I used to have a narrow bladed knife that I carried for killing trout for a lot of years. Slipping it behind the skull did a very quick job of it. They were made specifically for the job. Don't remember where I got them, maybe they were an Orvis item?

 

I don't think the fish really cares as much as we do. But I have never been a fish either. Not sure the fish knows anything at that point... or feels any pain.

 

I carry a pair of heavy kitchen shears and cut the underside ,like the throat, between the gills. I have a big livewell I put them and run water with the plug out. The fish is dead in seconds and well bled which seems to me to make the meat whiter.

 

i agree with you. i usually smack them in the head with a heavy ended stick. or i split the spine behind the head. at one point, i even used a 1377 pump air pistol pumped 8 times and shot them right in between the eyes and that took them quickly and painlessly. after doing that, bleed them and that makes cleaning them alot less messy.

 

Cut the gills with a fillet knife they bleed out very fast

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just fill your cooler with ice and water and theyll "go to sleep" thats how they kill sturgeon to get caviar

 

Shear the gills, they bleed out and you have whiter meat and less mess.

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I too learned the "whack on the head" thing growin' up fishing in Canada with my grandad. It works!!
I now prefer the "bleeding" method whether catching eyes or steelhead on Erie or salmon up north. I've even done it on perch by scissoring the gills and putting them in the circulating livewell or a bucket with the washdown pump hose running before transfering to the cooler.
It really does seem to be more humane and makes cleanup of coolers much easier with less rinsing meat after the filleting.

 

I whack 'em and bleed 'em. I have a lead filled "fish thumper". they get one or two good wacks then gills cut and upside down into a 1/3 filled 5 gallon bucket. Bleed out for 5 minutes then into cooler. Perch on the other hand just go in a bucket until I get ten then into the cooler.
While I appreciate your concern for the poor fish, what about threading a minnow on a perch hook or sticking 2 or 3 hooks in a worm? Don't they have feelings too?

 

I whack 'em and bleed 'em. I have a lead filled "fish thumper". they get one or two good wacks then gills cut and upside down into a 1/3 filled 5 gallon bucket. Bleed out for 5 minutes then into cooler. Perch on the other hand just go in a bucket until I get ten then into the cooler.
While I appreciate your concern for the poor fish, what about threading a minnow on a perch hook or sticking 2 or 3 hooks in a worm? Don't they have feelings too?

Thats a good point boatnut. I use gulp instead of minnows, leeches ect... I do however use real crawlers for harnesses. To be completely honest, i could care less about nightcrawlers. Maybe ill experiment with some hand poured crawlers this year. Smother em in procure or something. I have a hard time finding any that dont have a flat side. It would be nice to not have to reel in a board every 5 minutes to make sure the last " swing and miss' didnt rip the worm in half.

As far as the bleeding goes. The fish still suffers for a while. Will all the blood still drain out if you kill the fish immediately before you cut its gills/throat? I never did this much because of the potential mess it would make. But i guess if i just kept the livewell pumping and draining, it would get the job done just fine. Thanks for the tip. Still a little confused on my livewell functions. Too much time fishing, not enough time learning the boat haha.

 

HookEmUp
put the fish on metal fish stringer,cut the throat over the water and drop the fish in lake,later when you have time you put fish on ice in cooler,that is quickest way and clean,ty the fish stringer to short roap,the stringer do not rub your boat,you can cut the gils it is much harder to do,when you clean the fish,there is no mes from blud.

snag

 

Thats a good point boatnut. I use gulp instead of minnows, leeches ect... I do however use real crawlers for harnesses. To be completely honest, i could care less about nightcrawlers. Maybe ill experiment with some hand poured crawlers this year. Smother em in procure or something. I have a hard time finding any that dont have a flat side. It would be nice to not have to reel in a board every 5 minutes to make sure the last " swing and miss' didnt rip the worm in half.

As far as the bleeding goes. The fish still suffers for a while. Will all the blood still drain out if you kill the fish immediately before you cut its gills/throat? I never did this much because of the potential mess it would make. But i guess if i just kept the livewell pumping and draining, it would get the job done just fine. Thanks for the tip. Still a little confused on my livewell functions. Too much time fishing, not enough time learning the boat haha.

I've never had a problem with the fish bleeding out entirely after I thump 'em but then I've never checked their pulse either. Me thinks you need to lighten up on your sensitivity especially when you are saying it's ok for worms to be threaded with hooks but worry about poor walleyes. Is it because they are cuter? You don't get all worked up when you swat a poor mosquito do ya?

 

Grab them with a fish gripper, Whack on the head with the pliers, knocks em out and keeps them from shaking a hook in you when getting them unhooked. Hang on a stringer over the side for a few minutes with the gills snipped to bleed out. Throw on ice.


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We got a large carabiner about 8" across and tied a rope to the end. Then we sharpened the end that doesn't open. We stabbed the fish threw the soft tissue and cut the throat. With his heart pumping he bleeds out quickly. The eater sizes you can put 2 on it. We hang out two if the action is fast.

As for worms feeling it maybe you should keep a shot of jack and give them a dunk. It seems to always take the pain away. I watched guys do a header on jack and not feel a thing.

 

With out a brain that can think i see no reason. But each to your own. Going to use all artifical bait to? Minnows,worms and leaches are live too.

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I think fish can think, I had a pet bass and it knew when I opened the lid he was about to get feed. Slicing into that ventral aorta seems to be the best way. I used to wack them on the head and sometimes it takes more than one try.

 

Just go buy a thumper stick that truck drivers use for checking tire pressure. It is also filled with lead at the end. They cost like 15 dollars. Problem solved.