The RIGHT way to clean pike

[Duckslayer100]

I'm drawing a line in the sand because I'm sick of seeing the "wrong" way to clean pikes and get boneless fillets. AKA, Exhibit A:



This way just pisses me right the hell off. One, the claim that the "backstap" from the first cut is boneless is complete BS. It's full of cartilage and the ends of pin bones. PLUS, you wind up with five chunks of meat that, on a smaller pike, are almost too tiny to actually do anything with.

Gentelmen, I give you Exhibit B, AKA the RIGHT way to clean pike:



If you can get through the video without cussing out the host for interrupting, you get some excellent information. This is how I clean pike. It's simple. It's effective. It gives you ONE fillet per side. Totally boneless. With a bit of practice, it takes approximately 10 seconds longer to clean a pike than a walleye.

 

[KDM]

Duck, you need to come over to my place, drink a couple beers, and relax. Winter just started and you're already getting "Punchy". I prefer that people clean gators the "Wrong" way. Then they need to catch more to get enough meat to have a fish fry.

 

[DirtyMike]

I don't think my knives are that sharp. that was awesome.

 

[Davy Crockett]

Mine are and I uncontrollably pulled my left hand back towards my body and curled my fingers at the about the 1:15mark. I refuse to cut towards myself.

 

[Joe]

People waste too much effort on this awful fish. Like there is some fugu meat hidden under that slimy, bony flesh.

 

[Kurtr]

your takes on fish rival your football takes that is impressive.......

 

[Duckslayer100]

People waste too much effort on this awful fish. Like there is some fugu meat hidden under that slimy, bony flesh.

I can take cold-water pike, clean it this way, throw it in with walleyes in the fry pan and absolutely guarantee you won't be able to tell the difference. Cooked up they all turn flaky white and delicious.

 

[Davy Crockett]

yup, Cold weather being the key word IMO. I think winter caught properly cleaned Northern is better than walleye, The only bad tasting Northerns I've ever had came out of warm summer water .

 

[Skeeter]

I can take cold-water pike, clean it this way, throw it in with walleyes in the fry pan and absolutely guarantee you won't be able to tell the difference. Cooked up they all turn flaky white and delicious.

I can pick slimmers out of walleye anyday. Anybody that can't tell the difference in taste doesn't eat walleye enough. Slimmers are disgusting and the easiest way to clean them is throw them in the ditch for the yotes.

 

[lunkerslayer]

yup, Cold weather being the key word IMO. I think winter caught properly cleaned Northern is better than walleye, The only bad tasting Northerns I've ever had came out of warm summer water .

I like to cut their gills on the ice to let them drain out

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I can pick slimmers out of walleye anyday. Anybody that can't tell the difference in taste doesn't eat walleye enough. Slimmers are disgusting and the easiest way to clean them is throw them in the ditch for the yotes.

Now if you put them in with the perch different story both are a chunky texture not like the walleye being more flaky

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Also 3 to 5 pounds is all I keep

 

[Duckslayer100]

I can pick slimmers out of walleye anyday. Anybody that can't tell the difference in taste doesn't eat walleye enough. Slimmers are disgusting and the easiest way to clean them is throw them in the ditch for the yotes.

I would LOVE to see you pull that off.

 

[Davy Crockett]

I like to cut their gills on the ice to let them drain out



I've been noticing bled out Northens in pictures posted , I've never bled them out but I should. Where do you cut the gills ?

 

[lunkerslayer]

I like to cut their gills on the ice to let them drain out



I've been noticing bled out Northens in pictures posted , I've never bled them out but I should. Where do you cut the gills ?

Cut them between the gills on the bottom of the head and cut on the inner part of the gills

 

[Buckmaster81]

I can pick slimmers out of walleye anyday. Anybody that can't tell the difference in taste doesn't eat walleye enough. Slimmers are disgusting and the easiest way to clean them is throw them in the ditch for the yotes.

If you don't like Pike out of cold water you are a bitch.....


This applies to Joe as well...

 

[Redneck1]

NP is always better tasting than eyes. NP live off of perch n that's why they r delicious.Why do people think NP is difficult to clean?

 

[Bowhunter_24]

I would eat pike any day same as walleye. I just absolutely hate them slime buckets. Slime on everything. Slime in bucket, sled, fillet board, knife, hands, pants, hair, vehicle. Slime everywhere. Then laying the "clean" fillets on the slimy ass cutting board is nasty too.

Other than that I love to eat pike

 

[Captain Ahab]

That Canuck knows his way around a fixed blade.

 

[BBQBluesMan]

Walleye snobs make me laugh. The only type of fisherman that complains when they catch something other than their beloved walleye ;:;rofl
Like others have mentioned cold water northern are fine table fare, I actually prefer them over walleye. Get way more meat, and they are a lot more fun to catch through the ice IMO, especially when you hook into a sow (hammer handles do get a bit annoying, I will admit). On a side note, catfish out of the tailrace are also freaking delicious.

 

[Davy Crockett]

I would eat pike any day same as walleye. I just absolutely hate them slime buckets. Slime on everything. Slime in bucket, sled, fillet board, knife, hands, pants, hair, vehicle. Slime everywhere. Then laying the "clean" fillets on the slimy ass cutting board is nasty too.

Other than that I love to eat pike

I hate the slime with a passion too, In the winter I let them partially freeze enough to freeze the slime and quick cut the fillet and the skin off outside on a board in the cold and bring the fillets inside to trim up, No slime what so ever that way. In the summer I seldom keep them but last summer I tried packing them on ice, Holey cow that turned into an ugly mess.

 

[bowcarp]

2nd vid is the way I clean the gators we catch , the slime is a defense/stress reaction of the fish slice there throats let bleed out , if their dead they have no stress so no defense needed , I slice and bleed the walleyes I catch also , it make a difference to me anyway