Smoker is waiting now and I have no problem with the normal way of killing the fish, bang on the head and then use the knife.

Is there another way, some expert advice.

Thanks in advance.

Some time back, I caught a large pla duk. I conked it on the head, cut off the head, gutted it and cut off part of the tail because it was too long for my BBQ. I then put it on the hot grill. It jumped off, I had to put it back on several times and finally hold it down. My wife was laughing at me. She says that before you BBQ a pla duk, you must put it in a bag of rock salt, shake it up and leave it in there for maybe a half hour. She was right, that's how I do it now.

Quick update from my side.

Pla duk where smaked on the head in the market, back home 2 have still lived.

Learning from experience, never leave water in the sink and try to catch them, lucky me, missus was not home.

Guting them is not to bad, it's getting better with every fish, gills and guts out in less then a minute.

Maybe use a glove next time to avoid the slippery slim

Watched my neighbour gut and de-head pla nin the other week, she didn't even bother knocking it on the head first.

 

Haven't had a problem killing pla duk though, just a good smack seems to do the trick.

Can't speak for Thai catfish because I've been catch and release for a couple of decades.  But I learned that the only way to get a quick kill on a Texas catfish is to take a very sharp, heavy bladed knife and cut the head off in a quick, clean slice.  Knocking them on the head just stunned them if it even did that.  Seemed rather cruel to have them waking back up while I was skinning them, so I got a big butcher knife, sharpened it for a clean cut and knew they didn't feel being skinned if their head wasn't attached.  It's fast enough that a knock on the head seemed redundant, if not mean.

 

On a related note, has anyone ever deep fried pla duk, Cajun style?  Fried catfish with hush puppies is one of my favorites, but I have never attempted it in Thailand.

 

Catfish never seem to die. When I was a kid I caught a catfish and not knowing anything about cleaning fish I put it in the freezer to wait for my mom to come home. She gets home 4 hours later and this thing is frozen solid. Takes it out of the freezer and about 2 hours later as it thaws out...starts gasping for breath...not kidding here !!!! Mom quickly dispatched it with a meat cleaver but that was the last time I ever fished for catfish.

Put them in a plastic bag then into the freezer, they will die very quick. no need for any head bashing.

Quick update from my side.
Pla duk where smaked on the head in the market, back home 2 have still lived.
Learning from experience, never leave water in the sink and try to catch them, lucky me, missus was not home.
Guting them is not to bad, it's getting better with every fish, gills and guts out in less then a minute.
Maybe use a glove next time to avoid the slippery slim

Yes you must try to avoid the slippery slim.


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2 hours ago, Hutch68 said:

Put them in a plastic bag then into the freezer, they will die very quick. no need for any head bashing.

Regarding tonray it does not work.....mmhh.

Anyway, tomorrow morning they go in the smoker, will try to down load some pics.

Buy them a motorcycle, give them a bit of Lao Khao plus the keys and they will be dead before you can light your Barbie

1 hour ago, huuwi said:

Regarding tonray it does not work.....mmhh.

Anyway, tomorrow morning they go in the smoker, will try to down load some pics.

It will work.