to fillet or not to fillet, that is the question

[Oakley]

Just curious to see who likes to fillet their panfish and who prefers to scale them. I personnaly prefer to fillet as it saves me the very nasty mess of scaling. I'm also not partial to picking through bones and neither is my family. But that's our preference. My filletting technique is simple; cut behind the gill plate, then down along the backbone cutting through the ribs. flip the fillet skin side down, skin the meat off, trim out the ribs and done!

When I was a kid we used to scale our panfish, and I remember my dad always making me do it. By the time I was done I was covered with more scales than the creature from the black lagoon. It seems like no matter how well you showered, you always found a scale or two somewhere on your body the next day.

I've seen those descaler buckets you pull through the water but I don't know of anyone who has used one.

[mikenyo]

I always fillet. Had a bad experience as a kid with a bone stuck in my throat and have been paranoid ever since. My wife and kids wouldn't know what to do with fish that wasn't filleted! Spoiled I guess!!

[jigworm]

I filette everything. My dad has a cow when I start filetting 6 1/2 gills, but doesn't complain when he's eating!

[Islander26]

Fillet and doing alot of it lately ;)

[WALLEYEvision]

I always fillet my catch. Scaling them is too messy and a lot more work!

[bgoodenow]

IF I could catch some (!!!) I'd fillet 'em. I just hate the whole de-scaling process. Like you said, Oakley, you always find scales later - no matter how good you clean.

[ybone]

the term filet is described as "de-boning" a cut of meat. so as for myself, yes, i filet everything. but i do prefer my pannies with the skin on. 10 minutes in the barrel scaler and they're done. yeah, a little more work but that's the way i like them. although if i'm in a hurry and want 6 or 7 quickly for the pan, i will skin them.

[outdoor addict]

Fillet everything if my kids seen skin or bones from the fish they would freak. After all its daddy who has to sit there and clean them. :)

[XXXdisel77]

I am with you all on this one. I always fillet all of my fish. I can't see why anyone would want to keep the bones in. It takes the enjoyment out of eating them, having to worry every bite if it's going to be your last ever!!!!!! Over the years I have gotten pretty good at filleting, and enjoy doing it. The other day I think i filleted 64 gills in under an hour.

[bgoodenow]

Hey XXX - next time I catch a batch of Gills and Crappie, can I drop them off for you to fillet?? ;) Just kidding.. I really don't mind it either.

[William H Bonney]

Finding scales a day or two later????????????? LMAO,, try a week or 2 later. When I was a kid,, I actually scaled some sheephead and bass that I caught.( eat what ya catch I guess) I filet everything now,, electric filet knife is the only way to go. On a side note,,, am I the only one that "butchers" that opposite side of the fish, with the electric knife??(right-handed) I'm sure you guys know what I'm talkin' about. Fish on its side, dorsal fin facing you and head pointed to the left, thats the easy side, I'm talking the other side that gets butchered. I can't really reach "under" my left arm to keep the backbone facing me,, without nicking my arm with the knife. If I flip it over, the angle changes on the fish and I end up hackin' up that side. Does this happen to anyone else???

[XXXdisel77]

Hey XXX - next time I catch a batch of Gills and Crappie, can I drop them off for you to fillet?? ;) Just kidding.. I really don't mind it either.
You sure can drop em off at my house. As long as I get to keep half of the fillets I'm game. I just had a batch of gills tonight for dinner, and am starting to run out. I have to get my butt back on the ice and get some more soon. I have not been out in over 2 weeks due to my new job. The darn thing consumes all of my time. But you know the saying money is what makes the world go around, so I may as well make it while it's there to be made.

[bgoodenow]

am I the only one that "butchers" that opposite side of the fish, with the electric knife??(right-handed) ...If I flip it over, the angle changes on the fish and I end up hackin' up that side. Does this happen to anyone else???

Man, do I know EXACTLY what you're talking about! I've often wondered if I was the only one!

[mikenyo]

Yeah I always tear that back side up too. Sure look foolish trying to teach my boys how to fillet a fish and I tear up half of the damn thing!!

[Bear125]

I too like gills with the skin on... I would like to get one of those bucket scalers to make the job easier. And i do fillet the fish also.

[tommy-n]

I use the bucket scaler and a cordless drill, then fillet them. If the gills are over 91/2" and crappies over 12" I will fillet and skin.

[Splitshot]

It just takes more practice with the electric knife. Often I will scale the fish with a teaspoon and filet them the same way. Works great.

[outsider]

Scaleing bucket followed by filleting is the only way to go, except for crappie , crappie skin doesnt fry up well like gill skin or perch skin.
Crappies are always filleted and skined.
OUTSIDER

[bigsid]

On a side note,,, am I the only one that "butchers" that opposite side of the fish, with the electric knife??(right-handed) I'm sure you guys know what I'm talkin' about.
Happens to me also! It seems like it happens mostly when I've got a bunch of fish and I'm not in the mood, tired, or just sick of cleaning fish. And I also filet and skin everything. My GF wouldn't have anything to do with them if I didn't.

Sid

[9mmruger1]

I use an electric to filet everything. Once the filet is remove and skinned I also cut out that line of short bones that run along the lateral line. I got a couple caught between a tooth and gum and man was I miserable for several days til it worked out. I could not get it with brushing or flossing, had to do some serious picking. I now am very sensitive :tdo12: to the bones, but love my fish.

The small amount of filet that I loose if worth the effort to have the peace of mind that I am eating a "pop into the mouth" filet. :corkysm55

[DuckDog]

tommy-n and ybone,
Are your bucket scalers homemade or commercial? I want to try one. Can you recommend a good design, or brand? How long does it take to scale a load?
Thanks,
DuckDog
:fish:

[daddyduck]

I caught a mess of gills last weekend and i usally fillet them but tried something different by wackin the head, gutin and scale with spoon, then pan fry and pull the bones out,well that was a mistake cuz the kids were complaining about the bones :rant: so it's fillet for me anymore.

[Splitshot]

After thinking about the problems cutting through the opposite side, I think the problem is the knife. If you bought a knife designed for fileting the blades are too stiff.

I like the regular GE model with the button on the bottom. The blades are flexible enough so you can bend them when making your second cut. Same thing applies when you take out the belly bones.

[tommy-n]

Duckdog, I have the E-Z scaler, bought it from franks greatoutdoors I think 30 bucks

[funebonz880]

We scale with a spoon and then filet. Leaving the skin on. And dont be fooled, you can always accidentaly get a bone when filleting. A few years ago my dad got one of those stuck in his throat and had to have it surgically removed. Just a reminder.

[deputy865]

I'm a lost cause at both methods but im trying and learning more from MS members...

<hey grady havnt seen you on here in awhile :yikes:.. lol are you posting at school...lol dont worry what do you think i do in the class i am in for 1 hour 1/2 AFTER my work of course ;) we gotta go fishin some time>

SHANE

[therapy]

I fillet them all exept smelt i clean for family.I was taught to fillet at a very young age and took years of practice to get it right.To me anything else is pointless.Allthough i still have trouble with the oppisite side when fingers start to cramp up.

[ICEPAPPY]

I always fillit, skin and debone.

[9mmruger1]

tommy-n and ybone,
Are your bucket scalers homemade or commercial? I want to try one. Can you recommend a good design, or brand? How long does it take to scale a load?
Thanks,
DuckDog
:fish:


I have a bucket scaler and it can scale 25 gills in about 2.5 minutes. The rate of speed will make a lot of difference in the time that it takes to scale a load. 600 rpm will take longer than 900 rpm. If you leave the fish in too long it will really chew them up so it's a matter of trial and error with your particular drill. I haven't used it since I got my electric knife though.

[tommy-n]

I would not say mine is not commercial, you can do about 25 gills at a time, takes about 4-5 minutes. The nice thing is no slime on the fish when done, stays in the pail. The knife also stays sharper alot longer because your not cutting through all the scales. Works good for perch, crappies and bluegills. Franks great outdoors sells them in linwood. I use a cordless drill to opperate mine, seems a slower rpm and longer time does a better job and does not beat the fish up. Hope this helps you out 9mm ruger :)

[eyecatcher]

I skin all my fish and fillet them I dont like bones and the fat just under the skin is were toxic chemicals accumulate. I had a problem with butchering the other side of the fish. I started taking a little more time and it wasn't long before I over came it. now I get both side the same unless I'm really in a hurry. I don't use an electric knife have one but never tried it. been doing this for so long with my regular knifes that I'm almost afraid to change. I picture a bunch of butchered fillets. and the fish have been to hard to come by lately for that.

[tommy-n]

I just got done filleting 18 gills I caught yesterday, I picture them for dinner along with a busch light, I fish 3-4 days a week so I would say I"m an expert at filleting

[Centrarchidae]

Here's a tip for all of you who have mentioned problems with bones. When I was tounger, my dad would always have just plain white bread on the table when we had our fish. If you felt a bone that got in your throat, we just chewed up the bread, without any butter, and swallowed. The sugars in the bread made it sticky and always seemed to pick up the bone on the way down by at least the second bite of bread. Then the stomach acis will dissolve the bone without any problem.

[GoneFishin]

Have a drum scaler as I like my gills and perch with skin on. But I haven't used it in a few years as the GF likes 'em skinless :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

I always filet 'em.

[ybone]

duckdog, mine is a stainless barrel scaler. my mother-in-law bought it for me 2 yrs ago in muskegon. the first one she bought from there overheated because a faulty fan on the motor. they gave us a brand new one, no questions asked. it works quite well. no proplems at all. they are cheaper than the ones from Cabelas.