Bleeding Tuna

[kippy]

I read that you should club the tuna once in the boat to prevent bruising of the meat, then to use either a knife or spike to destroy the brain. Is this necessary or can you just bleed the fish out?

[likwid]

Originally Posted by kippy

I read that you should club the tuna once in the boat to prevent bruising of the meat, then to use either a knife or spike to destroy the brain. Is this necessary or can you just bleed the fish out?

Just keep them from flopping and immediately cut them and you should be fine.

They vibrate more than bounce.
The boat I fish tuna on has the heavy rubber mats in the cockpit so there's no worries about sliding around in the blood.

[MakoMike]

What we do to stop the tuna bouncing is to put a tail rope on it and tie it so that most of the fish is off the deck. Stops them bouncing and still lets them bleed out. I've seen the spinal cord thing done but I've never done it myself and all of my tuna hits the dock sushi grade.

[thefishingfreak]

cover it's eye -> bouncing stops immediatly....

[big jay]

Originally Posted by thefishingfreak

cover it's eye -> bouncing stops immediatly....

That's the best piece of advice here if you want to release a fish.

I take a wet towel and put it right over their eyes - this way they don't beat themselves up while your taking the hook out. (Better yet, with larger fish, take the hook out while they're still in the water).

[MakoMike]

Originally Posted by kippy

I read that you should club the tuna once in the boat to prevent bruising of the meat, then to use either a knife or spike to destroy the brain. Is this necessary or can you just bleed the fish out?

If you club it and kill the brain you've killed the fish and it won't bleed out. Even with the spinal cord thing they wait until the fish has bled out. You stop the heart you've stoped the blood pump.

[kippy]

Originally Posted by MakoMike

If you club it and kill the brain you've killed the fish and it won't bleed out. Even with the spinal cord thing they wait until the fish has bled out. You stop the heart you've stoped the blood pump.

Good point..it seems that making the cuts and dragging the fish is best.

[RIROCKHOUND]

Always have done deep behind the Pec fin. One good pierce seems to get em gushing, then slash across the gills..

it's aint pretty clean fishing.... but pays off with tasty meat!

[jim sylvester]

Originally Posted by RIROCKHOUND

Always have done deep behind the Pec fin. One good pierce seems to get em gushing, then slash across the gills..

it's aint pretty clean fishing.... but pays off with tasty meat!

you look like axe murderer