07-21-2018, 12:30 PM
[#0000FF]For cats I plan to keep I have a couple of rituals before putting them in my basket (or live well). First, I use a pair of pliers or heavy side-cutters to remove the spines on the dorsal and pectoral fins. I do that while the fish are still in my initial kitty-grip...under the belly and fingers around the spines. That makes them easier to handle later and saves some wear and tear on my basket...and reduces holes for them to use as escape hatches. Also makes it easier to lay them flat for filleting.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]The second thing I do is "mark" them if I have to do some "recovery"...for hooks or fligs...while cleaning them later. I usually do this by removing one or both of the large soft barbels at the front of their mouths. Then, while filleting, any fish missing that part of their anatomy gets a more "in depth" CSI treatment to get back my tackle.
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[#0000FF]The second thing I do is "mark" them if I have to do some "recovery"...for hooks or fligs...while cleaning them later. I usually do this by removing one or both of the large soft barbels at the front of their mouths. Then, while filleting, any fish missing that part of their anatomy gets a more "in depth" CSI treatment to get back my tackle.
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