pike cleaning video

[dirtcar31]

CAN ANYONE GIVE THIS OLD INDIANA GUY A HAND WE DON'T HAVE TOO MANY PIKE HERE BUT I'M GOING TO LAKE KABETOGAMA NEXT AUGUST A NEED SOME PIKE CLEANING SKILLS SO ANY VIDEO WOULD BE HELPFUL THANKS FELLAS

[Random guy]

dirtcar31 send me an email I can help ya out.

[eskay]

dirtcar,

Pick up the Rapala fish cleaning video. It shows you how to fillet the pike and remove all bones. It's the best one I've seen, and easy to follow as you are watching it instead of reading a description. Should be around 10 bucks.

[Big G]

You don't need a video!!!

Just clean them the same way as you would a walleye, however I prefer pike in the 10 to 15 pound range. That way, the "Y" bones peel right out and makes it easy to eat!!!

Ain't that right, Jonny!!!!!!

[Random guy]

I don't know. I have never kept one.

[Big G]

LOL!!!!!!!

I'm just messing around.....

It really isn't that hard, once you clean one or two. However, fish under 5lbs, it is almost impossible to take out the "Y" bone and still have some meat left.....It can be done, but there is alot of waste.

When removing the "Y" bone, you have to "feel" with your fingers, for the location of the bone and just gently work it out by dragging a VERY SHARP knife along the bones, peeling back the meat.

Once you figure out which way to start at the "Y" bone, it does become easy........It is just alot of waste!

[smmurphy]

I usually broil or grill my pike - then I don't have to worry about the y bones and they almost fall out when it is done cooking.

[ScottND]

[Good info, I cut it pasted it for you. Jonny P]

The process involves four basic steps. The first is the traditional filleting or removing the skin from the flesh.

As for any meat processing, a sharp and flexible fillet knife makes a world of difference between an easy task and a frustrating one.

Once the fillet is removed from the skin, the second step is to remove the rib bones. In this step, the cut should be started along the top edge of the rib cage. The knife blade should be roughly parallel to the cutting board and the cut made with the blade angled slightly toward the board.

Begin the cut on either end of the rib cage and work the blade down along the rib bones toward the belly, On a fish of more than four or five pounds, the rib bones are thick enough so upward pressure on the knife will ensure a cut close to the rib bones so no meat is wasted.

The next step is to remove the first boneless strip of meat located along the back. Make this cut initially at 90 degrees to the cutting board along the top side of the visible Y-bones. These visible bones are one of position the short arms of the Y-bone. This portion of the Y-bone can usually be distinguished in fresh fillets as small white dots at the surface which extend about three-quarters of the length of the fillet toward the tail. Larger diameter dots are more easily seen toward the head end of the fillet. If white dots are not easily visible, they can be felt by running a finger along the area above where the ribs were removed.

After the 90-degree cut has been completed along the top side of the Y-bones, the knife is angled to cut roughly parallel to the board and toward the top of the fillet. The cut will run along the top of the long arms of the Y-bones. Maintain slight downward pressure to keep in contact with the bones as this cut is made. Bones become smaller and less prevalent toward the tail end. The final product from this step is a boneless strip of flesh.

With the first boneless strip already removed from the top of the fillet, start the last cut. This cut is initiated along the length of the fillet about one-quarter inch below the cut made to take out the first boneless strip. This cut actually follows down along the opposite side of the short arm of the Y-bones and along the back side of the long arm of the Y-bone, Again, with upward and outward pressure toward the top of the fillet, you will be able to feel when the knife is running along the bone.

The final product shows boneless strips on top and bottom and the waste strip containing Y-bones in the middle. Some waste is evident along the Y-bones, but a minimal amount. This technique produces excellent boneless pike, but like any filleting, may seem cumbersome at first. Be patient and practice, knowing you may lose more meat than you would like on your first few fish.

Above all, use a sharp, flexible fillet knife because de-boning is a game of angles and following along bones. A regular or dull knife just won't work.

[proguide]

There is a great pike cleaning video on the internet on a site called Why-Fish or something.

[MJCatfish]

There is an excellent video on http://www.why-fish.com

Hope it's okay to post this site. If not, sorry!

MJ

[ibwhnt]

Wow that was very well done. I'm glad to see someone took the bull by the horns and do something that helps us anglers. Congrats on a very well done video.

[Fishin Beast]

Agreed that was a very good video. I have never known how to clean a pike, well now I do. The gf catches alot of pike and always asks why we dont keep any of them. Well now I can tell her if she can catch one in the 5-6# range, maybe I will give it a shot.

[Blue Kayak]

Thanks for sharing that video link. I'm the only one that eats fish in my family, so it's mostly catch and release. However, the next pike might be in trouble.

[fiskyknut]

Quote:

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There is a great pike cleaning video on the internet on a site called Why-Fish or something.

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Now that is funny, "why-fish or something"??? How can you not know the name of your own HSOforum? LOL!

BTW, you did a good job on your vid there C-E-P!

It's the millenium, may as well come out of the closet eh, you can switch your 'handle' on this site ya know!

Gots to fun with you a bit with this one eh!

fiskyknut, here and there.