Boneless Northern Help

[Mort]

I have only cleaned them a few times. Never to any success. I quit keeping them years ago, and for the most part am a better American for it.

aahh I dunno about that last line Juan...walleye fisherman cuss you when you throw the slimy things back in the water, Snot rockets eat wally's we can't have that remember, gonna decimate the wally population:::

 

[wslayer]

I like this method personally.

Have never seen not done this way, but I think I will give it a go. Looks easy enough. Thanks...

 

[Rut2much]

I like the first video (minus all the newspaper haha) because he skips that little section and starts behind the anus of the fishing missing those bones in there.

 

[luvcatchingbass]

I have tried a few different methods and what works best for me is to just take a really good sharp straight blade for the whole thing. I leave the main rib bones on the fish, take the meat off the skin, find where the bones end on tail and cut it off, then just section the rest in half or thirds depending on the fish size. From there you can feel around and manipulate the loin pieces off and separate the meat that would have been over the bones.
New favorite knife is a Havalon Talon.

- - - Updated - - -

By the time I am done I end up with nice portioned pieces for fish sticks. Note I am not overly fast but have been happy with my results.

 

[shorthairman]

aahh I dunno about that last line Juan...walleye fisherman cuss you when you throw the slimy things back in the water, Snot rockets eat wally's we can't have that remember, gonna decimate the wally population:::

I too release pike, but to make sure I stay in the good graces of walleye fishermen, they get a knife to the gills or a club to the head before the release...coon, coyote, mink, etc. love them when they wash up on shore...:;:...or am I...

 

[snow]

fish cleaning with a straight blade we were taught not to cut through the rib cage as it dulls the knife quickly (one fish)rather fillet around the rib cage,however using a electric knife it doesn't matter,my current eknife bought new in 1988 cleaned 100's of fish sharpened the blades twice over the years but my rapala and carbon straight blade fillet knives quickly dulled cutting through the rib cage of fish.rarely keep pike as they stink up the boat and attract flies on a hot summer day.

PS when making salmon runs to lake superior our salmon/lake trout are quite large so we fillet through the rib cage down the spine then use a needle nose pliers to pull out the rib bones and don't mess with pin bones along lateral lines as they stay put after we smoke our fillets and consume.

 

[64Mustang]

For guys that like to save everything or try something new-Don't throw away the strip with the bones in it. Instead take them and boil them in either water or sprite till they are done. Let cool, then pick the bones out with a fork and your fingers. It is pretty easy after they have cooled down. Take the meat, add cocktail sauce or homemade cocktail sauce (horseradish and ketchup), mix together, refrigerate for a couple hours. Take meat spread and put on Ritz or Club crackers. Its Awesome. Try it once and you won't be throwing out those strips of 'bones'

 

[TFX 186]

I've tried the 1st way several times. cutting the big back strap out. I always end up with tips of bones in my strip. If I try to cut without the bones, I end up leaving a bunch of meat. Didn't really care for that cut.

Fish On!

 

[ILikePike]

I have creeped Nodak for years - not one to participate online. Saw this thread though and thought I might be able to help. I apologize upfront for getting too long winded. Time to clean pike.

1) I mix a drink, windsor with squirt

2) Lay pike on its side with head to my left (I am right handed) with top of pike nearest to me

3) Cut down behind head, and then instead of cutting straight back to the tail (you can if you prefer - just have to remove rib bones later) I insert the knife tip about an inch or so on top portion of the spine and ride the spine back until the dorsal fin, then push knife all the way through and finish out the fillet to the tail. Good example is a youtube "Knetter's Cleaning a Northern Pike (boneless) - Full Fillet Method" - sorry, don't know how to link this. Start filleting the fillet from the carcass until you have the fillet removed - no rib bones to be removed, you did that when you removed fillet from the carcass. Now do other side.

4) Go ahead and remove skin from fillets. I usually clean fillets real well and soak in water for awhile, drain, then in fridge until next day - fillets firm up a little - easier to remove bones. Overnight is not necessary if you want to eat now.

5) Remove Y-bones (see ND Game and Fish youtube, or many other online examples). Remember not to be too aggressive when cutting across Y-bones, if accidently cut off Y-bone it will remain in the fillet unless you can feel it later and remove.

6) Now on the thickest part of the fillet (part where you cut near the head) feel around top and under the fillet - there may be a bone or two in this area from when you removed the fillet from the head. Also feel entire fillet for any missed bones - like feeling for BBs in a goose/duck breast.

7) Now the controversial "aha" moment. The tail section is not bone free! "Blasphemy", "Who does he think he is", "Hang him"! Starting at the head area of the whole long fillet cut across the fillet so you have a 3 or 4 inch wide fillet for the pan (boneless), cut another (boneless), and maybe another (boneless) depending on the size of the fish. That last cut is now getting toward the thicker part of the tail fillet so here is where you need to be careful - why - because on the opposite side of the Y-bones - i.e. on the other side of the lateral line (line running lengthwise of entire fillet) from the Y-bones there are about 7 or 8 straight bones. The top tips of these bones are approximately 1/8 inch (maybe little less) from the lateral line and run back in the direction of the end of the tail tip. So when you cut across to get the tail fillet do so slowly and if any resistance cutting down (you hit bone) lift the knife and move forward a little - i.e. in the direction of where you cut the other fillets off, until you are able to cut down and through nice and smoothly. Now you have a tail section - go to the thickest part (not tail tip), opposite side of the Y-bone side, and along (just inside) the lateral line cut straight down slightly angling the knife blade away from the lateral line for about 2 or 3 inches, then pull knife out and move again 1/8 to 1/4 inch further over, same cut down, and then remove that piece. This piece will be a strip that sort of looks like when you removed the Y-bones only 2 or 3 inches long. Now you have boneless pike. On small pike, less than a couple pounds, these bones may not be an issue, but 3 pounds on up these bones in the tail are quite stiff. Would not want to swallow one.

I know, should have youtubed this (not me), or stopped after paragraph 1 above. I understand it may be difficult to picture these steps in your mind, but after some practice on an actual pike it gets easy and actually goes pretty fast. It's not a race, take your time.

Would I rather clean a walleye - duh, absolutely - but I actually enjoy the fight of a pike, excellent eating, and less fishermen to contend with on small ND pike lakes. Hope this helps. Have a nice day everyone.

 

[CatDaddy]

Honestly, I really appreciate everyone's input. My take-away is that I need to practice more, catch bigger pike, and find the method that works best for me! Thanks again!!! I encourage more suggestions, just wanted to thank everyone!

 

[ILikePike]

CatDaddy my post on how I clean a pike is too long and I am sure hard to follow, and for some reason last night it changed from a normal paragraph format to an elongated spread out format, which makes it even more difficult to read. I will try to shorten, which is what I should have done to begin with. First, whatever method you choose, be sure to remove the Y-bones. Second, I believe everyone knows what a tail fillet looks like. At the thicker part of the tail fillet - not the end of the tail - on the other side of the lateral line from the Y-bones there are 7 or 8 straight bones that run down and along the lateral line for about 2 to 3 inches. These straight bones need to be removed, especially for pike over 3 pounds. Post #10 in this thread by sl1000794 is a good illustration - where the index finger is pointing is on the Y-bone side - just go over on the other side of the lateral line and in that area the 7 or 8 bones run down and along the lateral line in the direction of the end of the tail - remove them, or leave in and just be aware of them when you sit down to eat the tail section.

 

[luvcatchingbass]

I would go with what ILikePike has put on, it is very similar to how I do it but with a little more refined insight. I really like #7 because I have found that on more than one occassion.

 

[TFX 186]

Speaking of pike........ If making pickles, use fresh fish if you can. Makes way better pickles. Meat is more firm. I used frozen fish and the pickles got a little mushy. Next time I will use fresh caught for my pickles.

Fish On!

 

[sl1000794]

CatDaddy my post on how I clean a pike is too long and I am sure hard to follow, and for some reason last night it changed from a normal paragraph format to an elongated spread out format, which makes it even more difficult to read. I will try to shorten, which is what I should have done to begin with. First, whatever method you choose, be sure to remove the Y-bones. Second, I believe everyone knows what a tail fillet looks like. At the thicker part of the tail fillet - not the end of the tail - on the other side of the lateral line from the Y-bones there are 7 or 8 straight bones that run down and along the lateral line for about 2 to 3 inches. These straight bones need to be removed, especially for pike over 3 pounds. Post #10 in this thread by sl1000794 is a good illustration - where the index finger is pointing is on the Y-bone side - just go over on the other side of the lateral line and in that area the 7 or 8 bones run down and along the lateral line in the direction of the end of the tail - remove them, or leave in and just be aware of them when you sit down to eat the tail section.

In all my cleaning of pike over 50 years I do not think I have ever encountered these 7 or 8 straight bones that you talk about nor have I ever seen them removed in any pike fillet videos that I have watched. Can you show me a video removing these bones?

 

[ILikePike]

Thanks to whoever cleaned up my first post, paragraph separation is definitely more readable. sl1000794 are you my long lost brother, there aren't many of us that actually like to fish for pike, clean them, and eat them. Is there a video, youtube, etc. out there showing this - if there is I haven't been able to find it. You would think with all of the fishing shows, fishing magazines, canadian guides, or even fisheries biologists, someone would have at least referenced these bones, so even if you don't remove them, to be aware of them when you fry up that tail section. I am no fish genius, but I have removed these bones for years. Like I said in my other 2 posts, if you are dealing with a fish maybe in that 2 to 2-1/2 pound range I don't know if they are really an issue. 4 pounds, or on up, for sure, these bones are very real. I believe that's why when we clean a pike, remove the Y-bones, and then later while eating with our family, someone at the table says "hey, you missed some bones" - we just say "darn it, how the heck did I do that". Admit it, you're just itching now to go out and catch a pike, buy a bottle of Windsor, and see how many drinks it takes before these bones magically appear.

 

[701FishSlayer]

I feel like Forrest Gump when trying to clean a pike. Watched tons o vids, tried multiple times. Just ain't happening.

 

[LBrandt]

I feel like Forrest Gump when trying to clean a pike. Watched tons o vids, tried multiple times. Just ain't happening.

Find someone thats good at it and have them show you hands on. Best way to learn. LB

 

[deleted member]

If anyone is in dl and wants a lesson, I am game.