Returning Caught Fish

[Reemul]

Started fishing a new lake and all the swims have big drops to the water and I am little unsure how to return the fish safely. Not easy getting down 3ft to return the fish, any suggestions? Tonight there was a swim further down where I could get closer but its not ideal moving to another swim to return fish.

 

[Keith M]

How big are the fish you are catching? Can you not return them in your landing net? or are they too large? Or is your landing net handle too short to do this?

Keith

 

[Reemul]

How big are the fish you are catching? Can you not return them in your landing net? or are they too large? Or is your net handle too short to do this?

Keith

Fish are to 15lb currently as big as 30lb in there, net is big 42" with a long handle and I have been doing that just wondered if there was any other options

 

[Keith M]

I know it’s often hard using your landing net to return Carp as the fish often just swims against the bottom or side of your large/deep net, but unless you can shorten your net mesh somehow I can’t think of any other way to make it easier.

Keith

 

[Philip]

If its a 3 foot drop another way is to use your unhooking mat as a sliing to lower the fish down to the water. Fold the mat round the fish then ger down as low as you can, ideally on your stomach and lower/slide the mat with the fish inside down the bank to the water

 

[108831]

I'm afraid the landing net is the only safe option in my book,if a fish turns belly up(unlikely with carp,but possible)you can manipulate the fish to right it,being careful is the key thing,many venues I used to fish for barbel have similar issues and with barbel being delicate on return even more care is needed,but you get it done,keep up the good work and certainly nothing wrong in asking such a relevant question..

 

[Reemul]

I'm afraid the landing net is the only safe option in my book,if a fish turns belly up(unlikely with carp,but possible)you can manipulate the fish to right it,being careful is the key thing,many venues I used to fish for barbel have similar issues and with barbel being delicate on return even more care is needed,but you get it done,keep up the good work and certainly nothing wrong in asking such a relevant question..

Thanks for the advice, this is the first time I have fished anywhere with such a drop and larger fish and just wanted to be sure.

 

[Philip]

The mat option is also perfectly safe and done correctly it holds the fish on an upright position until its ready to swim off. For especially large fish in awkward swims were you have to reach down and also outwards attempting to lower in a net would risk breaking the net and dropping the fish.

No option is perfect here and i guess we all have our own ways of seeing and doing things.

 

[Mark Wintle]

Thanks for the advice, this is the first time I have fished anywhere with such a drop and larger fish and just wanted to be sure.

I have struggled to understand why that water was redesigned so that so many swims are so high above the water. A decade ago the swims were typically less than a foot above the water which was ideal for a pole/waggler fishing angler like myself but I guess that because so many anglers want to fish their multi rod setups sat back from the water the new preference is for a level bank going back 4 yards. Hard to know what the best way to return sizeable carp is on this water short of laying on the ground and reaching down with the fish.

 

[108831]

Yes Philip,especially as many mats/slings etc have zip fixing which allow ends to be opened for release,no good for me these days,it would take me forever to get back up again...not really.

 

[108831]

I have struggled to understand why that water was redesigned so that so many swims are so high above the water. A decade ago the swims were typically less than a foot above the water which was ideal for a pole/waggler fishing angler like myself but I guess that because so many anglers want to fish their multi rod setups sat back from the water the new preference is for a level bank going back 4 yards. Hard to know what the best way to return sizeable carp is on this water short of laying on the ground and reaching down with the fish.

I've recently dropped out of the club that runs the lake I slider fished for good roach for the very same reason Mark,some swims are four feet plus above water level,crazy,it means that when fishing the float you have to lift the rod at least three feet before starting to recover line on the strike,not good if the roach are twitchy

 

[rayner]

I can't see the problem, use the net to return fish. if you can reach the water what could be easier. If you can't reach the water why fish there.

 

[markcw]

Fish are to 15lb currently as big as 30lb in there, net is big 42" with a long handle and I have been doing that just wondered if there was any other options

How many of that size are in there,?
And what are the chances of catching one that size, ?
Depending on weather and depth of margin you could always stand in the margin and release the fish.
Also anglers must struggle lifting a 15lb plus fish 3' up from water in net to bank to land it.

 

[Mark Wintle]

How many of that size are in there,?
And what are the chances of catching one that size, ?
Depending on weather and depth of margin you could always stand in the margin and release the fish.
Also anglers must struggle lifting a 15lb plus fish 3' up from water in net to bank to land it.

Lots of easy low doubles ie 10 to 13lb.

 

[steve2]

Because of low rainfall many of my club waters now have swims 3ft or more above the water level. Can't say I have had a problem when returning fish via the landing net.

 

[108831]

If you get 25lb plus fish prattling about it could be an issue,low doubles should be manageable...

 

[Reemul]

How many of that size are in there,?
And what are the chances of catching one that size, ?
Depending on weather and depth of margin you could always stand in the margin and release the fish.
Also anglers must struggle lifting a 15lb plus fish 3' up from water in net to bank to land it.

Not sure how many but in the last week son has ahd 2 15lb and 2 12lb. The net is fine was just really sense checking.

 

[silvers]

How deep is the margin? If it’s deep I recommend executing a piked double somersault with the fish in your arms!

more seriously, all the advice above is perfect.

I’m a river match angler, so don’t usually have to worry about landing such large fish. However, on the Wye at Hereford there have been some lovely platforms erected, and you’re only allowed to fish from them ... not the natural bank. They’ve been sited at a height that is great for a winter river with 4-5 feet on (perfect) ... but are rather elevated in drought. my 10ft keep net only had 2 or 3 rings in the water when I drew there at the start of autumn 2018. my 3m net handle was only just long enough as well!

 

[tigger]

A water I used to fish has had platforms erected with bivvy spaces behind them. When float fishing off one of the platforms I feel as though i'm perched on a long pier when the tide is lapping the bottom of it's piles. I have to take bank staffs similar to extending clothes propps in order to put my rod in a rest. Whoever built these platforms gave no thought to any other anglers than bivvied up carp anglers. You can release fish on nearby parts of the banking if needed, but, the water is quite ruined!

 

[Keith M]

I agree they never think of Anglers that don't have rod pods either when they put these platforms in.

I have a little contraption I keep in my bag which I screw into the platform with a single screw so that I can slot a rod rest bank stick into it.

Keith