Walleye Fish Fillet Technique

[Spalj]

So, in your opinion, is it faster, better, easier, or neater to fillet around the rib cage on a walleye or cut through it and remove the rib cage later.

[SalmonSlayer]

I go around. The last thing I want is my wife or daughter to get a bone in their fillet.

[LunkerCity]

It depends on which knife I'm using. If I have my electric I will go through. If I have a blade, I go over. I don't think you get more meat either way.

[Getanet]

I go around the rib cage. But if you watch the video of this guy from the Star Trib, he goes straight through. It looks like he could clean a fish in under a minute if he wasn't explaining what he was doing. Not taking the fillet clean off seems like a great idea for removing the skin. When your hands are messy it can be hard to get your knife started.

http://www.startribune.com/sports/outdoors/22533074.html

[Capt. H (Ret.)]

I agree. I try to use my electric knife as much as possible and I think I can do as good a job as the fellow in the video and he did a super job of showing how to do it.

Mike

[dan z]

I cut through the cage and fillet it off the next day after it suits in a pinch of salt and cold water. I was taught this way so that's how I do it. When it sits the water after that amount if time the fillet firms up and I fillet the cage off and then I fillet the rib peice off.

[Kyhl]

Like others, it depends.

Manual blade, I go around the rib cage, and it takes (me) longer than cutting through.

Electric blade, zip through the ribs then use the fillet knife to remove the ribs.

I won't touch a perch without the electric.

[SkunkedAgain]

Never used an electric. I just glide over the ribs and down towards the belly