Growing up as a policeman’s kid, discipline has always been a part of my life. From the first day of school to the first day at work, hair short, shoes polished and always on time. That’s the way things were! Ever since I can remember I have been fishing with my dad, grand father (still do) and uncles. But never next to the water, were there a thing called “fish careâ€!? We used to catch keep nets and keep nets full of fish, I mean, that’s the way of measuring your success was it not? We were the hunters, the more fish on the table, the better we felt, the bigger the smiles from mom and the rest of the family at home. A great feeling of accomplishment. Taking them all home to make fishcakes or keep them in the freezer for three months, just to throw them away at the end of the day!
In those days that were just the way that things were done. I am not ashamed to say that, that was the way we did things, because that was the way, that everybody did it!
The point I am trying to make is that no matter how much discipline you grow up with, if there is certain things in life you don’t know about, then it would not be something to be bothered about!
Until about two years ago, I stumbled across something called Specimen Carp angling. . . the snobs of carp fishing!! We know better than the rest of you, we know how to catch the BFC’s, and we ain’t telling you nothing!! Right, that is the perception that everybody has of us, yes us, because I am hooked, and that’s what I call myself!! A Specimen Carp Angler! Unfortunately the hardest part of being a specimen angler is to try and convince the rest of the angling world out there, that we are NOT the hardcore, unpleasant and rude people that you all may think we are. Matter of fact, all that I know about specimen angling, I was taught by some of the best in the business, humble, friendly and very helpful men!! And the first thing that all of them said and hammered on about was FISH CARE. So why fish care? Because, ladies and gentleman, if we go on like the way we did 15 years ago, then I am afraid to tell you, your kids will only be fishing from the deep end of your freezer, from a box!! It might sound a bit over the top, but the fact remains, if we do not look after our fish stock, there will be nothing left for future generations!!
Now you might be asking yourself, how do I apply fish care? Well, that’s easy!! Number one, get yourself an unhooking matt, a knotless carp safe landing net and a bit of respect for these dear creatures we all love to catch! That’s it, you don’t need much more than that! Oh, and a bit of common sense would seal the deal!! Treat these fish as if they were one of your own. When landing a fish in your new, safe landing net, there is no better feeling than placing that monster on your wet unhooking mat, treating it like royalty, making sure that it is happy to be out of it’s natural environment and into yours. Always try and minimise the time the fish spend out of the water, and while it is on dry land, make sure that it is as comfortable as possible for this beauty! Safely take your pictures and put it back where it belongs, in the water!!
These simple guidelines is all you need to become a better angler, an ambassador for the specie you so love to catch. By applying this to your future fishing ventures, you will make a huge difference in the future of carp fishing in South Africa. I mean, I now even got my grandfather as far as taking only pictures and releasing all of his catches!!
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