unhooking mat?

[phonebush]

I will conceed in the US we are much more resistant to using unhooking mats assuming we have a humane surface for this purpose. No rocks, dirt, gravel etc.

 

I am wondering what the proponents of unhooking mats argument is for spreading disease. I contend fish dammage is just as likely to occur from moving from venue to venue or fish to fish without disinfecting your mats as there might be damage caused by not using a clean natural surface. Especially from a device that is folded or rolled up. What a fine home for bacteria.

Phone

[Leon Roskilly]

phonebush:

I will conceed in the US we are much more resistant to using unhooking mats assuming we have a humane surface for this purpose. No rocks, dirt, gravel etc.

Fish do not have an eye-lid.

 

Lay them on a smooth area of grass and it is oh so easy for a dried grass stalk amongst the 'safe', lush green blades to pierce their eye

 

My unhooking mat has handles, so having unhooked the fish, I can weigh it in the mat and carry it down the bank, with little risk of dropping it as it tries to flap about.

 

Being waterproof, I can submerge it, and let the fish recover in the folds of the mat until I'm sure it's strong enough to swim away, without going belly-up.

 

Most (all?) fish diseases will not survive being dried, and a wet unhooking mat soon dries out.

 

Mine's also sufficiently big to lay upon the grass, in a sunny spot, and have a short nap I wouldn't be without it

 

Tight Lines - leon

[Newt]

Leon Roskilly:

Lay them on a smooth area of grass and it is oh so easy for a dried grass stalk amongst the 'safe', lush green blades to pierce their eye

Leon - theory or have you really seen this happen? Serious question since I never use a mat if the surface is decent and the fish isn't huge.

[Leon Roskilly]

Newt:

Newt:

Lay them on a smooth area of grass and it is oh so easy for a dried grass stalk amongst the 'safe', lush green blades to pierce their eye

Leon - theory or have you really seen this happen? Serious question since I never use a mat if the surface is decent and the fish isn't huge.

As far as I know, it's never happened to me, but I've seen a number of one eyed pike.

 

Maybe some other reason, but I lke to play safe.

 

Certainly when lifting a fish for a photo, I feel far happier with a mat on the ground beneath the fish, even though I normally kneel for photos.

 

Tight Lines - leon

[chesters1]

all members of our club must have them whatever species your fishing for , as a bailiff this gets more swearing than anything else and the same old "i`v been fishing for 40 years and never needed one before" regularily comes up , hey i`m a bailiff i dont make the rules i just have to enforce them , i tell them to put a bin liner in their tackle box this with a coat inside is good enough for me ,and i make a note of their number ( unoficially) if their number comes up again they get an official warning ,next time it would be their permit ,its not hard to play the game but theres always one

and yes it is a good way to harbour bacteria along with still damp keepnets ,but its a risk you take

 

[ 21. January 2003, 09:49 PM: Message edited by: chesters1 ]

[Ed Matysiak]

Although pike are predators they are one of the more delicate and fragile of our fresh water fish. ALWAYS use an unhooking matt for pike even if you dont for carp.

[The Diamond Geezer]

phonebush:

using a clean natural surface. Especially from a device that is folded or rolled up. What a fine home for bacteria.

Phone

Phone

 

What do you mean by a "clean natural surface"? Anything out in the open air in a non-sterile environment, is coated with millions of bacteria, yeast & mould spores etc etc

 

So what could one use instead of an unhooking mat which is fairly easily cleaned if not completely sterilised?

 

DG

[Nugg]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Newt:

Serious question since I never use a mat if the surface is decent and the fish isn't huge. [/QB]

---

Newt

Do you mean that you don't have a piece of carpet in your boat, to lay the fish on?

[phonebush]

Diamond Geezer,

The sun drenched grass probably does not have as many fish invasive "creepy crawlers" as a well used unhooking mat. (That should be in the form of a question since I don't have much experinece with unhooking mats.)

In truth, while I am in the minority I rarely take a fish from the water to unhook. No weighing, no pictures. For my personal amusment I estimate the fishes length with marks on my rod beginning at the handle end. Most lakes have at least a small area you can easily get to waters edge and that's where I fish.

We have friendly Euro style fishin's where rules require an unhooking mat. I take a product we call bubble wrap (a packing material) and put it evenly in a large trash bag. Costs about $.10 but seems to satisfy the organizers.

Phone

[The Diamond Geezer]

phonebush:

Diamond Geezer,

The sun drenched grass probably does not have as many fish invasive "creepy crawlers" as a well used unhooking mat. (That should be in the form of a question since I don't have much experinece with unhooking mats.)

 

In truth, while I am in the minority I rarely take a fish from the water to unhook. No weighing, no pictures. For my personal amusment I estimate the fishes length with marks on my rod beginning at the handle end. Most lakes have at least a small area you can easily get to waters edge and that's where I fish.

 

We have friendly Euro style fishin's where rules require an unhooking mat. I take a product we call bubble wrap (a packing material) and put it evenly in a large trash bag. Costs about $.10 but seems to satisfy the organizers.

Phone

Phone

 

I'm very much like you; no landing, no weighing; unhook ASAP and release. I have to say that I DO weigh (very carefully) any fish that looks as though it might be a specimen though e.g. a perch of over 2 lb or a pike over 10 lb or chub over 3 lb etc

 

I like the sound of bubble-wrap; a good idea; ultra light, cheap and protective; I guess you have to give it a good wetting first.

 

Tight lines

 

Diamond G