For me the safety of the fish is of paramount importance, when I catch a Barbel I leave the fish in the landing net for several minuets, with out even lifting the net out, as I have said before I would not like to hold my breath for any amount of time having just run a 100yards and I don’t expect my fish to either.
This makes them a bit lively for weighing and photo’s which can all be sorted out and ready when the fish comes out of the water, thus reducing the time the fish takes on the bank!
It also means they tend to recover immediately, even so I hold them in a current, if possible, until they are struggling strongly so that when I release them I often receive a face full of water!
Mine also, Keith, though it can still get you shafted!
Back in the winter of 2006 I was fishing a London river in high water, on a club bit (club since dropped), when a (not very well-equipped) Committee Member put in an appearance and engaged me in conversation.
A conversation which didn't last long, for my rod nodded a couple of times, then went.
Good fight, Speedia screaming as a barbel went down, then came back up and continued going on up, then back down again, then eventually, after a long midriver tussle, over and into my big triangle of a net.
He watched me unhook it in the net, throw the lead and hook away into the bankside rushes, then secure the end of my landing net handle to a bankstick with a velcro strip and leave the barbel in the water for a full fifteen minutes, during which I chatted to the fellow as I wetted my weighing sling, wetted the plastic-covered foam pad that was doing the job of my seat, powered -up and zeroed the little Jennings digitals, all the time aware of his foot-shifting, declining quantity of conversation and increasing look of suspicion his face.
He then finally virtually ordered me to return the barbel.
So out it came. Weighed (10-02), measured and straight back, with he producing a camera and pointing it at me - "Sorry, I don't do photos..."
His face dropped.
Twenty minutes later, having packed up, I said "Bye bye, XXXX" as I passed him fishing a swim forty yards below me. He didn't look up and round at me, but merely merely corrected my "XXX" to the full version of his name.
So much for a nice morning's fishing and real nice fish care, I mused.
My capture was reported on the local grapevine, discussed in a tackleshop or two, with me getting coolness and dirty looks when I returned to that water a week later after fishing elsewhere.
Dropped that club. Don't barbel fish now where the Sport Police prowl.
