Has the world gone unhooking mat mad?

Mark Wintle · Jun 23, 2008

Several of my local clubs now insist on unhooking mats on their 'carp' waters without defining which waters qualify. Bear in mind you can roach fish the same waters, match fish the same waters, without a mat. Also bear in mind that the banks range from soft deep grass, through gravel, dirt, wooden pllatforms and concrete, and that the rule is widely ignored. Despite this the vast majority of swims have some sort of of 'soft' area of grass even if platformed.

Are we getting too hung-up on this especially where using soft grass is often better? Should far less fish be placed on the ground anyway, bearing in mind that match anglers tend to hardly ever do this?And that mats are far from totally safe.

Keith M · Jun 23, 2008

But nowerdays unhooking mats are so cheap and can also take up so little space (if you have a smaller mat) amongst the miriad of tackle that a matchman takes on his trolley. I've lost count of the times that I have had to lend mine to an angler during and after a match either to photograph part of their catch or to unhookthe unexpected larger fish. also some grass stems arefairly stiff andmay not beas kind on the fishes eyes as we think.

Andy "the Dog" Nellist (SAA) (ACA) · Jun 23, 2008

On numerous occassions I've had to tell anglers not to place the fish they have just netted on their bone dry, staked out in bright sunshine, red-hot, nylon unhooking mat.

Placing a fish on thick green grass would be preferableto placing it on a thin unhooking mat placed on hard ground.

Keith M · Jun 23, 2008

Yes but it should bewetted first and kept in the shade on a level ground preferably on soft grass. these are simple rules that everyone should know.

Perhaps we should have a simple exam like I think you need in Germany which you need to pass before you can fish?.

Fred Bonney · Jun 23, 2008

Ah but Keith, it's the simple rules that everyone should know, but don't.

If there is a chance of a big fish being caught, then all the more reason to have an unhooking mat.

Why take the risk, it's quite a simple rule?

Graham Whatmore · Jun 23, 2008

Or perhaps we should rely on common sense. I agree with you Mark, there aren't many places I fish that havn't got some grass round the pegs be it river or lake. I personally don't take my fish out of the landing net anyway, using my knees as a supportbut I'm told I still need a mat because it is the rules whether I use it or not. If you are one of these people that like to take a pic of every fish you catch then maybe it makes sense but most of us don't bother unless it is something special.

Matchmen never use a mat because, like me, they never take the fish out of the landing net, it is landed, unhooked and slid straight into the keepnet, in my case straight back into the water.

Wolfman Woody · Jun 23, 2008

<blockquote class=quoteheader>Andy "the Dog" Nellist (SAA) (ACA) wrote (see)</blockquote><blockquote class=quote>

On numerous occassions I've had to tell anglers not to place the fish they have just netted on their bone dry, staked out in bright sunshine, red-hot, nylon unhooking mat.</blockquote>

Andy has a good point though. I've seen quite a few carp anglers simply put their catch straight onto a hot mat, the result is stir fried carp.

I know anglers today with far more experience than I could ever count on never use a mat. What did we do before unhooking mats? Was there that man badly scarred and disfigured fish with great patches of scales missing?

I have to say that when pike spinning I never take the unhooking mat. The pike is chinned and very often held aloft since it cannot then close it's choppers on my fingers. Or it's placed on the grass, but either way, I have never seen one bear any scars after I've returned it other than the hook hole.

One local club I would join insists on inhooking mats for carp and pike and rigidly enforces it. Needless to say, I won't join.

Frothey · Jun 23, 2008

I know anglers today with far more experience than I could ever count on never use a mat. What did we do before unhooking mats? Was there that man badly scarred and disfigured fish with great patches of scales missing?

spot on Woody.....

Keith M · Jun 23, 2008

I know anglers today with far more experience than I could ever count on never use a mat. What did we do before unhooking mats? Was there that man badly scarred and disfigured fish with great patches of scales missing?

Yes; but it wasn't that long ago that the biggest Carp ever caught (apart from Clarrisa) was around 28lb, and a 10lbCarp was thought a really good fish, however a 10lb Carp today is a run of the mill fish to most. and for the average angler catching a sizeable fish is much more common than it used to be.Plus deseases seem rife these days. Its bad enough seeing 8lb Bream Gasping under the weight of other fish when being weighed in at matches let alone being mistreated on the ground by people who should know better.

However I can see the other side; If you are using 1.25lb hooklengths after silver fish and there is little chance of you catching a big fish in the local canal then an unhooking mat is hardly a necessity.

As Fred said: "If there is a chance of a big fish being caught, then all the more reason to have an unhooking mat. Why take the risk, it's quite a simple rule?"

neil staton · Jun 24, 2008

As a complete newbie to the sport you can dissregard what I say but

Could they be trying to 'look like they are doing the correct thing' ???

You know how life is these days... somepolitically correctnob who hasnt a clue wants to 'point score' in the office so comes up with some hair braind scheme and others just go along with it cos they scared of being accused of being naughty.

Cakey · Jun 24, 2008

I agree with Andy to a point .....grass must be checked first for hidden objects i.e. rocks stones etc

the only reason I carry two mats everywhere is I feel safer when having pictures of big carp with amat underneath

Steve Spiller · Jun 24, 2008

Going back to Marks point, I think many clubs now are just trying to be seen to be sending out the correct fish welfare message. Not a badmessage in my opinion, educating anglers to look after the fish is surely a good thing?

But, I also agree with the argument for not using mats. Common sense must prevail and it is our duty as anglers to use common sense.

Ray Daywalker Clarke · Jun 25, 2008

funny how fishing has changed, until unhooking mats came out everyone used grass or keeped the fish in the landing net on the grass while unhooking them.

I like many others no doubt have seen anglers using mats, and the fish is all over the place. Some seem to think that because a fish is on a mat it will not move so no care is taken to stop the fish flapping about, common sense is what is needed.

Agent no.9 · Jun 25, 2008

Mark do you own a unhooking mat ?

JIMMY---PAAS · Jun 25, 2008

In Scotland, Some Fisheries/Club waters Etc,will not let you fish with out one, and I agree with it ( If catching large fish ) Also as said you must wet you,re unhooking mat, Then when you get home, you should disinfect it and then rinse it, before you go to another place to fish.

Mr Cholmondeley-Corker (PaSC) · Jun 25, 2008

<blockquote class=quoteheader>JIMMY ( P A A S ) wrote (see)</blockquote><blockquote class=quote>

Then when you get home, you should disinfect it and then rinse it, before you go to another place to fish.</blockquote>
Good point Jimmy

Lord Paul · Jun 25, 2008

Also

Unhooking mats keep your chair clean when naked fishing - simply put the mat on the chair - park your naked butt and wipe the stains of later

Steve Spiller · Jun 25, 2008

I thought this was a serious thread?

My mistake! Must be Bait Box rubbish again!

Lord Paul · Jun 25, 2008

<blockquote class=quoteheader>Steve Spiller (ACA) wrote (see)</blockquote><blockquote class=quote>

I thought this was a serious thread?

My mistake! Must be Bait Box rubbish again!</blockquote>

OOOOOOHHHH

Consider my wrist slapped

Paul C · Jun 25, 2008

What constitutes an unhooking mat?

Does it have to be a shop bought one. What if you make your own? What criteria must be fullfilled if you do?

What if I wanted to adapt a landing net bag with padding and soft material so it had a dual purpose?

And how do you define who is fishing for bigger specimens and therefore must have one? I may feeder withmaggot for dace orsmall roach and fall foul of not having one, even though I am targeting 8 oz fish?

I think to have it as a rule causes large areas of discretion and there maybe no consistency with different bailiff's.

Has the world gone unhooking mat mad?

Well-known member

Well-known member

Andy "the Dog" Nellist (SAA) (ACA)

Guest

Well-known member

Fred Bonney

Guest

Senior Member

Wolfman Woody

Guest

Frothey

Guest

Well-known member

New member

Cakey

Guest

Well-known member

Well-known member

New member

Banned

Senior Member

New member

Well-known member

New member

Well-known member