Thread: What fish to bleed?

Besides bonito, what fish do you recommend bleeding? Do you cut em through the gills or cut the tail fin?

Lady in panama city last fall bled the blues out cutting the throat....I had fun catching and giving them to her

The blues we caught on the pier in June were fine with no bleeding, just iced until I cleaned them, cooked them an hour later. Even the girlfriend liked them. Said they were better than the few small Spanish that I managed to catch

I bleed several variety. Even Sheephead. The meat seems to be whiter when I do, with less red meat to have to cut out.

I don't bother to bleed out any fish. I'm going to cut out the red meat anyhow, whether it's bright red or light red. Mox nix. Having said that, I should point out that I don't keep bonito or jack crevalle---might change my mind on those.

I tried bleeding a few Spanish, but noticed no difference in taste... so just makes more mess in my cooler

Originally Posted by Haywire

I don't bother to bleed out any fish. I'm going to cut out the red meat anyhow, whether it's bright red or light red. Mox nix. Having said that, I should point out that I don't keep bonito or jack crevalle---might change my mind on those.

Kept a small 1-2 lb jack we caught in the surf last week. It had white flesh and was picked as the best tasting fish on the grill that day between bluefish, trout, sailcat, and the jack.

Those are pretty good pan-fried as well Matt.
Just a dash of salt 7 pepper and a tblspn of olive oil ;-)

Yep, baby jacks are good!

Originally Posted by will46r

Besides bonito, what fish do you recommend bleeding? Do you cut em through the gills or cut the tail fin?

I bleed out every fish by gill cutting, I'm not sure if it improves the taste but it's less bloody at the cleaning table and a lot more humane, if you don't bleed them out at least kill them with a spike to the brain or a sharp knife, I keep a dedicated fish killing cooler, but when I was down there in March sheepshead fishing I saw a guy bleeding them out in a 5 gallon bucket and then putting it in his cooler which I will do from now on.