Handling

LET ME BEGIN BY SAYING THAT THIS IS BY NO MEANS A DIG AT ANY ONE PERSON ON OR OFF THE FORUM

Over the last 6 months ive started to see more and more anglers photographs of fish they have caught, and a big well done to them.
But why do people feel the need to hold the fish out towards the camera ? Or even worse, to stand up ? The reasons people do this is obvious. It is done to give the impression that the fish is larger than it actually is. These type of pictures are easily recognised as none of us have fingers that fat !

What people dont realise is the potential for causing damage/injury to a fish when dropped. Even when dropped from a low height, serious internal damage can be done. We have all had very active fish on the bank and they are difficult to control at the best of times. And yes there is a time when a controlled grip of the fish can be lost, by even the most experienced of anglers. So isnt it safer to have the fish closer to you to give an oportunuity to recover the flailing fish ? You would think so . So why do people still do it?

When i have a fish and i want to get ready for photographing, everything is prepared. I crouch next to the mat, I have the fishes back facing towards me on the mat. I slide my hands and forearms under the fish and get a hand round the far pectoral fin muscle, allowing it to sit between my fingers. My other hand then does the same only around the **** fin. My thumbs are on the opposite side of the fish to my fingers allowing me to support the fish from both sides. I now have the fish cradled on my arms. A smooth lift and up it comes. I then rest my forearms along my thighs with my wrists supported by my knees but slightly overhanging. This gives a very stable support for the fish, and if it was to start becoming active i can gently allow the fish to rock back into my arms and replace it on the mat.
This routine positioning of the fish also allows all your fish photographs to be in similar poses and to have the fish in the same distance form your body, this also allows all of your pictures to be relative to each other.

Once my pics are finished, and to be honest usually one or two of both sides is usually enough, especially now we are in the digital age, I treat any wounds with a commercial anti-bacterial cream and return the fish to the margins. I try to keep control of the fish in the margins for as long as practically possible, but basically untill the fish has enough energy to wrestle itself out of my hands, when i will finally release it back to its home.


PLEASE THINK OF THE FISH BEFORE YOUR PICTURES

[James Furness]

Originally Posted by Phil highlander

PLEASE THINK OF THE FISH BEFORE YOUR PICTURES

Well said Phil.

[Julian Grattidge]

Yup, spot on mate.

I must confess to a few uneducated moments in my early carping days, but quickly sorted it out once I realised the potential harm to the quarry.

My own pet hate is people thinking they can lift a ‘quiet’ fish back to the water without the need for a sling/mat – nine times out of ten it will kicking right when the captor is stood up mid-way between mat and water and the outcome is always the same - dropped fish . Not good.

There are a few tips for safe handling/photography here: http://www.northwestcarp.co.uk/Carp-Articles/The-Help-Files/Carp_care_handling.html

yes i agree, we are all im guilty of it, im sure, at some point in our fishing careers, but once over it you find you get much better pics in the end

[James Furness]

Whenever i flick through a mag there's always someone holding a mid double - low twenty carp so far towards the camera that it looks the size of a dolphin!!

Handling carp is just one of those things that improves with experience. I remember the first few i caught although nothing massive i still foud it quite daunting after being used to catching small roach and stuff to have a powerful fish like a carp flapping about on the mat. With experience though you become much more calm around the fish and know what to do when it does start flapping around to prevent it coming to any harm. This is another reason IMO why people new to carping should start of targeting smaller carp first and get the hang of handling them before they start targeting the bigger fish, or at least fish with a more experienced angler who can help with any probs.

Originally Posted by James Furness

. This is another reason IMO why people new to carping should start of targeting smaller carp first and get the hang of handling them before they start targeting the bigger fish, or at least fish with a more experienced angler who can help with any probs.

absolutely..................people should learn to walk before trying to run !

i recall meeting an angler who said they had been fishing for carp for a few months on runs waters...................had had a fair few fish but was planning to fish top pool as a step up !

[James Furness]

Yeah fishing the easy waters first is definately best as you can learn so much more about carp and their habits and how rigs work than you can sitting blanking on a much harder water, where even if you did hook into a decent carp chances are if you've not gained the experience of playing carp that the carp is going to get the better of you!! When i first got into carping i spent a couple of years fishing an easy water where most of the carp were between 7-10lbs and had great fun catching them off the surface and off the bottom. The water was free of any snags or heavy weed so once a fish was hooked i could just concentrate on playing it and not have to worry about the fish getting snagged up. I would say these experiences are invaluable and even though it can get frustrating sometimes when you see all the pics of people in the mags etc with the big fish its best to get to the experience so that when you do hook the fish of a lifetime you've given yourself the best chance of landing it and returning it safely without the fish coming to any harm.

[Julian Grattidge]

I agree with all that you guys are saying. The big problem is trying to get it across. Try telling a young lad (or lady) that they are not ready to catch a big fish yet and you are likely to end up with a load of verbal! Many think they know it all after reading a few articles and reeling in a few pasties.

I suppose it doesn’t help that magazines are often pushing the big is best / numbers or nothing mentality – something I always try to counter in anything I do. Whatever happened to catching for fun?

Showing my age I guess.

But you’re deffo spot on – I see there being three main platforms; runs waters with fish up to say 10lb where you learn the art of actually ‘catching’ fish, then doubles waters where you actually learn how to ‘play’ fish, and then specimen waters where you learn how to 'outwit' fish.

[Blue]

Originally Posted by James Furness

even though it can get frustrating sometimes when you see all the pics of people in the mags etc

I think this is the problem sometimes with people who are new to carp fishing. They just want 'BIG' and they want it now! As Phil said with the angler who was stepping up from his 'runs' water to 'Top pool', classic example. What a complete contrast in carp angling that would be for the poor fella! I bet his gears been sold on Ebay by now and he's into golf or summt now

Carp fishing is a steady progression in which we never stop learning. It's up to the angler at the end of the day where he wants to fish. But you've got to be realistic when choosing a venue, and ask yourself 'am I capable or competent enough for this water?'. And by asking this question your only being fair on yourself to, other wise you wont even enjoy your carp fishing (we are allowed to enjoy ourselves aren't we!?!).

[Julian Grattidge]

Originally Posted by Blue

Carp fishing is a steady progression in which we never stop learning.

Sums it up for me - spot on.

[bigted]

i'm guilty of it with in reason! i'd like to think i did'nt hold the fish out at a stupid distance away from my body, i try and get my photo's to look natural and un force!(easirer said that dun) it's sometime's down to the guy taking your shots as well, if you are used to having shots dun by the guy taking them it's alot easier, i think i'm sometimes at fault for the reason, if i hold a fish wrong, i can make a 20 look like a low double and i'm disapointed with the shots, when i look back on a prized capture i'm slightly sadden'd so i try and get a happy medium. i find those shots dun with a wide angle lens are the most comedic

[Stig]

Originally Posted by Blue

you wont even enjoy your carp fishing (we are allowed to enjoy ourselves aren't we!?!).

No nada definitely NOT enjoying yourself is deffo not on!! What do you think it is Main lake and Top pool holiday camp !!

Enjoying yourself is for southerners on their overstocked under fished private waters.


PMSL

a blank session on top pool is better than a productive days work !

[TheDoctor46]

One of my Pet Hates is people who have watches on when holding a fish, especially a big stainless steel one, might sound odd i know but like it has been mentioned, if the fish was being a bugger then a watch can easily scratch - or slit a fish's skin.

[Cliff]

Originally Posted by Phil highlander

a blank session on top pool is better than a productive days work !

lol