Algonquin Adventures / Dispatching Fish

**Posted by Steve E** 8/01/2019 11:03 am

Just wondering what the best (quick, humane, etc.) way to dispatch a fish is? What do you guys do?

Thanks

**Posted by nvm** 8/01/2019 1:07 pm

Quick and effective:

Priest

(edited to provide a link that worked)

Last edited by nvm (8/03/2019 10:33 am)

**Posted by PaPaddler** 8/01/2019 1:48 pm

@nvm: wait, edited to provide a link that worked for what...helping the fish find religion first?

**Posted by PaPaddler** 8/01/2019 1:53 pm

I'll keep them on a stringer until close to consumption time to keep them alive as long as possible - not very practical if you are paddling substantial distances at speed since they will drown. It does help to thread the stringer through both lips (if only lower lip or through the gills, they will drown quite quickly with their mouth agape during travel).

Once cleaning time arrives, if I am going to filet the fish, I will first stab through the skull from above between the eyes or hit with a sharp, debilitating blow to the skull.

If cooking whole (trout) I will merely cut the head off clean right behind the gills and then gut them.

Would be interested to read of other methods.

**Posted by PaPaddler** 8/01/2019 1:55 pm

Could also bake them before you fry them like this restaurant we ate at on our recent trip to Acadia National Park in Maine...

https://www.oregonlive.com/marijuana/2018/09/into_the_pot_you_go_maine_rest.html

**Posted by MartinG** 8/01/2019 5:37 pm

Bonkers are the most reliable way. But can make a big mess if you hit them too hard. For Trout its probably quicker and more humane to quickly break the neck or take the head off and just start cleaning them. For Bass/Pike I let them hang for 30 minutes then just start filleting. Sometimes there's some twitching.

**Posted by nvm** 8/03/2019 10:34 am

I'm just helping them to see the light..... of my campfire!

OK, now, finally, a link that works.

PaPaddler wrote:
@nvm: wait, edited to provide a link that worked for what...helping the fish find religion first?

**Posted by Dead_Weight (DW)** 8/12/2019 1:25 pm

Same as MartinG ... Quick snap behind the neck for trout ... might need the help of a branch or tree if its really big. Very quick. Bass or thicker fish not so easy ... but I have used my paddle and it worked fine.

I find with stringers the fish can suffer a while before dying ... and turtles love fish on stringers ...

**Posted by kenny** 12/21/2019 1:42 pm

lots if different methods discuss, they all work, something I learned this year was Bleeding a fish out as well, cutting the tissue at the bottom of the head ( gill plate area) and let fish bleed out for roughly 20 mins. you will have blood free fillets and makes cleaning a lot less messy.