Today is

By: Ikedi Ani-okoye.

Playing and landing fish

The first step in catching a fish is getting a bite. You will know when you have a bite if you sense something alive on the end of your rod. Your rod tip might ierk lightly a few times. lt may slowly bend with a kind of heavy feeling. Sometimes fish strike, or bite aqqressively and hard, After a strike, the fish may "run" and the line may start spinning off the reel as the fish tries to swim away quickly.

Setting the hook and playing the fish

Now is the time to act fast and set the hook. You do this by qu.lckly :inapping up the tip of the rod to drive the hook into the fish's lip. Once you know the fish is hooked, keep steady pressureonth e line as you reel .ln. lf you let the line go limp, you give the fish a chance to spit out the hook or shake it out of its mouth. Raise the rod tip up to pull the fish towards you.

Then lower it and reel only when there is slack in the line. If the fish starts swimming away, let it run. When it stops, once again pull the fish towards you, drop the rod tip, and reel in the slack. Repeat these actions until the fish *lS close to the bank or boat. Be very careful when you are fishing on 5llppery surfaces, such as rocks that are near water.

Landing the fish

Small fish can be landed by simply lifting them into the or on to the bank. You might need help to land a lager fish. Hold the rod upright and keep the fish close to the boat or bank and near the surface. A friend can then scoop the fish up in a net to avoid harming .lt. Experienced anglers sometimes land fish that do not have true teeth, by grabbing the bottom jaw with the thumb inside the mouth and the rest of the fingers cupping the gill plate. Always make sure your hand is wet when you pick up a fish to avoid removing the fish's protective layer of slime. Fins And gill plates can be sharp, watch out.

Catch and release

Many fishers practise catch-and-release angling. To make sure the fish is returned to the water unharmed, remember these points: Handle the fish as little as possible. Remove the hook quickly and gently, with a disgorger if necessary. If the hook is too deeply embedded in the fish's mouth, cut the line and leave the hook in. The hook will eventually dissolve.- If you want to take a picture, have the cannera ready before you take the fish from the water.

Do not release the fish until it has recovered from being caught. Swish it gently back and forth under the water. The fish is ready to be released when its gill Movements strong and regular and when it can stay upright in the water.

Fishing rules

Every anqler over the age of 12 must have a special licence to fish for salmon, rout, freshwater fish or eels in England and Wales. This is called an Environment Agency Rod Fishing Licence. These licences are legal requirements which means that each angler must have one. You can buy them from post Offices. Keep your Licence with you when you are fishing.

As well as a rod licence, you may need a permit. This is also known as a ticket or day ticket. A permit gives you permission to fish from a particular water that may belong to an angling club or fishery. Somewatersare free, but it is important to check before you Start fishing.

Keeping fish healthy

Many rules are intended to keep the fish populations healthy. There are often regulations about when fishing is allowed. For instance, in many places you cannot fish for certain species of fish when they are Spawning. Most fish are active and easy to catch during spawning. If they are caught before they have a chance to lay their eggs, a whole generation of new fish is lost.

These rules protect the fish and allow them to reproduce. As well as licences and permits, there are other rules for anglers. Some rules restrict the number and size of fish each angler can keep. For example, you may be allowed to take home only 2, 6, 10, or 20 of certain types of fish. Other regulations mean that you may have to release any fish that is smaller than a certain size limit. In a lot of club waters all fish have to be returned to the water alive. Check with the club, ishery, or organization l.hat owns the waters, before you start fishing.

Fishing safety

Fishing is a fun, exciting sport. Following a few simple rules makes it a safer too.- Never fish alone. It's best to fish with a responsible adult.- Be careful when handling hooks. They are sharp.- Look around and behind you before casting to make sure you do not snag anyone.- Use care when handling fish. Some have sharp teeth, fins, and gill covers that can cause bad cuts.- Protect your eyes and face from the sun and glare from the water by wearing a hat and sunglasses. Do riot forget to use sunscreen, too.