A bleeding question

[Cbad Mike]

Hi everyone. I have yet ANOTHER rookie question actually a few questions.
I'm curious about how you bleed your fish, more specifically WHERE you bleed them.

1. HOW? Is it better to cut their actual gills or cut them on through the underside between their gills?
2. WHEN? Do you bleed them before or after you smack them silly with the club?
3. WHERE?... Probably my most important question... If you bleed them right after the catch and are spilling blood all over your kayak and in the water doesn't that attract sharks for the rest of the time your in the water?

Thanks for helping a rookie out.



Mike

[lamb]

I just pull the gills, yank the "base" part that's attached to their body, the upper part. I don't think cutting their gills versus pulling them out makes much difference.

You want to do it right after you secure the fish, have the gameclip through their gills, tied to your kayak on the other end of a rope.

I know it sounds pretty savage, but you need to have its hearth beating to help pump the blood out. If you wait until it's dead, you beat the purpose - that fish won't be bled. I don't smack my fish with a club - I like 'em too much for that. I don't think there's really a need - WSB or YT you manage to bring to the gaff won't be that green; pulling the gills to bleed them while they are alive puts them out fairly soon. OK, maybe for halibut, but they may or may not freak out on your regardless whether you beat the crap out of them or not... So what's the point? I don't know, I just don't do it.

Yes, on the water, you have to if you really won't to bleed them.

What sharks?

[grey zone]

The basic idea is to sever a major artery or two and keep the fishes heart beating as long as possible, thats what pumps the blood out. There is major arteries in all gill rakers. You can use anything that will cut through the rakers, even your hands. When you see alot of blood comming out you have done what you need to. Keep the fish on the kayak and rinse the blood off. I'm not worried about sharks, more concerned about a sealion grabbing a fish dangling in the water.

[RK]

Sharks are in the ocean, so are lions, tigers and bears

Right now the areas I fish are plagued with pesky seals I would personally be more worried about one of them snatching your catch.

After you gaff your fish and secure it with a game clip I usually pull a gill at first and throw the fish back in the water to keep the death as humane as possible and the fish basically swims it out and dies as opposed to flopping out on the deck.

See Exhibit A.

I also have decided that I really like ripping all the gills out right after death and keeping things real nice and clean, the quality of the meat only improves.

And remember to Gut it and Ice it.

I hope this helps, although the photo is from March.

Exhibit A:

[kurt]

White Sea Bass gills are really sharp, so use a knife to cut or pliers to pull out the gills, otherwise you're going to have cutup fingers to go with the smile on your face.

[lamb]

LOL.

All good points.

That's right, be careful. Those WSB gills ARE tough.
If you haven't had your fingers caught in the the gills while holding freshly caought cbass, as it breaths and gills tighten grabbing your fingers (HURTS!), you haven't posed with enough of them.

But those wounds do not hurt. They bring the smile on my face every time I wear them.

Throw a towel in the gills for moving it around unharmed while posing.

And friendly advice - when you catch that biggen, do make sure you get a bunch of nice pics on the water. Ask your buddy, another kayaker, even if you don't know him/her - they'll be happy to hear your story. Boaters will be happy to take your pic too - it looks great from a little higher angle.
Have multiple people take pic... of a fish you bled in Appendix A.

Back to bleeding - always wash it after bleeding before taking a pic.
It looks much better

RK,
That fish looks like it's been caught in May.
I recognize that specific May-ey shade on YT colors.

[taggermike]

I very rarely use a club on fish. Dead fish don't bleed well. Get your fish secured when it is still on the gaff. Don't risk one flip letting a mortally wounded fish go. I have a small pair of super sharp surgercal scissors I use to cut spectra and these are what I use to cut a gill arch or 2. It's clearner to bleed a secured fish in the water next to your kayak but I NEVER hang fish over the side in La Jolla or where i even think a sea lion may be. I hold, the fish as gentle as I can and point the head down in to the foot well scupper hole and let it bleed out. I have a big sponge that I use to keep water flowing over the fish to keep the blood going out the scupper. Ya, it makes a big old blood slick but it doesn't last long and I'm on my way. Mike

[oneyedeer]

good idea with the sponge!

[Cbad Mike]

Thanks everyone for once again providing insightful answers. I can't wait to use all of the knowledge that I've learned here to use on the water!
Thanks again!
Mike

[jorluivil]

I make it as simple as possible

1. Gaff
2. Clip
3. Call Matt and talk crap about my fish being bigger, again.
4. Call Roby and talk crap about my fish being bigger, again.
5. Grab pliers, grab gills, twist and pull
6. Call Matt and Roby, again
7. Hang fish over kayak
8. After a few minutes pull fish out of water, place in burlap sack and strap it to the bow

[kobra]

Originally Posted by jorluivil

I make it as simple as possible

1. Gaff
2. Clip
3. Call Matt and talk crap about my fish being bigger, again.
4. Call Roby and talk crap about my fish being bigger, again.
5. Grab pliers, grab gills, twist and pull
6. Call Matt and Roby, again
7. Hang fish over kayak
8. After a few minutes pull fish out of water, place in burlap sack and strap it to the bow

You forgot #9 call Matt and Roby, again.

[StinkyMatt]

Hey George, is it still 2009? Quit living in the past..........I own your ass lately! (wait, that didn't sound right).

Now Roby, that's another story.

[Whizz Bang]

Originally Posted by taggermike

I very rarely use a club on fish. Dead fish don't bleed well. Get your fish secured when it is still on the gaff. Don't risk one flip letting a mortally wounded fish go. I have a small pair of super sharp surgercal scissors I use to cut spectra and these are what I use to cut a gill arch or 2. It's clearner to bleed a secured fish in the water next to your kayak but I NEVER hang fish over the side in La Jolla or where i even think a sea lion may be. I hold, the fish as gentle as I can and point the head down in to the foot well scupper hole and let it bleed out. I have a big sponge that I use to keep water flowing over the fish to keep the blood going out the scupper. Ya, it makes a big old blood slick but it doesn't last long and I'm on my way. Mike

My opinion differs a little bit. I ALWAYS bleed my fish, game-clipped, and IN the water at LJ, so does Kevin the Kid, RK, DpDvr, The DarkHorse, and just about every guy I know. Mike, where is your sense of adventure? That little rush of adrenaline wondering about just how far that blood trail has traveled as you hurriedly stow the gaff, reset, and ready yourself for the next YT all the time with legs a dangle in the water impatiently waiting for the blood cloud to just quit so you can toss him into your bow hatch to hide him from the skiff headed your way. Spice of life Mike, the spice of life.

[j mo]

Catch, Club and Cut

JP dispatching for Rick.jpg

Blood in the water.jpg