bleeding halibut

[ron m]

We’ve been bleeding halibut caught on my boat since I got the boat. But we (I) haven’t been doing it well enough. Often we find blood still in the fish when we clean it and the last time I cleaned a halibut, someone pointed out to me that I needed to bleed my fish. He was a sometimes charter captain/deckhand and I don’t remember his name or boat. But as he showed me the difference between my fish and another fish in the dumpster, he was obviously right. I saw the video clip on gaffs and wished it also showed how they bled their fish.

OK, here’s what I think he and I discussed, he was quite helpful. I’ve been bonking the fish before bleeding them, not any more. I’ll bleed and then bonk. He told me to cut behind the pectoral fin on the white side and I’d get the heart. Also, not just cut into the gills, cut them very thoroughly, maybe cut just behind the gills also. He said the blood should really be flowing. A cut at the tail end of the fish can also help, I’d been doing that for the last few fish, but they didn’t seem to bleed much from there.

I think I’ll try to find a knife with about a 3 inch blade and a very grip-able handle for bleeding purposes. I think a razor knife/utility knife would have too short of a blade, but it would be safer than a long blade knife.

Another thing I observed and think I’ll do is put a rope thru the mouth and out the gills, be a lot easier to move the fish around when we get back to port—for the fish checker and for getting them to the cleaning station. I’m gathering short pieces of rope for this purpose.

Do you gut your halibut after you bleed them before putting them in the fishbox?

I’d appreciate more ideas on how to bleed effectively. Maybe putting them back over the side in the water would help, but I don’t want to lose a fish to sharks. Has anyone lost fish to sharks doing this? Or attracted sharks around the boat so they lose the next fish coming up?

Thanks for any info/ideas.
ron m

[fishindude]

i use my sturgeon rope with loop on one end. Run it through gills and mouth. After cutting gills I lower into the water to bleed. I haven't had any problems with sharks yet. I usually bonk the big ones to get them to calm down a bit. Getting the rope though gills can be tricky if the fish is biting and thrashing. I haven't tried the tail cut but I will next time.
Haven't tried cutting the heart.

[Killertraylor]

When I first fished for Halibut in Alaska about 15 years ago, the guide I was with just cut the tail - nothing else. I've done that ever since. Don't bonk as they seem bleed better with the heart pumping. This works in the water, but not sure how effective it is with bleeding them out of the water.

[trollking]

'bonking' doesn't stop the heart, it just stuns them. For best quality, stun as soon as they come aboard and make a gill and if you like, tail, cut as soon as you club them. Let them sit for 20 minutes or so, dark side down, before 'dressing' the fish.

When you dress the fish, cut out the gill arches including the 'sweet meat' at the gill attachments, pull and remove the guts, including any pieces of heart or liver, cutting everything loose at the sphincter. Pull out the 'nuts', slit the blood line and scrape out any blood left in. Pack in ice if you can, and keep out of the sun. A wet gunnysack (remember gunny sacks?) will help keep the fish cool if there is no place to ice.

[fishitis]

Similar here, I cut through the gills on both sides. I use my washdown hose to pump water across the gills a couple times to break up the clots.
For a knife, I really like the Dexter Russel serated knife with about a 3" blade. This blade cuts through rope real quick and I have several of these knives stationed around the boat (bow, 2 at stern). Inexpensive at Fisherman's.

[retaliate]

We keep 4 short rope's on board just for bleeding, One end thru the mouth...using a Spreader to string the rope thru on the big one's, so you don't cut yourself, the other end tied off to the boat, cut the gill's with a 6" fillet knife, all the way thru if you can, & leave in the water for a few min. or longer if no Sharks are around, We only gut the fish if the fish has been dead for a long time, to prevent the rotton gut's from spolling the meat. Halibut dosen't spoil easily, but we put the smaller ones(less than 45") in a 150qt cooler with Ice anyway, the bigger one's go in & out of the water during each drift, but only cause we don't have a big enough fish/cooler box on my small boat. Cutting the Tail end also couldn't hurt(We haven't yet) But might start...cause I heard somebody say this help's get the worm's out if present. We haven't lost any to Sharks yet...but close a coule times...you need to keep a eye out for sure.

[Threemuch]

Fishitis, I keep one of those strapped to my chest at all times. Handy knives. People borrow it all the time, and I have to warn them, it looks like a steak knife, but that thing will cut your thumb right off! I coun't the number of times in a trip guys ask for my knife, it's rarely less than 10.

I bleed halibut by gutting both gill arches and hopefully putting them water, so the cuts won't clot. I have cut the tail, but I am not sure this helps. I would personally stay away from cutting the heart, because it will stop pumping if you cut it, and you might cut the gutsack, releasing all kinds of bacteria and acid to go to work on your fish.

Bonking halibut is a mistake in my book, because usually it only results in a bruised cheek or cheeks and an angrier fish. If you do manage to stun them, they wake back up and destroy coolers, fishboxes and other fish. Exangunated fish never wake up. Hog tying the fish and bleeding him out of the boat is good, I like cutting both gill arches and putting them in an ice/seawater slurry. Once a fish is in the boat, I never want to put them out of it, even on the dock (dang sealions!) Cold water seems to keep them pretty calm while they bleed out.

[smoky]

Ron:

Last week with BOE we bonked and then removed the gut sack and all internal organs right away.

This process bled the fish also.

No blood at the filet table.

[Threemuch]

How does the blood come out with no pump to force it? I would thinkgutting em after their pump ran dry would make more sense.

[Spoonplugger]

ron m,
For years I've been just taking a side cutter and clipping several "gill arches". (Note: All blood flows through those gill arches.) If its done right away and before the fish is conked blood just spurts out and is bled in seconds. If I happen to misplace the side cutters I'll just use a knife, although it can be tough to cut if the knife isn't sharp.

I use the same process with tuna also before I field dress them.

Never have had a problem back at the dock yet anyway with bloody flesh.

[ron m]

thanks guys, I'm learning and getting some ideas to try. I'm definitely gonna wait to conk 'em and i may try putting them back over the side with a rope thru the mouth and out the gills. the side cutters on the gills sounds pretty good for getting them to bleed out.

ron m

[Rodbender]

Why bring 'em in the boat at all?
Use a big Shark hook on a stout rope which is cleated off.
When the fish is within reaching distance slip the hook into his mouth-after that he ain't goin' nowhere.
Now lean over and chop/slice the gill arches and let 'em bleed out.
No mess in the boat at all.

[Sling Blade]

Ron,

For bleeding fish, I bought a pair of grass clippers. They fit comfortably in my hands and they are long enough to reach in and clip the gills of sturgeon, halibut, salmon and bottom fish. I keep them sharp and they work great. After a day on the water, I just wash them off and spay a coating of WD40 on them.

[SeaJayOR]

Great idea Sling Blade.
CJ

[As yet un-named]

I was thinking my wife's gardening scissors. They have blades about 2" - 2.5" long, are tough enough to snip 3/8" rose stems, and are made of stainless steel. They might be just the ticket...

[skein]

Good idea!

I've got a set of Kershaw Game Shears that I have actually used to cark tuna, and they would work perfectly for what you're describing. I'll try 'em next time I'm out.

Shears


Skein

[ron m]

Thanks guys, some good ideas, I like the shears idea, safer than a knife on a bouncing & rocking boat with a thrashing fish!

[Woody]

I fished with sling blade opening weekend. The clipper idea works great. Just pull the gill plate back, snip, snip, you're done!