[BHB]

I am opening myself up for much ridicule but here goes anyway.

What is the best method for killing salmon once you have landed it and decide to keep it? Do you guys use fish bonkers or is there a better method then clubbing it to death?

Second question, how many guys use nets when landing salmon on the rivers (not from a boat)? Pros and cons and best methods?

Thanks,
Kevin

 

[Steelie Trav]

Personally I stay away from nets unless I am in my boat and am keeping the fish.

As for beating the fish to death..... I find that the first blow or two are used to stunn the fish then slice them under the gills and let them bleed out. Or you can go ahead and gut the fish immediately and remove its still beating heart >

 

[stsfisher]

I know it will sound barbaric, but for clubbing fish i use my fist. i find my aim is better when striking the fish on the top of its head with my fist rather than a stick or rock. not to mention i get to relieve my urge to punch somebody. (IE. snaggers, flossers). as for nets, no.

 

[Zach Sanchioni]

For smaller fish (12LBS and less) a great and humane way to kill them is to cut the small piece of flesh right behind the lower jaw where the gills/gill plate meet up, then hinge the head straight up. The fishes head wont come off but it will be killed instantly as well as sever the big lateral vein that runs thru the body of the fish. Does an excellent job of bleeding the fish (watch out for the first big squirt it'll get anyone standing in front of the fish LOL) which is essential to good meat/eggs IMO.

 

[anthony]

drop a rock on its head, cut the gills and bleed it out

 

[Richard Nixon]

I know it will sound barbaric, but for clubbing fish i use my fist. i find my aim is better when striking the fish on the top of its head with my fist rather than a stick or rock. not to mention i get to relieve my urge to punch somebody. (IE. snaggers, flossers). as for nets, no.

Make sure the fish doesn't kick as your fist is raining down on the fishes head, rocks don't give, kinda like foreheads :-[ :-[.

I use one of the billy club looking bonkers made of hard solid plastic, 1 blow to the back of the head and its game over after the throat slice. As for nets, theres really no need for them if you're not in a boat. Seen too many guys mishandle the net and wind up snapping the handle off looking more or less like a Keystone Cops scenario than a fish landing. There's probably the odd member here that uses a gaff, even if they're releasing the fish unharmed.

 

[fishnfvr]

The way I feel about it is - If your going to kill me - do it quick! So I always use a bonker - one quick crack. I think nothings worse than cracking cracking cracking over the head with a rock! The most humane way - is QUICK! so a bonker works good for me! eace:

 

[anthony]

wood bonker,metal bonker,rock bonker one hit and its over , i have seen guys take a couple pound rock and beat it for a good 5 to 10 seconds straight... one good slid hit and it will not move to much, cut the gills and your good to go

 

[STLHDR]

Fist size rock or solid piece of wood, sometimes I flip the fish over (holding it belly up) and smack the fish against a boulder. Cut the gills immediately to bleed it out. Nets are for meat fisherman :

A buddy of mine one time for a gag decided it would be funny to head butt the fish, he did it for awhile to a fair number of fish, bluebacks, vedder hos, steelhead, until he met his match with a fraser red spring :wallbash: ROTFLMFAO

 

[bronjuan]

Fist size rock or solid piece of wood, sometimes I flip the fish over (holding it belly up) and smack the fish against a boulder. Cut the gills immediately to bleed it out. Nets are for meat fisherman :

A buddy of mine one time for a gag decided it would be funny to head butt the fish, he did it for awhile to a fair number of fish, bluebacks, vedder hos, steelhead, until he met his match with a fraser red spring :wallbash: ROTFLMFAO

que the banjo music and git out the moonshine. hyuk hyuk :wallbash:

 

[kingpin]

rip the gills and use what god gave you, fist or foot

 

[hotrod]

A couple of good wacks in the head then bleed it out.


Hotrod
>

 

[swiftwater]

I dont carry a bonker to the river
so it would be rock shampoo for me and then a quick cut through the gills

Cheers

 

[Dave Silver]

I may be in disagreement with some other members, but I guess I am a meat fisherman . I use a net when the conditions warrant it. If I am on a rocky, snaggy bank or in a boat and am planning on keeping fish I will use one. Or if I am on a beach and am trying to land a 25+ lb spring. I use one of the good nets that are designed not to harm the fish. Once it is in the net, I leave it in the water, remove the hook and quickly figure out species/wild or hatchery and keep or release it. just my :2cents: I also use a bonker that has a fillet knife in the handle, comes in handy.

 

[JackFunk]

Who was it that posted last year about a young fellow on the Vedder putting his foot on the fish, whipping out his pellet handgun and and dropping a clip of .177 pellets into the fish's head?

I got the mental picture of some urban gangster type glocking the fish holding the gun all sideways. :

 

[fishortho]

There is a time and a place for a net at the river, and fishing those difficult, fast water areas is a good example...However, if you are planning to return your fish to the river, I would refrain from the net use. They often get tangles and stressed and may end up dying from the experience.

Landing fish in a river is relatively easy, in most cases. Just pick a quiet area behind a rock or a slower area of shallow water. These areas will make a quick species ID and (hatch or not) very easy. If you are releasing, keep the fish in the water.

If you are keeping the fish, carefully slide it well up the beach and try to prevent it from smashing on the rocks, etc. then remove the hook and cut both gills. The fish will bleed out quickly with the heart continuing to beat. The fish will die instantly, and be immediately ready for cleaning and placing in a cooler, or keeping as fresh as possible. The volume of blood in a fish compared to other land mammals is very low.

The fish bonker method is equally efficient if a sharp blow is dispached to the head, just behind the eyes on the top of the head, however, the fish may retain some blood and if the weather is warm, the fish will deteriorate slightly faster....Clean the fish immediately.....Ortho 8)

 

[fishhog]

Wood Shampoo ;D and cut the gills to bleed it.

 

[marko]

I like the shampoo idea but you've got to be carefull not to get any in thier eyes.... :'(

:beerchug: Marko

 

[SilverBright]

I have about an 8" section of heavy copper telephone cable that is about an inch thick and covered in a thick PVC or plastic coating (no, I didn't steal it!) that I capped on the ends. One whack does 'er!

It sits in the bottom of my vest until it's needed!! It's much more accurate and humane than a deformed rock that may take several whacks before dear old fishy kicks the bucket...

As for nets, no.....too many variables that may harm a fish I don't intend to keep...

 

[Hook Set]

Rock shampoo and then bleed it is what I do. Bonkers, pipes and such do work but its just more weight in an already far to heavy vest. Picking up a rock on the edge of the river works just fine.