Reviving Large Carp and Catfish

So you've landed that big carp or cat.  It's exciting!  The fight was intense.  Even with the drag let out, the line took a beating and could have snapped at any moment.  

The feeling of landing the fish is really more than words can describe.  So what do you want after you land the fish?  Pictures!  You want lots of pictures, especially if your child caught it!

Here's the thing.  All that time you're taking photos and passing the fish around, it's suffocating.  Bigger fish require more oxygen.  When they're deprived, they'll go into shock quickly.

So what should you do when you return your fish to the water and it starts to float sideways?  First of all, don't leave it floating.  Look at the gills.  If there's still movement, the fish is probably not dead.  If you leave it floating on its side, it will expire all the way.

Grab the pole you caught the fish on and one other pole.  Put the fish far enough into the water to submerge both gills.  Hold the fish upright on its belly between the two poles while the gills are underwater. 

 Odds are, even if you've had the fish out of the water for several minutes, the shock will wear off.  This fish will start  making its swimming motion.  In a few minutes, your big buddy will swim out from between the poles and into the depths.

The important thing here is to use common sense.  When it comes to oxygen deprivation, all of God's creatures have a limit.  There is a point of no return.

Carp and catfish are among the more hardy, but time is critical.  Snap those shots quickly and then return your catch so that someone else can get photos like these!