest that unhooking any fish will be easier if you used barbless hooks.

Also, don't take your fish out of the landing net at all,rest it on the mat, and unhook it.

If I read the above question right, if you put them back in the canal, stillin the landing net, you don't need to lean down.

I've never seen anybody,nor have I ever covered the eyes of a fish!

 

[Mark Dale]

Thanks again Fred.

Head covering of fish apparently comes from the NAA "Code Of Conduct for Course Anglers".

 

[Fred Bonney]

NAA "Code Of Conduct for <u>Coarse</u> Anglers".Section 4 Fish Handling page 13

 

[Barney 2]

Hi Mark, the fact that your concerned is very commendable! Here is how I cope if it is any help:

I use a Drennan carp sackon top of my unhooking mat. Wet it first (tub of water nearby).Unhook the fishin the net thenmove him onto the sack. If you need to get something momentarily, covering the fishwith the other half of thesack seems to keepit calm. I then can weigh the fish (still in the sack), lower it back into the water, get comfy, and ease the fish out andsupport until it is ready to swim away.

Thebenefit is, I move the fish around in the sack like a trendy handbag and fishy is never going to be dropped, no matter how hard it trys to flip about.

Some may think that's a bit OTT - but I would have to kill myself if I dropped a good fish!

 

[Mark Dale]

Cheers Barney. Thanks for the benefit of your experience. /forum/smilies/smile_smiley.gif

 

[Barney 2]

No problem Mark, and thanks for your PM.

I guess a lot depends on your style of fishing and where you fish. Being conscientious you will find what works for you and whatyou feel confident with.

Where I fish it is very overgrown and the bankside is not managed at all. Often I willprefer to move along the bank to return a fishin a safer spot, but still like one hand freeto hang onto a tree orkeep balanceuntil the weight of the fish istaken bythe water, otherwise i'll be swimming as well.

Using a carp sack for all reasonably sized fish really works for me! If your into keepnets (not good for carp!) it may be more trouble than its worth.

 

[alan]

Mark, i often drape a wet weigh sling over the fish, and it does calm them down, while unhooking.

my way is, fish into net, net on to mat, fish covered with weigh sling, unhooked, then tuck the sling under the fish, roll and lift into the sling, weigh, release from the sling.

sounds complicated but its not, and no chance of dropping one.

 

[Mark Dale]

Thanks Alan.