How fish should be handled

Joskin · Jun 8, 2004

Does handling such a large fish in this way cause damage to the fish.

I would think that holding a fish with a gut as fat as the Tench in the catch reports article on F.M could cause serious damage and stress to the fish.
Surly a fish of such proportions should be supportd better when being handled. If this is the case then these sort of photos should not go to press as it will only give the anti's more amunition.

I am not having a go at the captor or anyone else for that matter, I would just like to know your thoughts on handling fish in this way.

Big Rik · Jun 8, 2004

Different people say different things.
I know that laying a large fish (tench or carp) on it's stomach can cause problems with the ribcage area, so these fish shouldn't be laid upright.
So I presume the same would go for holding their stomachs.
Too much pressure there can cause problems.

I would say that gripping the fish as Andy does in his photos ensure you have a firm hold, with no chance of the fish escaping or flipping out.

alan strickland · Jun 8, 2004

Andy will of caught many fish of this size and isnt the type of angler who wouldnt think about the welfare of his captures.

Im sure he thought about how to take the photo without causing any harm to the fish.

The way he is holding the fish look`s fine to me,this is a tench with spawn not a gut loaded carp so i would be more concerned if he had 1 hand supporting the belly.

alan strickland · Jun 8, 2004

ps
not knocking fat carp but read somewhere that your should suport carp by holding head with one hand and resting the belly along your forearm of the other.
Remeber that the tench will be carrying some spawn so most of the bulge will be water and not its gut`s.

Like Rik say`s laying a fish like that flat on its belly could do damage in the same way beached whale`s die be having there internal organs crushed.

Joskin · Jun 8, 2004

I am not questioning Andys ability to look after the welfare of the fish that he catches. I am mearly using his photograph as an example. I would think that a fish with a gut like that should be laid on a mat on its side. I have by no means made up my mind as to wheather this is a good way or a bad way to handle a fish, this is why I posted the thread.

and by the way Alan there is no way that Tench has a gut like that just because it is full of spawn.

Joskin · Jun 8, 2004

Who lays a fish on its belly anyway?
Never seen that done before

Frothey · Jun 8, 2004

i dont think it makes a difference whether its laying on its side or on its gut, your exerting pressure that doesnt normally get exerted. i've seen it written that its better to support at either end so as not to cruch the organs/ribcage (like rik says)

Joskin · Jun 8, 2004

I would have thought that laying a fish on its side would distribute the weight a little better than if it were on its belly or held up by head and tail.
Surly if held by head and tail the weight of its gut would be forcing its back to bend and internal organs to stretch and possibly rip.

Frothey · Jun 8, 2004

mind you, i would of thought if they were in any pain at all, they would thrash around like mad...

Deecy · Jun 8, 2004

I have it on good authority that Carp esecially are susceptable to fractured ribs (are they called ribs on fish?) from placing them on their stomachs by which I mean stomach down touching the unhooking mat.The evidence I am told is most evident in fast growing 'Simmo' Carp.Some have lumps protruding from their sides. This is a result of the fish growing at such a pace the 'rib' cannot heal quickly enough to keep everything within the ribcage area. Source Sparsholt College.

Wolfman Woody · Jun 8, 2004

Alan Strickland "Andy will of caught many"
Frothey "i would of thought".

Write 100 comments "I MUST NOT WRITE "OF" WHEN I MEAN "HAVE", IT'S BAD ENGLISH." then stand in the corner for one hour.
________________________

On the subject: What does a fish weigh? Nothing as far as it's concerned. It's normally suspended in water, weightless. So any position it's laid or held in is going to cause it a little discomfort, but providing the weight is distributed evenly I can't see it being a major problem. The way Andy is holding the tench I would say "Don't hold it like that for too long". A minute or less at most which I'm sure Andy did. You just get to know when enough is enough.

Warren 'Hatrick' (Wol) Gaunt · Jun 8, 2004

Oi Joskin, trust me mate, Andy has the fish AT ALL TIMES in his utmost care and attention and aint no muppet when it comes to handling big (ok, ish ;o) ) fish. So, in answering your question, NO, he aint, and will not worry for one minute about, 'The trophy' shot and will handle the fish with intelligence and respect and have it back in the water as quick as possible. Same goes to most of us on here i think!

Sure as sure can be, we all have the fish at the centre of attention (thats why we go fish-in, innit?) with fish welfare and safety in mind. I didn't lay out almost fifteen hundred odd quid last year on getting made a large quantity of safety retention systems that went UK wide just for a few quid!

Repeat captures occur more often than not nowadays and the fish, in most cases, seem to be in stunning condition.

Nuff said.

Bryan Baron 2 · Jun 9, 2004

Holding or laying a fish in any position will cause it some stress. The correct way is the fastest way of getting the job done. That may be to unhook or taking a picture. While this is being organised keep the fish in the landing net supported in the water.

sash · Jun 9, 2004

I always thought that the protruding lumps on carp were in some way related to it's swim bladder and spawning/other side injuries? Could be imagining I read this though!!

Big Rik · Jun 9, 2004

I think it's both Sash.
The broken rib allows the swim bladder to distend through the gap.
Or that is what I'm led to beleive.

Jeff
"It's normally suspended in water, weightless"

eerrr, no.....
because water is 3 times denser than air, then a fish will weigh a third of it's weight in water.

Write out
"water is denser than air and Monkey is denser than both" 100 times and stand in the corner......

<raspberry>

Deck Monkey · Jun 9, 2004

Only thjing I would say is that if you look at the line of the top of the fish, you can see its spine is not in a natural position - the weight of the bluge has hyper-extended it somewhat. I would say the best thing would be to have it on its side.

Incidentally, there is a lot of muscle and strength around the abdomen of a fish. They can stand being supported under the belly as long as this isn't the only place you hold them!

Still, as has been pointed out, Andy is a very experienced angler and I'm sure no harm was caused to the fish.

Joskin · Jun 9, 2004

Warran.

You said: Oi Joskin, trust me mate, Andy has the fish AT ALL TIMES in his utmost care and attention and aint no muppet when it comes to handling big (ok, ish ;o) ) fish. So, in answering your question, NO, he aint, and will not worry for one minute about, 'The trophy' shot and will handle the fish with intelligence and respect and have it back in the water as quick as possible. Same goes to most of us on here i think!

DONT YOU READ THE THREADS BEFORE YOU POST?

I have said that I am not questioning Andys ability to look after the welfare of the fish that he catches.

My question was Does handling such a large fish in this way cause damage to the fish?

Warren 'Hatrick' (Wol) Gaunt · Jun 9, 2004

Yes i read your question and if you read into my answer i think you'll find your answer!

Andy's been doing it a long time, read into that if you will.

Wolfman Woody · Jun 9, 2004

"water is denser than air and Monkey is denser than both"
"water is denser than air and Monkey is denser than both"
"water is denser than air and Monkey is denser than both"
"water is denser than air and Monkey is denser than both"
"water is denser than air and Monkey is denser than both"
"water is denser than air and Monkey is denser than both"

100 times, did you say Rik?
"water is denser than air and Monkey is denser than both"
I'll finsih it later.

You get my point mr scientist. The fish is supported all round in the water and because water is denser than air it holds it together a lot more. When I say weightless it's because of this support and it's swim bladder allowing to simply sit in the water at any depth with doing a thing. or Appearring weightless. OK?
_____

I was still right about the use of "of instead of "have". English is getting corrupted enough by foreigners without us lot having a go.

Warren 'Hatrick' (Wol) Gaunt · Jun 9, 2004

"My question was Does handling such a large fish in this way cause damage to the fish?"

Simple answer then......No.

Putting a hook in it does for a short time though.

How fish should be handled

New member

Big Rik

Guest

New member

New member

New member

New member

Frothey

Guest

New member

Frothey

Guest

Deecy

Guest

Wolfman Woody

Guest

Warren 'Hatrick' (Wol) Gaunt

Guest

Well-known member

sash

Guest

Big Rik

Guest

Deck Monkey

Guest

New member

Warren 'Hatrick' (Wol) Gaunt

Guest

Wolfman Woody

Guest

Warren 'Hatrick' (Wol) Gaunt

Guest