Our Fish Handling Guide

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 rest. Put the bait runner 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 the water. Note - the fish is in the water and is happier there than jumping up and down on the unhooking mat!

Mat in the water

Prepare relevant equipment, i.e. unhooking mat, weigh sling, scales, weigh bar and camera, not forgetting your antiseptic carp care cream or spray.

Place unhooking mat into the water with weigh sling in place, making sure your weigh sling is soaked!

Disconnect hook link

Disconnect the hook link from the main line or cut your main line directly above swivel. This is carried out in the net to eliminate any weights or line getting tangled with the fish or net.

Lift net and fish onto the mat

Make sure all the fins are laying flat to the body, carefully roll the net down and lift onto the mat.

Unhooking fish

Please remove the hook with care and treat the hook hole and any other lesions where necessary.

Removing net

Always remember to slide net from under the fish from head to tail to avoid lifting any scales!!

Weighing of fish

Mat, weigh sling, and weigh bar are provided for your use, scales are not.

The trophy shot!!

Only attempt to lift fish when it is calm and make sure no fingers enter under the gill plates as this can be fatal!!

Rather then rolling the fish over, just turn the whole mat around in the water.

After releasing the fish back into its watery home, remove the sling and the mat from the water.

Note1. Remove watches and chains when you handle fish!

Note2. You will find one big unhooking mat in each swim.