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Killing fish

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corona
Posts: 12751 - Karma: 32,259
what do people think is the best way to kill fish for eating? I don't often have very clean results and instant kills.

Mackerel fishing I've never had a problem, hold the fish and hit the head with a quick snap over something seemed to give an instant kill. But I've done this with other fish and have had no luck. A white sucker I did this with honestly didn't die for 10 minutes of bashing it's head. not fun.

Yesterday I was bass fishing and I had a Ka-Bar with me so I thought the fastest way would be to cut the spine above the gills in one quick cut then cut the rest of the head off with another cut. Well turns out the head was still moving (like the mouth opening and closing and gills moving) for easily 10 minutes after it was cut off. and the heart was still pumping for the same amount of time. we tried this with a few and the same thing happened.


So looking for better techniques to kill fish cleanly.
Jul 28 2013 5:22PM
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Jeebus.
Posts: 4904 - Karma: 5,822
This site tells you everything you need to know.
Jul 28 2013 5:24PM
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Jeebus.
Posts: 4904 - Karma: 5,822
But really, just gut them on site, or let them suffocate.
Jul 28 2013 5:26PM
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cool_name
Posts: 4295 - Karma: 3,131
hit on the head
Jul 28 2013 5:27PM
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LoathesRaisins
Posts: 3612 - Karma: 4,735
Chop its head off?
Jul 28 2013 5:28PM
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corona
Posts: 12751 - Karma: 32,259
well that's the point. to gut them. but they need to be dead first or it's just cruel. letting them suffocate is pretty cruel too.
Jul 28 2013 5:32PM
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JAHBRADOR
Posts: 3002 - Karma: 16,941
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Jul 28 2013 5:32PM
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corona
Posts: 12751 - Karma: 32,259
read the OP
Jul 28 2013 5:33PM
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corona
Posts: 12751 - Karma: 32,259
read the OP
Jul 28 2013 5:33PM
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SterlingArcher
Posts: 2200 - Karma: 2,456
Drown it
Jul 28 2013 5:35PM
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Jeebus.
Posts: 4904 - Karma: 5,822
More cruel than beating it over the head for ten minutes though? Im quite surprised going all Rodney King on it for 10 mins didn't kill it.
Jul 28 2013 5:36PM
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.Hugo.
Posts: 17360 - Karma: 28,466
I wouldn't eat bass in the summer, they get all mushy and often get parasites making them not very good eating. Unless it's a type of saltwater bass, then I have no idea.

But usually when I keep walleye i'll give a few bashes on the head with the end of my fillet knife and they are good to go. But if you're not in a hurry or don't have the heart to do that putting them in a cooler on ice for a while will keep them fresh and they will be dead and ready to fillet.
Jul 28 2013 5:50PM
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corona
Posts: 12751 - Karma: 32,259
smallmouth bass. some of them actually did have parasites. little yellow worms that were in the body cavity. they weren't in the meat though, so we ate em anyways. still pretty tasty. the yellow perch were better though, and no parasites. they also died fast when cutting off the head.

so bashing bass is best then. I'll do that next time.
Jul 28 2013 5:55PM
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LoathesRaisins
Posts: 3612 - Karma: 4,735
I don't really eat fish much, but even if they had parasites, couldn't you just cook them really good and that would kill any disease?
Jul 28 2013 5:58PM
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1337
Posts: 31038 - Karma: 29,003
just let them suffocate
Jul 28 2013 6:04PM
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.Hugo.
Posts: 17360 - Karma: 28,466
Ya a few good bashes to the top of the head will do it. A lot of times they will still flop around but it's mostly just leftover nerves running through the body. After the first cut it will usually stop. And ya perch will definitely taste better, almost as good as walleye
Jul 28 2013 6:08PM
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BrewskiJr
Posts: 5738 - Karma: 1,478
I usually take my knife and poke a hole into its head between the eyes but a little back.

If you dont have a knife you could use a hook, or a pair of pliers and just jab at it.


You won't be able to hit the spine regularly. In fact, you can hook a fish right under its spine and when using it for bait.

Jul 28 2013 7:00PM
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Huck_Norris
Posts: 11487 - Karma: 18,627
12 gauge

Make sure it's in the boat first, and let 'er have both barrels.
Jul 28 2013 7:13PM
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Jeebus.
Posts: 4904 - Karma: 5,822
When your lady gets drunk does she also beat you?
Jul 28 2013 7:15PM
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daannnnieel
Posts: 5163 - Karma: 4,293
poke out it's eyes with molten glass. that'll do the trick.
Jul 28 2013 7:25PM
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Peter.
Posts: 23796 - Karma: 13,012
can't poke something with molten glass now can ya


i suppose you could drip molten glass into its eyes
Jul 28 2013 8:25PM
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Black-Bandanna
Posts: 6680 - Karma: 1,602
If it's a smaller fish, like a trout or most bass, grip it firmly with your less dominant hand over its back, then stick your index finger and middle finger in each gill with the palm of your hand over its face and head and pull back sharply to your other hand, snapping its neck quickly. The result is an insta-kill and is by far the most humane way to do it. It's not pretty with its head hanging mostly off and feels really disgusting, but its the most fair way to the fish.
Jul 28 2013 8:51PM
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.frenchy
Posts: 18212 - Karma: 12,257
Hit it on the head. Only eat ocean fish though, or trout.

Let another fisherman catch the bass :)

Pics FTW.
Jul 28 2013 8:55PM
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arnie_grape
Posts: 3429 - Karma: 11,385
frenchy skullfucks them to death
Jul 28 2013 8:56PM
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.frenchy
Posts: 18212 - Karma: 12,257
Only the ones without teeth :/
Jul 28 2013 9:04PM
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rockersteez
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Jul 28 2013 9:08PM
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louie.mirags
Posts: 6015 - Karma: 5,028
Refrain from eating bass imo stick with the mackerel
Jul 28 2013 9:20PM
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McFellon
Posts: 1841 - Karma: 2,005
I massacre white perch because they eat walleye and other fish eggs and they're invasive. Usually I just stick my finger in their mouth and pull back really far, but most of them are small. For trout and perch I usually bash their heads on a rock a few times.
Jul 28 2013 9:33PM
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corona
Posts: 12751 - Karma: 32,259
why do you say to not eat bass? the smallmouth we had tasted pretty damn good. not quite as good as the perch, but no complaints at all.
Jul 28 2013 9:48PM
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.Hugo.
Posts: 17360 - Karma: 28,466
A lot of people refrain from keeping bass because it is more of a sport fish and most serious bass fishermen practice catch and release. Because you can catch large quantities of them, it is pretty easy to deplete a population in smaller lakes. I have seen it happen to 3 lakes by my house, which is why they are now catch and release only lakes. Also, when you let them go you give them a chance to grow larger so you can catch bigger fish later on.
Jul 28 2013 9:53PM
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corona
Posts: 12751 - Karma: 32,259
oh ok. yea not too concerned about that. nobody fishes this lake, so a dozen bass a year is probably doing it more good than harm considering it's the top predator.
Jul 28 2013 9:57PM
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.Hugo.
Posts: 17360 - Karma: 28,466
Ya that's not bad for the lake at all. I would refrain from eating large trophy sized bass but otherwise you're perfectly fine.
Jul 28 2013 9:59PM
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SamtheEagle
Posts: 1658 - Karma: 713
I find a 12 gauge works pretty well
Jul 28 2013 10:10PM
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Barefootin_Fiend
Posts: 7618 - Karma: 4,727
no fucking way the heart was beating for 10 minutes after having the head cut off. the mouth moving i could understand ...that's just reflexive movement though...it's definitely not conscious.
Jul 28 2013 10:52PM
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louie.mirags
Posts: 6015 - Karma: 5,028
Yeah I'm used to over fished areas in ny. Also, I've heard to eat
Jul 28 2013 11:24PM
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JahFeels
Posts: 779 - Karma: 587
Bass are friends, not food.
Jul 28 2013 11:30PM
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207
Posts: 8969 - Karma: 3,846
I don't know honestly why the fuck you're eating bass but to each his own.

Catch and release all day
Jul 28 2013 11:48PM
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robotdna
Posts: 1232 - Karma: 2,959
I hunt basses often. I find if you light them on fire it does the trick. Here is one I caught a few weeks ago:

Click for larger image
Jul 28 2013 11:51PM
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Miomo
Posts: 4302 - Karma: 14,131
Eat it live, pussy. You won't.
Jul 28 2013 11:52PM
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louie.mirags
Posts: 6015 - Karma: 5,028
I've heard to eat
Jul 29 2013 12:10AM
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louie.mirags
Posts: 6015 - Karma: 5,028
It keeps cutting off where I wrote less than two lbs for reasons. Mercury, bacteria etc...
Jul 29 2013 12:11AM
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WVskiing
Posts: 3007 - Karma: 1,948
I always put them on ice untill they freeze to death
Jul 29 2013 12:15AM
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.Hugo.
Posts: 17360 - Karma: 28,466
Every species of fish will have mercury in it. And yes bigger fish will have more mercury but number of fish you eat is also a factor.
Jul 29 2013 12:16AM
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louie.mirags
Posts: 6015 - Karma: 5,028
Yeah def that's usually common knowledge about restricting the amount. But with the bigger bass in particular are known for being dirty. The bigger the trout though imo the better! Trout taste amazing
Jul 29 2013 12:50AM
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SterlingArcher
Posts: 2200 - Karma: 2,456
Brown trout ^
Jul 29 2013 1:04AM
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Jeebus.
Posts: 4904 - Karma: 5,822
Idk, in my experience i've noticed that smaller trout more often taste better than the monsters.
Jul 29 2013 4:58AM
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louie.mirags
Posts: 6015 - Karma: 5,028
Oh I wasn't comparing taste. Just bigger trout because more of it.. those Brookies might take a few for a meal
Jul 29 2013 5:15AM
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corona
Posts: 12751 - Karma: 32,259
10 minutes may have been a bit of an exaggeration. but it was 100% more than 5 minutes. it was super strange.
Jul 29 2013 7:50AM
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corona
Posts: 12751 - Karma: 32,259
no I've killed probably close to 1,000 mackerel and many perch and other panfish this way no problem. I've just had a problem with larger freshwater fish like bass and one troublesome white sucker that makes me question the method.

I was more looking for alternative methods people might know. like maybe there's an easy to cut blood vessel in the throat to bleed it super fast like you do with chickens.
Jul 29 2013 7:55AM
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corona
Posts: 12751 - Karma: 32,259
the MNR guidelines for lakes in that area say you're fine with 4 smallmouth bass a month for the sizes we were eating. so not concerned at all.
Jul 29 2013 8:13AM
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louie.mirags
Posts: 6015 - Karma: 5,028
For sure few smallies will do ya good!
Jul 29 2013 10:52AM
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