As a follow up to my recent rather frivolous posting about still waiting for my double, and my son catching three in our last session, there is a more serious issue which arose.
The biggest at 14.5Ib headed straight for a reed bank and got thoroughly entangled. There was no way it would have broken free to land in clear water, so we both waded in and after a lot of poking around with the landing net, we got it on the bank. Unfortunately the fish had some damage (a loosened scale). As it happened the fisheries manager was on hand, and applied some antibiotic cream and the fish was returned otherwise unharmed to the water. It occurred to us that there comes a time when it would be better to cut the line to avoid damage, but in the heat of the moment, when you have a personal best within your grasp it's a very difficult decision to make. It's possible the fish could have got hung up and been worse off, but with barbless hooks, I'm sure it would have escaped. I must admit it took the shine off the moment. I like to think that if it happened again I'd let it go, but what if it was that elusive double I've been waiting for!!
I'd be interested in anyone else's views on this.

If you were able to wade to the fish, I think cutting the line before doing that would be not such a great idea and not necessary. As to the rest - I think that has to be up to each angler.

You could probably have unhooked the fish with it still in the water and in the reeds although that would have meant you couldn't see if it had taken damage.

Getting it out and into the net would certainly have been the best option if it had turned out to be injured (and I don't class losing a scale as 'injured' although there will probably be those disagreeing with me here). Since you couldn't tell without looking at the fish, I think you done good and once in the net but active, why not bank it and weigh it if that was your plan had it come to the net normally.

IMO you acted in a responsible manner.

Thanks for reply. The fish was a mirror type ghost and the pulled scale looked a bit bloody, so I think it did need attention.

id have done the same as u waded in and got it out.it could have been really tangled in the reeds and could have died if you had cut the line.u did the right thing.2 weeks ago i was fishing with my pole and me being stupid as i am i took the top sections off and plonked it in the side while i could rebait out by this island as my pole was its full lenght my top sections that i just took off went straight in to the lake being pulled around by a carp.luckly the fishery owner had a boat so off i went chasing it

Think you did the right thing

I think you made the right decision going in to rescue the fish. I would be reluctant to cut the line in case the fish was left tied up.

Here here. I would have done the same thing to wade out and free the fish

[ 14. July 2005, 08:50 PM: Message edited by: Andrew Burgess ]

yep same here

A lost scale is the lesser of the evils compared to leaving a hook/rig/lead and yards of trailing line in a fish.

Obviously personnel safety must be considered foremost but I strongly believe that if we by our actions (ie fishing for them) put a fish in a life threatening position (like getting it snagged) up we have a moral responsibility to do our best to resolve the situation.

Totally agreed, but why should a rig ever be used that might pose such a risk to a fish?
Crack-offs do happen. Lines do break. At the worst the fish should be left with a barbless hook and some line stuck in its gob, which should easily be survivable. The fish will almost always get rid of the hook sooner or later, no?