Carp Care | Angling Lines Blog

For me here at Oakwood good carp care is vitally important. We owe it to our beloved carp to fish responsibly, handle, treat and release them in the safest way possible so they always remain in the best health, ensuring they always live to fight another day. Whether it’s a 10lb carp or a 40lb carp they should all be treated in the same way, as some of the little ones will one day become the ones we are after!

Rough coated or smooth leads?

Good carp care first applies to sensible fishing and using safe rigs. Tubing on the main line can help prevent scales being removed during the fight which could lead to infection and more fish friendly hooks patterns is a good place to start along with lead coatings.

“Lead coatings” I hear you say, during the last few years I swapped lead manufacturer. I was using the smooth coated leads but was fishing a sandy, gravel bottomed lake at the time so needed something different to blend in. Off I went to the local tackle shop and purchased some great looking leads that matched the bottom perfectly, rough coated ones.

I set about my fishing and started to catch my quarry. Now when I have a carp in the net I always bite my line and remove the lead before I lift the carp out of the water and I started to notice that the leads were covered in fish mucus. I watched this over a period of time and it was clear that the rough coating was removing the carp’s natural protective layer. To what extent I don’t know but food for thought as this is clearly not a good thing! I have now changed back to the smooth ones because of this.

Clips may need to be opened slightly first so the lead can release easily.

There’s has been a multitude written on various rigs over the years so I will let you decide which one you choose, you just need to make sure everything releases properly so the carp is not left towing around anything except the hook link should the mainline break. Leads, beads, rig tube and anything else used should drop off the main line easily.

Developments in angler’s rigs and in the rig components used have advanced enormously in recent years. Lead release clips are great but make sure you wet the tail rubber before casting out and don’t wedge them on too tight otherwise it won’t do the job it was meant for! The tail rubber also accepts rig tube which creates a nice simple, no tangle rig and if you dab a little superglue on the end of the rig tube before you insert it into the tail rubber this will ensure it does not ride up the mainline during the battle.

Personally I’m not a fan of leaders unless absolutely necessary. In some situations they are required, such as fishing over high gravel bars etc, to avoid cut offs continue reading…

Tags: Carp Care

General Interest Carp Care

Which carp unhooking mat should you use?

August 29, 2011 No comments

A subject that is very important to lake owners and the majority of anglers is that of fish safety. I’m no different here at Bletiere so I’ve put together this blog article to show what you’ll need to ensure the fish are well protected.

The vast majority of our visitors arrive with more than adequate mats, or if they believe theirs may be too small, they hire them from me. It’s has never been a problem before, but I’m afraid this year I have had a couple of instances where customers have brought mats that were totally inadequate. I try not to have many rules, as all our guests will vouch for, and I am not one to be checking all the time, but the one area I am very strict on is the welfare of our fish.

I have shown below the mats that I believe are acceptable and one that is unacceptable and will no longer be allowed. I am happy to hire out mats at a small cost to save space and the smell in cars.

Carp safety - the carp cot

Another good carp cot

The two examples above are the carp cot type which I prefer as it gives the fish a lot more protection and a lot less chance of the fish sliding out and onto the floor. They are not expensive and can be purchased for under £50 which I believe is a small price to pay to safeguard any fish.

The beanie mat

Above is the beanie type mat that are also good as they offer a lot of protection for the fish on the floor and when the fish flap about. The only disadvantage is that they have no sides so there is always a risk of fish sliding off. I have seen the above type of mats with low sides which would stop any risk of a fish slipping.

An unacceptable mat

Above is the type of mat that I regret will no longer be acceptable to be used here as they offer very little protection for the fish as they are much too small and thin. There is no way to be able to leave a fish unattended as you reach for your scales or camera as it has no cover as do the mats above.

I do not wish to appear as though I am trying to cost anglers more money for an unimportant item of tackle, but this surely is an important part of any angler’s equipment.

Tight lines,

John London, owner, Bletiere.