Northern Bones!!!

[fishinaddict]

How the heck do you get the bones out of a northern

[rtwills]

Any size fish will do. The method used is the same, but a 3-5 pounder is just about perfect. Start by making an incision along the belly and through the tough area between the two posterior ventral fins. Some guys like to go around these fins instead of taking them out later. I think it's just a matter of personal preference... this way works better for me.

Next, keeping firm pressure on the back of the knife blade, cut along the backbone, all the way to the tail and remove the fillet.

The first step now is to remove the rib cage. This requires a very shallow cut, since the rib cage on a northern does not go deeply into the fish as it does in a walleye. Slide the knife just under the white body cavity lining and, again keeping pressure on the back side of the knife, cut toward the belly and remove the rib bones.

Now comes what I think to be the easy part. Simply locate the "dotted line" that runs almost the length of the fillet. This is the one of the tips of the "y". (Running the knife blade over it will make it more visible.)

Just above the dotted line, cut straight down and along the line until the tip of the knife blade clicks on the bones. The long side of the y- bone runs into the fish and towards the dorsal/back side.

Now locate the "bottom" or ventral part of the y-bone. It is found about a half-centimeter or so below the "dotted line". Cut in and now under the y-bone and follow the same lateral line as you did for the top of the y-bone. Put pressure again on the back of the knife blade and cut upward to meet the edge of the dorsal cut.

Now gently lift out the strip of flesh containing the entire set of y-bones. This method will allow you to save a great deal of the fish that would normally be discarded using other methods.

And there you have it... two great fillets of northern pike, totally void of any bones.

All you need to do now is remove the skin, choose your favorite recipe and enjoy some of the best fish that you have ever tasted! One of my favorites is Mesquite Grilled Margarita Pike (shown at right) served with Spanish Rice and Spinach Salad with Hot Bacon Dressing.