Bleeding a Springer

cohomojo · 03-22-2005, 02:56 PM

I am a firm believer in bleeding fish out, cleaning them, and getting them on ice as soon as possible.

The problem is: how do you safely bleed out a fish with so many sea lions around?

I do not have a fish box on board. I usually just carry a cooler with ice. I typically dangle the fish in the water for a few minutes while it bleeds. Again, dangling a fish in those varmint infested waters is not smart. Last year, I found a method that worked but I wasn�t real happy with it. If I was on anchor, I would start up both motors (kicker and main) and turn them towards each other. That would create a little triangle of semiprotected water where I would bleed the fish while keeping an eye out at all times.

Does anybody have any clever ways to bleed out a fish with no worries about sea lions?

grumman16 · 03-22-2005, 03:00 PM

Same scenario here. I normally bleed them out in the cooler and then drain the cooler over the boat. I don't like dangling the fish over the boat, I'm more worried that the fish is going to slip out of my hands than a sealion is going to get it.

Danderson · 03-22-2005, 03:00 PM

I would get a long Rubbermaid container or something simular and just bleed them in there and after 20-30 minutes or so put them in your cooler on ice...I beleive the heart can pump blood up to 30 minutes or so after cutting the gills.....

I saw many folks last year up at bonnie dangling springers off the side of there boat like they were trout fishing with 30-40 sealions swimming all around them I saw 2 boats loose fish using this method...I would spend the 20.00 or so on a long Rubbermaid container for bleeding...

IMHO of course :smile:

Good Luck hope you have lots to bleed this year

Derek

Fishalot · 03-22-2005, 03:41 PM

Another problem is the blood attracts the Sealions, now you get more then one fish being bleed and the chances of Sealions working into the area increases. You may not get your next fish to the boat to bleed it and the boats around you will have the same problem.
I am not to sure there is a simple way to bleed a fish with out getting blood in the water. Some one said that they us 5 gallon buckets half full of water, cut the gills and put the fish head first in the bucket. I guess you could bring 3 or for buckets and when they are all full go dump the bloody water on the bank. Lids for the buckets would be a good idea to take along also.

Fish :smile:alot

pearl · 03-22-2005, 03:51 PM

Could you do it simular to the way the guys do it with their tuna. Land your fish, cut the gills and place him head down in a 5 gallon bucket until he's done pumping, give it a good rinse in the river and then place in your cooler on ice.

I'm lucky enough to have two fish boxes on board so I have never had to face this situation but it seems to me it would work

Rimshot · 03-22-2005, 03:54 PM

I just toss 'em in the box, cut their gills, and shut the lid

. I leave my ice in the bag so the fish are up off the bottom of the cooler and not laying in all the blood,slime, and water. I'm not sure it matters much anyway. It is a little messy at the end of the day but you were going to rinse/clean your cooler anyway right?

cfinlip · 03-22-2005, 04:08 PM

How about a trough/tray that the fish lays in? Hang it off the side or rail of the boat while trolling, runnin back in or? Maybe a sea-lion that does'nt see a fish will rush the boat...hate to see the foot go in the blood bucket, just a thought.

yankemnbankem · 03-22-2005, 05:08 PM

you could always try a crawdad trap on a string?

KillerBeee · 03-22-2005, 05:21 PM

I say just cut the gills and dangle the fish over your mouth. Spirit of the salmon does a body good!Makes for a great picture too!
Just kidding of course and I hope no one takes offense.

judyfish99 · 03-22-2005, 05:34 PM

The Spectrum has a live well forward...I guess it could be used as a fishbox...just gotta figure out how it works..

The rest of the boat is carpeted :whazzup:

Just Fish · 03-22-2005, 05:41 PM

Below Bonni last year if you bleed fish the sealions were as think as thieves I use a bleed bucket with 4 inches of water in it and dump it at the dock .

Starfish · 03-22-2005, 07:51 PM

I bleed the fish in the livewell then throw them in the cooler. If I'm trolling I leave the livewell drain open and pump on, but if anchored I keep the livewell plugged but full.

fishchaser · 03-22-2005, 08:16 PM

Judyfish- How do you get the fish in the live well. Mine is about a 12X12 box with a pvc pipe sticking up in the middle, so you can't get anything in it, but Trout. And they have to be small ones too. I can get 8 crab in it though.

Now about the carpet. I took my floor carpet out, and laid down a vinyl floor, This way I don't have to worry about the smell, the blood stains and the mold

I just did the floor last week and I love it. I didn't do the upper bow portion though. Thought I would keep that for sleeping on.

I think the crawdad trap is the best idea. Kinda like a shark cage, for Salmon. :grin: