Humane way to keep your catch

[350 Mag]

We bleed our fish(cut throat/gills) or with trout(cut off the tail), then clean right away, it is usually too cold to leave them on the ice. 

[perchbrad]

Dfresh75 you are letting your emotions override your basic instinct of a hunter!  I have felt this feeling of doing this to another animal...deer, rabbit, fish ect......I am sure all or a lot of sportsmen have had these feelings of proper dispatch.  But it must be put aside knowing you are ethical and you are going to use this animal for your own.  Justify any way you wish on proper dispatch, but know just two things: it will die and you will eat it! 

[Creek Chub]

Not really sure why there's people making a mockery out of this thread... I also feel bad leaving a fish to slowly die on the ice. Do as others have suggested and bleed them out, or practice swift catch and release.  Most people on this site are also hunters, so tell me... Don't responsible hunters take the quickest, most ethical shots to ensure a kill and that the animal doesn't suffer more than necessary? It all boils down to respect for your quarry. InB4 PETA. Comments...

[jethro]

In NH putting live fish in a bucket is called culling, so the law states you must dispatch your catch immediately if you plan on keeping it. Unless you are in a sanctioned bass fishing tournament, you can't posses live fish other than your bait. I was always taught that a knife right through the back of the brain stem is the quickest and most humane way to dispatch the fish, but I don't know. I'll either do that or bludgeon them with a club.

 

[1moslab]

I dip them in the water than take them out ,dip them in the water and take them out ,dip them in the water and take them out.fish waterboarding :cookoo:i will not tell you what I do to the perch when I am on them,water will ruin your keyboard

[hnd]

The poor worms and maggots. Should we put a needle through their brain before we drop them in the ice cold water, to shiver on the hook until they get bit in half by a fish. It's not right!

 

this. 

[mrgundog]

1Moslab you kill me fish waterboarding 

[WyoMinFisher]

Gill them and put in bucket.  I also believe it makes them taste better if its going to be awhile before they are cleaned....

[deadsmelthead]

I keep taking mine home and seeing if they can swim in the deep fryer, after about 2-3 minutes they start floating so I just take them out and eat them....

[Dakota Angler]

Is there any way to do this better?

For me depends on the species of fish on what size frying pan and or shore lunch seasoning I use.

[Eyes R Bitin]

I usually just whack 'em and put them in the bucket.

[fish8mybait]

Am I overreacting?

Yes

[1moslab]

sorry dfresh75 this might be the wrong site for this discusion.i for one am going to much more gentle with them as I kill them and eat them.there are some real insensitive guys on this site

[Spider1]

well, I usually don't worry much about it but sometimes when I catch larger fish like bass and trout and some slob perch or pickerel, it'll take a long time for them to to freeze and often enough I'll dump a bucket of frozen fish in the sink at home and after 15 min or so they start flopping around again. Freaks the Mrs out when I fillet a fish and it starts flopping around! She runs right out of the kitchen!

Now this idea of feelin bad about the fishes suffering isn't a new thing. It ain't an anti thing and it absolutely has nothing to do with bowhunting deer. Now if you want to think "traditionally" the tool that was used was called a preacher. Basically it was anything from a small metal sap to a hefty billy club. One smart wack on the fishes head will kill it almost instantly. I always carry a pair of needle nose pliers for removing hooks especially for the toothies. If I catch a larger fish that I don't want flopping around on the ice for 5 or 6 hours I use it to wack the fish on the head with. Makes it easier removing the hook too. I don't mind thawing my fish at home and I would rather it be dead and not moving around when I fillet it and I would rather thump it out on the ice instead of gettin blood all over the wifes kitchen curtains.

[hnd]

sorry dfresh75 this might be the wrong site for this discusion.i for one am going to much more gentle with them as I kill them and eat them.there are some real insensitive guys on this site

do you have humane harnessess that allow your bait to remain unpunctured by your hook until they are gobbled up by the fish?

[thndrvlly]

"

I have a strange feeling you're not a deer hunter...bow hunting especially.

aint that the truth lol

[troutperchbeeman]

I am big into aquarium fish and I have read and heard that the most humane way to dispatch of fish is not the big toilet bowl in the sky but by putting them in the freezer. So what is the difference?? Freezer or ice its all the same. I would lose sleep over it as long as you are eating them in the end and not wasting them.

[hnd]

I am big into aquarium fish and I have read and heard that the most humane way to dispatch of fish is not the big toilet bowl in the sky but by putting them in the freezer. So what is the difference?? Freezer or ice its all the same. I would lose sleep over it as long as you are eating them in the end and not wasting them.

thats what our aquarium guy in the office said too.  its basically like laughing gassing them. 

[DFresh75]

Interesting, if that is true then I'd be fine with it.  I think people think I'm losing sleep over this or something, trust me I'm not

If I could leave Justin Bieber on the ice to gasp for air.... 

[1moslab]

I am learning so much on IS I did not know fish felt pain and didn't know they laughed

[monkeyyboness]

Seems to me they would be hurting right from the start ripping a hook right in the mouth and yanking them out. And your going to kill the fish one way or another so as long as you eat should be all ok. And if ppl are worried that much put down the rod and get a fish tank lol

[Stewie]

Not only do they laugh, they stick their thumbs in their ears, their tongues out, and laugh out loud at me nearly every time I go fishing. 

[1moslab]

Not only do they laugh, they stick their thumbs in their ears, their tongues out, and laugh out loud at me nearly every time I go fishing. 

[kb]

Fillet and release?   

If it's cold enough to freeze them, I just toss them on the ice. If not I cut a live well in the ice to keep them in till I'm ready to leave.

[deadsmelthead]

Not only do they laugh, they stick their thumbs in their ears, their tongues out, and laugh out loud at me nearly every time I go fishing. 

Same here little buggers wrap me around my jigging partners line all the time also...

[spudsaway]

Well Folks just a heads up.. This fellow is asking about humane treatment of fish.. Hunters " Good ones " dispatch game quick and if you walk up to a suffering animal , you kill it besides wounded larger animals are dangerous... A wounded dear even a small one will do its best to make it hurt..  So Fish ?  In Europe a few years back a man started a law suit against another on behalf of a Pike that had been hooked and played for over 45 min.. The man alleged it was too long to allow a fish to suffer.. 

 Watch any Carping Vids by the carp Mad folks, cradles and break away sinkers so if a fish breaks off they are not dragging terminal tackle around..  This stuff is mandatory in England you get fined if you do not rig like this..

 So heads up Alott of people are getting antsy on Animals so think what you would of me if I said . I shot 4 dear in the guts the other day and they ran off, so I couldn't be bothered to fetch em so I will shoot a few tomorrow..  I would be hunted down by most hunters..  Some people think all life is life and they may have a point..    Hook it or shoot it , kill it and  eat it or let it go..  Hunters who let it go are called Photographers.. 

 They say animals that died frightened are tougher meat, who knows if fish can be killed in a manner that allows better taste.  I have to agree that a winter fish that freezes probably felt very little pain..   Dieing on a stringer would not be fun..

 Remember I use Live bait so I am not all over the top.  I do see it coming soon , all artificial Bait . they may allow worms..  Soon 10 years or so..

[bigredonice]

Silverbullet you *****!  You just hosed my whole thought process!

So i take it you never use minnows for bait?

[ducati]

Just crack them on the head and ease your conscience, also it is suppose to help preserve the meat by limiting the lactic acid produced when it is stressed.  I don't really know how much of a difference this really makes in the meat but its what I do.

[Tangler]

This is how it's done.

[TheThinIce]

Not really sure why there's people making a mockery out of this thread... I also feel bad leaving a fish to slowly die on the ice. Do as others have suggested and bleed them out, or practice swift catch and release.  Most people on this site are also hunters, so tell me... Don't responsible hunters take the quickest, most ethical shots to ensure a kill and that the animal doesn't suffer more than necessary? It all boils down to respect for your quarry. InB4 PETA. Comments...

Agreed.