Carp Care

Basic Fish Care

As a catch and release community we promote fish care. A fish is a living being, treat it with respect and avoid hurting it unnecessarily, so he can live another day and might grow to be your next trophy fish.

  • Unhooking mat
    • Yoga mat or similar will do to for starters
    • Goal is to protect the fish and his mucus from dirt and sharp objects as well as soften any possible fall
  • Holding the fish
    • Hands below the pectoral and anal fins
  • Kneel down
    • Stay low, if the fish falls, it does not fall far
    • Makes it easier to snatch a pretty picture as well
  • Water Bucket
    • Keep the mat wet, best before you even use it
    • Keep the fish wet – protect its mucus and skin
    • Keeps the fish nice and clean for any pictures taken
  • Time matters
    • Only take as long as absolutely necessary while the fish is outside the water
    • Weight and take a picture, don’t linger around
    • Fish cannot breathe outside of water
    • The sun and wind dry their mucus and gills out, potentially hurting them
  • Don’t hurt the fish
    • Don’t hold it by the mouth with your hands or gripers
    • Use a wet net to weight the fish
    • Don’t touch the gills

Professional Fish Care

  • Unhooking mats and cradles
    • Best is to have raised side walls so the fish can’t slip out
    • If possible, a floating unhooking mat is perfect, especially for the real big fish as they can be hurt falling on hard ground
  • Get the hook out
    • In a perfect world, right after you net the fish, get the hook out. Most injuries and bleeding in the mouth occurs while the hook tangles in the net and causing additional harm to the mouth. The sooner the hook is out, he better.
  • Spray injuries / carp care
    • If possible, spray any injuries with a specialty antiseptic solutions to help healing of wounds and mucus
  • Knotless net
    • Use a knotless net made to keep the fish and it’s scales safe
    • Net arms are often removeable so you can fold the net and roll it up a bit to keep the fish safe
  • Transport in a weight and/or retention sling
    • The sling should be wet before it is used
    • Close the sides if they are open, to avoid the fish slipping out
  • Do not mark the fish
    • All fish have unique features
    • Take a picture of both sides