New to it all, landed my 2nd carp(PB), and advice required (how to handle correctly)

[Bod]

Wow, thats alot to get through.

 

First off, hello First post on here I think.

I've been float fishing every now and then for a while, and now I've started going for the carp, with a friend of mine.

 

We're both new to it, and he gets quite alot of advice from a seasoned friend, and passes it onto me of course.

 

Anyway, fishing yesterday (Saturday), I landed my 2nd carp (apart from the numerous previous Crucians on the pole / rod / float).

 

But I digress, this was a 5 1/2lb Common, which I am quite impressed with. For me, it was a monster. Didn't put up much of a fight, or at least not what I excpected. Was great fun.

 

We got it in, on the mat, unhooked it, weighed it, and took a photo before promptly returning it to the water.

 

However, I do have one query. While holding the carp for the photo, I tried putting my finger in its mouth, and apply a gentle downward pressure. as advised to me by a couple of people, to 'subdue' it from wriggling, as it were.

 

 

If you look at the photo, I think I was a little too heavy handed, and as you can see, its mouth is quite exposed.

 

I hope I haven't damaged the fish in any way, and did I do it right? I suppose I panicked a little. I was also in quite a rush to get it back into the water too (was top on my memorised lists of things I'd read up on prior to the fishing).

 

Anyway, am I holding it right, was I too heavy handed? Any tips? I also notice my right thumb was covering the dorsal fin. I wasn't squeezing at all, just letting the fish rest in my hands.

 

Also, what about when it starts wriggling on the unhooking mat, we sort of apply a gentle spread-out pressure onto the carp with both hands until it calms a little, so it doesnt damage itself by jumping about. Anything wrong there?

 

Anyway I'll shut up now, and simply say it was caught on a 1inch piece of pepperami. This was the only fish of the day, but a beautiful catch it was!

 

Regards

 

[ 03. May 2004, 02:55 AM: Message edited by: Bod ]

[Newt]

Hi bod and welcome. Nice looking fish and congratulations to you for it.

 

The finger in the mouth should be similar to the way you put a nipple in a babys' mouth.

[jeepster]

well done bod, i dont think you're doing anything wrong, in fact you're doing the main thing right (caring about how you handle the fish)

[Resident Carper]

http://www.freewebs.com/gmethods/carpcare.htm

 

If ya need anymore info, then this link may be of help to ya, nice 1 tho, gd luck on ya next capture, where are ya based?

[Bod]

Thanks for the replies there

 

Glad to know I didn't hurt/damage the fish.

 

I'm from Bury in Lancashire (just on the top edge of Manchester).

 

Cosmic-carper, thanks for that link, I actually read it about 5 minutes before I posted this thread last night. Found it thanks to Google.

 

Newt, I'm not sure how I'd put a nipple in a babys mouth, I could reply with something smutty there, but I'll leave that to the imagination

 

I could, however, watch my wife when she gives birth to our second (a boy) in about 12 weeks though

 

Regards

[Dick Dastardly]

Thumb in the mouth gives a good level of control despite it not being "fashionable" to hold a fish this way these days.

Moving about on mat?just cover the eyes.

[Neal]

Well done!!! May you go on to catch many carp including some lumps Handling carp is always important, they will play up just when the shutter clicks on the camera! Stick to the advice you have been given and read on the web site and you wont go far wrong.

[Resident Carper]

yea cant wait for the next 1 m8y, gd luck to you, hope my site helped ya, if ya need anymore help then take a lil looky at me site, and if there is anything that ya cant find then im sure everyone here will be willing to help out or PM me and il add it to the site, cheers,,,Anthony

 

P.S. thought ya might like too met up but im in Cambridge so not really a possability. lol. cg luck 2 ya

 

[ 06. May 2004, 05:48 PM: Message edited by: Cosmic-carper ]