Swinging to Hand

[INearlyCaughtOne]

Ok everyone, hope you are all well and the fishing is good. Now I have a question and advice is needed. Since taking up fishing again after a break of many years I have found myself catching more and more lately, nothing grand but enough to confirm I am having fun. My question is quite simple, "when is a fish considered too big to swing to hand..." I say this because sometimes I might catch an obviously tiny one and that's an obvious answer, swing to hand. But what about one of about 5 inches or so. Should this be in the landing net or should I use the net for any sized fish? You see I don't wanna do damage through laziness...

 

[John Aston]

Ok everyone, hope you are all well and the fishing is good. Now I have a question and advice is needed. Since taking up fishing again after a break of many years I have found myself catching more and more lately, nothing grand but enough to confirm I am having fun. My question is quite simple, "when is a fish considered too big to swing to hand..." I say this because sometimes I might catch an obviously tiny one and that's an obvious answer, swing to hand. But what about one of about 5 inches or so. Should this be in the landing net or should I use the net for any sized fish? You see I don't wanna do damage through laziness...

Swing in carp of any size , in the hope that it might deplete their numbers , but use a net for all roach ?

 

[Peter Jacobs]

I'm afrad there is no one answer to this question as a lot will depend on: the type of rod or whip being used and the action of said rod. then the B/S of your mainline and hooklength.
When whip fishing I'll swing almost everything to hand, but then that is the name of the game.

When pole fishing it is a safe bet to use a landing net for most fish . . . . .

With a rod and running line you will soon get to know what you can swing in versus what will require the net . . . .

 

[INearlyCaughtOne]

Good point Peter thankyou. I think what can happen in my fishing is swinging in becomes a bit of a habit, I really should use the net more and today a catch to me seemed a bit of a long shot without the net. It got me thinking, what's the limit for swinging. O don't think swinging is bad practise in any way but I'm feeling for the size limit. The landing net can be a pain especially when the hook hooks the net so this has led me into a habit of swinging. guess I will get it right with more practise.

 

[xenon]

If in doubt, net it. Beyond that the risk of damage to a fishes mouth surely relates to the weight of the fish-i.e. suppose you were float fishing 3 LB line straight through, would you swing in a one pound roach? Of course not.

 

[Philip]

I do swing some fair sized fish to hand on occasion...but would recommend the principle that if you dont want to lose it then use a net.

 

[no-one in particular]

Like others have said, it depends on what rod and line I am using, I get to know what is swingable and what needs netting once I have used the set up for a while and caught a few fish on it. My rough guide is what sort of strain the fish hooked is putting on the rod, if it hasn't strained it much then it is probably safe to swing it in but if it feels like quite a bit of strain on the rod then it is probably best to net it.

 

[wetthrough]

I seem to recollect that one of my club books says all fish of 4 oz and over should be netted.

 

[steve2]

I remember some of the commercial waters where when I fished matches every fish had to be netted no matter what the size.

 

[David Rogers 3]

I do swing some fair sized fish to hand on occasion...but would recommend the principle that if you dont want to lose it then use a net.

That's an interesting one, especially in regard to roach, as I've found lately that I lose far more by trying to net them than when keeping them coming as quickly as possible towards me and then swinging to hand. I'm talking about fish of no more than 6-8 oz here, of course, but that size and below seem to be the ones most likely to shed the hook if they're not brought in as quickly as possible. The bigger ones tend to stay on a lot better, as long as you can discourage them from rolling on the top.

 

[markcw]

I never swing larger skimmers to hand due to their soft lip.Very easy to shed the hook.
If using rod and reel I have found if you are reeling roach and perch in quickly, after a while you can judge the distance to lift the rod high and slightly behind you and get the fish out to hand, 6oz fish can be swung in due to the momentum.

Whip fishing ,they are swung to hand, I have the length of the rig around 10" shorter than the whip to allow for the bend in the tip. If I hit a larger fish I play it and net it.

If pole fishing it depends on species,size and strength of elastic.
I have lifted 1lb+ carp from the water and over and into the landing net on heavy elastic .it's not something I do on a regular basis ,but once their heads are up and out of the water it's more or less game over.

 

[rayner]

I never swing any fish I use the net every time. A club I was in many years ago thought it quite hilarious that I used the net on every fish.
The size is relative if swinging fish of a size to not damage their mouths I believe even the smallest fish have the same weight in proportion to their size on their lips. There was quite a lot of members of that particular club that thought I was mental.
We had a member in that club who said pike should not be held verticle from the floor because it damaged the internal organs of the pike. members agreed with him, they were too thick to understand why I netted every fish.

 

[nottskev]

That's an interesting one, especially in regard to roach, as I've found lately that I lose far more by trying to net them than when keeping them coming as quickly as possible towards me and then swinging to hand. I'm talking about fish of no more than 6-8 oz here, of course, but that size and below seem to be the ones most likely to shed the hook if they're not brought in as quickly as possible. The bigger ones tend to stay on a lot better, as long as you can discourage them from rolling on the top.

I know what you mean. I was taken fishing for winter roach sometime last century on the stick on the Severn by a bloke who knew that game well. I hooked and lost a few, he didn't lose fish, so I went to look. It soon became clear. When I hooked a good roach - the fish were often over a pound, sometimes well over - I started getting scared of it coming off, so I stopped winding and played the fish on the rod, thinking to tire it out then bring it up. Expert friend hooked the fish, started it moving up with rod, then slowly and steadily wound it in and netted it . As you say, it's the darting and diving where the hook is shed, and not stopping to let it happen wins the day.

 

[Badgerale]

I never swing any fish I use the net every time. A club I was in many years ago thought it quite hilarious that I used the net on every fish.
The size is relative if swinging fish of a size to not damage their mouths I believe even the smallest fish have the same weight in proportion to their size on their lips. There was quite a lot of members of that particular club that thought I was mental.
We had a member in that club who said pike should not be held verticle from the floor because it damaged the internal organs of the pike. members agreed with him, they were too thick to understand why I netted every fish.

I think (if I remember my physics correctly) that the smaller the fish, the less gravity will effect them - so it isn't as simple as proportion of weight to lip size.

It's why it is silly when people say things like an ant carrying a leaf is like a man carrying a truck - it's not because although the relative weights might be the same, gravity pulls exponentially less at smaller sizes. An ant scaled up to human size wouldn't even be able to keep itself standing as it's weight would be too much for it's spindly legs, let alone carry a truck.

So what i'm getting at is that the lips of a minnow are more than strong enough to hold many times it's weight, but those of a large carp definitely aren't.

Or for another example, my 1 year old likes to be swung about by her arms.... but don't go trying that on me.

 

[RMNDIL]

It depends on what kit I am catching but, generally, over 3oz gets netted. Under gets swung. I cannot imagine ever trying to swing a 6oz or 8oz fish.

 

[108831]

Dont ever fish a match on the Guden or Bann in their hayday,I dont believe many roach got netted at all,regardless of size,im afraid I swing some decent fish sometimes,8-12ozs,very rarely these days it has to be said,but I do on occasion....

 

[no-one in particular]

I don't think the fish I swing in are harmed in any way, I have not noticed it, their lips are no more damaged than they already are by the hook, I always use barbless so they come out easy enough, I have never seen a lip pulled out just from swinging in. That might happen with large fish but it is only small fish that I do it. If someone comes up with some evidence that it does I would change. I think a landing net could do more harm, loss of scales and protective slime.

 

[RMNDIL]

I remember well the AT Winter League finals of the early 1980's. Getting drunk on the boat over and asking when we docked to be told we hadn't even left port yet !!!! It's just horses for courses and 'needs must'. But on the Thames with a 22 or a 20 swinging fish much above 3oz is a disaster waiting to happen considering the light elastics and fine lines. You simply couldn't.

 

[peytr]

When fine tackle pole or whip fishing I try to keep the following routine: If the fish needs any playing, seriously consider using the net.

In case of mass tuna fishing it's a bit different.

 

[GT56]

I'm no longer a swinger, Acolyte Ultra welfare turned me into a netter.