Kill the fish

[Pablo]

A few weeks back, on a organize trip, a big guy was asking for plasters??? Asked why he show me a deep and nasty hole on his lap????

The embarrassing story tell by his laughing mate... he got a nice fish, and went for the kill on the classic "fish on the top of the leg" way. The brand new knife, hold blade down on his hand, was describing the enthusiast arc, when the fish got scared (how wouldn't) and got away... HOUCH!!!

That keep me thinking about dangers of using the knife to kill a fish (lost $$$$, broke, blinded edge, cut yourself...). All happy that I found another toy to buy... rush to my local shop, but I didn't like the solutions they offer me. The best was a IKIJIMI, but didn't like the general design and the deadly piece of bungee flapping around (just good to make of me a statistic on the stuck pool).

I wanted something cheap to let go if needed, good to kill the fish and easy to reach with one hand. But nothing that could get easily caught or to difficult to build.

The materials:

-piece of stainless rod (what ever you find).
-short piece of plastic or wood (for the end).
-short piece of rigid plastic pipe (air pipe for me).
-a short length of bungee.
-a short length of an old rubber.

For tools; a grinder and a drill.

I went for the needle point because is easier to build and have much better penetration (specially if you twist around).
The closing system should never let go, unless you pull from the plastic nob end... on witch case you have you ikijimi on hand ready to use. The same closing system help to fix it to any point you want (the belt, a strap on the leg or arm, the boy...).

He take me 1/2h to build, and the only tricky part is the drilling of the plastic end (the drill bit need to be the same diam. as the rod).

[Pablo]

Closed on a strap (bungees behind).

The pen is for the scale.

If you pull the plastic end (the handle), the bungees extend and the blade get out the plastic pipe living the tool on your hand: you can then get the bungee around your hand. Get it back in place is a bit more tricky, but easy to learn and is no way you will lose it.

[Pablo]

The plastic end: Transparent to make it easier to understand, but anything... even a plastic champagne cork should work.

[Pablo]

To attach the bungee to the plastic pipe, drill two holes, feed the bungees and use an constrictor knot before to pull them back in (after get the bungee though the plastic end!!!)

[Pablo]

And that's the deadly end

[ahoyhoy239]

thats a nice ikijimi you got there Pablo, you should consider selling those from a local dive shop or maybe online

[Oldsarge]

Yes, you should. I think I'd buy one, it looks a lot safer than swimming around with an cork-tipped icepick in your weight belt!

[Pablo]

The spirit was to help people to do they own stuff... pride of yourself using you own tools! and save $$$$: That's why I will try keep posting more of this stuff and offering my help to anyone.

Forget the icepic on the belt... just good to rip you guts open and get stock on a reef! You can always use the tip of your spear to dispatch the fish:

-Get a good hold on the fish by placing the 4 left fingers on the gils (like holding the gill plate), the thumb around the top of the head (try to reach the eye on the opposite side) and the fish looking towards your head, the tail to your feet and his belly away from you.

-Push the spear thought the wound (the shooting line will thread the fish), and use the tip to reach the brain: I normally use the gill opening to reach it from underneath, but the back of the eye work good too.

-Push the spear (tip first!) back thought the wound, but on the opposite direction that when you shoot (now the shooting line is out).

-Your fish is dead and your spear is free to reload. A lot of people opine a good fish is a bleed fish (not in seal island!!!): the best way is to cut the vein behind the gils (the white area under the low gill plate area and just behind the gills, have a major vein you can normally see).

That may seem complicate, but once learned is a fast and efficient way to deal with you fish with out harm yourself. Can be automatic while breathing up and looking down spotting the next one. If I didn't explain myself properly (more than probable)... I can post picts.

I only use the ikijimi with big fish like kingy's or dream snappers... luckily plentiful in here .

[Murat]

i generally use fish stinger, i put it through the brain from the top the head, if its has hard skull like groupers, i stab the knife from below the gills towards behing the eye. Actually i don't how to reach exact point from under the gills but after few try fish seems to be dead. Nex time i will try to cut vein and gills etc that way meat should stay better taste.

[Pablo]

have a look in here; http://fishanatomy.net

Go to the striped bass, to internal, and on the anatomic labeled description spot the ventral aorta... that's the one u wana get! A small and accurate cut is enough, and more efficient than a butchery.
The gills have been removed for the dissection, but you can use the rakes to situate the exact point for the bleeding... Don't touch the heart: he should pump and leave your fish blood free (is already brain less). You will find the "blue" fish like mackerel and tuna, and all the fish in general have a strong testing blood, sometimes hard to digest, and easily rotting away.

If you cut the ventral aorta on each side where he splits to reach the gills, and hold the fish by the tail giving a gentle shake side to side, you get a better tasting a longer lasting fish: a real treat!

If I'm lucky this weekend (back to the water... hehe!) I will take some pictures of a nice gutting technique and the ikijimi points.

[old dave]

Why another piece of kit? All you need, old spear cut 20-25 cm long drill hole in centre (10-12.5cm ) job done sinplesharpen one end thread on piece cord loop end clip to float. (one stringer-fish keep) catch fish string said beast dispatch with pointed end remove fish from spear, ( less gear the better)

[mundial]

pablo !!!!!!!!!
nice fantastic easy and usefull
this is also good explaned with photos
thanks for you eforts,time and thinking
i hop i'll have time to make one for me
thats another wonderfull ideas how to make thins cheeper
eyal

[Cammo]

Hey Pablo,
Great article, I think knock a few of them up.
Bit late for Xmas presents though, lol

[LunkerBuster]

hate to resurrect an old thread, but I had to say thanks for the helpful tutorial and the great idea