Unhooking mats and Keepnets.

[Gaffer]

After buying a weekly angling paper I noticed a gentleman (pleasure angler) with a keepnet full of Tench and Carp.

As a guesstimate I'd say at least one of the Carp is about a double.

 

Not just because of what I saw/read in the paper, but out of interest are my following questions.

 

1) When does a fish (not just a Carp) become big enough for an unhooking mat to be used?(regardless of whether the bank is grass or gravel)

 

2) When does a fish (not just a Carp) become too big for a Keepnet?(including matches)

 

I've got my own views on this, but I'd be interested to here the thoughts of others first.

[Chris Shaw]

All fish should be handled on a soft area for unhooking handling etc.

 

Keepnets should all be thrown in the bin I am afraid, worst thing for fish welfare ever.

[Kappa]

Um I guess the answer is what the particular angler is fishing for at the time.

 

I'm always trying to catch specimen fish so I always have an unhooking mat so every netted fish ends up on the mat.

 

I also never use a keepnet so it doesn't apply.

 

But if someone is fishing for bits and gets a larger than average fish?

[John 'BLOCK']

i always take an unhooking mat whatever i am fishing for...

If i do keep fish in a keepnet then i usually take two

ie one for perch (keeping them away from the others) and the other for bream silvers,carp...but if a was to land anything i thought too big i would simply put it back...

i agree with the guy who said that they are not good for the fish.....also some brands of keepnet are considerably better than others.

I very valid point is how you get them out of the net at the end of the day.....if done incorrectly it is this point that the fish suffer...it is always best done carefully and if poss in the cover of water or right next too it !!

having said that at the end of most of my fishing trips i could usually rent out the space left in my keepnets !!

[catchaplenty]

I think the safety of the fish is the important factor in both questions. If you can't hold the fish in one hand and unhook with the other then I think it is probably time for a mat. As for keepnets again it comes down to what you think is safe for the fish. If you stuff loads of fish in a keepnet and leave them there for ages its obviously not going to do them much good, but that would be because of bad angling and not a good reason to stop using keepnets. I certainly won't stop using a keepnet because someone comes up with a sweeping statement, Chris. Safety and commonsense I think Gaffer

[david platt]

Hi Gaffer,

Most of the fish I catch are unhooked

in the Landing net and returned but,

If I catch one that I want to Photograph

I use the unhooking mat to unhook the

fish take the piccy, then return to

the water, no problem.

I would not keep fish in a keepnet for

morethan a couple of hours, if I used

one at all now.

david

[pinky]

hi gaffer,

i always work on the lines,

 

1/if i cannot safely hold the fish in one hand it goes on the mat (any species)

 

2/ i do not even own a keepnet all fish go straight back

[John S]

I'm with euan pink completely on this point - if it's too big to safely hold in a (wet) hand, then onto the mat it goes.

 

Haven't owned a keepnet in years, don't intend buying one either....

[jonboy walton]

Hi Gaffer

 

I chucked my 10ft keepnet in the dustbin in 1996,and would certainly never use one again. How long is too long? Some matches can last anything between 2.5 and 6hrs, and in hot weather especially this can not be good for the fish.

I am not proposing a keepnet ban, as this would make match fishing impossible, but I would like the EA to increase the minimum size from 1.8m to at least 2.5m or longer.

One last point, some of my pike fishing mates get their roach deads by walking the banks after a match, there are always a few dead fish on the surface....

 

Regards

 

Jon

[phonebush]

Gaffer,

Will I be banned from the forum if I tell you, along with a landing net, I don't own either an unhooking mat or a keepnet.

I don't competatively fish, always find a place to unhook at waters edge. As for pictures, well, why would I subject myself to continually having my picture taken with something much more handsome than me? Weight? as a skilled angler, I can estimate the exact weight of my fish within 20 - 30 pounds.

Phone