A naked angler braces her rod in a harness to avoid injury whilst chasing big game.

Tips for Novices

1. Always take great care when handling fish naked. Many have sharp spines in their fins which can cause a painful prick.

2. Be sure to cause the minimum distress possible to the fish. If the fish is to be despatched, do so quickly with a stout priest. If the fish is to be returned, it is good practise to dampen any skin that will come into contact with it before handling. This will ensure that minimum damage is caused to the fish's mucus coating, which protects it from injury and disease in its natural habitat.

3. Wash thoroughly after handling fish. Whilst the risk of disease from the fish itself is minimal, some freshwater areas may also carry the slight risk of Weil's disease, an occasionally fatal form of leptospirosis, transmitted by rats through water.

4. Never be ashamed of your body! If you are having little luck at first, that may well be the problem. Just like sharks and other top predators are said to smell fear, carp, tench, barbel and numerous other species are able to smell, shame, and will stay well away from the reach of your cast.

5. Don't be afraid to use a rod brace when hunting big fish. Unless your abdominals are well toned, it is easy to injure yourself by levering a weighted rod directly against your lower body.

6. Fly fishing is particularly challenging for the unaccomplished, and has in the past resulted in pierced nipples and worse. We recommend that this is first attempted wearing protective clothing, which should only be removed once the basic technique has been mastered.

7. When sea fishing, be especially wary when handling sharks and rays. When rubbed the wrong way against delicate areas, the skin of many members of this family is sharp enough to cause painful grazes. In addition, many rays, such as the ubiquitous thornback, have sharp spikes on their tails and wings, coated in anticoagulant slime. If you do get injured, wash the wound immediately with plenty of salt water.