Guides
Practical guides for anglers and the people who buy for them. How to photograph a fish properly, how to tell a mirror from a leather, what the records are and what to buy.
Fish and records
The species, and the weights on the official list.
- Types of Carp: Mirror, Common, Leather and MoreCommons, mirrors and leathers look like different fish, but they're one species. The difference is in the scales. Here's how to tell them apart, and which fish only share the name.
- British Record Fish List: Coarse FishThe British record coarse fish, with the weights exactly as the official committee lists them. Below the table you'll find how a record is claimed and why some famous fish aren't on the list.
- The Biggest Carp Caught in the UKEvery carp angler knows the number, or thinks they do. Here's what the official British list says, why bigger fish turn up in headlines, and how to weigh and photograph a big carp properly.
Your catch photo
Getting a photo that's kind to the fish and prints well.
- How to Photograph Your CatchA good catch photo starts before the fish leaves the water. Look after the fish first and the photo gets easier, because a calm fish held low makes a better picture. Here's how to do both.
- How to Get Their Catch Photo Without Spoiling the SurpriseYou want to print their best fish, but asking for the photo gives the game away. The good news is it's usually been shared already. Here's how to find it, get a copy good enough to print and keep the surprise.
- Print Sizes: Choosing a Size for a Fishing PrintEvery size we print, in millimetres, and what each one looks like on a wall. Fish are long, so most catch photos and plates are wide. Start with the wall, then pick the size.
On the bank
Getting started, and catching in the cold.
- Women's Fishing: How to Start, and WhereThousands of women and girls try fishing every year, and starting is easier and cheaper than most people expect. This guide covers taster sessions, licences, clothing, safety, fish care and which kind of fishing to try first.
- Winter Carp FishingWinter carp fishing is slow, but it isn't hopeless. Carp still feed in the cold, just less, and in shorter spells. Find the fish, feed lightly, pick your days and look after every fish you land.
Gifts and Christmas
Ideas for the angler who has everything, and a few for the stocking.
- Fishing Advent Calendars: How to Choose OneA fishing advent calendar can be a great present or a box of bits they'll never use. It depends on whether it matches how they fish. We don't sell them, so here's a plain guide to the kinds you'll find and what to check.
- Fishing Puns and QuotesPuns for a catch photo caption, lines for a card and a few sayings worth keeping. We wrote every one of them ourselves, and you won't find a single one here that's at the fish's expense.