Gaff Technique

Gotcha bsteves.  BTW, getting a fish on ice probably has more of an effect than bleeding it.  That's a subject of a different discussion ...

-Allen

I usually just gut fish and cook them whole, since I get more meat that way.  If not bled, ling cods have blood that collects along the sides of the tail end. 

If you filet them it probably doesn't matter too much either way.

Allen,

The buoy wasn't meant for small chickens and 30 lb lings I wanted to be somewhat prepared for fish of either species to the 50-60 lb range. If I brought up a 'but over an estimated 4 feet long, I was going to call for the mothership       Next trip, I won't be paddling solo, and we'll have a harpoon along. I want to be fully ready for big 'buts. There was an additional advantage to using the buoy. I could let the fish calm down away from the boat, while I got gear squared away a little bit before re-engaging. I'm certainly not saying the buoy is for everyone everywhere, but for AK, I like...

Chuck,

A fish hooked through both upper and lower jaws somewhat implies trebles. I try not to do trebles. If it really was a single hook through both jaws, that fish is probably on there good. So you have time to sort things out. I also am carrying a wooden bat gaff just in case. The last time I actually used it as a gaff though, was to lip gaff a borderline ling. That fish, measured multiple times at 24.00 inches, was released. I felt a tinge of guilt at putting an extra hole in the fish, so I've moved almost exclusively to the gripper.

Brian,

I started to bleed after talking with a sport fisherman that prizes Yelloweye and Ling above almost any other fish, and puts hundreds of pounds of fish in freezers every year. He swears there's a quality difference bled vs unbled, regardless of species. Good enough for me.

Regards,
Scott

Scott,

Do you know we can't keep yelloweyes? 

Ken kickfish

What you talkin' 'bout Willis?? They keep real well when you put them in an Igloo 126 quart cooler.

Scott,

There are more people looking at our posts than you think.........

Ken kickfish

Ken,

I should certainly hope so !!! That big fish right on top was probably close to 20 lbs. Doug, Chris and Art are justifiably happy and proud of that haul.  We had Yelloweye sashimi and cheeks that night, and filleted the rest for vacuum sealing and freezing. Yummy, yummy, yummy

Scott

Scott,

All rockcod have worms and other parasites ( More in different places than others).  That why you never see them on Sashimi in a Japanese restaurant.  The salmon have been dry ice or frozen for a few days.  Striper's have ringworms.

Surf perch, halibut (depends on where it was caught)  Striped bass in freshwater....tuna, yellowtail, wahoo and maybe one or two I don't know are fine.

Yelloweye are protected....what do you not understand...here?

Ken kickfish

Yelloweye are protected....what do you not understand...here?

He caught them in Alaska... take a pill.

EK

Erik,

What, do I know that.....?  I only know about Calif. water....so you take the pill.  Last I checked this was a Nor Cal Board?

Ken kickfish

Lot's of people report their exotic kayak fishing adventures.  Here's Scott's Alaska trip report.
http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php?topic=9346.0

Ken,

I confess to playing dumb But you did jump to the conclusion that I would eat Californian Yelloweye. Heck, the picture of the massive fish should have clued you in. When was the last time that you saw a nearly 20 lb rockfish in CA?

Surf perch, halibut (depends on where it was caught)  Striped bass in freshwater....tuna, yellowtail, wahoo and maybe one or two I don't know are fine.

I'd be 10x more terrified of eating striped bass out of freshwater than I would Yelloweye from Kodiak. No incidence of tapeworm, low densities of pinnipeds, especially in the areas where the Yelloweye are found (miles offshore, in 30 fathoms or more). But to each their own.

Regards,
Scott

Erik,

What, do I know that.....?  I only know about Calif. water....so you take the pill.  Last I checked this was a Nor Cal Board?

Ken kickfish

Somehow everyone BUT you knew those fish were from Alaska. 

And the gaffing....uh.....I mean....GUFFAWING continues!!!   

Actually,

Scott, you can not tell how big these fish are by the photo.  I am I suppose to know the size of the Ice Chest by the color of the Ice Chest?

Also, last week out of Emeryville rockcod fishing up by Pt. Reyes we did have to release a 15  lber.  Yelloweye.  Nice fish and the Capt. had to gaff the thing twice.  To poke a hole in the air badder to send it home.

Ken kickfish