Cutting the Gills - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

dsafety · 08-07-2008, 11:51 AM

Not that I have yet experienced the need but why is it that some people cut the gills on a large fish they plan to keep?

I am planning to go out Friday AM at the shores and hope, that this may finally be my day to catch something worth keeping. If cutting the gills is important, I need to know what to do.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Bob

Corey · 08-07-2008, 11:56 AM

Cutting the gills serves to let the fish bleed out, which makes for better tasting meat. Also the fish will die more quickly which is more humane for the fish. It's easy to do, just take your pliers or dikes, and cut or rip a gill. If you see lots of blood , you were successful.

esdees · 08-07-2008, 11:58 AM

Cutting the gills helps to drain the blood out of the meat. As soon as you get the fish tied down, take a knife or dikes and cut through the gills. Some people rip them out completely. Don't get your hands stuck in the gills... that's no fun. Good luck.

THE DARKHORSE · 08-07-2008, 12:28 PM

Cutting the gills is essential for quality table fair. I don't like to rip out the gills, as I feel they bleed out much better with a couple cuts on different gills. Dikes work best, but I just use regular pliers. Just grab a gill with your pliers and twist till it squirts out, but it will bleed much more if you don't cut or break all the way through the gill. Corey mentioned the humane aspect, and I couldn't agree more. Speaking of humane, nothing beats the Halibut Bat, it ends the suffering instantly, after a couple of really hard thumps to the brain. It's really the least you can do, to minamize the suffering. Orrrrrr, enjoy the next thirty horrible minutes, while the fish oh so slowly sufficates, while begging to be placed back in the water. Buy a freaking fish-bat and think of sitting in traffic while doing a very good deed ( a couple of good whacks and

).

aguachico · 08-07-2008, 01:31 PM

I have seen and now practice cutting the bottom gill arches closest to the heart on ONE, not both, gill plate. You can hear the heart pumping out the blood squirts as it hits the yak. Then I drop it over the side and watch it gasp out the last remaining ounces of blood. The meat is in great shape.

tylerdurden · 08-07-2008, 01:38 PM

Tilt the head downhill too. Let gravity do the work after you slit the gills. If you slit the gills and keep the head up, the tail portions of the meat will be full of blood.

yt need to be bled.

wsb taste fine either way from my experience.

Halibut, bleed it so the damn thing will die. They don't die easy.

kurt · 08-07-2008, 02:58 PM

If you do choose to bleed a WSB, don't use your hand to pull the gills, and be very careful. Their gill rakers are extremely sharp.

SDLivin · 08-07-2008, 03:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tylerdurden

Tilt the head downhill too. Let gravity do the work after you slit the gills. If you slit the gills and keep the head up, the tail portions of the meat will be full of blood.

yt need to be bled.

wsb taste fine either way from my experience.

Halibut, bleed it so the damn thing will die. They don't die easy.

Any experience with Albacore, Yellowfin, Bluefin, and Dorado. I don't recall on the overnight or 2 day sport charters, the fish being bled.

08-07-2008, 11:51 AM	#1
dsafety Olivenhain Bob Join Date: May 2008 Location: Olivenhain, CA Posts: 1,121	Cutting the Gills Not that I have yet experienced the need but why is it that some people cut the gills on a large fish they plan to keep? I am planning to go out Friday AM at the shores and hope, that this may finally be my day to catch something worth keeping. If cutting the gills is important, I need to know what to do. Thanks in advance for your help. Bob

08-07-2008, 11:56 AM	#2
Corey Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: ...waaaay out there Posts: 794	Cutting the gills serves to let the fish bleed out, which makes for better tasting meat. Also the fish will die more quickly which is more humane for the fish. It's easy to do, just take your pliers or dikes, and cut or rip a gill. If you see lots of blood , you were successful. __________________

08-07-2008, 12:28 PM	#4
THE DARKHORSE Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Seven minutes from the launch! Posts: 987	Quality product... Cutting the gills is essential for quality table fair. I don't like to rip out the gills, as I feel they bleed out much better with a couple cuts on different gills. Dikes work best, but I just use regular pliers. Just grab a gill with your pliers and twist till it squirts out, but it will bleed much more if you don't cut or break all the way through the gill. Corey mentioned the humane aspect, and I couldn't agree more. Speaking of humane, nothing beats the Halibut Bat, it ends the suffering instantly, after a couple of really hard thumps to the brain. It's really the least you can do, to minamize the suffering. Orrrrrr, enjoy the next thirty horrible minutes, while the fish oh so slowly sufficates, while begging to be placed back in the water. Buy a freaking fish-bat and think of sitting in traffic while doing a very good deed ( a couple of good whacks and ). __________________

08-07-2008, 01:38 PM	#6
tylerdurden Bad Clone Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 874	Tilt the head downhill too. Let gravity do the work after you slit the gills. If you slit the gills and keep the head up, the tail portions of the meat will be full of blood. yt need to be bled. wsb taste fine either way from my experience. Halibut, bleed it so the damn thing will die. They don't die easy. __________________ MLPA, if you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem Let the Fish and Game Commission know what you think about the proposed maps. Be ready for December 9th and 10th.

08-07-2008, 11:58 AM	#3
esdees The Good Clone Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Clairemont Posts: 520	Cutting the gills helps to drain the blood out of the meat. As soon as you get the fish tied down, take a knife or dikes and cut through the gills. Some people rip them out completely. Don't get your hands stuck in the gills... that's no fun. Good luck.

08-07-2008, 01:31 PM	#5
aguachico Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 719	I have seen and now practice cutting the bottom gill arches closest to the heart on ONE, not both, gill plate. You can hear the heart pumping out the blood squirts as it hits the yak. Then I drop it over the side and watch it gasp out the last remaining ounces of blood. The meat is in great shape.

08-07-2008, 02:58 PM	#7
kurt Senior Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: 2 inches above sea level Posts: 503	If you do choose to bleed a WSB, don't use your hand to pull the gills, and be very careful. Their gill rakers are extremely sharp.