Kill Fish Before Filleting?

[bulbboy]

Just fillet

 

[bigcountryok]

A kill spike or ice pick behind the eye will do it. From what I understand it causes the blood to withdraw more from the exterior vessels and gives the meat a better flavor. I typically only do this when spear fishing.

I also bleed them out by cuting around the back edge of the gills. They bleed out quick and the meat seems to be less red and has a better taste IMO.

 

[oneshotonekill]

On catfish my dad always hung them by the head and cut the tail fin off and they will bleed out pretty quickly. Pain is perceived in the brain, so if you are really worried about the fishy feeling it just take an ice pick to brain. If you want to stop the heart bleeding them out is the way to go.

 

[dennishoddy]

Crappie and sand bass I just cut away. But I like to kill the cats first. A catfish guide told me to take some snips and cut their gills. Then just put them back int the basket/livewell for a few minutes. They bleed out and are good to go. I've noticed on the blues we catch that the meet seems whiter when we do this.

We cut the tails on cats, sand bass, hybrids, and stripers while still alive. It sure makes for less mess, and the meat is much whiter. Then pop them into an ice chest.
Most of the crappie, are dead by the time we get them home as they go into an ice chest immediatly after catching them.

 

[r00s7a]

I think I'd be able to filet one while it's kicking before I could take a hammer to its head!

 

[Weatherby]

I just fillet them.

 

[padaddytom]

I like to put them in the icechest then fillet. Been told the cold makes the blood go to the organs in survival mode. The meat does seem to be cleaner,less bloody especialy sand bass. They don't squirm and flop around when cold. The knife slides easier and the fillets feel more solid. Although last weekend I didn't have ice filet 1 channel and 1 blue. They both complained about it. O well fried up nice tho.

 

[kdlong]

just fillet em.on cats cut the tail off first and let them bleed out.

 

[AKguy1985]

I stab them in the head with a knife, they stop moving after that

 

[SoonerATC]

I've tried stabbing them in the head with my knife, sticking the knife through their eyes (hopefully hitting their brain), stabbing my knife behind their head to cut their spine, etc, and nothing seems to result in a quick kill. They'll still flop a little, just much more mutilated in the process. So now I basically just fillet them and move on without much ado.