Keepnet, Keepsack.

This is aimed at those of us who chase the bigger species. Do you use either method of retention.

Whilst looking through some old photographs yesterday, I was immediately struck by the multi shot pictures displaying as many as three or four large pike in a net made for me and several of the Northern Specimen Hunters group by Stead's of Sheffield. It was a huge affair ten feet long by three ft plus wide and came with a stretcher rod that eliminated the net folding, that would be around 1964/66.

Now I can't remember why, although there must have been a reason my pictures show that the net was no longer in use by 1970. No multiple catch photographs were recorded from then on even though they were made. Was this an epiphany, or were we just wising up.

Does anyone else use a retention method for these larger species, and if so why if the pictures aren't required for publication.

Used to 'sack' carp in the late 50's/60's prior to finding someone with a set of scales up to the job - didn't often have multiple catches to trouble me though....

Derek Gibson said:

This is aimed at those of us who chase the bigger species. Do you use either method of retention.

Whilst looking through some old photographs yesterday, I was immediately struck by the multi shot pictures displaying as many as three or four large pike in a net made for me and several of the Northern Specimen Hunters group by Stead's of Sheffield. It was a huge affair ten feet long by three ft plus wide and came with a stretcher rod that eliminated the net folding, that would be around 1964/66.

Now I can't remember why, although there must have been a reason my pictures show that the net was no longer in use by 1970. No multiple catch photographs were recorded from then on even though they were made. Was this an epiphany, or were we just wising up.

Does anyone else use a retention method for these larger species, and if so why if the pictures aren't required for publication.

Click to expand...

Derek

I still use a BIG Keepnet to retain Perch and Big Chub, as I reckon if you let them go back in the swim they tell their mates and you never catch another one in that session !!

I'm not talking about Match type pools, but proper Rivers and Canals ?

Bob

I use a specially made super soft pike tube if I am alone and need to prepare for a photograph. The longest I have retained anything in it is about 5 minutes, I have not used the tube more than half a dozen times.

I could get by with my old boyhood jam-jar on recent results.

I value the catch more than the photo.

Don't get me wrong, I'll put a big carp in the sack while I get the camera ready, or while I grab someone from the next swim, but that's it. And sometimes, I don't even bother with a pic.

With pike, I'll grab a quick pic then straight back. If the camera isn't ready, or I don't have my phone in my pocket, it'll go back without a pic.
The last pike I faffed about with to get the perfect picture took me half hour in the margin to regain it's strength. .
I'd would never imagine retaining more than one pike in the same net/sack. I put a pike back in the shallows one winter and it had a pike of similar size attack it. It's asking for trouble!


Agree about perch and chub though, but on the rivers, I'm always roving so a keepnet is a ball ache to carry. So I just put the fish back a few swims down stream.

I'll put the odd tench in the keepnet. But not when the waters warm, and never one over 4lb. Likewise with bream. Anything up to 4-5lb I'll put in, but bigger, and they go back

The only net I use these days is a landing net for landing them. Never used a sack or retention tube ever. Stopped using a keepnet around 1985 and that was 14 ft long and a metre dia one, always staked out full btw and used for retaining big bream.

Infrequently these days do I photograph fish as I’ve 100s of them of the species I fish for. I photoed just one fish last season and that was a 6 lb chub the first I’d had in 3 years.
The rule of thumb I follow and have done for over 10 years is, if it’s a PB, a PB for the water I’m fishing or of some special significance I’ll take a mug shot, otherwise it goes back only ever being committed to memory and not pixels.

As to chub I disagree about putting them right back. I take many multiple catches of chub per winter from both big 40 yards wide and small rivers 10 yards wide. On the big rivers they go back at my feet and on the small rivers I’ll put them back 50 yards away up river. I can’t say I’ve notice any difference in my catch rates doing this.

Back in the 1970's it was common practice to keep Barbel and Carp in soft loose weave sacks (one per sack) until first light when they could be photographed quickly and then returned.

They were always fully recovered in the mornings and full of life; otherwise we wouldn't have dreamed of sacking them. however times have changed now and I would never dream of doing it today.



Above is a typical picture of some of the Barbel I caught back in the 1970's when sacking at night was the norm.

NB. As I've already said; I wouldn't dream of doing it today.

Keith

I concur with Bob's observation regarding Chub... I never used to retain fish... but even briefly, it makes a big difference. That was from one shoal.....