Friday & Saturday

Went out of Fenwicks but didn't get out until 1PM on Friday. Jigged between Locust and Cone in 19FOW pulled 8 in 4 hours. Saturday out by 7AM started at L-can in 19FOW picked a few then moved east to Big Pickerel and then Cone. Chased them all over the lake and ended the day with 10. Had my son and brother in law out with me and we had a blast. All came on 3/4oz purple, green or white with orange hair jigs tipped with minnows. Most on a slow 12-24" vertical jig some casting out for the swing and bumping it back.

A couple of guys from MI where cleaning fish right next to me that had been bled out. Looks like a much better way of doing things. For those of you that practice this do you leave them in the well all day or move them to a cooler once bled?

Also it is a hassle to leave skin on. Have to clean them twice now.......Has to be a better way. Maybe throw guys who are caught poaching in JAIL for a week or two as an added deterrent?

Thanks to all on the board for the tips this spring that made my 2 trips up from Cinti a success this year so far. Can't wait 'til next year!

2Aces

Cutting them is the only way to do it. Meat is so white and fresh.just get a stringer put on the side of your boat .cut them and throw them back in lake then transfer to your cooler once bleed out.:D. Nice report I also did well this weekend off of locust reef. Green was our color. Good luck on future trips

I usually wait till just before heading in to bleed my fish. As you never know, when your working for that last fish, you get a triple and the guy reeling one in has his fish of a life time on. Toss back another fish that is still lively as quite often 2 of those 3 will be nice ones. I usually club them, slit em and throw them back into the livewell and let them bleed out. Then once back at the ramp, into a cooler. During the hot summer, I'll club them, bleed them right away. Give them a few minutes, then into the cooler.

I always cut them jusy before we head in. There is no blood when you clean them and the meat is snow white. I learned this trick about 10 years ago at the cleaning station at WW. Try it you will never go back.
Tight Lines
FL

Since I don't sort fish, (if it is smaller than what I want) I just release it as soon as caught. I cut all others right away in the live well until bled out and in this 40 degree water just leave them in there until dockside, but in the summer they are in there about 5 min. and then on ice in the cooler.

Disclaimer: To each his own on sorting fish I have no feelings one way or the other about sorting fish from the live well. I find nothing wrong with the practice of sorting fish. I just don't do it myself!

Okay I am convinced that this (bleeding them out) is the best thing since the net. Will try it on my next trip and report back. Thanks for the tips!

2Aces

Where do you make the cut to bleed the eye's out? I'm assuming cut below the jaws towards the belly.

Cut at the base of the gills at the narrow area closest to the mouth be sure you cut all of the gills off also as close to the mouth as possible where they all come together, when done the head will be attached only by the back. I use a pair of Sea Shears from Cabela's but Fiskers work well also, just be careful of the pointed ends on the Fiskers. Point the fish away from you as sometimes they squirt a pretty large stream of blood. Put the fish in a 5 gal. bucket of water or a live well full of water as this helps in the bleeding process and also keeps your other fish and cooler much cleaner. If done right there will be very little blood in your cooler and it seems to slow up the slime production as well.

I definitely noticed that it all but eliminates the slime. We do it with the saugers over here on the Illinois River all the time. Glad I found out how to do it as it makes a heck of a difference !!!!

Hang mine over the side on a stringer...cut with a pair of kitchen shears...let hang on the water 10 or 15 minutes....take out and throw in cooler of ice. No blood on the cleaning table, in the cooler, or in the meat. Huge difference in the fillets.