A print of their carp
Carp anglers photograph every good fish, usually kneeling behind it on the mat. Find that photo. If you can only find the version they posted online, upload it anyway, because the tool will tell you what size it can manage. Get the original file if you can, then print it as it is, or see it in a house style first.
Then check. Look at the scales in the preview. On a mirror the pattern is as good as a fingerprint, and the captor will spot a wrong one at once. Nothing prints until you approve it.
Why carp anglers care about scales
A mirror, a common and a leather are one species in three coats, according to the Wildlife Trusts. The coat is what the angler remembers. On a mirror, the scattered scales tell them which fish it was, years later. So a print with the scales moved isn't a print of their fish, however good it looks. Our types of carp guide goes through each coat.
Carp plates from the collection
No photo? Our carp prints show mirrors, commons and leathers, each one with a believable scale pattern rather than a copy of anybody's known fish. Not sure which they fish for? A mirror is the safe pick. If they talk about big commons instead, choose a common, whose even rows of scales suit a framed print. Commons look best big. Each plate is drawn side on, the way a carp angler studies a fish. Hang it where they'll see it from the sofa.
For the pike angler
Lots of carp anglers turn to pike once the nights draw in. A pike print, with its blotched flank and long jaw, suits a darker room. A pike can grow past a metre long, according to the Wildlife Trusts. That's a lot of fish for one plate, so go wide: 50x70 cm suits it. Black frames suit the darker greens of a pike's back.
For the trout angler
Fly anglers have a long love of fish pictures. Our trout and salmon prints keep the spots where they belong, because a fly angler will count them. If they fish rivers for wild browns, choose a brown trout, and if it's a stocked lake, ask whether they catch browns or rainbows. A brown trout plate at A3, framed in natural wood, suits a fly-tying room or a study. For a sea trout angler, the same plate works: it's the same species, as the Wildlife Trusts point out. Check the spots.
Night-time catch photos
Plenty of big carp come out in the dark, so a lot of PB photos are flash shots. Angling Times calls flash essential at night and suggests turning the head torch off for the shot. Carpology warns that night shots often get the colours wrong. If the fish looks pale or washed out, a pencil study or an ink print can suit it better than a colour print.
Carp fishing gifts by budget
Under £20
- Poster from the fish collectionA4From £15.99
- Mug from the fish collection11ozFrom £16.99
- Their catch photo, printed as it isPoster, A4From £15.99
- Their catch photo in a house styleMug, 11ozFrom £19.99
A mug with their carp on it goes everywhere the kettle does.
£20 to £50
- Poster from the fish collectionA3, A2, 50x70 cm, 70x100 cmFrom £28.99
- Water bottle from the fish collection500mlFrom £28.99
- Their catch photo, printed as it isWater bottle, 500mlFrom £28.99
- Their catch photo in a house stylePoster, A3From £34.99
£50 and over
- Framed poster from the fish collectionA3, A2From £69.00
- Canvas from the fish collection30x40 cm, 40x50 cm, 50x70 cm, 60x80 cmFrom £51.49
- Framed canvas from the fish collection30x40 cm, 40x50 cm, 50x70 cmFrom £98.99
- Metal print from the fish collection30x40 cm, 40x50 cm, 50x70 cmFrom £81.00
- Wood print from the fish collection30x40 cm, 40x50 cmFrom £63.99
- Their catch photo, printed as it isCanvas, 30x40 cmFrom £51.49
- Their catch photo in a house stylePoster, 70x100 cmFrom £54.99
A framed print of a PB is the one most carp anglers would choose for themselves, if they ever got round to it.
What not to buy a carp angler
Bait, rigs and alarms are personal, and most carp anglers have strong views. Leave the tackle alone, unless they've written you a list with the exact names and sizes on it. A good flask, warm socks or a spare head torch for the bivvy are safer. So is a print of their best fish. Our fishing gift ideas guide covers the rest, including days out with a coach.