Don't tell PETA

[Wish2Fish]

Forgive the political incorrectness of this question...but what's the best way to humanely kill a panfish that's been kept for lunch?

[Mayfly]

I wouldn't worry too much about it.......

[irvingdog]

Fillet knife...........

[Mayfly]

Tell PETA...........

[Guest]

Call me a bleeder, but I always give them a whack or two on top of the head either with the fillet knife handle (be careful) or the non-sharpened side of the blade. It stuns them and I feel better about slicin' and dicin'. Nummy, nummy in my tummy. And after all, shouldn't it be about the love?

[walleyehawk]

Saw this great picture last week on the internet.

Dozen guys that had been hunting geese. In 7-10 feet letters are spelled out, in harvested geese, the word PETA.

And each one of them is giving the bird, on both fingers.

I think it was their way of inviting PETA members to dinner...

[The Yeti]

P eople
E ating
T asty
A nimals

[Guest]

Back on topic:

If you are really concerned about it, keep a small spray bottle of alcohol on hand. One spray to the gills and thier done for.

Learned it from my favorite charter Capt. in Ixtapa, Mex.

[The Yeti]

Couple a whacks on the head with the non business edge of your fillet knife and your good to go.

p.s. I like that spraying alchohol in the gills trick. I'll have to try that..

[hanson]

Sure would be alot easier to clean if they weren't flopping all over the place. I had one of them big Upper Red crappies give a good tail whack on the board, I lost my grip and that fish lands with a big thud on the kitchen floor. All I hear is "I hope thats not what I think it was!"

[fish4ed]

Use the dull side of the knife, don't waste the alcohol..........

[Crawlerman]

The dull side of the knife, or for tougher fish such as catfish and Northerns (try knocking one of those out with a knife and you will be sitting there for awhile ) A pair of needlenose pliers.

Big reason is this. Never try to fillet a wrigling fish because your not going to get a good cut from it and do risk danger to oneself if your working on a delicate part of the process where your knife is close to your hand and the thing starts flipping out. The results could not be happy.

And yeah.. it does tend to make you feel a little better about it too. Another way to avoid having "lively" fish but still fresh is to pack a cooler with ice packs or dry ice rather than water when transporting the fish. Most of them should keel over by the time you get back and should still have most of their freshness and color left as well.

[Guest]

i usually just bite there heads off.

[walleyeking]

I agree with Rick.. Cut the throats when your done fishing, and throw them into the live well again..By the time you get to the landing, they will be dead and there will be very little blood on the fillets..Drain your live well and rinse..

[This message has been edited by walleyeking (edited 04-06-2004).]

[Corey Bechtold]

Eat em' whole!

[Rick]

The easiest way is to cut the neck where the gils meet on the bottom.... deep enough to cut the main artery. Anothe benefit to doing this is that you bleed the fish out for better fillets.

[Dobber]

I usually throw them in the freezer for 1-2 hours first and then filet them. Their done flopping around by then and the flesh is very firm but not frozen and easy to filet. Just don't leave them in there to long or you'll be sorry!

[SportFishin']

I use the tip of Buck Knife through the Cranium of the fish. Then when the quivering stops it is safe to fillet.

Good Eatin'!!
Chris

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"Fishing is an addiction, Anybody got some more?"