I just pull the gills, yank the "base" part that's attached to their body, the upper part. I don't think cutting their gills versus pulling them out makes much difference.
You want to do it right after you secure the fish, have the gameclip through their gills, tied to your kayak on the other end of a rope.
I know it sounds pretty savage, but you need to have its hearth beating to help pump the blood out. If you wait until it's dead, you beat the purpose - that fish won't be bled. I don't smack my fish with a club - I like 'em too much for that.
I don't think there's really a need - WSB or YT you manage to bring to the gaff won't be that green; pulling the gills to bleed them while they are alive puts them out fairly soon. OK, maybe for halibut, but they may or may not freak out on your regardless whether you beat the crap out of them or not... So what's the point? I don't know, I just don't do it.
Yes, on the water, you have to if you really won't to bleed them.
What sharks?
