The gills went back in the pond...mostly. Handling them in the subzero temps was a 'sticky' proposition, so my enthusiasm for cleaning them was even less so.
I pop out a fish eye and use that. Fishy flavor and tough shell make it great to attract picky fish, but hard for them to 'peck' it off the hook. You'd have to check the regs on your state regarding use of fish parts for bait (called offal), it's legal most places on public waters, but I'm not sure ALL places.. On your own pond, give it a try sometime, even in the summer.
