Bleeding out fish

[Kodiak1]

The Washington Dept. of Fish and Wildlife tells us that with pink salmon, bleeding the fish by slashing both sets of gills immediately after catching the fish moves it from "poor quality" to "excellent quality". Chefs in the Seattle area claim they can tell if a fish has been bled by simply tasting the product. I'm not sure about the other species, but I can attest that the difference in the pinks is, indeed, significant. So, why don't I bleed kokanee? Hmmm. I guess because it is a big, messy hassle. By the way, the Wash. biologists also say that putting your fish on ice is equally important. I notice people all the time with fish on a stringer in warmish reservoir water. Yuk. I always bring a cooler with plenty of ice.
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