How do ya kill the buggers??   It takes way too much beating to kill them..  And they gotta be dead to butcher or the meat gets bloody...

I've seen all manner of problems solved on here..  I'm bettin', someone on here must know an easy way to [b]"put em down"..[/b][stick]

Did you ever see Lethal Weapon 4 (or 5 whatever it was) when Leo was trying to kill the shark....I'd do it the same way

Boy. I've always just beat on 'em till they stop wriggling. But you're right, it's a workout.

I guess you could try a .410 contact wound. Like a shark bangstick.

What size flathead... 30+ lb?  What are you using... a carpenter's hammer?  Get a 5 lb. short handled sledge hammer to do the job.  One strong swing and it's all over.

Works for my father-in-law.

15 to 60 pounders...   Guess I'll get a bigger hammer...  I thought there'd be a place to insert an ice pick or something less violent...

Edited cause I'm getting dyslexia and I needed to add that it's a State Park or I'd Glockasize them...

Are you catchin' 'em down on the lower Colorado or some of the lakes in the same vicinity?

Yeah, where ARE you gettin' these big boys?
AB

Lake Patagonia..  I've been limited to the 13 to 30 pound range so far but the Lake record is 64 and mine get bigger each time...   There's a 70 pounder in there (state record) that's the one I'm after...   Gave up "bass only" fishing last year and am enjoying this..  Much more relaxing...  hehehe [beer]

"If you had an off switch, would you not keep it secret?" - Ltr Cdr Data

Is that a "CAT" fish??   Bet I could snuff em.

MMMMM..   Flathead flavored doggie bisquits.  Yummy.

This is what you do.

Cut the tail off with a hatchet and bleed them out. This also maintains the meat in a better state.

Best just get over being squeemish.
If you don't want the head meat then just hit them with a club between the head and body there at the ridge where the backbone goes into the head.

After they have bleed out, then go to town. Its not as nice on the fish but it delivers a better product.

If you hit them you are not killing them you are knocking them unconcious.. If you cut there back bone with a saw blade after you hit them they should die right there.


Ben

To Restate:
1:Hack Tail off with hatchet or ax, they will bleed out through their tail.
2:Knock them in the head and then cut the spine
3: Skin by whatever your prefered method is.

Interesting Ben!  I've found that if they're dead before you start cutting, there's less blood in the meat...   I'll try your technique next one...