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About the Zebco 18cm Wooden Fish Priest With Brass Head

A priest is the small club anglers use to kill a fish cleanly, with one firm blow to the head, rather than leaving it to suffocate. This wooden priest for fishing is 18cm long, with a brass head at the striking end and, as pictured, a small brass cap at the other end and a cord lanyard so you can hang it on your wrist or bag. Zebco sells it as art. no. 6326018.

Using a fish priest properly means the fish dies quickly. The Field magazine's advice is to give the fish a sharp rap on the top of its head, right between the eyes. A correct blow makes the fish shiver and extend its fins, then lie still; if it doesn't, strike again straight away. Keep the fish in the landing net on the ground, or covered with a wet cloth, rather than gripping it in dry hands, which only makes it struggle. Then use the priest. Fish that lie still need only one firm blow.

Only keep fish you're allowed to and intend to eat. The Angling Trust publishes minimum sizes for sea fish, such as 35cm for cod and 42cm for bass, and says local byelaws take precedence, so check the rules where you fish. Bass also have a daily bag limit and a closed season when they must be returned, so check the current MMO or IFCA bass rules before keeping one. The Angling Trust fully supports catch and release, so return anything undersized or not wanted, handling it gently.

Take the priest fishing with you whenever you might keep a fish: at 18cm, it fits in a shore bag, boat box or jacket pocket. Wood is light and warm to hold, and the brass head gives it weight where it's needed. Rinse it in fresh water after a sea trip and let it dry before you put it away, so the wood doesn't stay damp.