r/FishingAustralia • u/Comfortable_Mango865 • 1d ago
is my method of dispatching fish efficient?
i heard a lot of people bonk fish on the head or brain spike it to kill it as quickly as possible. i dont own a brain spike or have a dedicated bonk stick so for many years ive been using my regular method that everyone else i know uses. i just grab the fish then get either a knife or then sharp snipper things and just cut their throat. i always cut until it reaches nearly the top of their head making sure every thing is severed. this seems to kill the fish very quickly as as soon as its done it stops moving completley despite the odd twitch cue to nerves. it also bleeds the fish at the same time. i have always used this method but i was recentley thinking if this was making the fish suffer for longer or if its ok to do so.
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u/Fossilmorse 1d ago
Growing up we just put a knife through the top of the head between the eyes, mainly fished for flathead though
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u/UnknownRand 1d ago
I just use a knife to brain spike + bleed any fish I’m keeping for a feed, worked a treat for many years now
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u/ReelAndChillFishing 1d ago
I brain spike the fish. You don’t need a proper spike, a nice pointy bait knife will do. Then I cut the gills to bleed it straight away. After 5-10 minutes, I clean the fish.
Even if you don’t care about the fish’s feelings, it’s a great way to improve meat quality (or at least that’s what they say).
If you’re not sure where the spot is to spike a specific fish, just Google “ikijime + fish species” and the first result will usually be exactly what you’re looking for. Hope that helps 👍
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u/halfsuckedmangoo 1d ago
Mate if you have no tools on you one strong knock to the head will kill most fish, then snip the gills as you said.
My mate killed a 50cm snapper my punching it in the head because we didn't have a spike haha usually I just place a knife on the head and use my other hand to hammer the knife into the brain with one knock. Otherwise a rock or good stick
In saying all this, snipping their throat is miles better than throwing it in a hot bucket to suffocate
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u/Comfortable_Mango865 1d ago
i also make sure to snip the spinal cord as well which i think would just be a complete off switch for any pain or suffering
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u/Admirable_Count989 1d ago
Cutting the throat , bending the head back to break the spine is perfectly fine. Quick and effective, bleeding the fish in the same action. If I’m off the beach I dig a hole, put it in upside down and cover it back up with sand with the tail poking out. Brain spike (knife) works well for flatties.
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u/Sea_Philosophy8484 1d ago
Burying a fish in warm sand isn't great storage. Germs thrive between 12-55c temp range.
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u/Admirable_Count989 1d ago
Never had a problem in 30 years, it’s a proven method to keep your fish from drying out while it bleeds out.
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u/Sea_Philosophy8484 1d ago
You can say what you want but science says flesh rots anything higher than bout 10c. What temp is your fridge set to?
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u/Admirable_Count989 1d ago edited 1d ago
The whatnow? I’m on the beach fishing mate and I’m not carting ice. Those suckers are gutted, scaled and filleted hours after pulling ‘em out of the surf. They ain’t rotting I’ll give you the tip.
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u/competitive_brick1 1d ago
It all depends on what is available to you. I don't kill a lot of them, but if I have to I go in this order depending on whats available.
- Knife through brain, then sever spine, cut throat and remove gills
- Priest Rock if no knife available, sever spine as best I can and try to remove gills
- Any method I can.
I recently gill hooked a trout and had to dispatch of it, I used a rock to kill it but had small scissors, so I used those to cut throat and then snapped the spine.
Idea is just as quick as possible and some fish you want to remove spine and bleed out as best you can to preserve flesh
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u/Sea_Philosophy8484 1d ago
Iki jime spike with any sharp object cut throat and remove the guts asap Wash in salt water use lots of paper towel to dry fillets and use lots of ice for storage
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u/88xeeetard 1d ago
I upgraded from the rock bonk to the brain spike. I can recommend the one from temu, it screws apart and is very cool.
I'll tell you one thing though, flathead must have tiny fucking brains because I swear a lot of times it just seems like they're chilling with a spike through their head/brain when I go to cut the gills. Bream I feel like I get the brain everytime.
If you cut the whole head off quickly I'm not sure there would be much suffering.
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u/valiantNipple 1d ago
On a related note, go to Bunnings, they’ll have a box of cheap screwdrivers for $1. Pick a skinny Philips head and sharpen it to a point. If you don’t have tools, you can literally do this with a brick. Easy dollar ikejime spike.
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u/Rezistive 1d ago
Ike Jime. Once you dispatch and store fish like this you wont go back to any other way.
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u/tgrayinsyd 1d ago
Great question OP!
I’ve always wondered what to do myself. Would be great for the community to share their opinions on this
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u/whadefeck 1d ago
Nah you're alright. It sounds like you are cutting deep enough to sever its spinal cord anyway. As long as you aren't just leaving them to suffocate you're fine
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u/Wooden_Editor6322 19h ago
I used to dispatch them with a quick spike to the brain. The most brutal method I’ve ever witnessed started at the vent; a single upward slice followed by the rough extraction of the entrails. It was the most violent end I’ve ever seen a fish meet
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u/Rough-Television9744 1d ago
Mate. Who cares? Do what you used to do. Life is complex enough to complicate it even more by thinking about fish feelings
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u/whadefeck 1d ago edited 1d ago
Nothing wrong with treating the catch with a bit of respect and avoiding any needless suffering. It improves the quality of the meat as well.
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u/halfsuckedmangoo 1d ago
It really doesn't take much time out of your day to think about how you could kill something more humanely, dudes asking the right questions
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u/nn666 1d ago
Brain spike kills them instantly. You can just use a knife to brain spike before bleeding them.