| Carp Care Tackle, Part 3 |
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Forceps, Disgorgers and Pliers When unhooking fish, never try to tear the hook from the mouth or jiggle it about and make the wound bigger. It can sometimes be difficult to unhook carp with your fingers, so always have about you a deep pair of forceps as well as a stick disgorger and a pair of pliers - all available from your local tackle shop. All items will assist in one way or another to unhook a fish rather than following the inhumane method of simply cutting the line. Forceps help to free a hook caught up in all manner of different positions, while a stick disgorger helps with those deeply hooked down the throat and past the barb. We also advise you to carry a pair of pliers with you at all times because fish can sometimes become double hooked. In this case the best thing to do is to cut the hook itself and slip it through the flesh of the lips rather than risk damaging the fish's feeding utensil. To carry just one of the above items is not sufficient - you need all three. Antiseptic Solutions Fish are prone to what is termed predatory infection by a wide variety of organisms - and at all times of the year. Such infections may be caused by bacteria, fungus, viruses, or pathogens, and are normally the after-effects of superficial damage. Any open wound on a fish is open to infection at any time, so it is vitally important for anglers to repair any damage that may be present on the fish they catch, or indeed happen to see in distress. As anglers, the most common injury we will see is hook damage; but besides this, it is also possible to notice cuts and abrasions on the flanks of fish which may have been caused naturally (for example spawning marks). As far as infections are concerned, probably the most common one we see around our fisheries is saprolegnia. Saprolegnia, otherwise known as water mould, is a fungus infection which is present in all fresh waters, but is more likely to occur on injured, weakened, or diseased fish than on healthy ones. It is a very common sight at heavily stocked waters and is a possible cause of fish deaths. In its early stages it looks very similar to mould, but as time passes by, and depending on the size of the wound, it becomes progressively worse and begins to eat away at the fish. At this stage it starts to look like cotton wool and, if not treated in time, may lead to the death of the host. Saprolegnia or any open wound infection can be treated in a number of ways, but certainly the best is to use antiseptic solutions such as Klin-ik, which is available from Kryston. Simple saline solution is also effective. If you come across a fish with saprolegnia, or an open wound, then simply apply antiseptic solution to the open or infected area and leave it to dry for a minute. It is important that you allow a whole minute for the solution to be absorbed by the wound, or much of its effectiveness will be wasted - along with your efforts. The fish can then be returned to the water. All carp anglers should carry a bottle of antiseptic solution with them - there is really no excuse not to. Make sure you are one of the many rather than the minority. Healthy fish may return to fight another day, and possibly at a higher and personal-best weight. Those that are damaged may never return at all. |
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