Warning: This article contains graphic images of fish filleting that some readers may find disturbing.

And I am certain you likely know just how tedious a task it is to pick the y-bones out of a cooked northern pike. It is simply a royal pain in the rear, and every bite seems to have a bone in it, just waiting to choke you. It is virtually impossible to enjoy the fish, no matter how fresh or how well prepared it might be.

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It’s Easier Than You Think

The longer version of the story about my first pike is in my book on Filleting Freshwater Game Fish. The short version is that the process of removing those bones is far easier than most think. I’d like to share it with you so that your next catch and meal consisting of northern pike will be far more enjoyable!

As always, proper equipment is the rule of the day. A sharp knife is extremely important.

Any size northern will do, but I have found that the larger the fish, the whiter the flesh and milder the taste. So, if that is your main concern, go for the ones that are 4-5 pounds and larger. However, the smaller ones can taste just as good.

Filleting Northern Pike Instructions

Step 1

The first step is to make an incision – starting just behind the head – along the belly of the fish, between and just beyond the two posterior, ventral fins. Some guys like to go around these fins (or even cut them out first, using a “V-shaped” notch). They claim it is easier, and they don’t have to deal with them later. I believe that it is just personal preference and I prefer to remove them later. This first cut is illustrated in the photo above.

Step 2

Next, while securely holding the pike by the head, make a cut downward to the backbone and, turning the knife and keeping pressure on the back side of the blade, cut along the backbone and all the way down to the tail of the fish and remove the fillet. Turn the fish onto the other side and remove the second fillet as shown.

Now that you have two nice fillets, the next step is to remove the bones of the rib cage. This is a fairly simple task and is similar to a method used to remove the rib bones from a walleye. The difference here is that a much shallower cut is required, since the rib cage on a northern does not go as deeply into the fish as it does on a walleye.

Slide your knife just under the white body cavity lining and, again keeping pressure on the back side of the blade, cut toward the belly. It helps to keep very slight pressure on the body cavity lining and back side of the fillet knife with your other hand so that the blade does not stray any deeper than needed into the flesh of the fish.

When the knife blade slides out near the belly, you will have removed all of the rib bones. I have also removed the ventral fins as mentioned in the first step (note the V-shaped notch on the right side of the fillet in the above photo).

Note: The belly of the fish is where the majority of the fat is, and fat is where toxins are stored. With a larger northern, I generally remove some of this fat – perhaps a strip of a quarter of an inch or so.

Now comes what I believe to be the easy part; this step is crucial to having a bone-free fillet. Simply locate the “dotted line” that runs almost the entire length of the fillet (the knife in the above photo is pointing to a single dot in the line). This is actually one of the tips of the Y in the dreaded y-bone.

Picture the letter “Y” lying on its side with the stem running up towards the back of the fish. What you are really looking at when you see the “dotted line” is the tip of one the “legs” of the y-bone.
Run the sharpened edge of the knife blade gently along this row of dots and you will not only hear the clicking of the blade as it catches on the bones, you will also make the row more visible.
You are now ready to remove the entire row of y-bones in the fillet.

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

Follow the leg of the Y, cutting down and then out toward the back/dorsal side of the fish but do not allow the knife blade to exit the fillet.

As shown above, the stem of the y-bone is exposed.

Now locate the “bottom” tip or ventral part of the y-bone. That tip, identified in the illustration below, is found about a half-centimeter or so below the “dotted line” (just beneath the knuckle of my ring finger).

Cut in and now under the y-bone, following along the same lateral line as you did for the top side of the y-bone. The photos above and below illustrate this process.
Again, be sure to put pressure on the back of the knife blade and cut inward and upward to meet the edge of the dorsal cut. Just imagine yourself cutting along the outside of the “Y” bone as shown with the dime, three photos above.

Now gently lift out the strip of flesh that contains the entire set of y-bones. (A small bit of extra cutting may be necessary in the event that you have not gotten both cuts to meet exactly at the end of the “Y”.)

This method will allow you to save a great deal of the fish that would normally be discarded using other methods; the only flesh that will be lost will be the small piece that lies between the “legs” of the y-bones. If you are careful, the extra bit of time required will be well worth the effort; a boneless fillet of fresh northern pike is as good tasting as any fish that will grace your table!

And there you have it… two fillets of great-tasting northern pike, totally void of any bones. (Notice that in the above photo, I have left all of the belly meat on the fillet – this is the white area in the photograph.

Since large predator fish like pike are found towards the top of the food chain, they will tend to have higher concentrations of chemicals like PCBs and mercury in fatty tissue areas like the belly. My suggestion is to cut out the majority – or at least a large portion – of the belly meat and avoid the risk of ingesting undue amounts of unwanted chemicals.

Besides, you’ve just saved a lot of good meat anyway by using this method.) All you have to do now is to remove the skin, prep the fillets for your favorite recipe and enjoy some of the best fish that you have ever tasted!

A very important note worth mentioning here is that the “slime” on any fish – and it is especially abundant on a northern pike – is there to help protect the fish from disease. It will lend an unpleasant taste to the fish if not thoroughly rinsed off the fish prior to preparing the fillet for dinner or for freezing.

One of my most favorite ways to prepare fresh northern pike is a recipe that I call Mesquite-Grilled Margarita Pike. Using a fish right out of the lake. Preparing it in this way will provide some of the best flavor that you can imagine. In fact, it will even be hard to believe that you are eating northern pike. This and many other fish recipes can be found in the Recipes section of this website.

The post Fillet Northern Pike & Remove the Y-Bones appeared first on On the Lake.

Warning: This article contains graphic images of fish filleting that some readers may find disturbing.

I don’t remember when I caught my first small mouth bass, and I certainly don’t remember the first one that I ate. I do remember the first one that I attempted to fillet: it was a disaster. I originally tried to fillet a bass using the same method that I had learned to fillet a walleye. Boy was that a mistake! The rib cage bones are very thick – even on the smaller fish – and as tough as nails, literally. There’s a much better way.

Comments from Readers

“I just wanted to take a moment to thank you for your article on cleaning bass. I found your article very helpful in cleaning my first bass. (I have only cleaned catfish before today.)”
“The description and pictures were both great.” (W.M.)

“Thanks for your fish cleaning tips!” (S.G.)

“Good exhibits on filleting.” (T & L)

Smallmouth Bass Filleting Instructions

Filleting a smallmouth is very similar to filleting a bluegill with the exception that the bass is usually much larger and often much fatter, although with a bone structure that is much the same.

Start by placing the fish belly-side towards you and fish head on your left. Again, note that this description is for a right-handed person – rotate the fish through 180 degrees if you are left-handed. Make the first cut down and into the fish just behind the pectoral fin, stopping at the backbone.

Then, rotate the fish and, starting at the top or backbone side of the fish – and using the tip of the blade – cut through the skin and along the backbone…to a point at approximately the end/back of the dorsal fin.

As with a bluegill, the cut here will not be very deep: you need to cut only to the point at which the ribs attach to the backbone. The rib cage stops at a point just about where the dorsal fin ends.

Now insert the knife all the way through the fish so that it emerges on the belly side. Make sure the knife blade stays above the backbone/spine of the fish. Keeping pressure on the flat side of the knife, continue the cut toward the back of the fish, eventually exiting at the tail. At this point, the fillet is attached only at the bottom of the rib cage and the belly.

Lift the slab of the fillet and use the tip of the knife to begin to cut the meat away from the ribs. Work from the back of the fish and, following the curve of the rib cage, cut down along the ribs toward the belly and toward the front of the rib cage. The curve of the ribs is very steep and can be difficult to follow. As I have said many times, practice makes perfect, so be patient.

The very last cut to make will be the one through the belly that separates the fillet from the carcass.

Flip the fish over onto the other side and repeat the process. You will find that one side always seems to be easier than the other. This will be normal until you have filleted many fish… on a fairly regular basis. I find that my first few every year are a little rough – but it all comes back pretty quickly.

The only thing left to do now is to remove the skin from the fillet. Oddly enough, this is the one task that is sometimes made simpler by the use of a “less-than-sharp” knife.
The reason is that a really sharp knife too often cuts right through the skin halfway through the process and makes further removal difficult. I’m not suggesting that you change knives at this point… simply be careful to insure that the blade of the knife doesn’t get angled down too steeply.

At this point, you are mostly finished. Due to the anatomy of the fish, there will still be about 6-8 pieces of rib bones remaining in the fillet that will be a half-inch or so in length. They will extend vertically into the fillet and are located along the lateral line.

I have observed some anglers actually cut out a large V-shaped portion of the fillet to achieve a “totally” boneless fillet. It is effective, to be sure… but it does waste a lot of meat. Another, alternative method, is to remove these several pieces by hand, or grab a small pliers to do the job.

Left in the fillet, they obviously must be removed at the dinner table. In any case, it is surely a small price to pay for one of the better tasting freshwater fish available.

Good luck and good eating. Make sure to check the recipe section of our website for Bass Veronique.

The post Filleting Smallmouth Bass appeared first on On the Lake.

Warning: This article contains images of fish filleting that some readers may find disturbing.

About ten years ago, I was taken to a small lake for the singular purpose of catching ‘gills for a fish fry. I was pretty skeptical until, among a four-boat group, we returned with over 150 of the little guys in about an hour’s worth of fishing. Filleting them was another matter: the size and anatomy of the fish make filleting them something of a chore. But when I tasted the results, it was I who was literally hooked.

On my annual journey north to vacation in Minnesota, I now make a point of setting aside one day just for bluegill fishing. We always manage to bring back 50 or 60 for a fish fry. The best ones – if you can locate them – are about the size of your hand. I struggled through filleting my first several; a friend then showed me how. It’s not difficult, but it does require some time because you need a lot of fish for a good fry.

By the way, if you have a great spot for catching blue gills, it is a tremendous way to get a kid hooked on fishing. The action can be fast and furious when they start to hit, and it can be tough to keep your line in the water. Sometimes the boat can be anchored, and bobbers can be used. Or, if the location is right, all the fun can be had from shore!

Filleting Instructions

Start by placing the fish belly side towards you with the head of the fish on your left. (Again, this method is for a right-handed person.) Make the first cut down and into the fish just behind the pectoral fin. This cut is also illustrated in the Filleting Bass article.

Then, rotate the fish through almost 180 degrees so that the dorsal or back side of the fish is facing you and, starting at the back of the head, use the tip of the knife to cut through the tough skin and to a point that is located just about at the end of the dorsal fin. (This is almost identical to the cut one would make along the back of a smallmouth bass when filleting it (see my Filleting Small Mouth Bass article). The cut here will not be very deep – you only need to cut to the point where the ribs attach to the backbone. Be careful not to cut through the ribs.

The point at the end of the dorsal fin is approximately where the rib cage stops. Now push the knife blade all the way through the fish and out the belly side. Make sure the knife blade stays above the backbone/spine of the fish. Maintaining downward pressure on the flat side of the knife, continue cutting back toward and finally through and out at the tail. At this point, the fillet is only attached at the rib cage and the belly.

Now, lifting the small slab of the fillet, use the tip of the knife to begin to separate the meat from the rib cage. I find it easier to start at the rear of the rib cage/back of the fish.
Cut downward, following the curve of the rib cage, and gradually working your way forward towards the front of the rib cage. The curve of the rib cage is rather steep and therefore somewhat difficult to follow – as always, a sharp knife is a must, and practice makes perfect. Larger bluegills make this process a bit easier.

The last cut to make will be through the belly: the one that allows you to detach the fillet from the carcass. Repeat the process for the other side of the fish. You may find, as I do, that one side always seems to be a bit easier than the other – especially at first.
Slide the knife between the skin and meat to remove the skin (see my article on Removing the Skin from Fish Fillets) and what is left should be a nice little boneless fillet. If the ‘gills are fairly large, four to six fillets per person will do rather nicely for a fish fry… although it depends upon how hungry you are after cleaning all those fish!

I even use bluegills now to make what I call Kab Cakes (almost better than Crab Cakes). Kab Cakes are a great way to use your catch of bluegills but can be made with any combination of fish. (They are very similar to crab cakes, but use freshwater fish instead of crab.)

The cakes have an outstanding flavor, are easy to make, and are perfect for breakfast, lunch, dinner or even as an appetizer. The best part is that the recipe can be made in advance and then assembled at the last minute.

We’ve dubbed this recipe “Kab” Cakes since they were first made with fresh fish from Lake Kabetogama, Minnesota. Make them with fresh fish from your favorite fishing spot!
The recipe for Kab Cakes can be found in the Recipe section of the On the Lake.

The post How to Fillet Bluegills & Other Panfish appeared first on On the Lake.

WARNING: This article contains graphic images of fish filleting that some readers may find disturbing.

No electricity and no running water, except for a pump in the kitchen sink and the “facilities” were about 30 yards behind the cabin. The lake was full of leeches; bears kept us in the cabin at night. However, it was some of the best walleye fishing I have ever experienced. In fact, I remember one particular afternoon during which a “triple” was more of the rule than the exception.

But more importantly, I saw my first walleye filleted by a family friend who was also on the trip. Ray was a great outdoorsman with a belly laugh that would make anyone join in. And after the stringer of walleye was brought in, he was as fast as lightning with a fillet knife. In fact, he was faster than anyone I have ever seen, before or since. I later nicknamed him “30-Second Ray” – and the finished fillet was as if prepared by a surgeon.

I thought: “this is easy” and asked if I could give it a try. I failed miserably on my first attempt (a 1½-pound walleye was reduced to a patch of flesh about 6 inches long; Ray exploded with laughter), but I swore I would learn to emulate his expertise. After watching a good many fishermen and “dock boys” who were experts at the task – and a lot of practice – I managed to hone my own skills. And, after 30 years of filleting walleyes using the same method I learned from my mentor, I actually got pretty good – albeit never as fast.

One summer, a resort owner in northern Minnesota showed me a different way. I was amazed at how easy it was. The finished product yielded as much if not more fillet, and the method seemed even easier. Ray is now long gone, but wherever he is; I know he would be proud of me.

Walleyes are some of the most sought-after fish in any lake. If you have not yet seen or don’t know this method, I hope that the text and graphics that follow will help you to learn it.

Filleting Walleye Instructions

Start as you might normally start, with the fish belly towards you and fish head on your left. (This method would be used by a right-handed person; simply rotate the position of the head 180 degrees to the right if you are left-handed.) Make the first cut down and into the fish just behind the pectoral fin, stopping at the backbone. Need a recommendation for a good fillet knife? Read my article about knives.

Then, turn the knife and, keeping pressure on the back of the blade, cut along the backbone and through the rib cage all the way through to the tail and out. The whole side of the fish comes off and the rest of the rib cage remains attached to the fillet.

Turn the fish over so that the back or dorsal side is now facing you. Repeat the process. You now have two fillets with rib bones intact and waiting to be removed.

From here, I originally learned to remove the rib cage by placing the fillet skin-side down and cutting down behind the ribs and then out to the belly, following the curve of the rib cage with my knife.

I did OK and eventually got very good at removing the rib cage…. But trying to follow the curve of the ribs down and toward the skin was difficult and somewhat inefficient. The angle was steep, and it was easy to waste good meat.

This “new” method has me place the rib cage-side of the fillet down. It is more effective and actually easier. More importantly, placing the rib cage side down, you can help to flatten the rib cage, making it easier to follow the curve of the ribs.

No matter which of the two fillets you are going to debone, place the knife at the anterior (front) end of the fillet and just above the rib cage. Use one hand to apply downward pressure to the fish – and the rib cage – to flatten out the rib bones.

Cut towards the belly of the fish and gradually work toward the posterior or tail of the fish, allowing the knife to simply follow along and just above the now-flattened rib cage. Flattening the ribs makes the cut easier and straighter and results in less waste of good fillet.

The result will be two very nice fillets that are truly boneless and ready for your favorite recipe; all that is left for you to do is to remove the skin (see my article about Removing the Skin from Fish Fillets).
As always, it will take a little practice to get good at this. I know you will like the results, and no bones will be left in the fillets. All you need to do is to skin the fillets and enjoy some fresh walleye! If you’d like to see a video of this fish filleting method, watch R. Karl’s YouTube video!

And… if you don’t already save the “cheeks” from your walleyes, I encourage you to do so. These morsels are easily removed and considered to be the “fillet mignon” of the walleye. The cheek socket is shallow and bowl-shaped and lies just behind the eye of the fish. Just cut down, around and back up, following the contour of the cheek socket. Then slip the knife between the skin and the meat and separate the two.

The cheeks can be used to make several fish dishes as well as one of my favorite hors d’oeuvres: Walleye Cheek Dip. This and several other delicious walleye recipes can be found in the Recipes section of this website.

The post Filleting Walleye and Sauger – Step by Step appeared first on On the Lake.

Removing the skin from a walleye (shown here), bass, northern pike, bluegill or any fish for that matter – is easy, especially when compared to, say, cleaning a bass or removing the y-bones from pike.

If you have some sort of gripper – skinning pliers work well – that makes holding the fish skin easier, by all means use it. Otherwise, grab hold of the very tail of the fillet using your left hand (I’ll assume that you are right-handed) with the rest of the fillet pointed away from you.

With your fillet knife, cut down at an angle just until you reach the skin (obviously being careful not to cut through the skin… which is very easy to do) and begin to slide the knife between the flesh and the skin.

Keeping pressure on the back side of the blade, move the knife toward the other end of the fillet, ensuring that the blade stays at a very shallow angle between the meat and the skin.

At this point and with your left hand, you can actually begin to pull the tail away and in a direction opposite to the way the knife is moving.

While pulling, if you move the tail in sort of a horizontal S-curve/back and forth motion, it makes the task easier. The skin will peel off like it is hardly attached… and voila, you have a boneless, and now skinless fillet!  Just make sure to keep the knife blade at as shallow an angle as possible.

I hope that helps. It, too, may take a bit of practice, but far less than removing the y-bones from a pike!. Once the skin is off, there are a multitude of possibilities in terms of the way to prepare your now boneless and skinless fillet: fried is very good and how most folks seem to enjoy it. You can even try your fillet sautéed, stir-fried, baked, horseradish encrusted or – well, you get the idea.  Check my recipe section for some great ideas!

But some time when you get some really fresh northern pike – a 3- or 4-pounder works really well – try the Mesquite-Grilled Margarita Pike recipe. I’ve never had a bad review!

And contrary to popular opinion – myth actually – that many mistakenly believe, the bigger the pike, the whiter the meat, and the better the flavor. Walleye, by the way, is exactly the opposite. Those really big ‘eyes (over 17-19 inches) are tough, and do not have the almost sweet flavor of the smaller fish.

The post Removing the Skin from Walleye & Other Fish appeared first on On the Lake.

WARNING: This article contains graphic images of fish filleting that some readers may find disturbing.

In my book, Filleting Freshwater Game Fish: Northern, Walleye, Bass and Bluegill, I have dedicated the very first chapter to knives. Why? Well, when it comes to filleting, the right tool is essential to getting the job done well! What sets a fish filleting knife apart is its blade, and a god blade is crucial to getting the job done right.

If you have filleted as many fish as I have, you will eventually have access to and the opportunity to use a variety of different knives. Sooner or later, you are bound to find one brand that works best for you.

Over the years, I have tried numerous brands of filleting knives (Normark, Rapala, Wüsthof, Zwilling J.A. Henckels, and Chicago Cutlery, to name just a few of the dozens of choices out there) and found them all to be useful. I certainly would not “dis” any of them, as they all have a place and purpose in my personal collection.

My passion for cooking however – as well as my years spent in restaurant kitchens – has led me to purchase a single brand of knife for a plethora of purposes: Henckels.

My first 9″ chef knife and sharpening steel were purchased way back in 1975 – making them now almost 50 years old. They are still like brand new… My point is this: a good knife is a great investment and, treated well, will last a lifetime. I take very good care of my knives.

I’ll be the first to say that Henckels knives are not inexpensive, by any stretch of the imagination. The 7″ fillet knife I mention below is now almost double what I paid for mine. But as I said, if taken care of properly, it will definitely last a lifetime.

I have included some links in this article to the equipment that I have mentioned in my book; I also use these same knives both at home and while fishing in the Northwoods. If you’re not sure where to begin, try the 5.5-inch fillet knife first, as it is a bit easier to handle and a tad less expensive. Once you become more comfortable with the filleting methods, you can try the 7-inch fillet knife.

Many fishermen I have talked with obviously have their own preferences; they often prefer a six-inch blade over the seven-inch that I suggest. They also tend to shy away from Henckels because of the price. I understand that. But no matter what brand or blade-length you ultimately decide upon, keep one thing in mind: the old adage: “you get what you pay for” still rings true when purchasing a knife. Get a good quality knife, make certain to keep it clean and sharp, and it will serve you well and long.

I’ll see you On the Lake.

R. Karl

The post Knives for Boning and Filleting Fish   appeared first on On the Lake.