# Bleeding your panfish



## chaunc

Last fall i took an 87 year old out crappie fishing with me. He has his own boat and had been fishing the lake for three weeks with little results. I put him on more crappies in 8hrs than he had caught in 2 years fishing the same lake. I had a great time as my father never fished and i never had the pleasure a lot of you guys experience with your dads. Well, when we were done and unloading the fish from my livewell to his cooler, he was cutting all the fish. He was bleeding them like the lake erie guys do their walleyes. Naturally, i asked him why he bled them.  He said the meat is cleaner and a lot less mess cleaning them. The man is 87...... ! You'd best believe i listened to him. Now i bleed mine and have noticed a diffrence in taste and filleting them is a heckofalot cleaner. Give this a try on your panfish next time and see how much it improves your catch taste and mess. Here's Mr Jim.


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## Oldsman67

How do you go about bleeding a fish?


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## wabi

Never heard of bleeding a fish, but I might give it a try if I knew how. 
Step by step directions would be appreciated.


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## chaunc

Oldsman67 said:


> How do you go about bleeding a fish?


Look at the fish in the photo. All you do is cut it's throat where it meets the gills. Make sure to cut into the gills when you do it. Put it in some water or ice and it will drain the blood out.


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## hang_loose

chaunc, I read that walleye thread too. I'm getting in the same line as you.
Cleaning fish is messy sometimes so anything that makes it easier or makes the fish taste better deserves a try.(my cousins do this with CC's).

And your right about listening to older fishermen...I'm sure they have learned alot from their parents.

One more thing, I'm not a senior citizen yet.....but thank you for teaching and making that guys day. The look on his face says it all.

Hopefully when we get his age, there will be great people like you around to give us a smile like he has. Great job!!!!!!!!!


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## I Fish

I've bleed hundreds if not thousands of walleye, and it does evrything you said, and I do it to bass as well, but have only thought about doing it to crappies. It also seems to me to make the fish last longer in the freezer. It works so well on walleye (saugeye too), that it only make sense it should work on other fish too. Good for you, taking older guys fishing. Old guys have been, and some still are, my greatest fishing partners and teachers. Whatever you think you give up in time is returned 10 fold in knowlege and gratitude. Keep it up, nyou won't regrett it..........


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## chaunc

Just checking to see if anyone has given it a try yet and how you like it.


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## supercanoe

I bleed out every fish I intend to clean regardless of species. Easiest way to do it is to pop a gill with your finger, no need for cutting with a knife. Much cleaner and tastier fillets.


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## Pole Squeezer

I think that i'm going to try bleeding a carp, or sheephead, and see if that would improve the quality of the meat.


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## chaunc

Let us know how it goes. That is, if you live thru it.


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## rebel417

Does this work with all fresh water panfish or all fresh water fish period. I have heard of this with the walleyes and bigger game fish but not with little ones like your everyday panfish.

later,
rebel417


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## chaunc

rebel417 said:


> Does this work with all fresh water panfish or all fresh water fish period. I have heard of this with the walleyes and bigger game fish but not with little ones like your everyday panfish.
> 
> later,
> rebel417


I even do the bluegills i keep. Haven't tried perch yet tho.


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## fishdealer04

rebel417 said:


> Does this work with all fresh water panfish or all fresh water fish period. I have heard of this with the walleyes and bigger game fish but not with little ones like your everyday panfish.
> 
> later,
> rebel417


This will work on all fish, fresh and saltwater. I do it mainly to make cleaning less messy. There is a slight taste difference, but I really dont notice it too much. It does work, it works really well when the fish is alive and then you cut the gill, the body is still pumping blood so it pumps it out pretty fast.


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## chaunc

fishdealer04 said:


> This will work on all fish, fresh and saltwater. I do it mainly to make cleaning less messy. There is a slight taste difference, but I really dont notice it too much. It does work, it works really well when the fish is alive and then you cut the gill, the body is still pumping blood so it pumps it out pretty fast.


Not sure about the taste diffrence either. It does make the cleaning much less messy. I took your advise and cut them while they were still alive tho. Works great that way. Thanks for the info.


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## JimmyZ

I've always bled my walleye when leaving the river in the spring. They bleed out on the walk back. Since reading this post I've started doing the crappie and it does work well on them. Less mess cleaning, don't know about the taste, they always taste good


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## Guest

we have always bled our walleyes while wading in the spring. no blood while filleting and the fillet comes away almost white. definite milder taste when it comes to eating. we all carry small folding knives on lanyards for bleeding the fish when we are almost done fishing. this is done while they are on a stringer. by the time we get back to the vehicles, they are cleaned out. just one small cut makes all the difference.


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## chaunc

Do that with those bluegills you catch. You'll definately notice the diffrence.


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## smalliediehard

i do it with eyes n crappie,i have have a special knife thats curved,it looks like a raptors claw.works perfect! meat is cleaner and the fish seem to taste a little better.


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## dcross765

Like the other guy said, Cut the gill on the bigger fish and pop it with your finger on the smaller fish. Huge difference in cleaning and taste. You should be nominated for ogf angler of the year with stories like that. If you need nominated I'll be the first to throw your name in the hat Chaunc.The ol' man is passed away many years ago, and all i can do now is reflect on the fishin we did as I was only a kid. Now I hope the grandkids get into it, and i'm only 42 yet. LOL good for you chaunc, good for you. P.s. Listen to the ole timers they have been doing it for far longer than us, and know a lot of tricks. If i'm out and bump into an ole timer i make time to listen and share a storie or two.


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## EitherFishOrCutBait

here i thought i was the only person who did this but i mainly do it so the fish isnt jumping around while im swinging a knife.


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## chaunc

dcross765 said:


> Like the other guy said, Cut the gill on the bigger fish and pop it with your finger on the smaller fish. Huge difference in cleaning and taste. You should be nominated for ogf angler of the year with stories like that. If you need nominated I'll be the first to throw your name in the hat Chaunc.The ol' man is passed away many years ago, and all i can do now is reflect on the fishin we did as I was only a kid. Now I hope the grandkids get into it, and i'm only 42 yet. LOL good for you chaunc, good for you. P.s. Listen to the ole timers they have been doing it for far longer than us, and know a lot of tricks. If i'm out and bump into an ole timer i make time to listen and share a storie or two.


Thanks for the compliment but i dont think there's any way a panfisherman could win an angler of the year award, here with all the walleye and bass guys that are just as good or better in their field. Very nice dream tho. Thanks again.


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## FishandHunt59

Chaunc, I've read many of your post, and must say your full of tips on crappie fishing! I have a question: Are you still fishing crappie, and how deep will they be this time of year?
Thanks, Steve


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## Tiny Tim

I read about this on here somewhere about doing this to Walleyes/Saugeyes and had a gentleman ask me on Monday while I was out if I did it. He told me that all the fish he keeps he bleeds. After the mess I had 2 days in a row on the fillet board I believe the next time out I am going to try it on some Saugeyes and see what its like. Heck it cant hurt anything and I may even be able to see what I am doing.


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## chaunc

FishandHunt59 said:


> Chaunc, I've read many of your post, and must say your full of tips on crappie fishing! I have a question: Are you still fishing crappie, and how deep will they be this time of year?
> Thanks, Steve


Steve, i put the boat away 2 weeks ago but the crappies were still biting very good. I was fishing ledges that had brush on them, in 14ft water. A microspoon tipped with a minnow, slow trolled over top of them was working for me. I was outfishing the other guys there, 5 to 1 using my spoon setup. Look for brush on the channel edges and you'll probably find the fish there.


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## dcross765

It should not matter what you fish for. Is it because those guys have more expensive equip. or because those fish are generally bigger. It's not only what you fish for, but how you present yourself while doing it. It's the dedication to a sport we all love. no matter what we fish for. Whether it's with grandpa or the grandkids. D$#n here i go gettin mushy and that aint like me. We'll see. You're all right chaunc


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## symba

I got into a nice mess of slabs last week and finally tried the bleeding technique. 

Night and day difference! Less blood, slime, mess, ect. 

Thanks for the tip OGF.


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