UK Carp & Coarse Fishing

Carp Welfare and Being Prepared

I’m not here to tell you what brand of gear to buy or that you must have the latest camera setup. This isn’t about fancy equipment—it’s about carp welfare and making the whole process of weighing, photographing, and returning fish as quick, smooth, and safe as possible. By being organised and simplifying what you do on the bank, you not only make your life easier but also reduce stress on the fish.

I’ll admit, I’ve got a few pet hates when it comes to how some anglers handle their captures. My biggest frustration is the lack of preparation and organisation. Personally, I like to have everything ready to go before I even cast a rod out. Yes, it’s common practice these days to retain a fish in the net while you sort your gear out, but I’ve always believed that carp should be returned to the water as soon as possible—not kept in a retainer or net for hours just so someone can wait for the perfect morning light or call a mate over for a brew and a photo.

At the end of the day, we all want to see these carp live long, healthy lives and grow to their full potential. I completely understand wanting that memorable photo or short video—just like I do. One day, when we’re no longer able to get out on the bank, those photos and clips will mean the world to us. But we owe it to the fish to make the process as quick and stress-free as possible.

Organisation Is Key

The best way to do that is by being prepared. I always have my kit set up and ready to go before I even think about winding in. That includes:

• Unhooking mat laid out and dampened

• Weigh sling and tripod assembled

• Bucket of water within arm’s reach

• Camera tripod, phone or camera, and microphone ready

• Scales, forceps, and carp care kit to hand

I even keep two landing nets set up, one on either side of the swim. It’s not just “in case” — over the years it’s proved useful more than once, and it makes life easier when playing fish from different angles. I’m all about simplicity. After spending years in the shipping industry, constantly refining and simplifying processes to make things quicker and more efficient, that mindset has stuck with me in everything I do—even if it drives my family mad at times!

My Capture Process

Once I’ve landed a carp, I secure the net safely on my net station and make sure everything else is in position. I always decide on my photo spot beforehand, usually with decent footing and good light.

My weighing tripod stands close to the mat, with a small light attached for night sessions. The scales are clipped on, ready to go—kept off the damp ground so they stay dry. The camera tripod is set up and my phone is attached, often with a small clip-on mic that I pin to my waders. Speaking of waders, I always put them on before handling the fish. It keeps my clothes dry and less “fishy,” and they’re always folded beside the bedchair ready to go. (I can’t get them on standing up anymore—must be an age thing!)

Handling the Fish

I’m not one for unhooking fish in the net anymore. I tried it once and ended up with a hook in my finger—never again! These days, I do it safely on the mat. Depending on the size of the carp, I’ll sometimes slide a retainer sling under the net before lifting. It makes it easier on both me and the fish, especially with the heavier ones.

Once the carp is on the mat, I:

1. Unhook it carefully.

2. Put the rod and rig safely out of the way—usually resting against the bivvy or brolly.

3. Apply carp care liquid to the mouth or any marks.

4. Check my photo framing and camera setup before lifting the fish.

When it’s time to weigh, I zero the sling on the scales, gently place the carp inside, and hang it from the tripod. I use digital scales, which make the process simple and accurate. Just be sure the sling isn’t touching the mat or the ground, as that can throw off the reading. Also, be wary of windy conditions—what we used to call “windy carp”—as gusts can add a few ounces to the reading!

The Return

Once the weighing and photos are done, it’s time for the best part—returning the fish. If conditions allow, I’ll sometimes switch on the GoPro and get a short water shot as the carp swims away. It’s a nice touch, but only if it can be done safely and quickly.

This whole process doesn’t take long when everything is laid out and ready. Some fish behave calmly, others have a bit of spirit, but the key is to stay calm and confident. By being organised, you’re not fumbling around searching for gear or wasting time, and you’re doing your best to get the carp back where it belongs with minimal stress.

Final Thoughts

Every angler develops their own way of doing things, and that’s fine. What matters most is respecting the fish and making their welfare a top priority. Good organisation, simple setups, and a bit of forward thinking go a long way toward achieving that.

Hopefully, sharing my routine gives you a few ideas for your own process. If it means one more carp goes back safely and swims off strong, then it’s time well spent.

Richard

January 2026 – A Review So Far

January has been a steady, thoughtful start to the year rather than a numbers game, and in many ways that feels entirely fitting. Opportunities to get out haven’t always aligned smoothly, with family illness and winter logistics dictating when sessions were possible, but when time has been found, it’s been used well.

Conditions have largely been typical of mid-winter: cool nights, modest daytime temperatures, fluctuating pressure, and plenty of overcast skies. Rather than chasing dramatic weather swings, the sessions that stood out were those fished under consistent conditions, allowing a more settled approach and clearer decision-making.

That consistency feels increasingly important at this time of year, both for confidence and for reading fish behaviour.

Time spent looking has arguably been as valuable as time spent fishing. There were sessions where extended periods of observation produced very little in the way of visible signs, and instead of forcing the issue, familiar swims were chosen—places that offer comfort, confidence, and a reliable starting point. That mindset has set the tone for the year so far: build from solid foundations rather than gamble unnecessarily.

Results-wise, January has delivered a proper winter reward in the shape of a solid common, proving that persistence and location still trump everything else. There have also been quieter spells, with stock fish making up the bulk of the action or sessions ending carp-less. In winter, that feels acceptable. You can’t choose what picks your bait up, and blank nights are part of the process rather than a failure of it.

What stands out most is the balance. Sessions have been enjoyed for what they are—time outdoors, a bit of comfort, some sunshine when it appears, and the slow but noticeable lengthening of the days. There’s no sense of rushing the year or measuring success against others. Instead, January has been about resetting, observing, and easing into 2026 with a clear head and realistic expectations.

If the rest of the year follows the same pattern—measured decisions, confidence-led swim choices, and patience with the conditions—then January will prove to have been a very solid foundation to build on.

Until next month.

Richard

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First session of 2026

This session was meant to take place last week, but a sick child put a stop to that. After spending two hours looking for signs of carp and finding nothing, I decided to settle into a swim I have confidence in and enjoy a bit of comfort. Starting that way puts you in the right mindset and gives you something solid to build on.

The conditions looked very encouraging: 10°C during the day, 8°C at night, overcast with patchy sunshine, and a nice drop in pressure. Unfortunately, I would be home by the time it reached 983mb. For the next three nights, it was forecast to sit consistently around 1012mb, which I actually prefer. I like consistency rather than sharp rises and drops over a short period. My own head doesn’t enjoy those fluctuations, and it does make me wonder how they affect carp individually, because, like us, they must all respond differently.

I settled on a swim called Gap. I had spent some time the previous week looking for potential new winter spots and had marked a few out, including rediscovering this one, which had produced a good few carp for me many years ago.

My casting range isn’t what it used to be—old age, and possibly lingering elbow issues from a few years back. However, after a few practice casts, I managed to get the marker float beyond the spot, allowing me to pull back and feel the bottom. It was just perfect. I had recently taken delivery of a Fox Horizon Spomb/marker rod, courtesy of my friend Rob, and after a few more practice casts, I was soon putting a large Spomb accurately on the spot.

The baiting approach was minimal: just a handful of hemp, buckwheat, boilie crumb, and a few whole boilies. I only wanted five Spombs out there, which is why I spent time dialling everything in first. There was no room for overbaiting this trip. The plan was to continue putting five Spombs out each day until something happened—whether that be bream or carp, hopefully the latter.

The drizzle soon arrived—the kind you don’t really notice until you realise you’re soaked.

I had a single bleep around 20:00, followed by two more between roughly 00:30 and 01:00. That gave me a bit of confidence that something was out there, hopefully not bream.

At 07:45, the right-hand rod was away—strangely, not the one producing the nighttime bleeps. Halfway across the pond, I somehow picked up the other line, which wasn’t ideal, especially as the carp was heading straight towards the snags. I just had to deal with it.

I could see it was one of the stockies, but that wasn’t an issue—it was my first carp of 2026, and a January one at that. Eventually, it slipped over the cord.

13lb 10oz mirror

It then took me the best part of an hour to get both rods back out on the spot. I would definitely put out another five Spombs later.

The day was spent watching the water, and I was lucky enough to see a carp show, which gave me confidence going into the second night. Surprisingly, not a single bleep came all night. I felt lazy the following morning and stayed in bed until gone 09:00.

After analysing several weather apps, it became clear that another night was worth doing—especially after seeing another carp show. It was shaping up to be a tricky one, with a lot of rain possibly on the way and the chance of ending up doing a fourth night, which I wasn’t sure was a good idea. That said, the forecast showed warm winds and low pressure, so I hoped the rain wouldn’t be too bad.

I decided to put a couple of extra Spombs out to build the swim slightly. With a 40mph wind blowing, I switched to 5oz Scruffs Zipp-style leads to maintain accuracy. The wind was coming from the south-east, reducing the crosswind effect.

Both rods were now on pop-ups—the same presentation that had produced the carp earlier.

I sorted my tea early as the rain was due, stretched my legs around the swim, and prepared for being pinned down for the next 24 hours, possibly 48 if things didn’t go to plan.

I could only hope the carp would feed during breaks in the heavy rain, depending on how the storm tracked.

At 18:54, the right-hand rod started lifting and dropping, with bleeps but no line being taken. “That’ll be a bream in the rain,” I thought. Turns out it wasn’t—it was another carp. Another stockie, but no complaints. I’m sure the bigger girls will be out and feeding soon enough.

The line clipped up perfectly on the recast—bang on the spot. I was very happy with that cast. Now bring on the lumps.

There was no further action overnight. With all the rain and wind, I slept in until 10:00 to catch up as much as possible.

I then faced a bit of a conundrum about when to head home without getting absolutely soaked. Both today and tomorrow looked poor, although tomorrow appeared marginally better—if the forecast could be trusted.

I made the decision to stay for a fourth night, hoping for a break in the weather between 08:00 and 11:00 so I could pack up and get back to the car reasonably dry. I knew when I chose this swim that access could be an issue in bad weather, but it still felt like the best option to nick a bite.

At 12:45, there was a break in the weather long enough to refresh the baits and get the rods back out, followed by around six more Spombs—unfortunately, in the rain.

Now it was simply a case of hoping something special would happen over the next 18 hours.

At 16:15, the left-hand rod produced a large bream. Thankfully, there was a break in the rain at the time.

Once again, it looked and felt like the perfect night, but the carp just aren’t playing ball at the moment. Next week is showing similar conditions, so we’ll have to see when I can slot another session in.

Until next time,
Richard

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