I've read/heard that its best to kill your fish quickly and bleed ALL fish, regardless of species, and then place them in an ice slurry. However, most of the photos that I see posted show that the fish have been left to die in the esky rather than brought to a quick death, and often no attempt seems to have been made to bleed the fish. Im keen to hear opinions on this though, does it make any difference to the quality of the fish on the table?
Also, if its best to kill them quick then whats the best way? I usually insert a knife blade through the head just behind the eye, which they dont like very much so I guess Im doing something right...
Of course the problem with this technique is that it ruins your photo unless you get it straight away, but for me the photo is not as important as being there.
it depends on what fish for me
like the bread and butter fish i will just spike and toss in the slurry if i'am keeping them however for fish like kingfish or tuna i will first spike the brain and straght away gill and gut them before putting them on the ice
You'll find the photos you refer to are of fish that have been bled, slurried and then put in the esky with the blood washed off. I always cut my fish straight away but never bother with a slurry. Just a coupla minutes in a bucket or kill pen before a quick wash and into the esky.
Cheers, Mark.
So Mark, I presume then that you kill the fish by cutting their abdomen and ripping their guts out? Is this efficient?
Some years ago fish that we could buy from retail outlets were gutted, gilled and bled. Nowadays, that is not necessarily the case and most outlets sell fish whole, gills intact, and unbled. In my opinion they should be bled upon capture (if you're going to eat them) and then placed in some sort of chiller ie: esky with ice or ice slurry.
As far as I know, all animals that are to used for human consumption are bled immediately following the kill and I personally feel that fish should be treated the same. I have fished this way for more than 30 years and, touch wood, have never been ill from eating my catch. I cut their throats, which kills them quickly and bleeds them at the same time. Done in a large bucket or drum, the mess can be tipped over the side, fish washed and onto the ice.
Just my thoughts anyway
Dave
I am a long way from being convinced that the spike in the brain is the go.
Let's face it. They have a tiny brain, and when you do the spike thing you are probably only guessing where the brain may happen to be. I would not have a clue where it exactly is. If they don't like it, I think that means they just got a spike in the head, not the brain, and are still alive and in pain. No wonder they are not happy. They will die as you would expect from a spike to the head.
Probably better off to just accept that you will not kill them instantly every time so just bleed them by cutting at the gills and let them bleed to death. They will die quicker than just throwing in the esky so is more humane than a spike and thinking, geeze my head hurts, or a slow death just sitting on a lump of ice.
There are my thoughts for a Friday night.
Cheech
No I do it similar to what Dave has just said, cutting the throat. Some people just simply spike the throat and others one gill but I slice through completely and often cut the heart in half. I have gone away from gutting and gilling unless I am planning on baking the fish or it is staying in the esky for longer than the days fishing. Getting them cold quickly will not mean the guts will sour the fish before filleting and some argue leaving it intact can actually help. I just don't bother as it makes no difference and is a pain really.Originally Posted by chanquetas
Cheers, Mark.
cheech one you have learnt how and where to spike it is easy and very good
one of the biggest ways to tell if you have done it right is that once you get the spike in and move a fraction side to side the fish will twich and that will be the last of the movement
one reson for the spike is that often you don't get riggamortas
as for gilling and gutting i only do this to the bigger fish that will get cut into steaks or for fish that will be eaten raw
I'm with you Mark and I slice through until the head is almost severed. I leave the head on and the guts in until I get home, or the next day, and I keep these for crab bait.
Another reason I am in the habit of killing upon capture if I am going to keep the fish: I like to fish quietly, especially if in the estuaries, creeks and rivers. A live fish or three kicking around in an esky can make a lot of noise, especially at night, and I am one of those that believe noise in shallow water should be kept to a minimum.
Cheers
Dave
All very interesting.
Actually, I have also been leading towards the cut throat method, as Reel Nauti describes.
Cheech makes a good point too about the knife/spike in head issue, as I cant always say that I get the brain first go.
I just cant stand to see fish sitting on the deck bouncing around, I reckon you have to dispatch them ASAP.
I dont like to leave their guts in though, got to get them out.
I don't like to kill the fish before bleeding them. I believe that if you cut behind the gills while they are still alive, they bleed much better, and are therefor better eating. This is because the heart is still pumping the blood out.
Gee I hope the Green brigade are not reading thisIt is humane .... honestly
Mark
I realised I probably did not answer the initial question directed to if the quality is effected. We have been focussing on how we do it.
I have been able to do a comparison. Recently I went fishing off shore and no fish were bled. Previous to that most trips the fish were bled. I can say that the recent non bled fish did not taste anywhere as good as the normal bled fish. Kind of more like fish you woud get at a fish shop.
I usually do not bother with estuary/bay fish, but when collecting an esky full of reef fish, bleeding is the go.
Hhhmmmm....I am continuing to gather data.
I catch a lot of Red Emperor (not in Moreton Bay though), and always bleed these fish as well as gut them and stab them to death with a quick slash to the brainal region (all greenies look the other way). They seem to taste "cleaner" than if they were not bled/gutted thats for sure.
Even if you leave the guts in over night the flesh tastes "stronger", which basically means the guts are flavouring the meat.
Almost all of our photos are taken a few moments after the fish is landed. They come up 100% better than a photo of a fish with already left this world. Freshly caught fish have good colour & posture, also usually the fins are erect. Only takes a few moments and pays off in the end. If you have phsyco fish such as mahi mahi, mackerel, wahoo etc. A tap on the head calms them down, then a few snaps taken & then they are bled in a bucket & left in there for several minutes before being put on ice. Once at the ramp, they are scaled, gilled & gutted & out back on ice until we get home. We cut the fishes throat. Down through the throat latch until you hit the back bone. This severs the artery near the heart. On big fish you can actually hear the bloody being expelled by the still pumping heart. Has a sort of squirt noise.
Really good artical in the last issue of Salt Water Fishing (issue 39 Winter) On Killing, Bleeding and keeping your catch Cold
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