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<blockquote data-quote="ILikePike" data-source="post: 319428" data-attributes="member: 7603"><p>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.</p><p></p><p>1) I mix a drink, windsor with squirt</p><p></p><p>2) Lay pike on its side with head to my left (I am right handed) with top of pike nearest to me</p><p></p><p>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.</p><p></p><p>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.</p><p></p><p>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.</p><p></p><p>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.</p><p></p><p>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.</p><p></p><p>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.</p><p> </p><p>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.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="ILikePike, post: 319428, member: 7603"] 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. [/QUOTE]
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