How to remove eel pout

[GrizzlyAdams]

How do you guy's take your eel pout off the hook? I have only caught one up on LOW and that was quite a few years ago. My girlfriend is eager to catch her first one just to see what they look like but I know I will be the one to take it off. I am not scared of them at all but being how slimy they are it doesn't seem as though they would be easy to hold on to. May be a dumb question but living down in Mankato we don't have them around here (Atleast from my experience) and just want to be prepared when and if we do catch one somewhere else. We fish Red Lake every year a couple times and have yet to catch one there but hear that they are in there. One of these years though I am sure we will catch one either there, Low or mille lacs. Thanks in advance.

[irvingdog]

Fond memories of a friend grabbing a huge one by the head. It wrapped around his arm and worked it's tail inside of his shirt. You would have thought there was a busload of cheerleaders in our icehouse by the highpitched screams he was making.

Club. Pliers. Icebank until firm. Filet out the tail and eat.

Sublime!

[TurnUpTheFishing]

they're slimy and they'll squirm on you but have nothing that will poke you just grab 'em behind the head or under the gill cover.

[JigginIsLife]

take a closed pliers and punch it through thier head and then remove hook, throw into snow bank, take out back straps, and you got a meal...

[JimBuck]

Grab by the gill and remove the hook or use a pliers to remove the hook. The slime is part of the fishing experience. They are cool creatures.

[GrizzlyAdams]

That is what i figured but wanted to get first hand advice from you guy's. Like stated I am not scared of them or anything but don't want to be all full of slime the rest of the day either. I have eaten it before and enjoyed it but just don't get the chance to catch them around here. Just want to be prepared for anything we may catch this winter. Thnks for the replies so far.

[pegleg]

We have been doing this since I was a child because none of us wanted to touch them and it seems to be the best method....

Pick them up by the line and squeeze them in the fish house door. They open up their mouth nice and wide when you do this and then take a needle nose plier to remove the hook.

No Mess to clean up and then just boot them out the door.

[magnum mike]

Gaff the pout to get it out of the hole and out of the house so it doesn't slime up your house. While it is on the gaff, use pliers to remove the hook. Don't be surprised when it still moves after it has been in the snowbank for several hours. They are nasty, the slime gets everywhere and does not come off easily but they are good eating.

[matthothand]

I haven't tried it on pout yet but a fillet glove works great for gripping many fishes. Might be an option if you plan on releasing.

[jeffreyd]

do you keep them or put them back? i caught one the end of May last year on leech with our guide. we threw it back not sure if it was out of season or not, really did not expect to catch it. really a cool fish or creature of the water.

[buddha]

Keep them!!!!!! Best tasting fish on the water. Grab them and cut your line and get it later.

[DaSwede]

Pliers, and shake it till the ugly thing comes off. Hate em.

The fillet glove sounds like the best thing, but then your fillet glove looks like Bill Murray in Ghostbusters.

DaSwede

[JimBuck]

All too often, people catch a species of fish and have no idea how to handle it, particularly larger fish. It's good that you ask about it to avoid mishandling and causing injury to either party. Good question. Also, don't kill them if you don't plan on eating them. Every year I see people throwing potato chip sunnies, crappies, pike and pout on the ice because they decide to be a backyard biologist or didn't intend on catching that species so they just throw it on the ice.

[juicey_jroc1]

I usually grab the line,open the icehouse door and swing it till the line snaps and the fish is out of the door on the ice for the eagles to feast on. Btw you gotta love it when the tail curls up around your arm......

[NoWiser]

Please release them gently if you aren't going to eat them. No reason to kill them just because you think they are "gross". Makes us all look like a bunch of slobs, and is a waste....

[bobbymalone]

Grab them behind the head or just lip 'em. They don't have teeth.

Some of you guys that are afraid of a little slime should sell your ice fishing equipment and buy a bunch of my little ponies.

+1 for NoWiser and JimBuck. Besides it being illegal to toss them on the ice to die (wanton waste) there is no reason for it. They are native fish and have carved out their spot in the ecosystem.

It's sad the amount of ignorance you read in here sometimes.

[GrizzlyAdams]

I posted this to see how people take them off with the least mess. I don't plan on killing them unless I am going to eat them. With all the "experience" on this site I just wanted to know if there is a less messy way of removing them from those of you who have the privelege of catching them. As stated, we don't have them around here but we like to fish in the northern part of the state as much as possible and just want to be prepared for when the day comes that we catch some. We only keep what we need and release everything else. No the slime doesn't bother me but if there is an easier and cleaner way to do it then that's what I want to know. Only way to learn is ask the question.

[BRULEDRIFTER]

^ Aint that the truth, Bobbymalone! It's very sad really!

[gregg52]

I dont believe its against the to let them die on the ice

its illegal to leave them there as it is small perch or any other fish

[bobbymalone]

I posted this to see how people take them off with the least mess. I don't plan on killing them unless I am going to eat them. With all the "experience" on this site I just wanted to know if there is a less messy way of removing them from those of you who have the privelege of catching them. As stated, we don't have them around here but we like to fish in the northern part of the state as much as possible and just want to be prepared for when the day comes that we catch some. We only keep what we need and release everything else. No the slime doesn't bother me but if there is an easier and cleaner way to do it then that's what I want to know. Only way to learn is ask the question.

my post wasn't directed at you. sorry for any confusion.

[bobbymalone]

From page 12 of the reg book:

Any fish that is caught and will not be utilized must be immediately returned alive back into the water. A person cannot wantonly waste a fish that is caught by leaving it or any usable portion on the ice, thrown up on the bank, or intentionally killing it and returning it back into the water unless authorized.

Call your CO if you don't want to believe it.

Can some please explain to me to the point of throwing them on the ice to die?

[GrizzlyAdams]

No problem. I do agree 100% about the ignorance. The worst is when there is more trash outside the house than in. Takes less time to throw it in a garbage bag than it does to throw it out the door. Wasting fish is unacceptable also. What one person calls a rough fish another calls it fun and exciting. I don't care what I catch as long as I am catching something. It's like Christmas everytime a fish tugs on the line. Cause you don't know what it is til it comes thru the hole.

[bobbymalone]

I don't care what I catch as long as I am catching something.

You got that right.

[magnum mike]

I know several people that USED TO leave them to die mainly because they did not want them to bite again! I had someone show me how to clean them and actually cook them for me. They never get wasted anymore. The meat is bone free, snow white and delicious. They are members of the cod family and fresh cod is super good.

[gregg52]

that reads just as i said you cant LEAVE it

Pretty hard to prove intent to kill if you take it with you

back in the day the indians use to pick em up for you off the ice (on mille lacs)