Cleaning walleye

[Hodgey1]

I’ve been eating fresh fish that I’ve caught for nearly 50 years and love it. Yellow perch is one of my fav’s and walleye a very close second and salt water, the croaker and king fish. Cleaning fish is a pain, but well worth the effort for me. My real consternation now is wether or not to just cut off and leave the ribs with the thin strip of meat attached and discard it?. I’m not one to waste anything, but I tire of the effort to save such a tiny scrap of meat. Anyone else skipping the rib meat when filleting walleye?

[ziggy6]

I use the rapala electric knife...I cut along the ribs after the filleting of the the body... I can cut along the bones on the stroke so it saves some meat I dont think there is that much to worry much about especially on perch. 

[Jay Thomas]

I don't eat many fish. Far too much work involved. I'd much rather toss them back and bbq a nice steak. I will clean a mess of fish for a fry for guests if asked but personally it's mostly catch  and release.

Hi Puckster,

I always considered eating walleye fresh out of Lake Kipawa a real treat. I can BBQ a steak anytime all year long but a walleye fresh from the lake is really special. And with an electric filleting knife, I can have the walleye fillets ready for the pan in about 40 seconds (too much work involved - hardly). I envy the amount of time you get to spend on Lake Kipawa.

Jay

[Jay Thomas]

Love my electric knife..Highly recommend it.   I have the battery powered one only issue was that this year I found it didnt hold the charge ( 2 years old) so will be looking for a new battery.

Hi ziggy6,

I too use a Rapala electric filleting knife - the Deluxe model to be exact. The Deluxe model allows me to plug it into a wall outlet or connect it to a 12 volt deep cycle battery. The fishing locations we have been frequenting the last number of years have no access to power. Consequently, I've been running my Rapala off a 30 amp hour deep cycle battery - cleans all the fish for 4 guys for a week without recharge.

Jay

[Hodgey1]

I always considered eating walleye fresh out of Lake Kipawa a real treat. I can BBQ a steak anytime all year long but a walleye fresh from the lake is really special.

Amen Jay!

[puckster_guy]

Hi Jay. I know exactly where your coming from. Part of the deal of being able to buy my place was simply this. I cannot afford a house in Toronto and my camp. When my kids moved out I sold my house. Paid off all my debts and used the left over equity to buy and build my place. Currently living  17 floors up in a highrise with a tiny balcony for a yard. I am not allowed my bbq there so the only place I can do it is at camp. As for eating fish I'm I talian and my Grandfather made his living fishing the Adriatic  sea.  Cosequently (I was born in T.O.) my mom would cook a lot of seafood, to the point that I was sick of eating fish. Trust me I can clean fish as well as anybody. Those are the reasons I prefer steak or whatever over the delicious Walleye. And yes I do make myself fishfrys but not often. Besides because I work a weekend shift I'm alone 9 times out of 10. Except for a retired buddy who comes up several times a year. I am retiring next spring so hopefully that will change.

[Jay Thomas]

Hi again Puckster,

Thanks for your explanation - much easier to relate to your comment.

Jay

[Hodgey1]

. I cannot afford a house in Toronto and my camp. Paid off all my debts and used the left over equity to buy and build my place.

I like the move Puck. You now own a place in paradise.