Fish-Hawk.Net

I am fairly new to this whole fishing thing...so you catch yourself a fish. It is now flipping around on the ground. So what is the most humane way to put the little tasty morsel out of his misery before you filet him/her for supper?

there are two ways.

1) Quick knock between the eyes, this will cause the eyes to 'pop out' a bit, and the gills to flair out.

2) More messy, but better. Make a cut underneath the head of the fish, and do a gill to gill slit. this will bleed out the fish....

I release everything I catch so I'm not the best to answer this. Back when I was a kid, they used to bonk the fish hard on the back of the head with a heavy, um, stick-like thing - they still sell them at canadian tire.

I don't know what people do these days. At some point they put them in a white bucket (if fishing from shore) or a livewell (if on a boat). I imagine that keeping them alive as long as possible keeps them fresher. But then, like I said, I'm not too sure.

Go with the bucket. From what I guess, you don't have a boat with a livewell. In a livewell, just don't refresh the water and the fish will slowly, and probably painlessly die. (And you won't get splashed.)

From shore or in a rowboat, carry a bucket with a lid to keep the splashing to a minimum. You can always use a stringer or a chain as well.

On a hot day leaving them out in the sun can actually cook the fish if you leave it out. (If in a bucket, make sure you refresh the water once in a while cause the water can get really hot and mucky...)

Bottom line, try finding a way to keep them in fresh water until it's time to pack up.

mm

Since I release 99.9% of my fish, i can`t help you much. You might want to buy the Fish-Whacker, they sell them at le baron or even cnd tire

I just do a quick jab of the knife between the eyes before filleting them,but i keep them in water before. Dont suggest trying this if your not good with a knife.

Or you can cut a broom handle,hockey stick,rake handle, something broken like that laying around ..instead of spending money on a fish club. Bonk between the lookers

A knife will of course do it as will a good bonk on his head.

You may however have some unkind glances from others due to high C&R fishermen and well for basic brutality.

A livewell works well also but will only prolong the inevitable if it's meant for a meal. For purely humaine reasons, I'd use the quickest, less possibly painfull method.

Check out this live well sold at Canadian Tire.
http://www.canadiantire.ca/browse/produ ... 6402534539

This would be perfect for you, because you want to keep the fish alive as long as possible.

Just keep in mind that it is illegal to let a fish spoil so if you are not going to eat it, release it.

Hey Toucan,

Get a stick. Hit it just behind the skull. Gut it. Put it on ice.
Mmmm. good with rice.

So by common vote, DIY fish wacker it is. It is a little bit barbaric I must admit, but then again, according to my significant other the whole fishing this is anyway. As for the catch and release thing, I do that when I am not hungry, or after I have caught supper. I only keep what I intend to eat, and from my perspective, if it comes in a white bucket from the lake, or in a white bag from the seafood section it is all the same - but the ones from the bucket taste better....

Thanks for your tips.

So by common vote, DIY fish wacker it is. It is a little bit barbaric I must admit, but then again, according to my significant other the whole fishing this is anyway. As for the catch and release thing, I do that when I am not hungry, or after I have caught supper. I only keep what I intend to eat, and from my perspective, if it comes in a white bucket from the lake, or in a white bag from the seafood section it is all the same - but the ones from the bucket taste better....

Thanks for your tips.

This reminded me of something Toukan.

On a fishing outing a buddy of mine caught a very impressive pike. He insisted, against all my arguements and persuasiveness, to keep the very large fish, putting it on our chain, connected to the canoe.

That fish hadn't given up the fight and thrashed around so violently, we were both soaked in seconds. (Here's the lesson part). He takes his paddle and twacks the pike solidly in the head. Took 3 SOLID hits to stop his movement and we continued on.

What we didn't realize is that the fish, with it's size and impressive strength had snapped the chain. Our fellow canoers past a pike floating in the water little time later and yelled it out to us. Yep, was the same pike. It'd disapeared by then but it bothered me not knowing if it'd survive or not, esp. being a big breeder.

(Kept in fresh water, will always make them smell fresher for filleting and taste fresher too).

I would go with what Kpin said, although he never actually caught a fish he has seen a lot of other people do it

You can take that to the bank

Must be dessert time at the old folks home, Rider is awake and wants his tapioca pudding asap!

Just watch were your other hand is when you give that fish a thump between the eyes.