Landing Fish

[owen]

Good day all,

I caught a fish last night around 8lb and when landing it was careful not to pick it up by the tail, handle it more than necessary etc, so beached it.

However it then started thrashing around quite a lot and as it was a rocky area was worried it would damage itself. It didnt seem to want to settle down at all. Got a quick photo and returned it safely enough but was looking for any advice as to what I may have done wrong.

Got it in as quickly as possible so as not to tire it out, took about 5 mins to land. Did I land it too quickly? Do fish not like lying on a rocky (all beit round, wet and weedcovered) surface??

As I will probably C&R all season (fishing the Tay so 1st of each day goes back and dont expect to be lucky enough to get more than this ;D) any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Nolon.

[G Ritchie]

Next time try flipping the fish over onto its back. This usually will stop them kicking about and allow you to remove the hook more easilly.

[sinkingtip]

And a very good day to you too Loonn - sorry, suffering from bout of Anagramania just now

Agree with Graham - kind of disorientates them long enough to do a quick forceps job and I don't think you are doing too much wrong there at all.

Not possible to use the 'extended arm solo streatch' method and just net them ? That way they can be carefully lifted to a bit of soft banking or, alternatively, just held slightly sub-surface in the net until the hook has been removed.

As for landing it too quickly, I think its tricky to try and put an actual unit of time against the playing of a fish - might end in tears one day.
Fair enough, if 30 minutes have elapsed and 'eck all' is happening then maybe the fisher is needing to reassess what HE is doing ....... or it is indeed a thumper.

A lot would also depend, IMO, on the kit being used - light leader / single handed rod or 'big stuff' ? ...... and, of course, the character of the water.
It's on a case by case basis for me - no two fish ever behave in exactly the same manner .... I think.

As a slight aside, I have never felt completely in control of proceedings until the fish is either opposite or slightly upstream of me during the bulk of the 'play' - tires them out quicker - fact. In a situation like this I have always found it far easier to swing a fish inshore and upstream of where I am standing (as opposed to downstream) whilst using the length of the rod to 'guide' their noses towards the bank - remember, a fish can only move forwards.
That allows you to nip up quietly on them from ahent - an old army trick.
Sincere apologies if I state the obvious - whaurs the ren ??
regards
STip

[salmo]

Owen,

I always cringe when the fish is beating itself up on the rocks but salmon are pretty tough and have to survive a few missed leaps and flops onto rocks so it probably won't come to any harm. No one can say how long you play a fish but it always pays to give them pressure but be prepared to let them take a few yards of surge. In among rocks keep the head up and you will avoid a diving head shaker that snaps the line. They cannot develop much power with the tail away from the rod or leverage their self weight when the head is up.

That said salmon have a lot of stored energy and they are naturally used to bouts of exhaustion as part of their journey and will recover naturally as well. If you do exhaust a fish so that it comes in on it's side all it takes is more time held into the current and wait for it to kick itself off.

No single answer but you obviously did the right thing and got the fish back again.

I agree with graham on putting the fish on its back if necessary. I learned this as a boy when Pike fishing. The fish stops struggling and you can safely get the hook out.

If you are in a seriously rocky place use a landing net and you will save the fish and reduce the risk of coming a cropper yourself ;D

salmo

[owen]

Thanks guys, sage advice as always.

Think my next step is to invest in a net - have held off thus far as thought it set the wrong mood i.e. that I expected to catch and would therefore have the opposite effect - fairly mad when I think about it...

Hopefully I will get another chance this year to put your suggestions into practice.

Cheers,
Nolon.