Do You Need an Unhooking Mat?

Should You Use an Unhooking Mat? If you ask me, I'd always give the same answer: yes, you should always use an unhooking mat for certain species. If you enjoy fishing, then you'll most likely also want to take care of the fish you catch, especially if you are practicing catch&release.

What are unhooking mats made of?

Unhooking mats are usually made from foam material or small foam balls (like bean bags) covered by a waterproof outer shell. Unhooking mats can be bought cheaply and are extremely valuable for protecting your prize catch. Unhooking mats can come in different sizes depending on what size of carp you are targeting.

How do you unhook a carp?

The correct way to unhook a carp is to simply 'pop' the hook out by applying steady thumb pressure against the eye of the hook, pushing down the shank in the opposite direction to which the point penetrated.