[Stig]

Handle the fish with extreme care always make sure unhooking mat and your hands are wet before putting a carp on the mat of picking it up .Do the necessary unhooking weighing and photographing as quickly as possible keep the fish wet by pouring a little lake water onto the fish while it is on the mat .
When ready to realease carry the mat/sling with the fish inside it and lower it into the water and hould it there slide your hand under the fish and slowy ease it from the confines of the mat/sling and hold the fish upright in the water letting it take in water through its gills and simply hold the fish there until it is good and ready at which time it should just swim away .

Never ever handle any fish of any size with dry hands as your hands will strip the slime off the fish and leave it at risk from infection as the fishes slime is its primary defence against infections