Fish Care & Weighing

How to handle and weigh fish safely

An unhooking mat is a padded surface that keeps the fish safe while you remove the hook and take a photo. Thick padding and raised sides stop the fish from injuring itself, even if it flaps. A mat is especially useful when handling bigger fish such as bream, tench and carp.

A weigh sling is a fish-friendly carrying bag that the fish is lifted in for weighing. Weigh the sling first while it is empty and wet, so you can zero the scales and the reading shows the weight of the fish alone.

Choose your scales based on the size of fish you weigh and how precise a reading you need. In match fishing, the whole catch is often weighed together, while with a specimen fish accuracy matters most.

Always wet the mat and sling before use and return the fish to the water as quickly as possible. That way the fish goes back in good condition and ready to feed again.