How do you guys kill your BG before cleaning them? - Bluegill - Big Bluegill2024-03-29T02:10:39Zhttp://bigbluegill.ning.com/forum/topics/how-do-you-guys-kill-your-bg-before-cleaning-them?commentId=2036984%3AComment%3A259656&feed=yes&xn_auth=noYep. Nothing's better than a…tag:bigbluegill.ning.com,2012-05-09:2036984:Comment:2667062012-05-09T14:23:45.416ZLeo Nguyenhttp://bigbluegill.ning.com/profile/LeoNguyen
<p>Yep. Nothing's better than a knife sharpening station. Costs less than $150. The only thing is, you can't bring it to the fields with you when you need a quick ultra razor sharp blade when you're in a pickled of a situation. Never ever cut with a slightly dull knife, and definitely not with a dull knife.</p>
<p>Yep. Nothing's better than a knife sharpening station. Costs less than $150. The only thing is, you can't bring it to the fields with you when you need a quick ultra razor sharp blade when you're in a pickled of a situation. Never ever cut with a slightly dull knife, and definitely not with a dull knife.</p> As long as you dont have any…tag:bigbluegill.ning.com,2012-05-09:2036984:Comment:2669032012-05-09T13:40:23.816ZMichael A. Walkerhttp://bigbluegill.ning.com/profile/MichaelAWalker
<p>As long as you dont have any major nicks in your blade, get a medium grit and fin grit stone. Put some honeing oil (or other LIGHT oil) on the stone, rule of thumb for most knife edges is about 23 degree angle. What I do is start straight up and down at a 90 angle, half, then half it again and that is about your 23 angle. Keep that angle as best you can then with steady pressure, act as if you are slicing a thing layer off the top of your stone away from you, then flip kniffe over and do…</p>
<p>As long as you dont have any major nicks in your blade, get a medium grit and fin grit stone. Put some honeing oil (or other LIGHT oil) on the stone, rule of thumb for most knife edges is about 23 degree angle. What I do is start straight up and down at a 90 angle, half, then half it again and that is about your 23 angle. Keep that angle as best you can then with steady pressure, act as if you are slicing a thing layer off the top of your stone away from you, then flip kniffe over and do the same thing back towards you.... just remember to do the same number of passes on each edge of the blade..... this will take time and practice to get your edge right.... start with the medium stone to get any small nicks that you dont really see or affect the edge much, then repeat the process on the fine stone, this will put the edge on your knife..... OR if you know a bladesmith or someone tha knows how to work a beltsander you can use that for a real quick good edge.... if I dont use stones, I get my Father In Law to do my knives since he a blade smith! Best of all it is free! :D</p> Good method of reusing. I nor…tag:bigbluegill.ning.com,2012-04-17:2036984:Comment:2596602012-04-17T16:05:09.157ZLeo Nguyenhttp://bigbluegill.ning.com/profile/LeoNguyen
<p>Good method of reusing. I normally use either a milk jug with the cut top and plugged handle to prevent the C-ice ring from open, and shove the bottle to make a huge block of ice in my garage freezer. I also use a tray that fits perfectly at the bottom the old 24qt cooler I normally use, creating about 3 inches of height for the ice. I can use the ice sheet as an ice cap to prevent the fish from bouncing around during transport if I'm fishing nearby, or keep them cool so I can get them to…</p>
<p>Good method of reusing. I normally use either a milk jug with the cut top and plugged handle to prevent the C-ice ring from open, and shove the bottle to make a huge block of ice in my garage freezer. I also use a tray that fits perfectly at the bottom the old 24qt cooler I normally use, creating about 3 inches of height for the ice. I can use the ice sheet as an ice cap to prevent the fish from bouncing around during transport if I'm fishing nearby, or keep them cool so I can get them to the prepping station during hot days when the lake provides fishing cleaning areas.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>You did exactly what I normally do. Cut the brain stem, or nervous system running from the brain to the body. Less than 10 seconds, the fish ceases to move. However, if you cut the knife directly into the brain cavity directly, the fish cease to move all function in less than 5 seconds. However, I have to try out that wack on the forehead method. I'm really curious about this now.</p> I have for several years used…tag:bigbluegill.ning.com,2012-04-17:2036984:Comment:2596562012-04-17T15:45:29.403ZDave Lippshttp://bigbluegill.ning.com/profile/frogg2
<p>I have for several years used a classic Igloo cooler (approx 16 qt size =14 1/2 L x 10 1/4 W x 13 1/2 H)</p>
<p>and with a plastic quart and 1/2 bottle of frozen water to transport fish home. Fill the unit upon arrival at lake, this will ice down the lake water for receiving fish later. I place catch in the live well of the boat, check periodically for any gills that may be floating, place those over into cooler. Place all gills in cooler at departure from lake time. It may be a couple…</p>
<p>I have for several years used a classic Igloo cooler (approx 16 qt size =14 1/2 L x 10 1/4 W x 13 1/2 H)</p>
<p>and with a plastic quart and 1/2 bottle of frozen water to transport fish home. Fill the unit upon arrival at lake, this will ice down the lake water for receiving fish later. I place catch in the live well of the boat, check periodically for any gills that may be floating, place those over into cooler. Place all gills in cooler at departure from lake time. It may be a couple hours or so before I get to fillet fish, at which point they are usally well tempered which helps the fillet task. Unit cleans out easily and plastic bottle after rinse can be refrozen to be used over and over. Never worried about filleting fish which are still alive, first cut is back across gill line which would sever nerve anyway.</p> I use a two-sided Hewlett fin…tag:bigbluegill.ning.com,2012-04-17:2036984:Comment:2596412012-04-17T03:43:04.267ZEvan Personhttp://bigbluegill.ning.com/profile/EvanPerson
<p>I use a two-sided Hewlett fine/medium diamond plate from Ragnar's Ragweed Forge. Check out his website.</p>
<p>I use a two-sided Hewlett fine/medium diamond plate from Ragnar's Ragweed Forge. Check out his website.</p> Leo, If I am camping in the r…tag:bigbluegill.ning.com,2012-04-17:2036984:Comment:2593482012-04-17T02:29:49.139ZGreg McWilliamshttp://bigbluegill.ning.com/profile/GregMcWilliams
<p>Leo, If I am camping in the rough I have to use a CURRENT BUSH!!!!!!</p>
<p>Leo, If I am camping in the rough I have to use a CURRENT BUSH!!!!!!</p> The nail in the tree is what…tag:bigbluegill.ning.com,2012-04-17:2036984:Comment:2594512012-04-17T02:20:11.681ZDavid, aka, "McScruff"http://bigbluegill.ning.com/profile/david553
<p>The nail in the tree is what I do with small-ish catfish. I hammer a big spike nail into the tree, about chest high, and cut off the head. The fish is forced onto the nail so it pierces the brain. Then it is cleaned as usual, meaning not filleted.</p>
<p>Its just what Ive been taught. But its dead, with that nail through it's head.</p>
<p></p>
<p>The nail in the tree is what I do with small-ish catfish. I hammer a big spike nail into the tree, about chest high, and cut off the head. The fish is forced onto the nail so it pierces the brain. Then it is cleaned as usual, meaning not filleted.</p>
<p>Its just what Ive been taught. But its dead, with that nail through it's head.</p>
<p></p> I've heard of people driving…tag:bigbluegill.ning.com,2012-04-17:2036984:Comment:2596282012-04-17T01:00:09.791ZAllen Morganhttp://bigbluegill.ning.com/profile/AllenMorgan
<p>I've heard of people driving a nail through a board, and out the other side, then impaling the catfish on the nail to skin them.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Honestly, I don't bother. I fillet them, then skin them after they're filleted, just like I do for all fish.</p>
<p>I've heard of people driving a nail through a board, and out the other side, then impaling the catfish on the nail to skin them.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Honestly, I don't bother. I fillet them, then skin them after they're filleted, just like I do for all fish.</p> Well, there are a lot of diff…tag:bigbluegill.ning.com,2012-04-17:2036984:Comment:2596272012-04-17T00:54:22.406ZTony Livingstonhttp://bigbluegill.ning.com/profile/TonyLivingston
<p>Well, there are a lot of different ways to skin a cat here, aren't there? (pun intended). Speaking of which, am I the only one that's driven an ice pick through the head of a catfish and into a board to hold it still while skinning it? Catfish, by the way, are the only fish I "soak". And that consists of placing the fillets in a ziplock bag, covering with 7-UP, squeezing out the air and tossing in the fridge for 6-8 hours. Bluegill fillets are never soaked, just rinsed off well and placed in…</p>
<p>Well, there are a lot of different ways to skin a cat here, aren't there? (pun intended). Speaking of which, am I the only one that's driven an ice pick through the head of a catfish and into a board to hold it still while skinning it? Catfish, by the way, are the only fish I "soak". And that consists of placing the fillets in a ziplock bag, covering with 7-UP, squeezing out the air and tossing in the fridge for 6-8 hours. Bluegill fillets are never soaked, just rinsed off well and placed in a bag in the fridge. The only time I freeze fish is when I'm ice fishing in January. Although last year, I did get the job of catching ,cleaning, and cooking a large quantity of Bluegill for a family reunion, and by neccesity I had to freeze the fillets. I placed them in a ziplock, filled it with water, squeezed out the air, and pitched em' in the freezer. Everybody loved them, but I could taste the difference from fresh.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I've never had a problem getting a clean fillet off a live fish, and after 45 years I still have all my fingers. I guess it's all in how you were raised, and what you're used to. Everyone's technique is different, and there's always something new to be learned. I enjoy hearing how people take different approaches to the same problem.</p> Hooray for Barney - he taught…tag:bigbluegill.ning.com,2012-04-17:2036984:Comment:2595372012-04-17T00:53:54.391ZDavid, aka, "McScruff"http://bigbluegill.ning.com/profile/david553
<p>Hooray for Barney - he taught you the same as my dad. I whack, or cut the backbone first on any fish that is still alive. </p>
<p>I like the ice chest and recommend it whole heartedly - where practical. I like to go lightly and toting ice around doesn't fit in that scheme.</p>
<p>I believe any creature deserves a humane death where I have the ability to control that. This goes for fish. Im in the "old softy" boat with Jeff.</p>
<p>Hooray for Barney - he taught you the same as my dad. I whack, or cut the backbone first on any fish that is still alive. </p>
<p>I like the ice chest and recommend it whole heartedly - where practical. I like to go lightly and toting ice around doesn't fit in that scheme.</p>
<p>I believe any creature deserves a humane death where I have the ability to control that. This goes for fish. Im in the "old softy" boat with Jeff.</p>