a good method for despatching flounder?

[mike edelvyz]

Dispatching flatfish by placing them in fresh water isnt really a good option, it is well documented that flatties, particually dabs and flounder can survive for long periods in reduced salinity environments like esturies. The quickest way is without doubt that previously mentioned, insert a knife just behind the gill covers and sever the spinal column, its over in seconds.

[Adz]

If you're going to stun them with a blow to the head, it saves some worry about whether they're alive and kicking when you get them home, if you clean them while you're at it - I do this a fair bit with trout that I catch, it takes surprisingly less time than you think on the bankside and a carrier bag to carry the discarded bits in is more than adequate ;-)

 

Cheers,

[Topecatcher]

Originally posted by spasor:

[QB].This might seem cruel, but the eel will have become acclimatised to not living in salt water and will thrive in fresh.

 

I have a saltwater tank which during summer is used for keeping silver eels in for tope baits.An eel caught in salt water will live for months but an eel caught in fresh will appear happy at first but will then develop blisters and die after about two weeks..I have not tried this from salt to fresh though as pasor suggests though.

[chevin]

mike edelvyz:

Dispatching flatfish by placing them in fresh water isnt really a good option, it is well documented that flatties, particually dabs and flounder can survive for long periods in reduced salinity environments like esturies. The quickest way is without doubt that previously mentioned, insert a knife just behind the gill covers and sever the spinal column, its over in seconds.

I accept that flat fish can survive well in reduced salinity, but they won't last long in fresh water. Cutting the spinal column might stop a fish jumping about, but it doesn't necessarily kill it. If you want to be sure that any fish is dead quickly, just cut through the gills. The loss of blood will ensure that it will die very quickly, and in the case of many species they are better for the table if they are killed by that means.

[Cod Stopper]

My Dad once told me of a time when he went to Cornwall/Devon. He saw a woman on the rocks who had caught a conger eel. She was standing in a rockpool holding the eel under the water. When my dad enquired as to what she was doing, she said she was trying to drown it. Clever girl.

 

This method of despatching conger is not reommended.

 

Ian

[Harold]

Flounder have, and still do get caught well up rivers in fresh water. We have caught them on the River Ribble at the same place we have caught Barbel, Chub, Trout and Dace.

 

The are places in Scandanavia where the reverse has happened, Pike, Perch, Bream, Roach etc are living in salt-water.

 

Best way to despatch a Flounder, is put it back!

[chevin]

Harold:

 

Best way to despatch a Flounder, is put it back!

I am inclined to agree, they are not the best of eating fish - certainly not one that I would bother to eat. Now a nice brill or turbot is a different matter altogether.

[Gillies]

Only ever caught a Flounder once, that was when Salmon fishing with worms in a small loch which is joined to the sea when there is a high tide.

 

My two friends both had a Salmon each that moring before the gamekeepers came to chase us away ... I had my hungry wee Flounder which I returned alive.

 

Gillies

[Chippy]

Hi Guys

 

Many moons ago I heard of a chemical/drug that was used by charter skippers for dispatching congers. The powdered substance (haven't the foggiest what it was called) was mixed into a dustbin of seawater and the conger plonked in......the drug basically puts the little fella to sleep, some sort of powdered annistetic (apologies for the spellin'!!).....I would think the same stuff mixed in a bucket would do for flatties too.....

 

Paul

 

Jersey Mullet Fishin'

[Bait Digger]

Hi,

When I was a kid I saw a Flounder cought in a course match as far inland as York. Thats got to be forty odd miles, can anybody better that? Iv'e got to say I think they are very good to eat, but thats comming from a sad git who's also eaten Wrasse.....mmmm yummy yummy yummy.

Bait Digger.