# Bleeding a shark



## Orangebeach28

<SPAN id=_ctl1_ctlTopic_ctlPanelBar_ctlTopicsRepeater__ctl1_lblFullMessage>I've heard that if you bleed a black tip, it will taste better. How do you bleed a shark? How quickly does it have to be done?

<SPAN id=_ctl1_ctlTopic_ctlPanelBar_ctlTopicsRepeater__ctl1_lblPostSignature>RTR


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## whipper snapper

when you get him to the boat. knock the guts out of it. this will remove their bladder, that causes most of the problems. if you don't get the bladder out it will secrete urine all thru the meat.


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## cobe killer

> *whipper snapper (3/8/2010)*when you get him to the boat. knock the guts out of it. this will remove their bladder, that causes most of the problems. if you don't get the bladder out it will secrete urine all thru the meat.


+1 do it before he dies!!


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## Jason

> *cobe killer (3/8/2010)*
> 
> 
> 
> *whipper snapper (3/8/2010)*when you get him to the boat. knock the guts out of it. this will remove their bladder, that causes most of the problems. if you don't get the bladder out it will secrete urine all thru the meat.
> 
> 
> 
> +1 do it before he dies!!
Click to expand...

That is it......You don't actually bleed em it's just becuase the urine seeps through the meat ifin you don't gut em alive....:letsdrink


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## Chris V

Bleeding is by far the most important thing. Gutting a shark immediately if anything guarantees that the wastes stored in its body will remain there.

Sharks store waste compounds in their bloodstream to reverse the effects of osmosis that naturally occurs in saltwater. Most saltwater fish maintain water balance by swallowing copious amounts of salt water and then excreting the salts through the gut and gill arches. Sharks are more advanced in the fact that their bodies retain wastes such as urea, ammonia and other compounds to create a "saltier" (for lack of a better word) interior which enables the body to remain balanced and prevent the salty outside enviroment from literally drying the shark out. Excretion and higher retention can be done if necessary to keep the proper balance. Bull sharks are unique amongst sharks in the fact that they can practically shut this system down enabling them enter fresh water rivers and lakes.

Sharks do not posess a swim (air) bladder. They rely on oils in the liver to give them a more neutral bouyancy. The liver is the largest organ in a shark and can make up a third of its body weight.

After keeping many sharks and experimenting with different cleaning procedures the best thing I've found is this:

While keeping the shark in the water to keep alive, cut his tail at the base but not completely off, in most states sharks must remain whole to be legally taken. Keep an eye on the shark making sure it is breathing normally and bleeding profusely. If the flow starts to stem make another cut to prevent clotting all being done with the shark in the water. As long as the shark remains alive through this it will take about 5-10 minutes to pump himself dry. You'll know when easily of course cause he'll be dead. THEN gut the shark and get on ice. You'll have beautiful, white, piss-free steaks.


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## surfstryker

I always cut their tail off first and bleed them, then steak them out.


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## cert-315

> Bleeding is by far the most important thing. Gutting a shark immediately if anything guarantees that the wastes stored in its body will remain there.
> 
> 
> 
> Sharks store waste compounds in their bloodstream to reverse the effects of osmosis that naturally occurs in saltwater. Most saltwater fish maintain water balance by swallowing copious amounts of salt water and then excreting the salts through the gut and gill arches. Sharks are more advanced in the fact that their bodies retain wastes such as urea, ammonia and other compounds to create a "saltier" (for lack of a better word) interior which enables the body to remain balanced and prevent the salty outside enviroment from literally drying the shark out. Excretion and higher retention can be done if necessary to keep the proper balance. Bull sharks are unique amongst sharks in the fact that they can practically shut this system down enabling them enter fresh water rivers and lakes.
> 
> 
> 
> Sharks do not posess a swim (air) bladder. They rely on oils in the liver to give them a more neutral bouyancy. The liver is the largest organ in a shark and can make up a third of its body weight.
> 
> 
> 
> After keeping many sharks and experimenting with different cleaning procedures the best thing I've found is this:
> 
> 
> 
> While keeping the shark in the water to keep alive, cut his tail at the base but not completely off, in most states sharks must remain whole to be legally taken. Keep an eye on the shark making sure it is breathing normally and bleeding profusely. If the flow starts to stem make another cut to prevent clotting all being done with the shark in the water. As long as the shark remains alive through this it will take about 5-10 minutes to pump himself dry. You'll know when easily of course cause he'll be dead. THEN gut the shark and get on ice. You'll have beautiful, white, piss-free steaks.




END OF STORY. Very well put. :clap


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## Chris V

Sorry for the long one but I think it helps to know why this is a common question. Knowing its anatomy should help determine whats best.

That was too damn long though wasn't it!


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## Jason

Like Tunapopper said, if you go the route to cut the tail...do not cut it off! I don't cut anything except fer gutting, and have never had a problem w/ the meat. If you take all organs out of a shark, you take all the blood except what are in the veins and they will bleed out after gutting. I put a rope around the tail and let the water flush it out fer a bit...I'm glad I looked up the regs. cause the new 54 inch length...:letsdrink

Straight from FWC:<P class=Body>New shark regulations took effect January 19, 2010 statewide for all recreational and commercial harvesters. These regulations:<UL class=Body><LI>Prohibit all harvest of sandbar, silky, and Caribbean sharpnose sharks, <LI>Require sharks to be landed in whole condition, this includes landing sharks with heads and tails intact. <LI>Established a minimum fork length of 54 inches for all sharks except Atlantic sharpnose, blacknose, bonnethead, and finetooth, as well as smooth dogfish; <LI>Made hook and line the only allowable gear for harvesting sharks and prohibited the use of natural bait when using multiple hooks, and <LI>Commercial updates - changed season dates, required wholesale dealers to have a federal permit, and closed state waters to commercial harvest when ASMFC or NOAA Fisheries closes adjacent waters. <LI>Effective March 23, 2010, all harvest of lemon sharks in state waters is prohibited.</LI>[/list]


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## Orangebeach28

Thanks for the great info - I might think twice before I bleed a shark on Orange Beach during the day. I'm not looking to traumatize the kids!


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## fishn4real

have to agree with all of the above. Prompt attention will insure great eating. Ooh, and of course we always soak in buttermilk before cooking on low/med heat.

Not to derail, but that sucks on the new regs.Our ideal size is 36 - 42" blacktip; makes great grilling, or shark kabobs. We've developed about 2 dozen dippin sauces for the little critters. I guess we will re-think our strategy on the bigger sharks.


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## Shankopotamus

The new size regs should make the pff tourney a little more interesting this year- thanks for posting them bc I was actually about to look them up.


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## Clay-Doh

Made hook and line the only allowable gear for harvesting sharks and *prohibited the use of natural bait when using multiple hooks, *



What is that about? Double hook rig and you can't use "natural" bait??? Meaning fish?


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## FishinFool

<P class=Body>New shark regulations took effect January 19, 2010 statewide for all recreational and commercial harvesters. These regulations:<UL class=Body><LI>Prohibit all harvest of sandbar, silky, and Caribbean sharpnose sharks, <LI>Require sharks to be landed in whole condition, this includes landing sharks with heads and tails intact. <LI>Established a minimum fork length of 54 inches for all sharks except Atlantic sharpnose, blacknose, bonnethead, and finetooth, as well as smooth dogfish; <LI>Made hook and line the only allowable gear for harvesting sharks and prohibited the use of natural bait when using multiple hooks, and <LI>Commercial updates - changed season dates, required wholesale dealers to have a federal permit, and closed state waters to commercial harvest when ASMFC or NOAA Fisheries closes adjacent waters. <LI>Effective March 23, 2010, all harvest of lemon sharks in state waters is prohibited.</LI>[/list]

I haven't caught any big sharks, but 54 inches is plenty big enough for me. Guess I'll start carrying when I'm fishing. I'm not putting a live 54 inch blacktip in my boat. He'll have two holes in his head before he hits the deck. :blownaway Then I'll go to carving his belly!


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## cert-315

makin the lemons a prohibited catch kinda sucks.....:banghead


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## Curtisimo81

> *Jason (3/9/2010)*Like Tunapopper said, if you go the route to cut the tail...do not cut it off! I don't cut anything except fer gutting, and have never had a problem w/ the meat. If you take all organs out of a shark, you take all the blood except what are in the veins and they will bleed out after gutting. I put a rope around the tail and let the water flush it out fer a bit...I'm glad I looked up the regs. cause the new 54 inch length...:letsdrink
> 
> Straight from FWC:<P class=Body>New shark regulations took effect January 19, 2010 statewide for all recreational and commercial harvesters. These regulations:<UL class=Body><LI>Prohibit all harvest of sandbar, silky, and Caribbean sharpnose sharks, <LI>Require sharks to be landed in whole condition, this includes landing sharks with heads and tails intact. <LI>Established a minimum fork length of 54 inches for all sharks except Atlantic sharpnose, blacknose, bonnethead, and finetooth, as well as smooth dogfish; <LI>Made hook and line the only allowable gear for harvesting sharks and prohibited the use of natural bait when using multiple hooks, and <LI>Commercial updates - changed season dates, required wholesale dealers to have a federal permit, and closed state waters to commercial harvest when ASMFC or NOAA Fisheries closes adjacent waters. <LI>Effective March 23, 2010, all harvest of lemon sharks in state waters is prohibited.</LI>[/list]


thanks for posting that. I had no idea they changed the laws on them...


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## feesh

Man, am I confused:banghead! I've got a copy of the regs dated 1/1/10-6/30/10 that states you CAN harvest a BLACKTIP shark that is less than 54":clap.However, as noticed here and on MYFWC that is different.What are we supposed to follow?:doh


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## HuntFishDrink

> *Jason (3/9/2010)*Like Tunapopper said, if you go the route to cut the tail...do not cut it off! I don't cut anything except fer gutting, and have never had a problem w/ the meat. If you take all organs out of a shark, you take all the blood except what are in the veins and they will bleed out after gutting. I put a rope around the tail and let the water flush it out fer a bit...I'm glad I looked up the regs. cause the new 54 inch length...:letsdrink
> 
> Straight from FWC:<P class=Body>New shark regulations took effect January 19, 2010 statewide for all recreational and commercial harvesters. These regulations:<UL class=Body><LI>Prohibit all harvest of sandbar, silky, and Caribbean sharpnose sharks, <LI>Require sharks to be landed in whole condition, this includes landing sharks with heads and tails intact. <LI>Established a minimum fork length of 54 inches for all sharks except Atlantic sharpnose, blacknose, bonnethead, and finetooth, as well as smooth dogfish; <LI>Made hook and line the only allowable gear for harvesting sharks and prohibited the use of natural bait when using multiple hooks, and <LI>Commercial updates - changed season dates, required wholesale dealers to have a federal permit, and closed state waters to commercial harvest when ASMFC or NOAA Fisheries closes adjacent waters. <LI>Effective March 23, 2010, all harvest of lemon sharks in state waters is prohibited.</LI>[/list]


Not sure why he would edit this before posting, or if he just copied and pasted from somewhere else. Look it up on MYFWC.com<P align=left>There is no minimum size limit for Atlantic sharpnose sharks, blacknose sharks, blacktip sharks, bonnethead sharks, finetooth sharks, and smooth dogfish, all other sharks must be at least 54 inches long (fork length) to harvest or possess.


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## HuntFishDrink

Apologies...now I see where it contradicts itself between the web page and the guide. The web page doesn't exclude the blacktip, but the guide does (pages 11 and 17). I've contacted the FWC for clarification and will let you know when/if I get the reply.


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## hntrdave11

The guide is correct I believe, at least according to the official rules on the state website (https://www.flrules.org)



The text which is actually on the books is found at https://www.flrules.org/gateway/ChapterHome.asp?Chapter=68B-44



68B-44.007 Size Limit Applicable to State Waters.

No person shall harvest in or from the waters of the State of Florida at any time, or unnecessarily destroy, any shark of fork length less than 54 inches, with the exception of:

(1) Atlantic sharpnose shark ? Rhizoprionodon terraenovae.

(2) Blacknose shark ? Carcharhinus acronotus.

(3) Blacktip shark ? Carcharhinus limbatus.

(4) Bonnethead ? Sphyrna tiburo.

(5) Finetooth shark ? Carcharhinus isodon.

(6) Smooth Dogfish ? any species of the Genus Mustelus.

Rulemaking Authority Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. Law Implemented Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. History?New 1-19-10.





MyFWC says the rules were implemented on January 19, 2010, which is consistent with the date on the rules posted on flrules. Since both the printed regs and the state website agree, I think it's pretty clear that whoever wrote up the blurb on the new shark regs for MyFWC accidentally dropped blacktip from the list.


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## Jason

> *mnvaughn (3/11/2010)*Apologies...now I see where it contradicts itself between the web page and the guide. The web page doesn't exclude the blacktip, but the guide does (pages 11 and 17). I've contacted the FWC for clarification and will let you know when/if I get the reply.


Please let us know from the horses mouth.....If they contact you via email post it....if they contact you via phone ask them to send an email to protect us from written errors....:letsdrink


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