How to Bleed Catfish for Better Flavor

Good to know. Thanks!

How will the game warden /Lone star Low measure them ?

My grandpa used to have an old metal swing set that I outgrew and took all the swings off of it. He would hang all his catfish from it and bleed them all before cleaning. Sometimes he put the big ones in a bath tub for a few days to purge them. The lake was also by the red river so it was muddy year around. Meat always tasted good. I think the main reason people say fish doesn’t taste good is poor preparation or freezing meat with blood or before it has been washed several times.

If processing a good many fish a fish washing bucket can accomplish the same thing in less time as you continue to filet and process the remainder of the catch. They are available at Buckey's, Academy, and any other place that sell fishing supplies. Directions to make one are easily found on line. I have about $8 in mine because of the double female hose connection.

Chad Ferguson has a good video on making and using one of those fish cleaning buckets.

Does bleeding apply to other species or is it just a catfish thing?

Personally, I've never noticed a difference in flavor at all, but I also cut out any hint of a lateral line, in any fish I filet.

I believe your right. As long as you remove silver skin, and red meat it’s all the same. Personally, and I know this is sacrilege to some, I think is something the old timers did because they assumed it made a difference, and it just doesn’t.

For anybody who doesn’t believe me, filet a fish that still alive, and cut the filet in half as soon as you cut it off the body, and tel me if there is even a drop of blood in those filets.

And if you’re gunna handle a sharp knife on a boat with a still alive fish, please secure the fish, or wear a fish glove so you don’t slice your hand open. As a long time chef, that knife safety made me cringe.

and this is the gospel truth, but here again I only have about a half century experience.

Stubby and I cut every bit of yellow out, lateral lines and bones. Then it gets “tumbled” in the tub to clean it. We do this for every customer. Stubby is very adamant on not giving a customer a piece of meat that we wouldn’t eat. This has been drilled into my head the past several years. It takes a little extra time but pays off big when the customer calls and says how good their fish was with no muddy or gamey taste. Nothing worse than having to go home and trim and clean fish that the guide you already paid neglected to do.

Nah, im gonna pass on that step.

Yup, did a trip with a popular guide a few years back, had an incredible trip, but all he did was skin the fish with skinning pliers and cut the filets off. Every filet was covered in silver skin on one side. Once you do that, it’s impossible to cut the silver skin off as it’s so thin without the rest of the skin attached. Worst catfish Ive ever cooked.

We went on a trip not long ago with a popular guide service and I ended up throwing all my fish away when we got home because there was so much red left on the filets. I tip well also. I think that taking that little bit of extra time is why we have 95% of our customers fish with us again.

I can testify to this. It may be the lake, but the fish we caught with you were the best channel cats I’ve ever eaten.

^^^^^^^ I appreciate that

I filet my fish as I would. Throw those filets into a cooler with lots of ice & water. (Add a little salt if you like.)
Let them soak overnight and that cold water will draw the blood out of the meat. Depending on the amount of filets and size, you might have to drain and repeat.

From there, trim as needed like littlewheel mentions and you have you some fine tasting fish.
When packing for storage, I like to freeze my filets submerged in water in a ziploc freezer bag.

I'll do this with all the fish I catch.