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IceShanty Main => General Ice Fishing Chit Chat => Topic started by: waterwalker1 on Mar 19, 2022, 11:17 AM

Title: Cleaning fish
Post by: waterwalker1 on Mar 19, 2022, 11:17 AM
I’m curious about what you do if the fish you keep are still alive when you start filleting. Do you kill them first?
Title: Re: Cleaning fish
Post by: JonPerry on Mar 19, 2022, 11:20 AM
Some do, I don't. Most twitching is nerves.
Title: Re: Cleaning fish
Post by: HWeber on Mar 19, 2022, 01:58 PM
You must've missed the perch eye thread, if you don't kill your fish immediately after catching you're a savage fish torturer.

I prefer to clean bled fish, fillets are whiter and the table stays cleaner. When I don't bleed them they seem to fillet the same dead or alive. As mentioned they're dead pretty quick a lot of movement is nerves
Title: Re: Cleaning fish
Post by: nindo24 on Mar 19, 2022, 08:05 PM
My grandfather taught me to whack them on the head with a steel to kill them.
Title: Re: Cleaning fish
Post by: greenbackhunter on Mar 19, 2022, 08:22 PM
Bleed them, then a good hit at the base of the neck to kill them. No need to make them suffer.
Title: Re: Cleaning fish
Post by: Hillsfisher on Mar 19, 2022, 09:22 PM
If I catch a fish that I am going to keep I give it a wack on the head, cut the gills, let it sit on the ice a few minutes to bleed, then into a bucket with ice chips from my hole. 
Title: Re: Cleaning fish
Post by: JonPerry on Mar 19, 2022, 09:38 PM
Apparently I've been a savage for years. I've never been concerned with what other people think or do ;)
Title: Re: Cleaning fish
Post by: Gills-only on Mar 20, 2022, 08:37 AM
Apparently I've been a savage for years. I've never been concerned with what other people think or do ;)
.    Same here, just clean them !!
Title: Re: Cleaning fish
Post by: R.S. on Mar 20, 2022, 08:51 AM
i line them up and run over their heads with my truck to be sure they dont feel anything.
Title: Re: Cleaning fish
Post by: SLAYERFISH on Mar 20, 2022, 10:03 AM
Yup, put their heads in a vice and squish them first! ;)
Title: Re: Cleaning fish
Post by: Hatandboots on Mar 20, 2022, 03:34 PM
Always kill them. Why wouldn't you? It takes 5 seconds and saves on unnecessary suffering.

The note on bleeding them is great too. I always bleed pike and walleye and it seems to greatly improve the taste.
Title: Re: Cleaning fish
Post by: Hillsfisher on Mar 20, 2022, 09:21 PM
The latest In-fisherman magazine has a good article in the latest issue regarding this subject.  Worth the read... 
Title: Re: Cleaning fish
Post by: Ranger275 on Mar 21, 2022, 03:06 AM
If I catch a fish that I am going to keep I give it a wack on the head, cut the gills, let it sit on the ice a few minutes to bleed, then into a bucket with ice chips from my hole.
  I do the same
Title: Re: Cleaning fish
Post by: MumbleSEED on Mar 21, 2022, 07:41 AM
Never considered myself a savage until threads like this comes up.  The only fish I'd gill would be a walleye for taste reasons...otherwise they be floppin until they meet the blade.
Title: Re: Cleaning fish
Post by: iceman260 on Mar 21, 2022, 08:16 AM
Couple wacks on head does the job.
Title: Re: Cleaning fish
Post by: JohnnyO19 on Mar 23, 2022, 08:51 AM
Yup, put their heads in a vice and squish them first! ;)

Only after you pop their eyes out  :o
Title: Re: Cleaning fish
Post by: krispcritter on Mar 23, 2022, 10:19 AM
I'm not a marshmello. I've never worried about it.  Fillet many a flopping fish. One flipped once and caused me 6 stitches but still filleted it.
Title: Re: Cleaning fish
Post by: R.S. on Mar 24, 2022, 06:37 AM
in all seriousness, they pretty much die from the first stab and slice of the fillet process.  is it different to let them flop in a bucket, for couple min., after "gilling" them? 
Title: Re: Cleaning fish
Post by: Doeslayer on Mar 24, 2022, 07:11 AM
I slice and dice when i feel like it not when the fish have stopped flopping.... Got no time for that... If they aint dead yet, they bout to be
Title: Re: Cleaning fish
Post by: Gills-only on Mar 24, 2022, 05:16 PM
I slice and dice when i feel like it not when the fish have stopped flopping.... Got no time for that... If they aint dead yet, they bout to be
.     Well said !! Lol
Title: Re: Cleaning fish
Post by: dsupercat on Apr 06, 2022, 10:54 AM
It depends on the fish. 
Winter:
Salmon, Trout bleed them out immediately
Panfish/Walleye/Northern in the bucket no bleed or kill

Summer:
Salmon, trout bleed them out immediately, then on ice
Panfish in live well put in bucket when ready to clean no kill
Walleye in live well until cleaning then hit in head to kill.  If water is warm will bleed out and then put on ice.
Don't keep Northern in summer just hate the slim.
Title: Re: Cleaning fish
Post by: DR.SPECKLER on Apr 06, 2022, 11:00 AM
Yup,bleed salmon and trout.walleye too .i rarely keep fish in the summer months.mainly keep fish during icefishing and real early spring.i only keep pike thru the ice also.
Title: Re: Cleaning fish
Post by: Chawk190 on Apr 06, 2022, 01:10 PM
Ice fishing I usually only keep panfish and occasional walleye. Don’t bother bleeding and clean at end of day
Open water is 99% salt and kept fish get bled for 5-10 minutes in fish box with raw water pump running to clear blood slurry and drain overboard. Then into the other fish box on ice and cleaned accordingly back at the dock.
Title: Re: Cleaning fish
Post by: Rebelss on Apr 06, 2022, 01:48 PM
Guess I don't bleed 'em, unless I think of it. I usually keep 'em alive in a 6 gal bucket , then do 'em when I get home. Guess that tells ya how many BIG ones I get.  ;D
Title: Re: Cleaning fish
Post by: FishGut on Apr 07, 2022, 12:16 AM
When it comes to filleting, rigor mortis makes it easier. If I'll be home within an hour or two, the fish go into a dry bucket.

If I'm lazy, they're sitting in a pail full of water until I whap 'em and start dissecting.
Title: Re: Cleaning fish
Post by: ran7ger on Apr 07, 2022, 06:22 PM
 i just don't get the guys that would rather fillet a live flopping fish with a razor sharp knife.  bonk em bleed em cut em fry em...simple.
Title: Re: Cleaning fish
Post by: JonPerry on Apr 07, 2022, 06:59 PM
Title: Re: Cleaning fish
Post by: ran7ger on Apr 07, 2022, 08:11 PM
 notice mr. aykroyd had dispatched the fish before using the bass-o-matic  ;D guess it's a canadian thing!
Title: Re: Cleaning fish
Post by: Doeslayer on Apr 08, 2022, 08:25 AM
Ill bleed any larger species i catch..... But i rarely go after panfish.... I love eating gills but hate cleaning em.... Scales like armor.....and i gotta clean too many of em......
Title: Re: Cleaning fish
Post by: RyanW on Apr 09, 2022, 09:06 PM
I only keep fish in the winter and it’s either bluegill (and all of the variants…) or crappie. I catch them and just throw them on the ice to freeze. Put them in my bucket and take them home. Fill the sink with water to let them thaw. When some reanimate and start swimming around again, I just spear them in the top of the head with the fillet knife. Doesn’t take much.
Title: Re: Cleaning fish
Post by: filetandrelease on Apr 25, 2022, 11:51 AM

 I use a mini bat or hatchet handle in the boat
Title: Re: Cleaning fish
Post by: Rebelss on Apr 25, 2022, 12:17 PM
I back over' em with the truck.
Title: Re: Cleaning fish
Post by: krispcritter on Apr 25, 2022, 02:39 PM
I back over' em with the truck.
If you do it right, you can scale them too. All in 1 step.
Title: Re: Cleaning fish
Post by: ice dawg on Apr 25, 2022, 03:07 PM
If you do it right, you can scale them too. All in 1 step.
True, that's one way to clean eelpout. Put em under a rear tire and do a burn out.
Title: Re: Cleaning fish
Post by: Rebelss on Apr 25, 2022, 03:26 PM
Get's them big scales offa the carp, too.  ;D
Title: Re: Cleaning fish
Post by: HWeber on Apr 25, 2022, 04:32 PM
I'm pretty sure Canadians apologize to every fish they catch... Based on forum posts and Canadian stereotypes
Title: Re: Cleaning fish
Post by: Drift Dodger on Apr 25, 2022, 06:07 PM
I'm pretty sure Canadians apologize to every fish they catch... Based on forum posts and Canadian stereotypes

We're sorry we gave you that impression. ;)
Title: Re: Cleaning fish
Post by: Rebelss on Apr 25, 2022, 06:10 PM
I always thought ya were supposed to thank the animal for giving it's life to provide you with food. Seriously.

Title: Re: Cleaning fish
Post by: Raquettedacker on Apr 26, 2022, 03:15 PM
Fresh and flopping..
 ;)
Title: Re: Cleaning fish
Post by: Ice_Fly_Guy on Apr 26, 2022, 03:36 PM
The latest In-fisherman magazine has a good article in the latest issue regarding this subject.  Worth the read...

^ This.  Read it and enjoy better fish for the rest of your life.
Title: Re: Cleaning fish
Post by: Fisherman 1 on Apr 26, 2022, 06:14 PM
I'm pretty sure Canadians apologize to every fish they catch... Based on forum posts and Canadian stereotypes

 ;D  No, we just bite their heads off, saves bringing lunch.