WE HAVE A BLEEDER
Originally Published the Week of Oct. 24, 2021 in Western Outdoor Publications
In the several decades that I’ve been writing fishing articles and columns for magazines and newspapers, I don’t think I’ve ever tackled this subject. I don’t know why. Maybe it’s because it’s just something I don’t think about much.
For what we do down here, it’s just not much of an issue.
However, it’s come up several times in the last few weeks with regards to our panga fleet here in La Paz.
One was a legitimate question about bleeding your catch.
Two of them were complaints of sorts from first-time anglers who had never fished in Mexico and had also never fished in a panga.
Let me explain.
The process if “bleeding” a fresh-caught fish can really be beneficial. It’s not that difficult to do, especially after you’ve done it a time or two.
It involves taking a catch just out’ve the water. While the fish is still flapping, quickly cut to it’s heart and the main artery right behind the gills. You let the heart pump out the blood. Easy.
All fish are a bit different, but you can Google up the specifics.
By, the way, I’m all for a quick dispatch of any catch. The quicker you do any of this, the better for the fish rather than let it flip around in a fish box, bucket, ice chest or kill bag.
But, it can be messy. I mean, “all-over-the-deck messy” especially for really dense muscled fish like a tuna or bonito for example.
Therefore, if you can, let the blood pump out while holding the fish over the side, if possible and practical. Or, hold it in or over your bait tank. If you can’t do either of those, at least do it away from everyone else.
And be prepared to clean off the deck rapidly.
Then, get the fish chilled on ice.
The whole idea, as explained to me by a marine biologist many years ago is that when a fish, or anything dies, it immediately begins to decompose. Makes sense. No vital organs are working anymore. Blood, nerves, brain function, etc. are all flat-lined.
Blood left in the fish is also logically decomposing.
By getting rid of the blood, you can really help improve the flavor of the meat by leaving you with cleaner and better tasting fillets.
That’s the theory. And it works!
The reality can sometimes be different which brings me back to the complaints I received this week.
When I worked on big private charter boats, it was relatively easy to bleed-out a fish. I was a deckhand.
Or there were other deckhands. Even if there was a lot of activity on the deck during a bite, usually someone could bleed fish.
Unless it was really crazy.
I’ve worked on party boats and multi-day charter boats and ultimately, you’re dealing with a lot of fishermen. There’s simply too much happening.
A bunch of folks are trying to catch fish. Fish are biting. Lines are all over the place. It’s frantic.
We’re tying hooks; gaffing fish; untangling lines; tossing bait; bagging and tagging fish…and more. It’s full-speed turbo.
There’s hardly time to take one person’s fish and bleed it in the middle of the chaos. It is what it is.
On a panga like we have here in La Paz, sometimes it’s possible to bleed a lone solitary fish. Sure. Let me get right to it.
Here’s the dilemma.
There’s one captain and there 2 or 3 anglers.
The captain is the one-stop, driver; guide; deckhand and navigator. He’s got his hands full. It’s kind of a small, efficient but ultimately croweded working platform.
The fishermen are out there to catch fish. The captain’s job is to facilitate that event.
Bites can happen in a frenzy. Two or three fishermen with bent rods and slinging fish in a small boat is fun and exciting and can be a blur of motion for the captain. However…
If he stops to gaff, cut and bleed a fish…
The whole process comes to a standstill.
He can’t re-rig your lines or the lines of your buddies.
He can’t be baiting hooks.
He can’t be untangling your backlash.
He can’t drive the boat.
Your buddies might be pulling in fish at the same time.
Or losing them.
The fish school could disappear.
It’s a pragmatic issue. The anglers need to weigh taking the time to bleed solo fish versus all the other things that can happen in the interim.
I think most would rather be catching fish than watching the school disappear.
Simple as that!
That’s my story!
Joanthan
Jonathan Roldan has been writing the Baja Column in Western Outdoor News since 2004. Along with his wife and fishing buddy, Jilly, they own and run the Tailhunter International Fishing Fleet in La Paz, Baja, Mexico http://www.tailhunter.com.
They also run their Tailhunter Restaurant Bar on the famous La Paz malecon waterfront. If you’d like to contact him directly, his e-mail is: jonathan@tailhunter.com
Or drop by the restaurant to say hi. It’s right on the La Paz waterfront!
Jonathan Roldan’s
Tailhunter International
Website:
www.tailhunter-international.com
Mexico Office: Tailhunter International, 755 Paseo Obregon, La Paz, Baja Sur, Mexico
U.S. Mailing Address: Tailhunter International, 8030 La Mesa Blvd. #178, La Mesa CA 91942
Phones:
from USA : 626-638-3383
from Mexico: 044-612-14-17863
.
Tailhunter Weekly Fishing Report: http://fishreport.jonathanroldan.com/
Tailhunter YouTube Video Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBLvdHL_p4-OAu3HfiVzW0g
“When your life finally flashes before your eyes, you will have only moments to regret all the things in life you never had the courage to try.”
That's My Story 
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