The Importance of Catch and Release

Dear Readers,

I was just thinking if I would write about this issue in some magazine, but I reckon this is the best way to deliver the message. As I have previously written, catch and release fishing (C&R) is quite a new thing in Finland, and coarse fish are mostly regarded as trash. Well, here is a series of photos to point out how C&R can be sustainable when done in the right way. This photo series is about the same carp caught in three consecutive years. The fish has been putting on weight every year.

Linear carp "Pöhkis" aka. Simpleton in 2011

Linear carp "Pöhkis" aka. Simpleton in 2012.

Linear carp "Pöhkis" aka. Simpleton in 2013

I already wrote in my earlier blog about the ESSENTIAL TACKLE considering fish welfare. C&R is not a religion about tossing the fish back in the water, it is about the best practice getting the fish back into the water. I really insist that all people doing C&R or selective fishing should pay attention to fish welfare. For instance, a lot of Finnish pike anglers don't have an unhooking mat. That is totally wrong. The boat floor is not the right place to handle a fish. Without the protection of the unhooking mat, the fish will loose a lot of its mucus layer. The mucus layer is really important for the fish, as it protects the fish from infections and parasites. 

What I always bring with me when I am fishing (fish welfare tackle):

- Big knotless landing net (Prologic XLNT)

- Landing mat (Prologic Inflatable with small walls)

- Weight sling (Prologic)

- Forceps & disgorger

- Camera tripod (and a lot of technical gimmicks to get the photo taken really fast)

These things are not lightweight. But it is the price you have to pay for fish welfare. If you are not ready to carry several kilos of fish welfare tackle, you should not be fishing at all. After all, it should be about fish welfare, not fisherman welfare. 

Sweat & tears (no blood) - C&R done properly!

Essential tackle vol. 1

My previous blog got a comment which underlined the difficulty of choosing the essential tackle for carp angling. I mean, as it is difficult enough for an advanced angler, I can imagine (and remember) the challenges a beginner faces. Well, I hope I can help a bit with these issues. In my earlier blog, I mentioned that fishing is always about the welfare of the fish, and on the second place, the welfare of the angler. Start buying your tackle also in that order. So here's a list of must haves and not so important tackle. I start with the must haves.

1) Good quality carp landing net (soft mesh, minimum. 42"). Don't use any other landing net models than carp nets! The sparse mesh in other models can twist and break carp fins. Plus, carp freak out when you try to fit them in undersized landing nets. This elongates the landing time, which in turn isn't good for the fish.

2) Unhooking mat. Don't get your carp flapping on the bare ground. It can have internal damage or get infections if it's mucus layer is damaged. Also, it's good to have the carp nice and clean for the photos. Use soft unhooking mats (padded ones) which are large enough.

3) Weigh sling. Use the ones designed for carp. The ones for predator fish are way too shallow and the straps can harm the carp. Use the ones which you can close from the both ends with a zip. You can carry the fish back to the water in the sling and revive it carefully.

4) Forceps and a disgorger for getting the hook off safe. Have them always ready and available.

5) A bucket(ful of water). Before getting the carp on the unhooking mat, pour some water on the mat. The mucus layer and the gills really have to be protected. You can also pour water on the carp already on the landing mat. Get the weigh sling also wet before putting the carp in it.

I will write my next blog on the other tackle needed. But I mean, in most places the items mentioned above are required by the rules. So I challenge everyone who's reading this blog and fishing, or planning to fish for carp, to get these essential fish welfare tackle ASAP.

As you can see, there's the pliers, a carp landing net, unhooking mat and a weigh sling... And don't lift the carp too high.  You DON'T want the carp falling down from 1,5 m... Keep the carp low.

Change of plans - blanking is good

I've taken up gardening. It's good for your mental health. You can't be blanking with sunflowers, can you? You won't get your tackle smashed by roses? Plus, the travelling isn't a problem.

In my garden I have found some lobworms, and they are said to be good as a fishing bait. Sunflower seeds are also good when soaked and cooked. Good for carp! And that leads to my subject of the day. Carp.

Well... My last trip was a blanker. It's nice to have them once in a while. It makes catching feel a lot better. When I had good fishing, and I was catching EVERY night for a long period, it made me want bigger fish. And in an unhealthy way. It was like smaller fish (8 kg or 17½ lbs) weren't what I wanted. And when you start thinking that way, boy you seriously need some blanking!

Fishing for pleasure comes down to two things: fish welfare and fisherman welfare. If you are not feeling good about what you are doing: stop. It can be a long and treacherous way of going. You just forget why you are fishing in overall, and start focusing on wrong/trivial things, like the weight of your catches. And soon, you loose the love for fishing. Just because you weren't reflecting what you were doing.

It's nice to go out for some good carp fishing. It's more than you can ask for when you are having a grill full of salmon fillet and garlic potatoes. After that you have a warm cup of tea and rest your eyes on a moonlit pale silver lake. And listen to the silence of the night.