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Carp in distress?


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I've mentioned previously that I was a virgin Carper before this summer, and really wanted to 'pop my cherry' by targeting them this season.

I had some good friends with lots of knowledge who were very generous with both their time and patience in helping me succeed in this.

I fished some tough waters and I fished some 'easy' ones.

One of these was a very well known commercial in East Anglia.

I caught several in the session, nothing to write home about but each a new PB.

See, I'm not pleased about my 'greatest' fish to date.With any capture I make (big or small), I treat the fish with the utmost respect.

This particular Carp, (only 12lb-odd, but hey,early days!) had a mouth like raw tenderised steak!I mean, it was distressing to deal with.

Forgive my naivety, but firstly how could this have been caused, and secondly was it in screaming agony??

Incidently, the rules stated "Barbless hooks only".Trust me, it was genuinely disturbing.Couldn't even photograph it.

Anyone seen the like of this?

In life we all have an unspeakable secret, an irreversible regret, an unreachable dream and an unforgettable love.

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I've mentioned previously that I was a virgin Carper before this summer, and really wanted to 'pop my cherry' by targeting them this season.

I had some good friends with lots of knowledge who were very generous with both their time and patience in helping me succeed in this.

I fished some tough waters and I fished some 'easy' ones.

One of these was a very well known commercial in East Anglia.

I caught several in the session, nothing to write home about but each a new PB.

See, I'm not pleased about my 'greatest' fish to date.With any capture I make (big or small), I treat the fish with the utmost respect.

This particular Carp, (only 12lb-odd, but hey,early days!) had a mouth like raw tenderised steak!I mean, it was distressing to deal with.

Forgive my naivety, but firstly how could this have been caused, and secondly was it in screaming agony??

Incidently, the rules stated "Barbless hooks only".Trust me, it was genuinely disturbing.Couldn't even photograph it.

Anyone seen the like of this?

 

Never seen a carp that bad but have caught a few on barbless hooks waters with barbed hooks in their mouth, many towing weights. Some people just dont stick to the rule so it wouldn't surprise me if it was caused by a barbed hook, some people just completely ignore the rules. Assholes!!

As famous fisherman John Gierach once said "I used to like fishing because I thought it had some larger significance. Now I like fishing because it's the one thing I can think of that probably doesn't."

 

 

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Never seen a carp that bad but have caught a few on barbless hooks waters with barbed hooks in their mouth, many towing weights. Some people just dont stick to the rule so it wouldn't surprise me if it was caused by a barbed hook, some people just completely ignore the rules. Assholes!!

Couldn't agree more DD!Disgusting.Thing is, by the state of it, it would have had to have been the result of repeated capture on barbed hooks to have caused this condition.More like barbed trebles!Or was it infected in some way?

In life we all have an unspeakable secret, an irreversible regret, an unreachable dream and an unforgettable love.

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and secondly was it in screaming agony??

 

No, carp are cold blooded and have a completely different nervous system to you and me.

 

It took your bait, would you be munching a bacon sandwich if your mouth was messed up?

 

Barbless hooks whilst being very easy to remove and appearing to be better for the fish can cause more damage than barbed hooks in some situations.

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i dont know if it would be infected or not but i think its awful someone can deliberately use barbed hooks, then have a line snap and sleep at night knowing that a carp is swimming round with the hook in its mouth. I must admit ive thrown in the odd ball of groundbait when fishing gets tough on a no groundbait water, but to use barbed hooks when you know full well the consequences is despicable.

As famous fisherman John Gierach once said "I used to like fishing because I thought it had some larger significance. Now I like fishing because it's the one thing I can think of that probably doesn't."

 

 

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There's a fishery I use near me where the many of Carp (mainly F1s) have mouths so badly damaged it's a wonder they can feed at all. Some have mouths so small through damage you couldn't get a finger in :o . As far as I know there has been a barbed hook ban for many years, and it is not heavily fished and has few matches. When I first saw this there were so many affected that I wondered if it could be a genetic defect, it really is amazing they survive and even gain weight.

(The 23lb Grass Carp my son had from there had a perfect mouth :P )

As no man is born an artist, so no man is born an angler. Izaac Walton

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While I agree with most that has been said why is it that this subject almost always refers to carp?

Very little is said about roach and other smaller species which often suffer equaly as badly.

Just because the fish are often small and the tackle usualy more than adequate to handle them so many anglers just lift them out of the water.

Usually still full of fight because it is just reeled in an 8oz fish flapping away on the end of 4lb line with a size 16 in its lip can rip its mouth to peices.

 

So please use a net even for smaller species.

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i dont know if it would be infected or not but i think its awful someone can deliberately use barbed hooks, then have a line snap and sleep at night knowing that a carp is swimming round with the hook in its mouth. I must admit ive thrown in the odd ball of groundbait when fishing gets tough on a no groundbait water, but to use barbed hooks when you know full well the consequences is despicable.

 

Do you wonder how pike anglers can sleep at night knowing they are responsible for the deaths of so many fish, ones which have been dragged up from their happy watery home and gasped their lives out in a boat hold? All those smelt, mackrel. herrings, lampreys etc. Why is it that certain types of fish have to be afforded an almost sacred status, while 'lesser' fish are given scant respect. it makes no sense, it simply has to be hypocracy. If you were concered that that carp was in agony then why not knock it on the head, take it home and cook it up? with a little bit of effort in the kitchen they are passable.

"Some people hear their inner voices with such clarity that they live by what they hear, such people go crazy, but they become legends"
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If you were concered that that carp was in agony then why not knock it on the head, take it home and cook it up? with a little bit of effort in the kitchen they are passable.

 

One can't eat things with names!

"I want some repairs done to my cooker as it has backfired and burnt my knob off."

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Do you wonder how pike anglers can sleep at night knowing they are responsible for the deaths of so many fish, ones which have been dragged up from their happy watery home and gasped their lives out in a boat hold? All those smelt, mackrel. herrings, lampreys etc. Why is it that certain types of fish have to be afforded an almost sacred status, while 'lesser' fish are given scant respect. it makes no sense, it simply has to be hypocracy. If you were concered that that carp was in agony then why not knock it on the head, take it home and cook it up? with a little bit of effort in the kitchen they are passable.

I used the example of a carp because the fish was, well...a carp!

I have no particular allegiance to any one species, but respect for them all.

If I'd known for sure that the fish was suffering, then maybe I would have 'knocked it on the head'.

Wasn't my intention to upset the anti-carp contingent.

In life we all have an unspeakable secret, an irreversible regret, an unreachable dream and an unforgettable love.

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