Fishing with Rod Discussion Forum

Fishing in British Columbia => The Fish Kitchen => Topic started by: Nick78 on April 07, 2009, 03:14:44 AM

Title: How to fillet fish
Post by: Nick78 on April 07, 2009, 03:14:44 AM
Pretty good page for all of you that want to learn how to fillet your catch or just look for some additional information or tips&tricks... ;D

http://www.filleting-fish.com/fish-species

Cheers

Nico
Title: Re: How to fillet fish
Post by: wagz on April 07, 2009, 08:32:46 PM
That is handy.. Thank you!
Title: Re: How to fillet fish
Post by: Sam Salmon on April 07, 2009, 09:37:14 PM
Thanks for the link!  8)

Did you see the guy filet that small Halibut?

Slick!

His knife is sharp as a razor.

The Salmon I wasn't so impressed with though-too much flipping the fish over and back and over and over.

Cutting the belly meat off and throwing it away is a rookie move any day-that's the best eating part of the fish.

Mind you it's just a hatchery slug.  ;D
Title: Re: How to fillet fish
Post by: fishyfish711 on April 07, 2009, 09:44:13 PM
Some say the cheeks are best. The belly is good but bony isn't it? With the bone from the two lower pelvic fins. When I go for sushi they offer belly. It is cooked and tasty but I think it is bony. My favourite part is from the anal fin to the tail. Seldom any bones in that fillet. Agree very good link. Thank you. I too was most impressed with that razor sharp knife. Makes life a lot easier. I picked up a Scotty's knife sharpener. Some die hard knife guys probably wouldn't use it  but I found it does a pretty good job. It was only about $10 too.
Title: Re: How to fillet fish
Post by: fish tracker on April 07, 2009, 10:32:54 PM
Good video
How do you get your knife sharp enough to do that?
Title: Re: How to fillet fish
Post by: Nick78 on April 08, 2009, 05:09:52 AM
I'm 100% sure he's a comercial fisherman from the Netherlands as the original website is http://www.visfileren.nl/ . I don't agree with all his technics too, but some are pretty impessive! Those sharpeners he uses kill your knifes as it takes a big long chip from the blade every time you sharpen your knife. They replace their knifes every 1-2 weeks cause almost nothing is left of it. But it's fast and time is money. For private use i prefer honing stones in 3 diffrent grain sizes. Takes longer but I love my knife ;)

(http://www.tbs-international-industry.eu/xs_db/xs_bilder/13_WG_Bilder/www/250/1300250.gif)
Title: Re: How to fillet fish
Post by: the carp on April 08, 2009, 06:34:34 AM
A good site , thanks. I run a big charter boat up north and we filet most of our guests salmon, we find the most popular method that our guests like is when we gut the fish, and using a long bladed ham slicer type knife, we take off whole sides including the belly bones. The belly bones and meat can be removed later and used for either smoking or chowder. The ham slicers are available at most knife shops at a cost of 35.00. For sharpening i prefer the accusharp over the Scotty, but using a stone is much easier on youre knives.
Title: Re: How to fillet fish
Post by: Headshake on April 08, 2009, 03:19:25 PM
What the heck is a ham slicer?
Title: Re: How to fillet fish
Post by: Sam Salmon on April 08, 2009, 04:40:26 PM
What the heck is a ham slicer?

(http://www.kandkpartnership.com/mvc-20f.jpg)
Title: Re: How to fillet fish
Post by: Nick78 on April 08, 2009, 09:51:05 PM
The ham slicer is a good idea for very big fish like 30lb springs as the height of the fish is to big for the most common knifes. I got a Marttiini knife made in Finland, those guys are well known for the quality of their blades. It's the best i've ever had!

(http://www.outdoorgb.com/pi/marttiini/M617012.jpg)
Title: Re: How to fillet fish
Post by: Eagleye on April 09, 2009, 12:50:04 PM



Cutting the belly meat off and throwing it away is a rookie move any day-that's the best eating part of the fish.

Mind you it's just a hatchery slug.  ;D

He is probably cutting it off because it is a hatchery slug and that is where the highest concentration of toxins would be.
Title: Re: How to fillet fish
Post by: Nick78 on April 09, 2009, 03:45:17 PM
He's just cutting the belly fat off. Hatchery trout and Salmon got a lot more of that than wild fish got.
Title: Re: How to fillet fish
Post by: hoboryan on April 19, 2009, 03:07:15 PM
Have you guys tried using those sashimi knives that Sushi chef's use?
I've been wondering how well they would work since those chef's need to take apart tuna sized fish plus salmon as well.

-HR
Title: Re: How to fillet fish
Post by: Sam Salmon on April 19, 2009, 04:14:22 PM
Have you guys tried using those sashimi knives that Sushi chef's use?
I've been wondering how well they would work since those chef's need to take apart tuna sized fish plus salmon as well

There are Japanese knives and then there are Japanese knives, the slicer the Sushi Chef uses (i think they're called Yanagiba (http://japan-blades.com/wp-content/uploads/white270.jpg)) is different from the sword/shank that someone cuts up a big carcass with.

A real Sushi slicer is only sharpened on one side-dunno about the swords/shanks-I don't think a Yanagiba would handle bones too well without chipping those blades are quite thin/brittle.

They're both quite stiff, light for their size but real stiff, not like a Scandinavian blade at all.
Title: Re: How to fillet fish
Post by: Nick78 on April 19, 2009, 10:15:07 PM
The Sushi or Sashimi knifes are pretty good knifes. A friend of mine does his fileting jobs with it all the time and he says that's the best he ever had. But there are two things that I personaly don't really like. First thing is the high prize and the next they do rust, especially when you use it in saltwater on your boat. You always have to oil it when you're done.
Title: Re: How to fillet fish
Post by: TheChumWhisperer on June 08, 2009, 09:48:14 PM
thanks that helps alot.  Yesterday I caught a beauty 5lb coho in the cap, took him home and decided to attempt to fillet him..  Worst idea ever.  I absolutely butchered him, and probably wasted half the fish in the process.  Hopefully the next one I fillet won't look like I put him in a blender.....
Title: Re: How to fillet fish
Post by: Nick78 on June 08, 2009, 11:48:32 PM
Well,that's bad! It's better to take some lower quality fish like stocked rainbows or whatever to test your skills. It'll take a bit of practice but it's not that hard to learn. In case you catch such a nice fish again and you want it to be filleted just pop by and I'll help you...
Title: Re: How to fillet fish
Post by: drivel on June 14, 2009, 12:45:03 PM
I noticed he removed the abdominal cavity bones while removing the filet (instead of slicing the filet off with the belly bones and then removing them in a second step - like I do).

What do you seasoned knife experts do? Should I be changing my technique?? It looks faster but I'm not sure if I will lose more meat that way.
Title: Re: How to fillet fish
Post by: RossP on June 16, 2009, 09:42:41 PM
Cool site. Thanks now all I have to do is go out and catch salmon so I can try and fillet them.
Title: Re: How to fillet fish
Post by: Nick78 on July 08, 2009, 11:55:41 PM
"The carp" brought up that idea with the ham slicer here so take a look what these guys are using http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bh_BCI1yrfs&feature=related (starts at 0.59 min). Think I have to get myself one too ;)
Title: Re: How to fillet fish
Post by: Eagleye on July 21, 2009, 08:59:47 AM
Dexter-Russel make a sweet fillet knife and it only costs about 30 bucks.  I have the 8" model. http://www.dexter-russell.com/Universal_Prod_Display_2.asp?Line=SS&Type=10