As long as you won't report me to PETA, I admit that on the rare occasions when I keep a few fish to eat, I keep them alive as long as possible; usually all the way to the kitchen sink. I dispatch them by making a quick cut to the spine, right behind the head. I use a pair of poultry scissors for the task as they are made for "kitchen" work and are strong enough to snip through the spine in one quick clip. I've tried thumping them on the top of the head with the back edge of the knife, but I think this more stuns them than outright "dispatching". I'll be interested hearing other peoples methods as I'm always open to learning new ideas.

Jim Smith