Fish scaler or paint mixer

[IFallsRon]

I saw an ad over the weekend for a product for scaling a mess of fish. It's a five-gallon bucket and a large-paddled tool you hook onto a drill to beat the scales off. It looks more like a paint mixer. Costs around $50. Unless I'm taking more than my limit, why would I need that?

[LOWinEYEin]

Yeah, I think it was at Fleet farm. I personally don't think it'll wotk very good. "when finished the meat will be nice and tender" ( but you must use a strainer!)

.........Nummy

[grab da net]

THE DING DANGLIEST FISHSCALINEST CONTRAPTION EVER INVENTED.
I DON'T HAPPEN TO OWN ONE,BUT I WITNESSED ONE IN USE AT A SPORTSHOW AND LET ME TELL YOU IT SCALES'S OFF A MESS OF OL CRAPPINS OR SUNNYFISH QUICKER'N YOU CAN SAY SLIME. JUST SLIP A SHARP OL FILLET KNIFE ALONG THE BONE AND FRY EM UP WITH THE HIDE ON EM AND YOU GOT SUM TASTY LITTLE TIDBITS.

[Ishmel]

I spend quite a bit of time fishing for panfish with the priest at my church and he has one of these contraptions. He's had his for 5 or 6 years and I'll tell you this - The thing works GREAT! (and I don't even work for the company.) I've been looking for one ever since I first used his. If you keep and eat a lot of panfish, this bucket works very well. One other benefit with crappies is that once they're scaled, they're not so slimy to fillet.

I think the fillets are a little better with the skin on, personally. Yummy.

This thing is on the top of my christmas list this year.

[This message has been edited by Ishmel (edited 12-02-2003).]

[doubleUcubed]

They have been around for many years. I think some of the first one's made were made out in Clinton, MN. I bought one for my Dad but he hasn't used it. The people I know who have them say they are excellent at scaling the sunnies and crappies and it does not rip the skin apart. You have to fill it with the right amount of water and the drill needs to be at a certain rpm, 2 minutes and they are done!!

[Scott Steil]

I have had one since 1991. They can work pretty slick. You need a good drill to make them work. It is important to get the right amount of water in the bucket. Some of the fish will get bruised but I don't think it affects the taste at all. You can do a limit of crappies in a minute I would say...20 gills in maybe 3 minutes. You still have to check each fish as you clean it but usually it does a great job. It will scale the gills, fins, eyes etc.

------------------
Mille Lacs Guide Service
www.millelacsguideservice.com

[big_fish_guy]

HUH?

anyway, does anyone really scale fish anymore? What is the advantage?
Ya, I saw the add too. I must admit, I am skeptical.

[Mueske]

As a dockboy on Cass/Itasca County lakes in the 70s and early 80s I met lots of people from other Midwestern states who loved to scale their fish. We hated the mess as few would even attempt to do it themselves. What really raised my ire were the few I'd find who REMOVED the skin from fillets after scaling!!! They claimed better flavor resulted from their efforts. *AARRRRGGGH!

Kevin

[merc]

I fillet all my fish but my dad had one of these a while back. If you run the drill at the correct speed and don't scale them too long it workes pretty good. Sometimes though he overdid it and beat the heck out of them. He later bought an old commercial potato peeler at an auction and this thing is fantastic, doesn't bruise the fish and removes all the scales. A lady had one and cleans fish for a living, that is where he got the idea from. There are a bunch of people I know who want to buy it from him as these are hard to find but he will never sell it. Just thought I would let you know if you ever find one this is the real deal!!!

[rmh2o]

I just use my old metal ice scoop to scale the fish out on the ice a couple of swipes on each side and your done.just make sure you do it before they freeze.

[Barnabas]

I fish big Winnie every spring and there's always a few Wisconsites dumping perch into one of those scaling contraptions at the end of the day. The scaler of choice seems to be a large metal drum with hundreds of nail holes punched in the sides. The drum spins around with the aid of an electric motor and the perch come out looking like they were mauled. I saw a fella in the cleaning shack one time with what looked to be a bottle cap glued onto the end of his electric fillet knife. The scales were flying everywhere. Hard to believe folks would travel hundreds of miles to a premier walleye lake in May to fish Perch. Go figure. I think Fleet Farm is headquartered in WI so that explains the product advertisement.