How do you treat your catch

[steve2]

How do you care for the fish you catch.

Do you treat all your fish as if they are carp, i.e. place them on a mat, apply antiseptic cream to any cuts and hook holes. Pat and kiss them goodbye or do you just return them straight to the water without even looking at them.

Some of these big bags in matches, 100’s of pounds must cause damage to the fish when placed into keep nets. I know that most have weight limits per keep net but 60lbs is still a lot of fish in one net.

I’ve never seen anyone treat any other fish in the same way big carp anglers appear to do to the fish they catch.
So why don’t we treat all fish as if they were carp?

 

[theartist]

I'm probably guilty of swinging to hand the odd fish that could be netted, but dad bought me up to put them straight back, before release any netter is placed on soft grass or a mat regardless of species, there's been times I've had neither and used my clothes rather than place any fish on concrete or gravel. I don't see taking a quick photo as a problem yet hate seeing damage caused in keepnets to fishes scales, some of the keepnet photos make me cringe but others may feel the same way about presenting a fish up to a camera.

I suppose that's the crux as we all see things differently and whats ethical for one is not for another but all the species should be treated the same.

 

[rayner]

I don't use a mat I just unhook the fish in my landing net on my knee then quickly release it.
I use a net to land all fishes even a very small roach, I also put all fish back via my net. Thinking about it I can't even remember the last time I touched any fish apart from removing the hook. I use a small landing net for safety, not the oversized net that carp men use, a smaller net helps to keep any bigger fish to be still avoiding damage.

 

[Clodhopper]

Prawn cocktail; sirloin steak, chips and peas; Black Forest Gateaux: bottle of Blue Nun.

Job done

Sent from my SM-A705FN using Tapatalk

 

[rayner]

Are you stuck in a time warp? that's a definite old 70s menu.

 

[nottskev]

I took a walk the other evening around a nearby lake, picturesque and secluded, but containing very little beyond 25 - 30 large, old carp, rarely caught. I had a chat with a lad stalking amongst the trees, walked on and turned back when I heard him shout to his mate "It's on!". I watched from a respectful distance. The carp - the biggest common in the lake, apparently - was left in the net in the water, while the captor got to work. He ran round the lake to get the mat and other kit, hunted out the flattest, lushest spot to lay out the mat, the size of a small inflatable dinghy, wet it, and got various accoutrements, including carp-care kit (a club rule) in position. His mate got the camera - not a phone - set up. Just about to lift out the fish, the captor, a lad in his early 20's - turned to me and said "I'm not being rude, but is it ok if we just have this moment..... ?" Sure. I walked away to leave them to what mixed elements of the operating theatre, the religious ceremony and a bonding ritual - there had been a bit of hugging, oh mate!

I didn't mind him asking me to step away, and I'm not mocking. They treated that fish like something precious, as it's venerable age, size and scarcity warranted. I was impressed. You couldn't fault their fish care, that is unless you believed we should leave fish alone in the first place. But it's not really a model of what every angler should do with every fish caught.

 

[Badgerale]

If it's a fish bigger than i can comfortably unhook in my hand, I use either a basic mat or a soft bit of grass if available - I don't see any advantage of the mat over soft grass.

Quick photo to send to my mate to make him jealous for not being out, otherwise get it back in as quickly and gently as possible. I don't require a long intimate moment with the fish, I won't be kissing it, cuddling it, looking lovingly into it's eyes, or whispering sweet nothings into it's ear. But then I don't target big carp, maybe I just haven't experienced the emotional power that a 20 pounder has.

I do always have several sizes of disgorger and a small pair of forceps to hand - those little deep hooked perch which unfortunately will happen at some point, I find are easier to unhook with forceps where I can solidly grab the hook rather than poking about for ages with a disgorger.

 

[mikench]

I always use a landing net save for obvious swingers. I set up two nets for different sized fish. I always have an unhooking mat as it's a club rule. Most of the time I unhook the fish and release it. If it warrants weighing for my own record, I will check it and use antiseptic cream if I can find it and if it looks necessary. I use a disgorger most of the time and a pair of forceps if it looks more awkward. I always check for other hooks and remove them. I always seem to hook Gideon, roach and Rudd nicely in the lip, perch are a nightmare and carp a mixture of the two. I don't fish for specimen and am happy with a healthy fish in good condition.

 

[Philip]

I think we have a moral responsibility to treat the fish we catch with respect which is what I try and do but on the other hand I think some of the fish welfare we see is going way OTT.

Sometimes I look at the lengths anglers go to and wonder why they go fishing at all.

 

[nottskev]

I agree with that. Some fisheries have devised extensive new rules to protect their fish (or their investment), but some of the same fisheries keep excessive stocks fighting for food and oxygen, fished for and caught non-stop. And it does look as though fish care can get a bit of a fetish with waters where larger carp are fished for.

 

[dorsetsteve]

Is there any scientific evidence that these carp care sprays are beneficial or even desirable?
Main main concern particularly with Barbel and Trout is minimising time out the water. I will apply the same respect to pretty much anything but apply some common sense, a 1lb Chub will not need to same recovery as a 12lb Barbel, the fight was not as long and the fish is made of sterner stuff. When Spring/summer lure fishing I will sometimes never even lift the fish, simply chinning and popping the hook and on their way.

Generally it’s;
Net fish, rest whilst grabbing my unhooking kit.

Lift fish and deal with the hook.

Back in the water. If not to be weighed a rest period may be given before release.

Get anything like the weight sling and unhooking mat ready.

Lift fish for weighing and photo if warrented. Some times I will return the fish to the water between weighing and photographs depending on the time taken.

Rest fish, often I will re rig and recast at this stage. Once I’m happy the fish is ready, back she goes.

 

[John Aston]

How do you care for the fish you catch.

Do you treat all your fish as if they are carp, i.e. place them on a mat, apply antiseptic cream to any cuts and hook holes. Pat and kiss them goodbye or do you just return them straight to the water without even looking at them.

Some of these big bags in matches, 100’s of pounds must cause damage to the fish when placed into keep nets. I know that most have weight limits per keep net but 60lbs is still a lot of fish in one net.

I’ve never seen anyone treat any other fish in the same way big carp anglers appear to do to the fish they catch.
So why don’t we treat all fish as if they were carp?

A more germane question might be why don't some carp anglers show the same theatrical levels of fish care to species they affect to despise as nuisance fish ?

I sometimes catch 40 plus wild brownies a day on fly while wading. Would anybody in possession of a functioning brain really suggest I wade ashore, retrieve the unhooking mat stuffed down the back of my waistcoat , spend a minute or so finding somewhere flat to put it , lovingly place the 10 "trout on the mat before unhooking and then treat it with disinfectant before lovingly returning it ?

If I were so obsessive about fish welfare I wouldn't stick hooks in them in the first place .

 

[markcw]

Any fish I have netted including carp to low doubles are unhooked in my landing net across my knees.Its easier,safer and the fish is back in the water faster, I have had pic done for "trophy" shot on the bank but it is rare I will do that.
There is nothing worse than trying to get off your seatbox and navigate around the kit at the side of you, side tray, topkits etc,
holding a landing net with large fish in it and possibly flapping in the net, while carrying rod,/ pole sections to put net on an unhooking mat and hoping you dont break your rod/pole in the process.

 

[theartist]

Hooks cause little damage when used correctly, it almost sounds like a quote antis would use, most of us care about our catch despite "sticking hooks in their mouth"

There's no harm in applying what carp anglers use when possible and I'm not talking about creams and ointments. It's working with barbel fishing so why not all species, it is catch and release after all so why not release them in the condition they were caught? I cannot fathom any argument against this.

Also no serious carp angler would be seen mistreating a bream, it happens sure but very rarely and it's frowned upon within carping despite jokes to the contrary.

 

[steve2]

A more germane question might be why don't some carp anglers show the same theatrical levels of fish care to species they affect to despise as nuisance fish ?

I sometimes catch 40 plus wild brownies a day on fly while wading. Would anybody in possession of a functioning brain really suggest I wade ashore, retrieve the unhooking mat stuffed down the back of my waistcoat , spend a minute or so finding somewhere flat to put it , lovingly place the 10 "trout on the mat before unhooking and then treat it with disinfectant before lovingly returning it ?

If I were so obsessive about fish welfare I wouldn't stick hooks in them in the first place .

It's not just some carp anglers that despise other fish I have seen it happen with many different types of anglers. I have seen it with barbel anglers, pike anglers, I have done it myself when yet another carp picks up my dead bait.

Regarding fish welfare I have said before that no angler fishes for the welfare of fish.

I have never applied antiseptic to any fish but if anyone believes it helps please go ahead.
The only antiseptic I carry is for personal use. I wonder how many anglers carry a fish first aid kit but not a personal one.

 

[theartist]

Regarding fish welfare I have said before that no angler fishes for the welfare of fish.

But they can.

My local stretch of the Colne was polluted about 5 years ago, since then I have had trips there and logged my catches and sent them to the EA, the catches were poor with only few survivors of each species, these were compared to days when the river was healthy and catches were good, I got no response but the stretch has now been restocked.

I'll continue to catch fish on that river and report any pollution incidents and it will rewarding doing so

 

[no-one in particular]

bbb

I sometimes catch 40 plus wild brownies a day on fly while wading. Would anybody in possession of a functioning brain really suggest I wade ashore, retrieve the unhooking mat stuffed down the back of my waistcoat , spend a minute or so finding somewhere flat to put it , lovingly place the 10 "trout on the mat before unhooking and then treat it with disinfectant before lovingly returning it ?

Certainly I would suggest it, why on earth would you not?

 

[dorsetsteve]

bbb

Certainly I would suggest it, why on earth would you not?

Because the largest issue with Salmonids is oxygen starvation, so the best practice is to keep them out the water for as brief a time as possible. Flicking the hook out in the net, in the water and sending them on their way is preferable to marching them to the bank and popping them on a mat, then back to the water.

 

[Steve Arnold]

The river carp I have caught seem very tough by comparison to the barbel. I now weigh fish in the net rather than transferring them to weigh sacks or similar as I feel the less handling the better and a quicker release. I do have a large unhooking "cradle" which is used if the hook-hold is stubborn or should I want a trophy photo.

My biggest carp was 44lb and it was released without making it to the mat up the bank. I tend to judge each catch individually and this one had put up quite a prolonged fight, so I rested it in the net then weighed it still in the net and a quick release. Part of me wanted a better trophy shot than the one taken as the fish was slid out of the net - but my conscience could not justify prolonging the ritual!

Barbel are generally a different matter altogether. After my first released barbel went belly-up and drifted away (lucky I had a long handled landing net!) I realised what most on this forum already know - barbel use up ALL their energy during a fight, quite a lengthy rest is required before they can swim away.

I once had a photo refused on a Facebook barbel group, whoever was moderating thought I was holding the fish whilst standing. For the life of me I could not see what perspective the moderator had to make that judgement! The facts were that I was kneeling on a rock with the fish over a gully of the river, my wife took the photo looking slightly downwards as she was standing, but she is not tall.

Anyway, the point is just how judgemental some anglers are of others in their personal views of fish care. I left that Facebook group as I felt there was a certain attitude amongst them, I can take criticism if constructive but some expect "their" fish care routines to be applied in all situations.

Landing nets are another point-of-contention! Some of the nets I have seen used on the river are totally unsuitable but conform to what carp anglers on lakes consider necessary.

Most of us that are enthusiastic enough to follow these forums will want to ensure their captures are "cared" for. Glad this forum tends towards practical advice and discussion, rather than making rules!

 

[rayner]

I have never intentionally injured a fish, I seriously doubt any angler intentionally injures their catch. It does happen on occasion that the odd injury takes place. Do I care, I don't suppose I do. The thing that gives me a reason to think why, is photographing fish. I can't ever remember photoing my catch, having said that I do like to see photos of fish. I know it just doesn't make sense. ?