Never fish with more rods than you can handle! Two fish you can handle with practice, three fish impossible.

Play your fish quietly and as gentle as you can, apply pressure only when necessary! Never when the fish is near the net.

When the fish is netted, the job is done. Relax and place the rod back on to the rests. Put the baitrunner on or loosen the clutch, then place suitable item on landing net handle or spreader block making sure the arms and string of the net are out of water.
Note – the fish is in the water and is happier there than jumping up and down on the unhooking mat!

Wet your unhooking mat and your rubber lined weigh sling and zero it on your scales. Prepare your camera tripod or your photographer and place the unhooking mat at the edge of your swim.

Disconnect hooklink from main line by either quick release swivel or cut your main line.

Disconnect the arms of the landing net and roll the net carefully down to the fish making sure all fins are laid flat and then lift onto the wet unhooking mat.

Lift all three items (unhooking mat, net and the fish) by closing each end of the unhooking mat and holding tightly. Lift onto the second unhooking mat. If it is a large fish, get the photographer to give you a hand.

Removing landing net by sliding the net backwards underneath the fish to avoid lifting any scales.

Note – before removing the net make sure the hook is not caught in the net or if the fish is still, remove the hook before removing the net.

The hookling once removed can be put aside for re-use.

The trophy shot!! Note the position of the hands and make sure no fingers enter the fish’s gills as this can rupture the gill filaments which can be fatal.

Place the fish into weigh sling and weigh it.

Carry the fish back to the water in the weigh sling.

Release your prize back into its watery home.

Note1. Remove watches and chains when you handle fish!

Note2. If you use nylon weigh sling, carry the fish back to the water using the unhooking mat as well!

Note3. You will find two unhooking mats in each swim. The larger 16 ones, with sides, have been donated by Ruth Lockwood of Yateley Angling Centre.