[tackleman]

I've been meaning to write an article for a while now for one of the mags about filleting. So when I was invited to go crappie fishing a few weeks back I decided I'd take the opportunity to document the process.

I know that most of you are probably pretty handy with a fillet knife. But, maybe some will find this post informational and useful.

I refer to this method of filleting as "halfing". I use this style for crappie/panfish, trout, scup, blackfish, small stripers and bluefish. For all these species except crappie/panfish and scup there is a extra step of removing the ribs & centercutting which WILL NOT be shown here.

"Halfing" is just that. Cutting the fish in half from head to tail including cutting right through the rib bones. I find it to be the "quickest" method to work through a mess of smaller fish. I'll do my best to explain this method in detail with pictures from here.

Feel free to ask any questions.....


Picture 1 - Here's the fish we caught recently, I gave them a good rinse to remove the heavy slime and ease handling

Picture 2 - Make the 1st cut across the body down to the backbone

Picture 3 - Cut from head to tail through ribs following the backbone

Picture 4 - Repeat on the second side of the fish

Picture 5 - Now go ahead and half all of your fish

This post edited by tackleman 12:27 PM 12/26/2007

 

[tackleman]

Picture 1 - Here's the waste bucket full of halfed fish

Picture 2 & 3 - Now that the hard work is done you can clean your board and give all the half fish a quick rinse to remove all the extra gunk and slim. Sharpen your knife and get ready to start skin cutting.
Enter the fillet knife on a slight angle so you get under the rib section a ways. Once your down to the skin, just turn your blade out toward the back and remove the slab fillet.

Picture 4 & 5 - I don't go crazy on the next step trying to save ever little bit of meat. It's just not worth it. I take the little nugget between the end of the ribs and the tail and toss the rest.



This post edited by tackleman 11:49 AM 12/26/2007

 

[tackleman]

Picture 1 - This is what you will yield from each fish

Picture 2 - Once I'm done filleting all the fish I place them on this table and agin rinse them to remove scales and any leftover gunk. I then let them drain well.

Picture 3 - Finally I bring them in the house and lay them out on paper towels to completely drain. I also put a layer of towels on top and press down firmly to dry them off.

Picture 4 - This bunch of fish took me 45mins to complete and the total yield was 7.6 pounds of crappie fillets!!!!



This post edited by tackleman 11:52 AM 12/26/2007

 

[DandJfish]

Halfing Fillets

Nice pics, and a nice mess of Crappies

. I would suggest that instead of halfing the fillet (and winding up with a small piece of the tail section) that you simply make a circular cut around the ribcage that way you get one solid piece of "boneless" meat instead of a small piece of tail section. Thats the way i fillet panfish.

 

[loonzter]

I normally skin them first then cut around the ribcage, that keeps the small tail piece you make attached to the whole filet. Can't really understand why you need two pieces? Not like it takes any longer??