Best Way to Fillet Panfish

[MntkaFishin]

Over the years I've heard some pretty interesting ways on how people like to fillet their panfish. I figured it would be interesting to hear about the different examples.

[efgh]

I CUT THEM RIGHT BEHIND THE GILLS, TURN THE KNIFE, CUT ALONG THE BACK BONE THRU THE RIBS AND QUIT JUTS BEFORE THE SIDE IS OFF BY THE TAIL, TURN CUT SIDE DOWN, FIND THE RIBS WITH THE KNIFE, PRESS DOWN JUST ABOVE THE RIBS WITH YOUR HAND SLICE DOWN AND TOWARD THE FRONT, THE RIB BONE WILL SLIDE RIGHR OUT , HOLD THE HEAD ,TURN SIDE SKIN DOWN AND REMOVE THE MEAT. SOUNDS HARDER THAN IT IS BUT IT IS REALLY FAST. Never noticed I had the capitals locked down, getting old and senile I guess.

[Bigfife]

I fillet perch and walleyes that way, but I do crappies and bluegills another way. I cut along the dorsal fin and around the rib cage first.

[Stratosman]

I keep it simple as possible.

Cut behind gill, run knife up to, not through, rib cage, once past the ribs, push it through and cut the rest of the way along the backbone, but I leave the filet on that side for now, flip over and repeat, it is easier to filet the other side with the meat still on the first side. Remove the meat by fileting over the ribs, you can pretty much tear the meat from the ribs, repeat on first side. Skin them and your done.

[The Yeti]

Up and over the rib cage also. I find that filleting smaller fish this way is easier. Once you get used to it. Bigger fish, I cut all the way through and then cut the rib bones out.

[RandyR]

I start with a cut behind the gills, turn fish belly side away, slide the knife point along vertical bones until I reach the rib cage, I do not sever these bones. I follow the back bone until I clear th ribs, then slide knife completely through fish and continue to the tail. Lay knife flat and slide blade back until you again reach rib cage. Spread filet to give access to ribs and slide knife tight to rib bones until you reach the belly area, cut fillet free and skin in the usual way. No rib cage or bones to deal with, takes me about 15 seconds per side.

[jltimm]

The most help to cleaning any fish,(especially panfish) is an electric filet knife!They work awesome for me!

[Hibbing]

Teach your wife and kids how to do it for you!

[msm1018]

what I do and it gets a lot of the meat off with out waisting any of it. I cut right behind the fin behind gills and cut down, then I cut down the backbone down to the ribs without cutting into them, then poke down behind the rib cage and finish down the tail. then cut off the fillet down by at the bottom. works like a charm.

[Tripleplay]

I second that--kids or should I say son is in training! Lessons are ongoing at my home as often as possible so that maybe someday I won't have to do it all.

Commenting on the actual intent of this thread: I have usually removed the fillets by cutting the ribs and then removing but I've been starting to use the method most everyone is describing with very good success.

[MRWALLEYE2005]

Sunfish are the hard ones, got any quick filleting methods besides scaling.

[viking_fan]

I go up and over the ribs and then down.

But when I go over the ribs I like to use the wifes small pearing knife.

That little 2 1/2" blade makes things a whole lot easier.

[Tripleplay]

I agree that a small very flexible fillet knife is a requirement for this. The best panfish cleaner I've ever seen in action uses a Rapala knife that has been sharpened so many times that it can't be one-half the size it started at. You can almost flex it into a circle if need be!

I never thought about a paring knife--great tip!

[tweeder]

Those jokes about teaching the kids to do it are funny!

I am not a kid any more but for years it seems like my old man can't be found until there are only a couple of fish left. Guess I am just going to have to get my own kids because the wife sure isn't going to do it!

[The_Duckslayer]

I have the Rapala battery/electric knife. Cut down to the back bone just behuind the gills and follow the backbone all the way to the tail. Flip the meat over and filet it off the skin. Hand it over to the Lil Mrs and with a fillet knife she cuts the bones out. We are not to concerned about the meat on the outside of the rib cage as there is just not that much there. That system works for all fish that I catch except bullheads, but then they are a whole nuther story. Take care and N Joy the Hunt././Jimbo

[BK19]

the panhandler check it out http://www2.powercom.net/~panhandler/

[M.T. Bucket]

Looks like the main difference here is whether you cut through the ribs or around them. Personally, on any species I fillet, I cut through the ribs--it seems faster. I usually use my Mr. Twister electric knife, but not always. I hate cleaning frozen fish. Sometimes I'll just gut a trout, other times I'll fillet it. Sometimes I'll behead and skin bullheads and catfish, other times I'll fillet them.

Generally when I fish with my dad or my brother-in-law I get the fish cleaning duty...and passing it to my wife, forget about it.

[The_Duckslayer]

Quote:

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Generally when I fish with my dad or my brother-in-law I get the fish cleaning duty...and passing it to my wife, forget about it.

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Well I did forget to add that only happens on the trips that she goes on and participates in the catching of the fish. We both sit out on the driveway cleaning fish... Guess that I just lucked out with my Lil Mrs. Have a good one and N Joy the Hunt././Jimbo