07-14-2011, 07:31 PM
[cool][#0000ff]Ooooh....ooooh....ooooh! Ya got me pilgrim. Man, you really go to a lot of effort to try to win an argument...that is really a very subjective thing and largely a matter of personal opinion.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I am first in line to agree that bleeding a fish out will help improve both the esthetics of appearance and the taste on the table. No argument there. I only had two qualifiers...from my standpoint...that make me reluctant to adopt a pre-bleeding process for my own fishing.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]1. Once my fish are in the basket I avoid handling them or taking them out of the basket until I return to the ramp. Better for the fish and better for me and my tube...especially if spines are involved. I still can't wrap my head around a good reason for removing each fish, killing it and bleeding it out before I am ready to fillet them on shore.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]2. My process involves completely bleeding and flushing the fillets...and chilling them in ice water...while they are still flopping. The end result is that these fillets look just as clean and purty as the ones you exhibit in your pictures for comparison. And regardless of how much blood you remove, there is still the sensory tissue along the skin side of the fillets. it does not go away. It just gets lighter. It is "vascular" tissue with a lot of blood vessels.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Bottom line is that I have been catching, cleaning and cooking fish for a whole lot of years...both recreationally and commercially. I have had a chance to observe a lot of different scenarios and I have a pretty fair idea of what it takes to produce good fish for the table.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]If I am on a boat (rarely these days) and the fish will be going into a holding box or ice chest I DO bleed the fish before keeping them. But, fish kept in a livewell or in a live basket...like on my tube...will turn out just as good if you don't bleed them first. The bleeding is more a matter of reducing the mess on the fillet board. Otherwise the blood loss is at the fillet station rather than on the boat. No difference in the fish flesh if the blood is completely removed one way or another...preferably while the fish is still alive.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]We have known each other long enough and have enough mutual respect that you know I am not attacking you or your preferred methods. All I am saying is that what is best for you is not always best for me.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Bottom line is that I cook and eat a lot of fish myself...and I put on fish feeds for quite a few other folks who are qualified to render educated opinions as to the taste and quality of the final product. I like what I fix and I don't get no complaints from others. Several family members will eat the fish I fix but will never eat it anywhere else.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]So...I ain't claiming that you are wrong and I am right. We each have our own reasons for what we do and we know what we like when we eat it. That's all that really matters.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]All that being said, I do have to agree 100% with you that some species should be immediately bled out...especially if you are NOT going to keep them. I have been religiously practicing this method for handling carp for a long time.[/#0000ff]
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[inline "carp bleed.jpg"]
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[signature]
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[#0000ff]I am first in line to agree that bleeding a fish out will help improve both the esthetics of appearance and the taste on the table. No argument there. I only had two qualifiers...from my standpoint...that make me reluctant to adopt a pre-bleeding process for my own fishing.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]1. Once my fish are in the basket I avoid handling them or taking them out of the basket until I return to the ramp. Better for the fish and better for me and my tube...especially if spines are involved. I still can't wrap my head around a good reason for removing each fish, killing it and bleeding it out before I am ready to fillet them on shore.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]2. My process involves completely bleeding and flushing the fillets...and chilling them in ice water...while they are still flopping. The end result is that these fillets look just as clean and purty as the ones you exhibit in your pictures for comparison. And regardless of how much blood you remove, there is still the sensory tissue along the skin side of the fillets. it does not go away. It just gets lighter. It is "vascular" tissue with a lot of blood vessels.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Bottom line is that I have been catching, cleaning and cooking fish for a whole lot of years...both recreationally and commercially. I have had a chance to observe a lot of different scenarios and I have a pretty fair idea of what it takes to produce good fish for the table.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]If I am on a boat (rarely these days) and the fish will be going into a holding box or ice chest I DO bleed the fish before keeping them. But, fish kept in a livewell or in a live basket...like on my tube...will turn out just as good if you don't bleed them first. The bleeding is more a matter of reducing the mess on the fillet board. Otherwise the blood loss is at the fillet station rather than on the boat. No difference in the fish flesh if the blood is completely removed one way or another...preferably while the fish is still alive.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]We have known each other long enough and have enough mutual respect that you know I am not attacking you or your preferred methods. All I am saying is that what is best for you is not always best for me.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Bottom line is that I cook and eat a lot of fish myself...and I put on fish feeds for quite a few other folks who are qualified to render educated opinions as to the taste and quality of the final product. I like what I fix and I don't get no complaints from others. Several family members will eat the fish I fix but will never eat it anywhere else.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]So...I ain't claiming that you are wrong and I am right. We each have our own reasons for what we do and we know what we like when we eat it. That's all that really matters.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]All that being said, I do have to agree 100% with you that some species should be immediately bled out...especially if you are NOT going to keep them. I have been religiously practicing this method for handling carp for a long time.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[inline "carp bleed.jpg"]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[signature]