Before Filleting Your Fish...

[shaker]

Or a Squirrel come back to life in the game bag of a hunting coat. It didn't happen to me but did to a hunting buddy of mine sure was funny to watch! He didn't find it so amusing though!

RB

[Greasy B]

I don't remember the details of their demise but I'll be having Bluegill for dinner tonight.

[fishinwrench]

Does KOA even make an electric knife? I searched their site briefly but didn't find one.

I don't need anymore standard knives, I'm all set there.

[Bill Babler]

I read a few years ago in Fishing Alaska Magazine that there have been more trips to the emergency room from trying to fillet flopping fish than there has been to remove hooks from fingers and hands.

Very best method is to turn the fillet knife to the back side and make a single strike to the back of the head over the eyes. One whack will put any fish, including moderate size cats, up to 10 pounds a shaking.

Interesting about speed cleaning fish. There is a YouTube video of a father and son cleaning specks. They have both cleaned 10's of thousands. One used a fillet knife and the other the son was claiming how fast and good he was with a electric.

Bottom line is the guy with the filet knife had 1/3 more meat off each fish in about 1/3 more time. With the small numbers in limits of crappie we have now, if you think you are saving time with the buzz saw, maybe you need a little more time. Just a shame to waste them after you kill them.

[fishinwrench]

You can read a newspaper through what's left after I electric knife'em.

The buzzards won't even land cuz it ain't worth it to them, and my pet fox and possum are like...."c'mon wrench, give us a break, all we ever get is eyeballs".

[Jerry Rapp]

keep the legal limit and enjoy them. Our tax dollars pay for the regulations. Like Wrench, I just prefer a good knife. Ice them down, it makes cleaning them much easier. A keeper is a keeper. I have been C&R for 30 years, but I am going to fillet some this year. Throw them on the grill, with some good sides. If I(we) catch too many, then our tax dollar paid governments can change the regs.

[marknsaw]

I'll admit...... I'm an ICER. Get them to the ice ASAP. Makes cleaning them easier and less philosophical.

[Wayne SW/MO]

I just bleed them, it doesn't take minutes, but seconds for them to go and like warm blooded animals it probably improves the flesh.

We had a lot of crappie last year and my son's old electric was slow, so he bought a new and improved one, we filleted most of them with a Rapala, a Case, and a diamond sharpener.

[Haris122]

I had a catfish like a year or two back that was my first fish that I kept to eat. I tried putting it out its misery first by smacking its head against the concrete steps of our house, and that poor thing just didn't want to die. I had to smack it a good 5-6 times, and even then I could see it try to breathe still. Not going to lie. It kind of bummed me out. But the filet turned out good.

Only other time till now that I kept fish was some trout some guys gave me and a buddy at Bush, and they kind of bit the dust on their own, while still on the stringer, so that simplified it. Since then I tried going with the ice technique, but have yet to actually catch a fish while I have ice at hand.

[Donna G]

I ice mine down as well. Really bad karma filleting them out while they're flopping. I guess I'm tender hearted. I'm gonna knock em the head or something before I go to cutting.

I'm with you. I like to eat them and don't mind keep a few smaller ones to fry up. However, I LOVE fish of all kinds, especially bass. They are wily and fun to catch, not to mention beautiful. Icing them down may not be more humane, but it makes me feel better. Can't stand to watch one flopping getting filleted that hours before gave me such a thrill when it slammed my jig. Like Champ said, it's easier, too.