Lactic acid accumulates in the muscle tissue as a fish is played. If the fish is preserved, this affects its taste and quality. Immediately kill your fish with a sharp blow to the back of the head. Don t let it flop in a fish hold or on a beach. Fish flesh bruises easily.
Fish keep longer and taste better if bled at once.
Breaking or cutting one gill arch is usually sufficient. On charter boats, filleting is usually done ashore, but ask the mate to bleed your fish. The best time to wash the slime from a fish is before it is gutted. Use lots of water. A brush or knife-edge is helpful.