I cut the filet off the ribs and leave the ribs on the fish carcass. It takes a few seconds longer but it makes less of a mess to leave the guts undisturbed and my family really loves the boneless filets.
I've noticed here in some posts and out at my lake that when some fillet panfish they just cut the ribcage right off in the fillet. Its seems easier and faster than the way I do it. I've always filleted the meat from the ribcage and left the ribs on the fish. How many of you cut the ribs and do you just leave the ribs in the fillets to cook?
http://www.crappie.com/gr8vb3/showthread.php?t=31679
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I cut the filet off the ribs and leave the ribs on the fish carcass. It takes a few seconds longer but it makes less of a mess to leave the guts undisturbed and my family really loves the boneless filets.
I filet it off the fish and then cut the rib cage out.
Grizz,
I am one of those that cut the ribs and the meat off together. Once you have the piece of meat with the ribs in it, I take a fillet knife and cut around the ribs and that leaves you with just the fillet. It takes about two seconds to cut the ribs out! I usually cut all of the fillets with the ribs in them and then go back and cut out all of the ribs. :D
Crappie Xtreme/Rend Lake Crappie Guides
I use an electric carving knife (el cheapo Black & Decker from Walmart) and do it the same way as eat,sleep,fish describes. Easy, quick and guaranteed boneless for the kids.
- LOZcrappie (Scott)
I would not exchange my leisure hours for all the wealth in the world. --Comte de Mirabeau (1749-1791)
I'm with eat sleep and fish.I 'v been doing it just like that for a long time.
Electric knife,then a sharp filet knife for the rib cage.Now for catfish I go over
the ribs and leave them on the fish.I'v riuned some good blades trying to go through big catfish ribs.Is there a good way to sharpen electric knife blades??
Thanks and good luck.
Crappies I leave the ribcage on the carcass
Walleyes the ribs are removed after the fillets are off the carcass
Ken
Grizz, if I'm using an electric knife, we just form an assembly line. I'll cut the fillets off and the next guy down takes the ribs out. If I'm using a standard fillet knife, I'll fillet around the ribs like you.
Crazy Angler Pro Staff
Crappie Logic Pro Staff
Hey GRIZZ:
When I used to use a regular fillet knife I left the ribcage on the carcass but when I started using an electric fillet knife I started cutting through the ribs following the spine. After I cut the skin off but while the fillet is still laying on the skin I cut the ribcage out with the tip of the electric knife blade by angling in behind the ribs so as not to waste any meat. I make two cuts - one on the top side of the ribcage and one on the bottom - starting where the back of the ribcage comes to a point and cutting forward. By keeping the fillet laying on the skin the knife cuts through the fillet better and the skin protects the knife from dulling on the board and protects my fillet board from the knife.
As far as sharpening electric fillet knife blades I've not heard of a method that works well. Usually by the time my blades start getting dull the pin/rivet that holds the tip of the blades together has worn to the point that it leaves too big of a space between the blades so it's time for new blades anyway, which are less than 6 bux at Walmart.
Get a round file that fits the tooth just like you'd file the gullet of a saw just lay it in with the angle and rake of the tooth doesn't take much and it'll be sharp
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