Tackle Talk: Essential Carp Care Equipment

Carp Care is a topic that I believe to be one of the most important issues that needs to be discussed when starting your big carp fishing campaign. Although carp are relatively tough creatures they still need to be handled with as much care as possible, especially the bigger ones. A big carp flapping around on hard ground for a while will start bleeding through its gills and mouth, and even though it swims away after being fortunate enough to be released, the damage has been done and it could die a while later. Carp Care in South Africa is mainly about education and we as ambassadors of this fast growing sport should do our part in educating our fellow anglers, no matter how difficult it may be at times. I myself am guilty of killing carp and taking them home many years ago prior to my introduction to specimen carp fishing, and although I am a bit ashamed of what I had done, at the time I just did not know any better. Carp Care has improved substantially over the years due to magazines, DVDs and friendly chats with fellow anglers, and I firmly believe that this will continue to have a significant impact on this and future generations of big carp anglers. STARTING OFF Basic Carp Care starts with an unhooking mat onto which the fish is placed after being landed. There are a number of different types and makes of unhooking mats available in the country, so selecting the right one shouldn’t be too difficult. The main function of the unhooking mat is to cushion the tail and body in case the carp decides to flap around a bit. Holding the fish just above the safe confines of a good quality cradle means it is well protected should it flip or twist from the angler’s hands. Flat sponge-type unhooking mats are fine provided the ground is level so that the carp does not slide off the mat and onto the ground which will quite obviously defeat the whole object. The beanie unhooking mat is preferred by most big carp anglers as it has a thick padded inside part with a padded ridge running around the top of the mat which not only prevents the fish from sliding off the mat, but it can also hold some water to keep the carp wet and calm. Some beanie mats can float which is a nice feature to have when releasing the fish and taking a few water photos of the angler posing with the fish while standing or kneeling in the water. It is not advisable to use your unhooking mat as a weigh sling for two very simple reasons: firstly there is a big risk of the fish sliding out of the mat and falling to the ground, and secondly, to zero the unhooking mat on a scale can be tricky as it can give you different readings depending on how wet and heavy it is. A decent, prepared station. Two soft mesh landing nets, rigid cradle and a retaining sling/sack, with a bucket at the back and all close to the water. Safe angling. Carp cradles are quite popular as they offer excellent carp care; some have high walls and are capable of holding a lot of water, while others have legs to elevate them which ensures that the carp do not touch the ground. Most cradles have top covers which can be closed should the angler need to leave the fish unattended for a few seconds to get more water or fetch the camera. Your landing net is also a very important carp care item as it is the first out of the water stage the carp will go through. The old type nylon landing nets with the knots all over the place must be avoided as those knots will take a few scales off the fish, which in turn opens the door to parasites and diseases. Big carp landing nets are commonly available with a net span of 42 inches, but there are a few big ones up to 54 inches. The arms of these nets, which are removable, are secured in place by means of a spreader block. The spreader block creates a bit of tension on the arms to ensure that they cannot slip out of the block without aid. Once a fish is in the net, the angler needs to push one of the arms in the opposite direction and pull that arm at the same time, this will ease the tension and the arm will pull free from the spreader block. You then simply pull the other arm out of the spreader block and then roll the net up using the released arms, then simply carry your fish carefully to the WET unhooking mat. If the hook is still in the fish’s mouth prior to rolling up the net, you must pull enough line off the reel so that when you roll the net up the line will remain slack enough to avoid further damage to the fish’s mouth. Once the fish is on the mat or cradle the hook can be carefully removed, and then the landing net can be slid out from under the fish. Make sure that all of the carp’s fins are positioned properly next to its body during the whole netting and unhooking procedure. The holy trinity of Carp Care - a cradle, knotless soft detachable landing net and the retaining sling, all protecting the fish. Even the water bucket is to hand on the angler’s left. As with unhooking mats, there are a number of different weigh slings available locally. When purchasing one have a look at the ones that come with stability poles on the top of the sling. These poles keep the sling in a straight position so that it can be handled easier, and to stop the carp’s body from bending too much when the sling is lifted to the scale. Make sure that the weigh sling has draining holes at the bottom to drain out all the water when it is lifted so that you are getting an accurate reading on the weight of the fish. The weigh sling is also used when releasing the carp back into the water, so ensure that the carry handles are strong. Some weigh slings are available with floats on the poles to keep the top part of the sling on the surface of the water as you walk in to release or photograph your trophy.