What type of unhooking mat is best for carp fishing?

An unhooking mat is one of the most important items of tackle that you carry with you, as whilst it won’t help you to catch any more carp, it will help ensure that any that you do land and take out of the water, will go back in just as good a condition as before you caught them.

Unhooking mats come in all different types and sizes though, and it can be confusing knowing whether or not you are buying the one which is most suitable for the fishing that you do.

The whole purpose of an unhooking mat is to protect a fish as much as possible and look after its well being when it is on the bank, and not only to prevent it from damaging itself via contact with the ground – such as if you were to place it directly onto the ground, where even soft grass could still cause damage if it flaps – but also to contain it within the mat so it can't flap off of it and damage itself. Using unhooking mats helps prevent damage to fish scales, fins, and the vital slime coating that protects carp from infection and disease.

But at the same time it also needs to be something which is practical to use in a fishing situation, and where you could be fishing a long way from your vehicle.

How big should an unhooking mat be?

Ideally an unhooking mat should be as large as possible as this reduces the chance of a fish ever managing to get off of it, no matter how much it flaps around.

In practice though it needs to be of a size that adequately protects the fish, but at the same time isn’t so big that it is impossible for the angler to transport around the lake with them!

So, a compromise needs to be made, and that will often be based on the maximum size of carp that you are ever going to be able to catch from that water, as well as the type of mat that you are using.

A lot of the carp fishing unhooking mats out there are of a size that is suitable to deal with anything you’re ever likely to catch in the UK, as well as being able to handle your fishing abroad as well.

It will also depend on the rules of the lake that you are fishing on, as many these days stipulate a minimum size of unhooking mat, or even a specific type that is required if you want to fish there.

The good news is that most of them fold up anyway, and will easily fit on your barrow, and so won’t hamper you when it comes to moving swim or reaching less accessible parts of the lake, whilst still offering as much protection as possible for the fish.

Fish care has changed a lot over the years, certainly if you go back a few decades, and the carp now are better cared for on the bank than ever before, with products, including unhooking mats, being more fish-friendly than they’ve ever been. Larger unhooking mats provide more working space but increase transport weight.

How thick should the padding be?

Whatever size of unhooking mat you choose, it isn’t just the surface area that is important, but also how thick it is.

The padding needs to be thick enough that whatever type of ground you put the mat on – always try and find softer ground anyway but this isn’t always possible on stoney banks – it offers a sufficient amount of cushioning for the fish, and especially if it starts to flap around.

It is no good if the mat is so thin that you can feel any stones underneath through the padding, as this won’t offer sufficient cushioning for the carp.

As with the size though, it still has to be practical and a compromise made between having something that is totally impractical and couldn’t be carried around a lake, versus and a mat that is thick enough to protect a carp without being completely over the top, and which can still be folded up to make it easier to transport both on your barrow and in the back of your vehicle.

What type of padding is best for carp unhooking mats?

There are several options when it comes to padding, which each having its positives and negatives.

Some sort of medium density foam is firm enough that as long as a reasonably thick piece is used, it provides plenty enough padding to prevent the carp damaging itself, or even feeling, anything that might be underneath the mat.

The disadvantage with such foam is that whilst it provides a good cushion, it is firm enough that a carp can easily slide off of it, especially when using a standard flat mat – it isn’t an issue when it is being used as part of a carp cradle design. It also needs to be properly wrapped in waterproof plastic, otherwise it could end up soaking up water if it rains or you use it for water shots of your catch.

Some mats are made using polyballs for the filling, and whilst these are great for ensuring that a carp remains in place on the mat and can’t flap off of it, they don’t offer as much cushioning as foam, nor last as long if used on their own.

The best thing, especially if using a flat mat, is some sort of combination of the two, like the Korda Compac Hybrid Mat, which has foam to provide plenty of protection, plus a ring of polyballs to help keep the carp on the mat, and when used together they work very well.

The use of foam (as long as it is waterproofed) and/or polyballs means that the unhooking mat will float, which makes it very useful if you want to take some shots in the water with your fish. You can leave it on the mat – the Hybrid mat prevents it from sliding off, although you shouldn’t leave it unattended - until it is calm enough to pick up, then the mat can be floated out of the way so it isn’t in your shots (made even easier if there is a third person to help), and pushed back into position if the fish starts to flap and is at risk of escaping.

What material should the mat be made from

Unhooking mats tend to be made from some sort of waterproof or water resistant material, which is smooth enough that it won’t potentially remove too much slime from the fish when it comes into contact with it, and won't cause unnecessary stress.

Pre-wetting your unhooking mat before use is essential to protect the fish's slime layer, but also to cool the surface of the mat down if it has been sat in strong sunlight and provide a comfortable environment for the carp.

Given how much an unhooking mat potentially gets used, and the type of terrain that it comes into contact with, not to mention any potentially sharp bits on a fish, as well as being fish-friendly, the material also needs to be very hard wearing – on both sides of it.

A lot of mats tend to have a different, tougher material on the base of them, and the Compac Hybrid model is no exception, with a 600D material like that found on our range of luggage, and which has been designed to last and be really robust. The surface material of unhooking mats should be waterproof and easy to clean.

Flat unhooking mats versus carp cradles

When it comes to unhooking mats, the biggest choice you have to make is whether you want one of the traditional flat mats, or a carp cradle style of design which also has raised and padded sides.

Both have their positives and negatives, and a lot comes down to personal choice, unless fishery rules dictate otherwise.

Flat mats, such as the Korda Hybrid one, are a very popular and practical choice, offering loads of protection for the carp whilst also being very angler-friendly when it comes to using it and transporting it around.

This is the ultimate in flat mats and underwent extensive testing before release, to get it just right, and the result is an unhooking mat measuring 125cm x 85cm, which is plenty big enough for carp of up to 60lb, and above, and at 14cm thick it has plenty of protective padding. It is a great option whether you’re using it on the bank or in the water.

One thing you do need though with mats such as the Compac Hybrid is a fairly flat bank, and they aren’t any good on a slope – not that you should put any mat of any sort of steeper sloping bank, but can get away with it a bit more with a cradle type design. Position the unhooking mat on level ground away from sharp objects to prevent injury to the fish.

The Korda range offers both options as we also have a Basix Carp Cradle, which comes in a standard or XL version – the smaller one being suitable for carp up to 40lb, and the XL being fine for fish of up to 60lb, or more. A cradle unhooking mat has raised edges that prevent a caught fish from sliding off the mat.

Both versions feature padded walls encased in a waterproof, fish friendly outer layer, and with a removeable 50mm thick foam pad that neatly slots into the base of the mat – this makes it very easy to clean and to fully dry it out, with this pad removed. The whole thing folds away very neatly, given its size when open.

With this type of mat, the fact that it has padded sides which prevent any chance of the carp sliding off of it, means that the overall dimensions don’t need to be as large as a flat mat, where you need plenty of space around the edge to allow for the fish flapping about.

Whilst the sides of the mat are high enough to prevent a fish from flapping off of it, they aren’t so high as to make it awkward to get your hands under the carp to lift it up, and are low enough that it won’t interfere with your photos. If the fish does start to flap whilst you are holding it, then it is very easy to lower it back down into the mat and let it calm down again.

The smaller version of the two cradles is great for anglers that are fishing for twenties and thirties and don’t want to be dragging around a bigger mat which is far larger than what is needed on the waters they are fishing.

Folding up your mat

Ideally you want a mat that will fold away neatly, so that it takes up less space when being stored or transported, and both types of Korda unhooking mat do exactly that.

The Basix Cradle is pretty much a clamshell style design which is simply folded in half – the padded ends slot inside each other – and then secured via a zip, so there is no way it can accidentally come open. It even has enough space inside it to keep a Basix Weigh Sling as well. Even the XL model packs down very compactly, to just 53cm x 75cm x 27cm.

Not only does this make it easy to pack onto a barrow, but this mat is also a popular choice when stalking or floater fishing, as it is very easy to carry – it has handles – and you can fit some of your kit inside it as well, plus it even doubles up as a seat!

The Hybrid mat is also very easy to pack away and easily folds in half, with a large central buckle that is very easy to fasten, plus Velcro straps on the corners, which fasten those together via the pegging rings that it features on each corner – this is important, as if you’ve caught a fish and the mat is still wet when you need to pack it away, or even if it has been raining, you don’t want anything where you are going to get soaked trying to fold it up!

Once folded and secured it will easily fit on your barrow or in the car, and there is no chance of it coming undone when you don’t want it to. It packs down to 86cm x 56cm x 32cm.

Once you get home it is a good idea to try and dry out your mat in the garden, along with weigh slings, nets, and similar.

Storage for fish care kits

Often unhooking mats will have a pocket for keeping essentials such as your Carp Care Kit, so it is at hand whenever you need it, rather than having to rummage through your tackle for it.

Both the Compac Hybrid and Basix Carp Cradle designs of mat come with a special pocket for storing your carp care products. Korda fish care products are designed specifically to minimise stress during capture and release.