Riverside gutting knife...

Wanative said:
I would be crushed were I to lose it.
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These are inexpensive, take & hold an edge, have a simple & effective lock, are lightweight and don't break your heart OR the bank should you damage/lose one. They come in a variety of configurations & sizes.

 
Thanks!
 
SurfnFish said:
after bonking a fish I grab the gills on one side, rip them out, bleed them dry and then into the cooler bag.
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I started adding a milking/massage motion from tail to head to help push out any extra blood. Always get a good bit more blood out this way.

Then I got into the habit this last summer of gutting the fish on the spot after bleeding, including kidneys. I'm with @Matt B , I believe the quicker you can get it all out the better tasting fish you are left with. I've turned my family into fish snobs in the process. Heck they even expect the grilled/smoked salmon to be de-boned now lol
 
SurfnFish said:
after bonking a fish I grab the gills on one side, rip them out, bleed them dry and then into the cooler bag.
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The bonus here is if you do it just right you get a nice little blood spray on your outfit!

I was fumbling around for my knife earlier this season and my boat partner laughed and told me to just rip the gills out. A little barbaric but I've been doing it that way ever since.
 
Divad said:
Heck they even expect the grilled/smoked salmon to be de-boned now lol
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Speaking of deboning fish, and at the risk of derailing this cutting-edge thread, a friend sent me this pic from a local thrift store yesterday…epic commercial too and only $2 if still there…wunderbar!

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I carry this at work, a customer and friend gave it too me and is great for boxes and keeping my annoying coworkers at bay! Not!

It needs sharpened, but I have a couple of new knives another buddy gifted me.
 

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VMP said:
Speaking of deboning fish, and at the risk of derailing this cutting-edge thread, a friend sent me this pic from a local thrift store yesterday…epic commercial too and only $2 if still there…wunderbar!

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Very interesting! I usually leave the spine with the head and tail during the fillet but if that boner is as easy as it was in the video I’d be all over changing methods!
 
I "Vickey" knife is cheap, sharp, light and inexpensive. No need to ever sharpen.. just throw it over the side when it gets dull and pull out a brand new one. It is a standard in commercial fishing. You can buy a sheath for another ten bucks. That being said, I never leave home without a quality folder in my back pocket. The pricey modern ones are quite slim, light and handy.. and can be opened (and most importantly closed) with one hand. For freshness, commercial fisherman know that ice is the key...You can bleed a Yellowtail tuna from the gills or the tail with the heart still beating....but if it is not instantly iced it will taste like crap.
 
I carried a Spyderco folder for decades..they are (to this day) very hard to beat for durability. But a few months ago I wanted to upgrade my 20 year old pocket knife. Kershaw has a line of American made folders that are simply the bees knees. But pricey. "CCI" knives (who ever heard of them?) have some of the best folders (especially their button folders) on the market. I appreciate old pocket knives with good steel and colorful handles, but the space age knives they have now are truly remarkable.
 
Salmo_g said:
I usually have some kind of folding knife on me or in my gear for this purpose, but I've often used my EDC small Swiss Army knife to bleed and gut a fish. It doesn't take much for that. I do the fillet work at home with the collection of knives I have for processing fish.
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I sharpened my keychain swiss army knife last week. First time in 30 plus years carrying and loosing those knives.

It sharpened very well.

It is amazing how complacent I had become to its dull surface
 
All the fish I keep are from saltwater, so corrosion is an issue. After a few years of going through multiple cheap knives per coho season, I bought a Spyderco salt series knife this year and the durability has been amazing. I’ve kept 30+ salmon this year and have only rinsed that thing in saltwater after bleeding/gutting. A little on the pricey side but worth it, especially if you are not great caring for your gear like me.
 
I like a sharp knife. I've been taught how to sharpen a knife by many men.... starting with my Grandfather with his whetstone. My teachers over the years have included, Master chefs, butchers, deckhands on sport and commercial boats, and the endless You tube videos regarding this subject. High dollar stones and a lot of study and practice produce the very best results (sushi chef) but is impractical for other applications, IMHO..... I like the "worksharp"... electrical sharpeners (Cabellas). This thing will sharpen all your kitchen knives, hunting knives and pocket knives in one afternoon. I like to sharpen kitchen knives for friends and neighbors...this makes it quick and easy.... Also a honing steel is absolutely essential to a sharp knife. I always hone a knife after sharpening..... and very often between sharpenings.
 
_WW_ said:
One day years ago at the takeout as I was waiting for the trailer some woman saw all the dead Humpies in the water. She gives me an accusing look and demands to know "Who's doing this?" That's when I had to explain to a grown woman trailing two kids about the 'birds and the bees' of the salmon sex life. "Aren't you glad ours is different?"
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Maybe not. Did you ever meet her husband?
 
I think that even asking the question is overthinking it a bit. I bleed the fish in the field. I have never noted any issue with the meat. Maybe I am not quite as picky as some.
Bleed and ice are they keys. You can use a pocket knife.
 
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