de-boning fillets

[bkft]

Hey Everyone,
I'm just curious as to what your favorite method of de-boning fillets is? I learned how to fillet from my dad, like many of you, and he never tried to remove any bones (other than the ribs of course). We just pick them out as we eat.
I have a friend who recently learned what he called the "zipper" method. I guess he makes 2 cuts along the center of the fillet, then removes the middle strip entirely. He swears by it.
Any thoughts?

John

[bart simpson]

I know of a site on the internet that has descriptions of how to fillet various types of fish. I don't want to post it as Rick may not wish it to be listed. Post your e-mail and I will give you the link.

Nick

[bkft]

Thanks, Nick. It's [email protected]

[Beef46]

The "Un-Zip" method is by No-Bones-About-It.

I saw this too and thought about ordering the tape. Maybe I will have to now knowing someone has tried it and it works.

[Guest]

For all fish except pike, I just fillet them out as normal and then cut out the bones in the fillet after all skin has been removed. You waste a lttle bit of meat versus "picking" through the fillet while eating, but at least you don't have to worry about you or the kids choking to death. Pike have a whole different bones structure. I know how to clean them boneless, but it is kind of difficult to explain. You end up with 5 fillets the way I do it. You can do it almost the same way I do and end up with 2 fillets (legal for transporting). I prefer the 5 fillet method as it is easier for me to do. It's all up to individual taste I guess.

[Little_Bones]

I think most fish get cleaned the same. The northern pike are just a little different. I have seen the 5 fillet method, but that seems wayyyy to complicated.
I will try to explain the way I learned from a pro filleter on Rainy Lake.... First take the pike and cut the two bottom fins off as they have to be cut off. then I slit the belly starting at the anus slit up to the head. Seperate two fillets just like I would any with any fish. Now I have two fillets. I remove the rib bone just like any other fish. Now for the imfamous Y-bones. I take the knife at a 45 degree angle and cut along the line on the backbone cutting towards the top of the fish. Don't cut to far, once I start cutting I try to start angling the knive up as it won't cut through the y bones. Depending on the size of the fish I cut 1/2" to an inch all along that backbone. My Final cut is on the head end of the fish. I take that end of the fish and cut a "handle" about one-inch long where the ybones are. I lay the knife flat under the "handle" that I cut to hold the fillet down, with my other hand I take the handle and pull towards the tail. All of the Y-bones stick together and voila you have in your hand a strip of y-bones that you discard. Still sitting on the skin is a perfect fillet minus the rib bones and y-bones. Works great on Pike 20" and over, and the fish should be cool. It sounds complicated, but if you are in the Duluth area or Sturgeon Lake area I would be happy to show anyone how easy it is to fillet a northen. It ends up be the same amounts of cuts as a 'eye' plus 2 additional cuts. Take about the same time to fillet a pike as a 'eye'. Nothing like a boneless Pike fillet cooked up. MMM MMM GOod
Jim

[monticello coach]

Nick would you send me the link please?

[email protected]

Thank you!

[climbmda]

With pike, I fillet them just like everything else. I remove the y bones after they are cooked. Just make a shallow cut (you will feel the bones when you get there) about 1/3 of the way up from the center line, on the thicker lobe of the fillet. Then turn it over, and make a matching shallow cut on the other side. Pull the two pieces apart, and all the y bones will be sticking out for you to grab. It's really easy, and saves effort during cleaning.

[Finns]

Nick; it is finns3 at stjoelive dot com

Thanks Finns

[bart simpson]

Youv'e got mail...hopefully!

Nick

[rappin jack]

Theres an article in this weeks outdoor news on how to get the Y bones out of northerns....

[This message has been edited by rappin jack (edited 07-05-2004).]

[dfv87]

I make the 2 cuts to "zip" out the bomes always on my eyes I fillet. I have kids who have learned to love eating fish, I think because I absolutely make sure NO BONES! You do lose some small amounts of meat but as you get better at it you won't hardly notice any missing. I also "cube" or cut the fish into smaller pieces to cook faster and then people don't waste fish when they cannot finish a piece. That irks me!

[rappin jack]

I have never had bones in a walleye . How are you cleaning them?

[eyesontonka]

Hey jack

I think the fish you clean are small enough that you dont notice the bones...Now the picture i took of you releasing the 27 incher is another story..Since you pickle your pike i'm sure those get chewed up with the rest of the fish..but on the other hand you have a mouth that can withstand any thing...give me a call later today..i would like to try your fishing hole 1 more time before fall if i could..I need my raps back tooooooooo along with my tools

[This message has been edited by eyesontonka (edited 07-09-2004).]

[Borch]

For removing Y Bones there have been a couple of threads in the expert info thread on it.

Here's the link to the most recent.

http://fishingminnesota.com/ubb/Forum9/HTML/003620.html

Borch

[The Grebe]

Until one of the boys got me an electric fillet knife for Christmas last year, I used a Western Brand fillet knife that I won in a fishing contest, over 30 years ago.

Won it with a 15 pound pike out of Medicine Lake, off the dock, by the bait shop that used to be on the west side of the lake, but I digress...back to the subject!

The sides come off the carcass, the rib bones out of the sides, the fillet off the skin.

At the center of the fillet and back to about even with the vent, there is a string of bones, run your fingers along this area and you will feel them. Working from back to front, cut along each side and remove the thin strip they are connected to and "Voila" truely bonless fish!

Pike, Suckers, Whitefish, and probably a few other fish I don't know about, seem to have a different bone configuration and it requires a different approach.

Another approach is to start in the area of these side bones, above the lateral line bones and working front to back, in an arcing stroke, just cut out the whole area!

[Swamp Scooter]

Saw the "No bones about it" booth at the Game Fair. It is now on cd-rom! Might have to get one. I had an old tape but lent it out and never got it back.