Friday & Saturday

[Fishin'Lectrician]

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

[wakina]

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!

[2ACES]

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

[tbiser]

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

[wakina]

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.

[GlennD]

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 !!!!

[ReelTime]

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.