All too often you land a carp, only to reveal that it has been damaged in some way due to poor handling from a previous angler. Pros: A no fuss cradle that self inflates, is light and portable and promotes fish safety. What else is there to say? Fish care should be at the top of everyone's list when it comes to buying good-quality products. It is every carp angler's responsibility to ensure that each fish we catch, is returned to the water in the same condition (or better) as when it was caught. Carp Cradles have really boomed in popularity recently, with many fisheries now insisting on a cradle style of unhooking mat. Every cradle we sell here at TFT meets our high standards when it comes to carp care, these are some of the best. CRADLE OR UNHOOKING MAT?

Features include a mesh base so water can drain away as you keep the fish calm by pouring water over its gill areas.

Sea

Pros: A great all-round cradle that can be used on any fishery and would easily accommodate most carp you can be expected to be catching. Some well thought out features makes this a top end cradle. Plus it includes a bag, which is always a pro in my view! The cushioned protection, elasticated retention strap and padding for your knees means there’s never been a better way to safely prepare your carp for weighing or taking memorable photos of your carp.

An impressive unhooking mat that offers the ultimate in carpy fish care,giving total, air-mattress comfort and protection to your priceless catches, keeping fish supported, and well clear of the bank, this Carpmaster Air Mat from Fox has to be the ultimate lifestyle essential for the dedicated carp angler who is committed to ensuring the very best treatment of each and every fish they catch, and looking for a final photo of a sleek, scaley beast swimming strongly away as the water ripples around it. nTo make sure the windy weather or uneven terrain stress out your catch, you can use the pegging points to keep your cradle secure. There is also the added features of a heavy cushioned kneeling pad so not only in the fish comfortable but the angler is too. A weigh sling is also included, made with fish friendly mesh, and includes guide ropes to make it easy for you as you hook it up to your fishing scales. Basically, if you portable walled unhooking mats, the maybe this is the best carp cradle you could ask for?

Before use, New Direction advise that you should press the ‘R’ on the receiver to reset the scales. The modelled we reviewed was the standard camo edition, however, there is actually a ‘monster’ version which is longer and wider. Plus, it comes with a digital scale so you can weigh your catch accurately, which are a compact size for easy storage, feature a tare weight function to subtract the weight of your sling or net from the total weight, and auto 60 second shut off to save energy.