handling fish for the first time

[Gray-Catchpole]

yup your spot on nugg, sorry everyone

[Andy Macfarlane]

On the subject of New2its gender....I knew she was of the fairer sex.No man would have EVER admitted to such a fear .

There is a serious side to all this though.I was Pike fishing last week and I saw a man catching a Pike from quite a high rock.He proceeded first of all to winch the poor beast straight up the rock,bashing eyes and skin all the way .He then held the line taught while the fish dangled in mid-air and then set about looking for his scissors or a knife or a stick to unhook the fish with .3 minutes later I was on my way round to see what help I could offer as I always have tongs,disgorgers and wire cutters on my person.When I arrived I asked "Do you need a hand with that mate?".He looked blankly at me and said "It's alright...I've been fishin for 30 years".I lit a cigarette and watched in wonderment as this "expert" proceeded to try and unhook the fish with scissors,while the line was held taught,fish-a-dangling :confused: .I could bear it no longer.I only made a move to go round after 3 mins and after a cigarette (another 4) I declared "Give me the F*****G fish before it ends up dead" :mad: .Sorry for swearing Mr.Waller but I felt urgency at the time.The guy looked at me open eyed and said "No need for that..it,ll be fine".I told him the fish had now been out of the water for 8 mins and it needed to go back.He was almost about to refuse when I gave him a stern "Fish...or die" type look.He handed me the fish by the line of course which was about 6Lb break and I placed it down on my Jacket because there was no grass or an unhooking mat to speak of.I showed him how to lift the gill flap,taking care to avoid the rakers.I showed him that lifting the head will open the mouth.I showed him that the fish was not badly hooked and that tongs will have it out in a jiffy and I then sat for another 10 mins while the fish recovered and left,probably brain damaged.I told him that a well held Pike cannot harm you and that tongs only cost £2.He said "I can't touch the things".I said "Youve been fishing for 30 years and you can't hold a fish?....just how many Pike have you caught exactly...in fact...don't tell me....just hear this...if I see you fishing anywhere with anyone...I will forceably remove you from the water with my boot and I will let everyone know what kind of person you are?.He packed up straight away and said "I've never been treated this way by another angler in all my life..it's a disgrace..and what kind of way is that to talk to an adult?".I did'nt answer as the hat came off and he realised he was talking to another adult.I'm 28 by the way and hardly fresh looking.I told him "I've been fishing for 20 years and I've never met a more callous angler...I asked if you need help...hardly the words of a disgraceful individual and YOU in your experience..refused.You are the one who has social problems and the warning stands...goodbye"

What is the problem with people?

Why do all old men think they have right to do anything they want?

Why do people go fishing at all if they refuse point blank to learn from other anglers?

This is why I congratulate New2it on asking such a simple question.There are very few women who fish.Why do the few behave better than the many?

[Guest Ferret1959]

Gray, nowt to do with me mate but I got a theory I want to try. I think there may be a little fault when posting pictures. If the picture has the same title I reccon the latest one over writes the previous one.

 

[ 17 June 2002, 10:48 AM: Message edited by: Ferret1959 ]

[dizidave]

Im not so much scared of handling the fish, as scared of hurting it.....i always think its gonna flip about and hurt itself.

 

i try to leave it in the net when i can......an unhooking mat is on my purchase list.

[Gray-Catchpole]

yes you right ferret, i added a time stamp to the pic poster when i was doing it, il see if i can find the script and send it to nick, that should solve the problem, sorry if i upset anyone.

 

andy, horrific but all to often seen, well done for taking up the challenge, to many people sit back and let things ride.

[chesters1]

i too have fished for over 30 years , at that time (and since ) pike have been regarded as a nasty fish ,i too had very many bad habits regarding them but hopefully the ones not destined for the pot were treated fairly (before you leap i am talking of 30 years ago) ,thankfully due to forward thinking the club i`m in had a pike handling course and i must admit i learnt a lot ,thankfully the days of gorging and hefty pike gags are almost gone ,the fish are much better cared for and hopefully i am a better angler

[new2it]

Well folks, an update on my handling fish problem. To start with, whether I am of the "fairer" sex or not, I have no fear of asking for help, especially if it will, in this case, help any unnecessary suffering to the fish (Andy - how you stayed cool with the old guy with the pike I don't know).

 

Well my sister caught a 6lb carp (big to me - not big to you pros), but like me she couldn't handle the fish. As hubby had gone to help someone out for a few minutes we asked for help from fisherman nearby, who held the fish WITH HIS THUMB IN FISH'S MOUTH (as was suggested to me). I was wearing a pair of fishing gloves (as suggested again) and the next thing this KINDLY man gave me no choice and handed me the fish, told me to put my thumb in its mouth and place it back in the water. So, even though I was gloved up, I never dreamed I'd be putting a thumb in it's mouth, holding it and then putting it back in the lake. Panic was starting to set in but I'd been given no choice in the matter.

 

I know it's only a start, but I can see the day when I will be handling them without gloves or fear or the need for half a dozen cigarettes and an urgent need for the little girls' room!!

[Newt]

You go girl!!!

 

That was a start and you should be in fine shape from here on out.

 

And thanks for the feedback.

[sue]

Well done my fairer sex angler. Wish I had been there to see your face, I bet it was a picture. It should become easier now as they say the first time is always the hardest. Well done and keep fishing.

[chesters1]

not only fishing sue