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Tip: You’ll want the fish to be submerged in water after cutting. If they are just sitting on top of ice the blood coagulates whereas if they are submerged, staying wet, they bleed out faster and cleaner.

If you hit the fish on the head you kill it instantly without stopping the heart and allowing the blood to flow out of the fish. That way he’s not flopping around dying on ice. That’s the way I learned anyway. Thanks for the tips.

Look I like you guys I really do and every man each to his own. It is not known yet if fish feel pain but they do feel stress. As you could see on the blue fish it started flopping around when you cut the gills and causes the fish to build up lactic acid and adrenaline which makes the meat rot faster and have that oily fishy taste. I recommend you do and ikejime style way of dispatching and bleeding your fish since its the most humane and it results in better tasting fish. You simply either run a spike or nail through the fishes brain or hit it on the head with a blunt object so it can no longer feel stress and then you cut the gills and halfway through the tail to bleed the fish. Then you can put it on a half ice half water slurry for the fish to finish bleeding. You can buy or make your own brain spikes and it really does make a difference for you and the fish so I recommend you try it. I respect you and your opinion have a good day and may we all catch fish

Hey guys- I’ve been a member for a couple years and love your videos. About bleeding a fish........I started doing this a while ago, but I’d suggest adding 2 things. 1. Kill the fish first. Ikejeme. A smack in the head works, but I carry an old fashion ice pick. A quick stab in the brain makes it ‘brain dead instantly but the heart is pumping. Then cutting the gills as you described. 2. Make a vertical slit near the tail, both sides, to cut the artery that runs lengthwise through the fish. Hold it in the water for a few minutes and let most blood pump out. Even in my kayak, I pack my Hobie keeper bag with ice in a plastic bag,, like a 5 or 10 pound bag from a machine or gas station. Then with the first fist, I add water from wherever I’m fishing and drop in the fish. It gets really cold, the brain dead fish’s heart keeps involuntary pumping and you get a really well bleed fish. Works well in a cooler. Bloody, yeah. But you can change the water

I’ve been looking for videos on the best way to bleed a fish. Thanks for breaking it down and then showing it in action. Appreciate it and very helpful.

After you make the cut, stick him head first in a bucket of water to let him bleed out. Saves the ice for a clean, still fish.

I love how most of the comments are trying to correct this video. I will say in its defense. The video was in focus. Thanks for that.

Great video as always. Garden pruners (snips) work also without the chance of stabbing your hand with the knife.

Thank you for this educational video so many fishing videos exclude this out of fear of upsetting viewers (good grief). Anyone new to fishing and harvesting their catch need to know how to do this. It e hate flavor to the filet and it is very humane to prevent the catch from suffering. Wonderful video and thank you!!

Thank you on the show how to bleed a fish.Your video was very educational and keep educating us.That doesn't know how to be a better person when we go out fishing and take home some good stuff

Dispatch before bleeding, more humane, imagine feeling and suffering the blade through your artery then bleeding out? Cool technique though 👍

Hey bro theres one thing you need to do b4 you cut the artery. To quickly and humanly kill the fish you need to Iki Jimi then cut the artery. Iki Jimi is a Japanese technique that kills the fish instantly by placing a knife on top of the head and piercing the brain. Look up the technique. Nick Myers from breakaway tackle USA demonstrated that on a KZfaq video.

Also hit your fish with something before bleeding it. Fish are very susceptible to blunt force and it will kill them and stop them from moving or sending adrenaline (which ruins the meat) but the heart will still bleed.

Wow. Mr. Blue still had a few dance moves left! lol Thanks for the knowledge.

bleeding fish really does make a huge differences on the quality of the fillet especially with the fish that has a lot of blood in it. i like to add water in my ice just to make the blood come out more easily without getting too messy

Take a look at a Japanese method of preserving fish called ikejime. Bleeding is one part of the method.

Very helpful, Thank you for doing it.

I love catching fish but I don't eat them. My wife does and I never thought about bleeding them until I watched a fishing video a few minutes ago. Looks simple enough. Thanks for making this video.

Thank you for this informative video

Definitely need to bleed The Blues but flounder, mangroves and Spanish filets come out pretty clean without bleeding them. (I’m sure it was just for demonstration of the technique) nice video 👍

Thank you there are so many Spanish mackerel in right now.. . I will try in the next few days

Very Good tips thx again!!!

Man, thank you! I went out yesterday and caught a load of seabass but was ignorant of how and why to bleed the fish! Furthermore last summer I voided a load of bluefish thinking that they were not edible! Simple task but one that will improve my knowledge, I love when the light bulb comes on, once again thanks a lot!

Great tip!!! Thanks!!!

I do this for freshwater trout. I leave it in the water so the blood doesn't clot and stop the bleed. If I was bleeding fish as you do I'd hang it over the side of the boat or dock to let the blood pump out. Oh, the flounder looked a little small if you ask me.

Would've been more humane by first incapacitating the fish with a proper bonk on the head to knock it out and then bleeding it immediately after...

thank you for sharing !

I like to put them in the live well for a few minutes before putting the fish on ice, this way to fish continues to breathe and I find it will pump more blood out.

I’ve heard to bleed fish but I thought you cut the tail. I guess you could use the same method on fresh water fish. Great information thanks

Very nice blue fish!

Great tip, thanks for sharing.

Perfect vid.

Nice video, Thanks!!

Great video, especially for the beginner like myself.

In all these years of fishing in Charleston, SC I have never bled fish. I will be from now on, thanks!

I use game shears to cut the same vein. Makes a bigger deeper cut and is safer to use.

Saltwater mixed in the ice too. Firms up the fillets (but y’all probably know that already, lol)

Good vid! Same is true with game species. Bleed right away, and the meat will taste great. Great cooks know that. Some hunters take long shots, and by the time they get or find the animal, the blood is coagulated. Besides; see (Gen 9:3-4)

Try this... I bleed almost all of my fish this way. When I first heard about this I was skeptical but I hav found it the best way to get every drop of blood out of the fish. I started this on Halibut. Ring 3/4 of the tail then break the spine. We leave the fish hang over board for at least 10 min. Then into the fish box filled with seawater. I live in Alaska, aluminum boat, so the water in the fish box stays at about 38-40 degrees. You will be able to see that with every beat of the heart a stream of blood. The larger the fish the longer it will take. A 100 pounder halibut will take a good 30 min. But when you process it there will be no blood at all, even if you scrape hard against the spine. I have since used this on salmon, and rock fish and it works on all of them. The drawback is you no longer can use the tail to flip the fish when cleaning. But then the quality of the meat is worth this inconvenience to me. In the end whatever gets the blood out, will improve the taste and appearance of the meat.

Good stuff!

Can you just let it bleed in the water for a couple minutes to minimize having blood in the cooler?

Wow.. it's that simple? Thank you for the Vid..

Awesome thank you bos 👍

Ive seen it done a slightly different way. After the cut is made, you put the fish head first in a bucket of water, it struggles and pumps all the blood out of its body. Done right the fish is cut, bled, and drifting off in less than 10 seconds.

Awesome video

Have you looked into Ikejime? Dispatching and severing the spinal cord to minimize lactic acid and then bleeding it?

Shouldn’t you stab it in the brain first? Also doesn’t hurt to run a wire through the spinal cord

Right to business… I love it! You got a sub sir!!

Greenhorn question... do you bleed them out immediately or just when you start to clean them.

Thanks!

Thank you. I just subscribed

Thank you... Subscribed :)

Thanks for showing that! What about for pompano?

Ikijime. I’ve heard and read it’s one of the best ways to kill and bleed a fish. I’m still trying to master it

I turn 1 of my livewells into a deadwell. I cut the fish like you then I put it in the deadwell with water, it bleeds out. Then on ice it goes. After a couple of fish I flush out the well.

Thanks for the vid, but a question: assuming no sharks around, isn't it best to bleed them in the water? I'm only asking because I would think immediately throwing them on ice slows the blood flow and will cause clotting faster. Interested in your take!

From a sitting or lying down position, if you get up fast, you faint. That is because your blood pressure goes down. Now imagine , your artery that goes to your brain is cut. What would you feel? Again you faint, but much faster and severely this time. Can you insert an object into a fish's brain faster and more accurately than just cutting its artery? In the former method, you still have to do the latter and possibly inflicting another pain. That the fish is flapping around 1) does not mean it is feeling pain because, it should not be conscious; 2) it is only for seconds, that is only until all the blood is drained out; and 3) it should help get more blood out because of muscles contracting.

The pros at the Chinese fish market whack the fish with a mallet so that it’s more humane….none of those pros just cut into the fish and let it flop around like that

Good demonstration, but killing the fish first is a little more humane (iki jime and then bleed), no?

I use a good pair of heavy duty fishing shears. Much safer especially on the water

Great tip! Thank you. Is this process different for sharks?

I put them back in salt water for a few minutes after I cut the gills.

Thanks - I would suggest perfecting the technique further by using the ikejime method

What do you think about whacking the fish between the eyes before bleeding it out? I just bled my first live fish. It was a bit sloppy, but I whacked it first. Better for the fish? Better for the meat? Worse for the fish? Worse for the meat? I have no idea. In any case, very helpful video!

I leave mine on the hook still and then cut the gills and toss them back in the water to bleed out. Let him go for about three or four minutes and then throw them right on ice.👍👍

Description I bleed but also add the Ikejime style of killing. You've never had better meat! This method kills them humanly and very fast so there is no time for adrenaline to get in the meet. Try it out. When added to bleeding you get the absolute best meat!

Hey man what type of knifes do you use? They seem super sharp

You are so right . I take a bucket and let them bleed out for five minutes in ocean water before ice. More comes out. Fact is all kind of stuff comes out we never knew. Each fish requires new water. White stuff. black and blood. Difference is night and day. Sashimi grade even the second day. Before the next day was no good to me. Only took 40 years to learn. Try the bucket and video what is left... Oh.

Would it be ok to put fish in bucket of water for a few minutes to let the blood drain out. Then put on ice

For anyone saying that it's cruel to do this while the fish is alive. But the only way to bleed a fish is if the heart pumps out the blood. And I have done trials on fish that have to be bled or can be really bad and if the fish isn't alive only Heald the blood gets remived

I prefer putting the in a bucket of water. They continue to try to breath, and pump all the blood out. After a few minutes of bleeding out I put them on ice. Much cleaner, as well.

Wouldn't it be easier to slice from outside in then getting the knife in the gills. Not sure I am new to fishing but trying to learn. I went out with a charter and the mate just reached in with his finger and did it...

Tip: kill the fish with the brain spike method to kill them quicker (obviously) and make the fish last longer in the fridge.

Use a four-step Japanese method called ikejime.

Aren't you supposed to stun them first?

How long do you wait until you filet the fish? Thanks

Luke - After you bleed them. How long do you let the blood mingle with the other fish before you dump the water or ice? What do you do with fresh caught fish and you are out on a jetty with just a 5 gallon bucket? What do you do?

"That's how you kill the fish humanely" *Hears the bluefish thrashing around in the cooler for minutes*

Is it ok to bleed the fish and then put it in saltwater? Because I don't want to ruin my fish

Question: wouldn't putting them on ice cause the blood to clot faster?

If you are kayak fishing, will you attract sharks by bleeding fish? Serious question.

Why not stun the fish first? Bat to the head or a spike?

Do you think they felt any pain ! .

It seems cruel but you should mention the mercury. The mercury levels in the blood of fish increase with size as they have eaten more small fish each containing small amounts of mercury. Small fish = small amounts but larger ubher predators = lots of Mercury -.. In Oz logan River Bull sharks are inedible if not bled before you eat them (Possibly also from all the meth heads buried in the river being eaten by same... ). Lactic acid in humans is from hypoxia over time before death (Downtime) . Same in fish - they get hypoxic out of water as they cannot breathe air. Bleeding them after the head bang death should allow them to die as well as move blood for a while but all of these ways will cause lactic acid as its not relevant to adrenaline except that adrenaline increases the blood flow over time whilst alive .A very simplified explanation and I am mostly guessing at this logically (ICU Nurse).

Have you found the Ike Jime method, it's more humane and demonstrates skill, knowledge, and professionalism, along with producing far better, higher quality fish.

I put them in a bucket of sea water to bleed out for 5-10 minutes before chilling them down. Just cuts down on the mess. Note that down here in the South Island of New Zealand, the water's only 17℃ at the most in Summer.

can you bleed them out, if your on a kayak and have them on a stringer

It's interesting how many people comment on the cruelty of this ... and maybe there are ways to lessen whatever suffering a fish may feel. But the underlying assumption seems to be that had the fisherman (excuse me, fisherperson) not caught the fish, it would have lived a long and happy life and gone peacefully to its rest in fish hospice with a prayer group singing hymns as it went to its watery reward. Uh, no. Most fish die by being eaten whole (if small), or being ripped apart or shredded while alive, or dying of starvation when injury, infection, or disability prevents them from eating or competing for food. It ain't pretty, folks.

Bleed fish the way you showed but put them in a bucket of water head first. They will bleed more thoroughly.

Should I cut sharks in the same place/way?

That blood could be used as excellent bait colouring.

Bleeding the fish is not killing it humanely lol. It's done by striking it in the head or use the Ikejime method

You should really Brain the fish before you do this. Ikejime

The same thing happens with halal meat and the taste is way different than regular meat , because halal meat they bleed the animal very well .

If letting blood flow out of fish why not do it to cows and pigs? Surely their meet will be tastier and fresh too?

Cut under the gills, toss it into ice. You got snow white filets 😊

is it saltwater?

Complete guide of bleeding a fish... 1.Always bleed a fish alive when it's still pumping blood 2.Having right tool not just to bleed but also destroy the nerve across the spine of the fish is a completed method to make a clean fresh and Well bleed out fish 3.Try to make more bleeding spot include cutting both fish grill completely straight in the middle of it like splitting something in half. 4. In a bleed out process, submerged the fish in water (not entirely) to fasten the bleeding process or Submerge the bleeding spot using Insert N pulling out method to maximized the bleeding done by the liquid pulling. 5. don't soak fresh fish in Blood water after a bleeding process, Put it in a clean Nice icebox with Ices. 6. [Perfectionist Method] If possible, Fillet the fish when it's done and use a vaccum packaging device that you've bring with you and sealed it up nice and tight, Dont forget to put in a cooled icebox. Harvest n Store a fish that you've bleed out and you would have an 2 week long lasting fresh meat on your fridge under normal packaging, Happy Hunting.

once you do the described procedure, NOT ICE COOLER immediately! or enjoy cleaning your cooler with flies, as you are filleting the other fish..... BLEED FISH as described, LEAVE FISH IN THE SALTWATER, the blood won't coagulate, and you can rinse it off prior to cooler. IMHO.. I've had blue fish, king Mac, and whiting taste like fresh tuna, or flounder (can't go wrong if you distress them early), trigger, snaps, groups, porgy's, bonnets, black tips... whatever.... you've got to... bleed da fish.... "Kiss da gurl" sha-na-na-naa, my-o-my you got to bleed-da-feash (my little sister ruled the VCR, dammit, I had to watch what she was playing, little mermaid ;-p ) i'm old... VHS/VCR