unhooking mat?

[Peter Gowman]

There aren't many logical arguments against the use of unhooking mats. Used with good practice (cleaning nad drying etc), it has to be better than the alternative. A practical problem however, is when little Johnny (or Janey) wants to take up fishing, the insistence on having the 'real deal' unhooking mats by some clubs ia a barrier to 'hard up' parents. So power to Chester's approach to unhooking mats. I use a carp sack over a piece of old carpet and I have been asked to leave a day ticket water (in Hampshire) because I didn't have a pucker 'unhooking mat', I told him to 'go away' (or words to that effect). I witnessed the same ****hol* eject a couple of groups of young boys for the same reason. They left in tears, that is not for me a responsible approach to 'good practise' angling.

[Newt]

Nugg:

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

The entire floor of the boat is carpet. And I do carry large plastic bags to lay on the carpet. Wet them if I'm going to put a fish down.

 

I was speaking of the occasional shore sessions I do. I do carry a plastic bag in the tackle box but no regular mat or even foam to put in the bag. And have rarely used the bag since mostly grass where I'm fishing. Until Leon mentioned sharp stalks of dead grass, the thought had just never occured to me. And unhooking mats are about as common as teeth in a bird over here.

[chesters1]

quote:

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And unhooking mats are about as common as teeth in a bird over here.

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could be the start of a little import business newt

[smeaguk]

I control a 15 acre gravel pit and there is a notice on all acsess points that reads

"No LANDING MAT No FISHING"

Having seen the results of fish coming into contact with natures softest surface I enforce this rule with no exceptions.

Landing nets used and not dried properly are of greater concern as landing mats by there design normaly dry within a few mins in sunlight.

[Oatmealjack]

Phone, one question I have never seen asked is what about passing pathogens from one carp to another in the same lake on the same session? Say you are fishing a dark humid night, your unhooking mat isnt going to dry off and if you put carp after carp on it they are in essence exposed to whatever pathogen each of the proceding carp carried. So if one carp has the fungus and you put another one right on the mat while it is still wet the next carp gets a nice does of fungus. I dont know if that is carrying it too far, you would think most fish pathogens would be floating around in the water enough to infect every fish there anyway but you never know do you. Maybe what they need to do is have multiple unhooking mats so that one can dry out while they are catching another carp? If you really cared about the carp I think you would really have to consider multiple unhooking mats to keep from spreading pathogens from carp to carp in the same lake.

 

Oatmeal Jack

[KBONE]

Instead of multiple mats Oatmeal carry a packet of antiseptic wipes, a quick wipe over the mat after it has ben used takes no time at all,what do you think.

Catch you later.

Ken.

[Dunk Fairley]

Cost isn't a barrier these days. Shakespeare do a really good mat for about £20. It rolls up small, but is about 30" long. More than adequete for day to day fishing.

[Oatmealjack]

Good Idea Kbone, do those wipes get down into the wrinkles and cracks? Maybe a squirt bottle with 5% bleach would do better and getting into all the nooks and crannies?? When I need a mat I use a campers pad, its about $5 and will give two mats. Oat

 

Instead of multiple mats Oatmeal carry a packet of antiseptic wipes, a quick wipe over the mat after it has ben used takes no time at all,what do you think.

Catch you later.

Ken.

[phonebush]

Oat,

You asked exactly the question I was trying to get at. As usual, you did it much better than I did.

I was of the opinion that direct contact with anticeptic was very harmful to the natural slime on fish, not just carp. Sort of like adding volumes of bleach to the water, not healthy.

Phone

UK breathern, we understand you use mats. It is WHY that baffles us. I'm certain you are not careless with fish and those that are careless a mat will not be of benefit. In our "paylakes" rarely are fish damaged from multiple catches and they almost never use mats. These paylakers are not nearly as cautious as you appear to be.

[chesters1]

its because we are a " nation of animal lovers" and as napolean said " a nation of shopkeepers" the "shopkeepers" sell us goodies so we can "love animals" and "loving animals" makes sure we use the "shopkeepers" simple buck making ploy