Help and guidance of identifying your catch, useful tips and - in some cases - possible baits.
Know your fish - Fish Anatomy Basics
Identify your Fish: Coarse Fish, or Game Fish or Sea Fish
GOOD FISH HANDLING Guide, Top Tips on caring for your catch:
1 A disgorger is an essential angling aid to help you unhook the fish quickly and safely, always take one with you when fishing. Hang the disgorger on a long length of shearing elestic around your neck - it will then always be available and close to hand.
2 Handle a fish with wet hands only, do not use dry towels or cloths as they will strip the fish of its protective layer of mucus.
3 Never stand up holding fish and if you must carry them always use either a landing net or a weigh sling.
4 Think about where you unhook fish – unhooking/carp mats are a good investment and help to cushion the fish (ensure they are wet when in use). Otherwise, lay the fish on soft, wet grass after checking there are no stones underneath. NEVER unhook fish on hard ground, wooden stages or on anything that has a wire netting anti-slip surface.
5 When fish are out of water they often flap around, try covering the fish’s eye with your landing net – fish become much calmer in darkness.
6 Rods and line – including poles and pole elastics - that are too heavy for the size of fish being caught can cause unnecessary damage: match your tackle to the size of the fish you are likely to catch.
7 Use landing nets and keepnets that have the Angling Foundation’s water-lily approval mark - they have been tested to ensure that they are fish safe. Make sure your landing net is large enough for the fish you may hook.
8 In summer the water temperature is warmer in shallower water - do ensure that if you are allowed to use a keepnet, as much as possible of the net is submerged.
9 Always ensure discarded line is cut into lengths no longer than 10cm and that you dispose of it properly. As with all litter, take it home if there are no bins provided.
10. Where possible, never retain over 50lb of fish in one keepnet at a time, as you can crush the fish in the bottom of the net when lifting it out of the water. Bring two or more nets if large catches are expected.
11. Do not use fixed rigs – make sure that if the line breaks it will not result in the fish dragging around a leger weight or a swimfeeder.
12. Return fish gently to the water and never, ever ‘throw them back’. If a fish rolls onto its side, hold it gently, upright in the water, until it regains the strength to swim away.
13. If you intend to take a fish to eat, and you are allowed to do so, dispatch it quickly and speedily.
14. Caught a heavy fish? Don't lift it out of the water in your net by the net-handle. By doing it that way you're likely to bend the handle but feed the handle back until you can grasp the net head and "Y" connecting block. Doing it this way will save you breaking your net and possibly damaging the fish.
Remember that you are the eyes and ears of waterside wildlife. If you see fish or other animals in distress, please report it immediately to the fishery owner, manager or bailiff.
