# How hard can I hit some-one in the face with a trout without killing them? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 16, 2007, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-hard-can-i-hit-some-one-in-the-face-with-a-trout-without-killing-them/396127 "2007-03-16T01:51:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2007, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-hard-can-i-hit-some-one-in-the-face-with-a-trout-without-killing-them/396127/1 "2007-03-16T01:51:55Z")
You heard me. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2007, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-hard-can-i-hit-some-one-in-the-face-with-a-trout-without-killing-them/396127/2 "2007-03-16T01:53:28Z")
Which species? ---
**Author:** ![dgrdfd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/eb8c5e/32.png) [@dgrdfd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dgrdfd)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2007, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-hard-can-i-hit-some-one-in-the-face-with-a-trout-without-killing-them/396127/3 "2007-03-16T01:54:49Z")
What’s the weather like outside? ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2007, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-hard-can-i-hit-some-one-in-the-face-with-a-trout-without-killing-them/396127/4 "2007-03-16T01:59:26Z")
Is it frozen or still alive? ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2007, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-hard-can-i-hit-some-one-in-the-face-with-a-trout-without-killing-them/396127/5 "2007-03-16T02:00:53Z")
Is it an African or a European trout? ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2007, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-hard-can-i-hit-some-one-in-the-face-with-a-trout-without-killing-them/396127/6 "2007-03-16T02:04:13Z")
Oh. You want MPSIMS. Four doors down. **samclem** GQ moderator ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2007, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-hard-can-i-hit-some-one-in-the-face-with-a-trout-without-killing-them/396127/7 "2007-03-16T02:07:21Z")
Harumph. I could have created a scenario where-in my question had a strictly factual answer; however, I thought it better to leave the question open-ended. So, in response to all the questions posited above me: the answer is yes. ---
**Author:** ![robardin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@robardin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robardin)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2007, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-hard-can-i-hit-some-one-in-the-face-with-a-trout-without-killing-them/396127/8 "2007-03-16T02:42:21Z")
With a force no greater than 0.99 Kilgores. ---
**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2007, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-hard-can-i-hit-some-one-in-the-face-with-a-trout-without-killing-them/396127/9 "2007-03-16T03:38:31Z")
The trout would have to be moving at least 88 miles per hour… ---
**Author:** ![CaerieD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@CaerieD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaerieD)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2007, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-hard-can-i-hit-some-one-in-the-face-with-a-trout-without-killing-them/396127/10 "2007-03-16T04:09:50Z")
Are you asking about keeping the _trout_ alive or the _person_? ---
**Author:** ![bbs2k](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e495f1/32.png) [@bbs2k](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bbs2k)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2007, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-hard-can-i-hit-some-one-in-the-face-with-a-trout-without-killing-them/396127/11 "2007-03-16T06:30:20Z")
Hmmm, I think the spray of fish guts alone could lead to a person’s death in this instance. ::sits and waits:: ---
**Author:** ![LifeOnWry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/96bed5/32.png) [@LifeOnWry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LifeOnWry)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2007, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-hard-can-i-hit-some-one-in-the-face-with-a-trout-without-killing-them/396127/12 "2007-03-16T06:33:12Z")
There is a factual answer to this question, I bet. What you need to do is hit a person progressively harder with the trout until the person gets killed. The answer is “a little less hard than that.” ---
**Author:** ![Ellef](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8dc957/32.png) [@Ellef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellef)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2007, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-hard-can-i-hit-some-one-in-the-face-with-a-trout-without-killing-them/396127/13 "2007-03-16T06:37:04Z")
[QUOTE=LifeOnWry] There is a factual answer to this question, I bet. What you need to do is hit a person progressively harder with the trout until the person gets killed. The answer is “a little less hard than that.” [/QUOTE] You could test this out in a shorter time if you freeze the trout solid first. ---
**Author:** ![LifeOnWry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/96bed5/32.png) [@LifeOnWry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LifeOnWry)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2007, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-hard-can-i-hit-some-one-in-the-face-with-a-trout-without-killing-them/396127/14 "2007-03-16T06:49:24Z")
[QUOTE=Ellef] You could test this out in a shorter time if you freeze the trout solid first. [/QUOTE] Or the victim. ---
**Author:** ![pinkfreud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pinkfreud/32/17603_2.png) [@pinkfreud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinkfreud)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2007, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-hard-can-i-hit-some-one-in-the-face-with-a-trout-without-killing-them/396127/15 "2007-03-16T06:55:10Z")
My husband offered to hit me in the face with a trout, but I told him “Not tonight, I have a haddock.” ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Push\_Up\_Bra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/edb3f5/32.png) [@Freudian\_Push\_Up\_Bra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Push_Up_Bra)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2007, 7:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-hard-can-i-hit-some-one-in-the-face-with-a-trout-without-killing-them/396127/16 "2007-03-16T07:23:05Z")
There’s only one way to find out for sure; **Autolycus** - go round up as many vagrants and street people as you can find with offers of fresh fish. **Q.E.D** - it’s up to you to get at least three specimens of a variety of different trouts of similar size. Everyone else; start warming up your trout-hand. ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2007, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-hard-can-i-hit-some-one-in-the-face-with-a-trout-without-killing-them/396127/17 "2007-03-16T07:24:22Z")
[QUOTE=Freudian Push Up Bra] There’s only one way to find out for sure; **Autolycus** - go round up as many vagrants and street people as you can find with offers of fresh fish. **Q.E.D** - it’s up to you to get at least three specimens of a variety of different trouts of similar size. Everyone else; start warming up your trout-hand. [/QUOTE] Baby, I like the way you think 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![bbs2k](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e495f1/32.png) [@bbs2k](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bbs2k)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2007, 9:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-hard-can-i-hit-some-one-in-the-face-with-a-trout-without-killing-them/396127/18 "2007-03-16T09:56:00Z")
[QUOTE=Autolycus] Baby, I like the way you think 🆒 [/QUOTE] Huh, did someone say something? ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2007, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-hard-can-i-hit-some-one-in-the-face-with-a-trout-without-killing-them/396127/19 "2007-03-16T10:42:17Z")
[QUOTE=Autolycus] You heard me. [/QUOTE] 1. If it’s in a can I’d suggest a force of around 10lbs psi 2. If frozen, roughly the same, maybe just a tad lighter :dubious: 3. If fresh and still on the hook, about 20lbs psi…allowing for rod swing. 4. If dead and gutted, about 12-13lbs psi 5. If dead and ungutted, about 15lbs psi I don’t know why I bother sometimes :smack: ---
**Author:** ![VunderBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/839c29/32.png) [@VunderBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VunderBob)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2007, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-hard-can-i-hit-some-one-in-the-face-with-a-trout-without-killing-them/396127/20 "2007-03-16T12:15:11Z")
[QUOTE=pinkfreud] My husband offered to hit me in the face with a trout, but I told him “Not tonight, I have a haddock.” [/QUOTE] So you were crabby? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-hard-can-i-hit-some-one-in-the-face-with-a-trout-without-killing-them/396127.md?page=2)