I feel a little bad too..
So I try to make the process as quick as possible..
Bluegills or crappie..I keep them in a fish basket by the boat..when I'm ready to go..I dump them in a cooler.of water ..there are usually so many that by the time I get home they have just died. If some are still flopping around they go into the litchen sink..I clean the dead ones first..and then th efloppers are generaly dead when it's their turned ot be clean.
Catfish...sorry partner..they are die hards..I only eat catfish about twice a year..and then only channels. I've tried driving the knife through their lungs etc..no luck..so I just clean them as fast as possible.
Bass..I haven't kept a bass in years..but I used to give them a karate chop across the head with my channel locks..Died instantly.I use channel locks to skin fish.
c7