Cleaning Bullies

[huckfin]

I have a Troop of scouts that want to go fishing. I know a few spots to get some bullheads for the smoker. It's been a while since I cleaned them. Was shown once how to make 2 cuts and pull the skin and insides, everything removed in 1 pull. HELP I need some one to refresh my memory on how to do this. huckfin

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Huck

[MJCatfish]

That sounds pretty slick. I make 3 cuts to clean bullies. (By the way, they're the best smoked fish I've had besides salmon.) I make a cut behind the head all the way around. Then cut the belly open and pull the entrails out. Then I cut along one side of the back bone from the inside of the fish, put down and you have a nice flat piece of meat to smoke. Works for me.

MJ

[SilverLakeBoy]

Do you want to take the skin off them for smoking? most people I know leave the skin on all smoked fish. there is a way to clean bullies with a cut across the back from the tail to the dorsil fin and then down to the back bone you take the head in one hand and the body in the other and kind of break it in half and pull and you end up with the head and skin and most of the guts in one hand and the meat and tail in the other. once you get the hang of it it,s pretty easy and very fast.

[IFallsRon]

Put a big screw hook in a board. Hang the buller on the hook, cut the skin behind the head and pull it off with a pair of pliers.

[walleyehawk]

That is the way my dad used to clean the occasional one we caught as kids. Wood board, nail through the head to hold them still. Then a cut through the skin along the sides of the head, all the way around and then get the pliers and pull.

Personally, there is no way I will clean them.

[walleyehawk]

Huck,

By the way, I have been involved in an organization that fished with groups of kids in the past. I might suggest that you take them out for crappies or sunnies.

First, crappies taste a whole lot better and the kids parents will be much more accepting of crappies than bullheads. Much easier to clean. That and the kids get a real proud look on their face when they are bringing home a meal for the family.

This is also the right time of year to take kids as crappies and sunnies are near shore for spawning.

By the way, the expert on taking groups of kids fishing is the Cyberfish. He does it all summer.

[deadeye]

I totally dissagree with that. There are a lot of people that think bullheads taste better (me included). Second they are way easier to clean, rip the skin off and cut the head off. And third, they provide constant action when crappies and sunnies can be picky. Dont hate on the bullheads because they are ugly. They are fun to catch and can really get people to like fishing (one of my favorite things to catch when i was little was bullheads, and that went for my freinds as well).
><>deadeye

[huckfin]

Thanks for the help. We tried the panfishing. Usually end up with enough for a meal for a family or 2. So which family do you give them too? I have to clean them either way. Everyone likes smoked fish, espically when they do not have to clean or smoke them. The thrill for them comes in catching them. They always look forward to the next meeting to sample the results. And the more bullheads they catch just means fewer to catch while trowling for eyes when the season opens!!! GOOD LUCK TO ALL !!! AND THANKS AGAIN!!!

[kslipsinker]

I would have to agree with SilverLakeBoy. Don't skin a bullhead before you smoke it. My dad used to smoke them when I was a kid, and it is best to leave the skin on. Slit the skin behind the head. Snap the back bone at that point and rip down, taking the guts all the way to the anus. All you need to do is run your thumb up along the backbone to clean out the blood sack that is there. Soak them in a salt brine and smoke them. It has been a long time, but I remember them as being pretty good!