You do an excellent job. I'm 70 so I have been cleaning them for a long time. Before we had electric knives, I would just cut the fillet off the rib cage and never open up the abdominal cavity. With the electric I clean them pretty much the same way as you, except I peel the rib cage out with the electric knife. A little twist of the wrist and the rib bones peel right out without wasting meat. The only thing I use the hand knife for is the cheeks and the Y bone zipper cuts. One difference is, I remove the belly lining. Once used to the electric it doesn't take very long to clean Walleyes and very little meat is wasted.

@stevetrapp9877

Жыл бұрын

😊😊😊😊

@alanlindquist5181

3 ай бұрын

Y

That’s impressive!! I’ve been cleaning fish for over 50 years and never seen it done this way!!!very good job!!!

Not going to lie... you went over it four times and it wasn't until the fourth time that I really got the Y bit. Really nice job explaining everything. I'm not bad at cleaning walleye but I feel like this made me a little better. Thanks for the master class in cleaning walleye. Everyone has a different take but you're really good at explaining.

I am impressed. thank you!!!! now I just have to figure out how to Catch then in Colorado. As a Wisconsin native... it was a lot easier back in the midwest to catch them. I really appreciate the video!

Cheeks are the best part , glad you showed the procedure !!

Thanks for that thorough explanation… it’s great to see what to do AND what not to do. I understand so much better now.

As someone who's watched a ton of fish cleaning videos and is a beginner at cleaning walleye, this video is among the top. Thanks for the great explanation!

Cleaned my first walleye today. Treated like a trout. Boy, I butchered it. Literally. The second row of bones threw my fillets into a mess of digging out bones. Wish I knew this before! Thanks!

Thanks for the demo I been fishing for those guys for a lot of years and learned a couple tricks from your video. 👍🙂

Awesome. I'm getting pretty good at cleaning fish, but learned a few new things from your video. Cheers

Everybody has slight differences cleaning fish, I don't waste meat and I've cleaned for decades. Your method is good and systematic, these comments by others are ridiculous. If you guys wanna see some fish hacking stop at a cleaning station on Lake Erie. You'll see some pros and some absolute amateurs. I ice mine and clean them at home

Thanks so much for the advice and demonstration. me and my family will be sure to try this method this ice fishing season. keep up the good work

WOW, Great job explaining the techniques of doing it professionally. Thank you

Like the hand tearing technique, I'm definitely using this. THanks man

Never knew that last step to get the row of bones. 71 years old and still learning. Great video and great job Brother. Thank you.

Used to catch these fish in Sweden, they called them gos. In Britain we call them zander, but they are only found in the Norfolk Broads, so I have only fished for them in Sweden. The biggest I caught was 3 kg, but the wife's uncle told me he had one of 10kg ! There is no fight in these fish, you just pull tjhem straight in the boat. However they are the best fish I have ever eaten. My mother in law would clean the fish and cut it into steaks, but leave the skin on. She boiled a big pan with water, salt and pepper with lots of dill. When the water was boiling, she put in the gos steaks and immediately take the pot off the heat, and leave the pot to cool overnight. the next morning the water had turned to jelly and we are the cold cooked fish with the dill jelly , new potatoes and salad from the garden. The best fish I have ever tasted !!

Great video. Thanks for taking the time to post this. Very helpful.

Great job. At the very end you mentioned that last piece of meat under the chin. Keep the 2 pectoral fins intact and cut that piece off. Save them in a freezer bag until you get 20-25 and google WALLEYE WINGS. You batter them up and deep fry, and you hold the 2 pec fins in your hands, put the rest in your mouth and pull on the pec fins and all that meat comes right off in your mouth.

@mikeypp1977

17 күн бұрын

I keep all walleye wings... Very good and you can eat without actually getting any bones... My wife demands I keep them

Perfect. You nailed it. Great tip on the cheek meat as well!

Thanks for the video. I'm going to to change a few things in my clean style. I bet they tasted great !

@traviswilson5410

Жыл бұрын

This guy doesn't save the wings....walleye wings are delish

You sir are a good teacher!!

Great job, you make the off hand cut look easy

Great video - I have been struggling with the bones along the back for years.

I'm gonna try this next time thank you. I cut the bones out differently but this is a good approach.

Great Video and best tutorial I've seen to date for cleaning walleyes . Liked and Subscribed. Thanks!

I can only imagine how good those would taste! Clean job my friend.

@hawyeetv135

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks a million! They taste excellent!!

great video with detailed explanations - thank you!

I just wish I could always be cleaning a 24 in Walleye- nice video - never seen the zipper method - will try it this summer

I was taught nearly the same method when I was a kid. Nicely done.

Awesome! Thanks for sharing this technique

Great job!! Walleyes are a favorite!!😊

Great job explaining zippering! Thanks!!

...the best method i have seen, good job of explaining it all,,,thanks...

Thanks for the vid. Just subscribed. Keep em coming.

Thank you. I appreciate the lesson very much.

Awesome. Liked and subscribed. I haven't cleaned a fish in years so I appreciate the great video. Cheers.

Awesome. I’ve never seen the zipper method before. can’t wait to try it. If you do a future video I would love to see you teach this method to someone that doesn’t know how to fillet. Then it really helps another newbie. Help them do one or 2 and then let them do one alone with no help or suggestions. Them do a 4 th one and show them what they did right and wrong. Thanks again. 👌 liked and subscribed.

Nice video. Thanks for the explanation. What size fillet knife are you using to take the bones out?

I like your technique. Thanks.

great video bud, i always keep the cheeks on walleye but never thought about it for pike. I dont keep alot of pike anyways but maybe I will keep a few smaller ones now

I've always pulled the zipper wide as can be. And of course, now I know why there are bones! Thanks sir!

Great video well done my wife and kids favorite are the cheeks. I always have a rough time with the ribs looking forward to ice off up here in Canada. Thanks from Canada

I got an old skinzit type tool from back in the day. What a great tool for taking out ribs.

Thank you for sharing. Awesome.

thanks for the info.. now I just need to catch' em

Great video and a good tutorial for those that want to learn. The only thing that I would add would be to cut and cook the rabbit ears at the bottom you said was good for soup. My daughters love them fried as well.

I’ve been doing something similar but cutting it and this pulling the bones out by hand is a great trick with no bones. No more having to hear old timers say ohh those bones cook out…. Yeah right lol. Thanks for the awesome tip!

It's nice to see a cooler of walleye. Where I live a walleye caught once in a while is a good job done.

@mikemiller2337

2 жыл бұрын

I'm guessing these come from lake erie

Nicely done!

Glad to see that someone takes the time to properly clean and extract as much meat as possible with no waste as I do. Well worth it!

Thanks HawYeeTV. I have not caught a lot of walleye so it is good to know there is a row of bones that goes the whole length of the fillet, besides the ribs and pin bones along the ribs. Nice that removing the long row of bones also takes out the bloodline too, that could add a stronger flavor to the fish. I did know about the cheeks. Did you know that bullhead also have cheeks?

Nice. Good job. I need one of those cordless bubbas

Try flipping the fillet ribs down and use the cordless to remove the ribs. Super fast once you get the hang of it.

This was absolutely the most awesome fish 🐠 cleaning video ever! This guy is totally professional, and that part with the center set of bones 🦴 being removed was completely awesomeness! This is absolutely a brilliant teaching tool and wonderful learning experience. Thanks a billion!

Don’t forget the pc around the fins by the gills, makes great walleye wings!!

@andrewscrutton

2 жыл бұрын

I was gonna say the very same, almost better than the cheeks

@cobia1794

2 жыл бұрын

We call them the rabbits here.. good chunk of meat!

Same way I have been cleaning since my dad taught me over 50 yrs ago lol. He did it for 30 years prior. Never bled them out either perch bluegill bass all the same

Well thank you I definitely learned something useful today! Only thing i would do is leave as much skin on as possible.

Good job. I pretty much do the same. I have one suggestion, use a fork when taking the rib bones out, works great for me. for those that say it doesn't make a difference bleeding the fish out, that is just nonsense, I have been catching Walleye for 40 years and just started doing it about 8 years ago, less mess (blood) filleting and the fillet is much whiter. I was stubborn at first but don't be

Never knew about bleeding them until a few years ago, definitely improved taste.

Great work!

Nice work!

Great video, Thanks!

Seen a video a while back bleeding salmon by making that same cut at the bottom of the throat. The guy used cheap pruning shears. We tried that. Bonk the salmon. Then clip the area just below gills and the bleed out really well. I put them in fish box and dump bucket of water to help clear blood from the salmon. Then put on ice in fish bag. Works great and no blood left in fish hardly at all. Also not sure if will work for Walleye scrap meat from fillet with Tea Spoon. For salmon and other fish I have used the spoon gets a lot of meat off bone. I use it to make salmon Chowder.

Most thorough lesson I've seen . .. Great... Do you take the wings as well

@traviswilson5410

Жыл бұрын

That's what I'm saying

Not a bad looking fish mate , Top Stuff 👍

Great detailed video. Lots of fishermen don't bleed out their fish. Without bleeding out their fish, they get a big blood line in the center of their fish. Especially on redfish.

great video with attention to details

Great video thanks.

We do the same cut on the throat latch, all fish. For walleye we are usually trolling so we cut the latch and put the fish on one of those old fashioned metal stringers with the hook latches and drag them for a few minutes to let the blood out and not have it in the boat or the cooler.

@fixtritephil7712

2 жыл бұрын

5 Gal.pail of water

@jimcarpenter4454

2 жыл бұрын

I use my side cutters (for braid line) to cut a gill or 2. Give them a few minutes in livewell to bleed out. If the livewell temp is cold or not overloaded (erie) and air temp hot, I wait til end of trip and cut them all at once. Kinda sucks but saves ice and don't have to remember to transfer fish to cooler if on a good bite. If I had a bigger boat, I'd do a 5 gal bucket with ice water...

First, thanks on showing how to pin bone a walleye fillet, that part I didn't know. One helpful tip, after bleeding the fish roll the fish in a piece of newspaper and throw it in the fridge for a few hours before you fillet it. When you take the fish out of the fridge and remove the paper you will have a fish that is not slimy and straight as a board and much easier to fillet.

Nice job!

Nice job! Bleeding the fish really makes a difference, fillets are nearly white, no blood at all.

great vid. exactly how I do it!

Oh sorry, excellent video. I learned something, thanks

That’s the way I do it also but I don’t have a electric knife I just use the old wooden handle Rapla keep it sharp as a razor blade cracker batter and throw them in the hot grease 👍🤘

Interesting video. I do mine a little different up here in Manitoba, Canada. After I fillet it off the skin (everything’s the same up to that point) I will cut off the tail section about the back 1/3 and that’s one boneless piece (I do not split the tail filet). Then I feel with my finger and cut out a thin strip to get the y-bones only up to the last one I can feel with my finger tip when I run it over the inside of the fillet. That piece will usually be cut in half lengthwise to separate the thicker back meat from the rib meat for even cooking. I deep fry in oil while canoeing Canadian shoe lunch (Cajun or beer batter for me). I often take the wings/butterfly’s and cheeks too. That fish goes from swimming to fry pan in less than 30 mins. I’m craving ice out so bad.

@r.chambers2736

2 жыл бұрын

I also cut the tail pieces off and those are the pieces my young boys used to get until they got older as there were absolutely no bones there . And they never had a bad experience eating fish

@WheresTheSauce

2 жыл бұрын

Is dat how dey doo et up der in manitooba?

@timwhiteside1386

2 жыл бұрын

Try eating just red part in the tail area. How does that taste? It's bad and filled with mercury. Get that out and your fillets will taste better.

@r37l36

2 жыл бұрын

@@timwhiteside1386 Thanks for your reply. I typically don’t have dark red on my fillets. I have filleted hundreds of walleye in my life and have not witnessed that dark meat. This could be because of a few reasons but I’m not entirely sure which one or more would contribute to it most. Probably the fact that I don’t keep big walleye. Usually 3-4 lbs sometimes 5ish max. I also always bleed my fish but you’re commenting on the dark meat on the outermost flesh next to the skin along the lateral line so I don’t think bleeding would eliminate that. Not sure if it’s because I only keep the smaller ones or that I fillet right away (never put whole fish on ice) or maybe it’s that the water temps are cooler but most of my fillets I eat are clean almost translucent/white and void of that red meat. However, the smallmouth bass and pike I catch do have more of the dark meat that you’re talking about. That’s possibly because I catch them in the shallows more often. Anyway, I will keep an eye out and I will try removing and discarding it in the future if I see it.

@jimcarpenter4454

2 жыл бұрын

The dark meat is fatty and bioacumulates pcb's not mercury. Fish will taste milder if you trim off red meat plus reduces pcb's. It takes practice but you can float the knife on bigger eyes when skinning to get a lot of it. Trim rest with sharp knife or easiest is soak in ice water overnite if convenient and trim off before freezing.

never seen the splitting the meat and tearing the bones out before after over 40 yrs of guiding and many hours in a fishhouse i've seen lots of techniques i like to clean fish right from the livewell and if you take the rib bone off while still on the skin they tear out easier

@jiggyjay682

2 жыл бұрын

What ? Most guys zip their walleye filets.

@kevinmedland4335

2 жыл бұрын

@@jiggyjay682 not around here where there's a lot of walleys cleaned... And not a lot of guides use electric knives either

I always have issues getting the rib cage out I end up cutting around it then flipping the cage around and taking the meat off from behind it you make it look way too easy lol are you cutting straight down then angling behind the ribs? That first set of bones you just cut through?

From a professional chef stand point. I specialized in fresh fish and had to fillet fish for the first 4 hrs every day. Throw that cheap Walmart biginners fillet knife away and get a formed no-slip plastic handled flexible 6” fillet knife by Forshner w/ good german stainless steel that will hold a good edge and ten strokes with a steel and it’s good as new. You have a great method and I will utilize this technique with my favorite fish. “Lunker” lake trout and cutthroat. Im not criticizing, just an observation. You made it look real easy with the electric knife then, struggled with the $2 wood handled nightmare with the pot metal blade. I’m impressed with the efficiency of your technique. Thanks

@yarcraft1778

Жыл бұрын

I use a Havalon fillet knife with interchangeable blades. Love it.

@carldymond110

Жыл бұрын

If you shave the red off the skin side of the fish they tasted better.

Another nice video! Going to Burwell this afternoon. Planning to use the "Y" zipper technique. BTW....I did notice the geese at about the 13:45 mark. Sounds like the next video will be about early season goose hunting. Good fishing 🎣👍.

@hawyeetv135

2 жыл бұрын

Absolutely, I’m going to get after those early season geese soon!!

@dr.paulblaser8612

2 жыл бұрын

At this point in the video, I'd love for you to grab a 12 guage and add a bonus goose cleaning video!

Well done. We always bleed our fish 1st too. Not many people know about zippering the 2nd set of bones out or eating the cheeks. We call them Lake Erie Scallops. Great when broiled in butter w bread crumbs. Tight lines

If you don't bleed your fish it is worth the effort. I am convinced the fish tastes much better. I bleed every fish I keep.

@DEVILDOG1964

Жыл бұрын

PLACEBO EFFECT GOOGLE IT.

@PrometheusZandski

Жыл бұрын

@@DEVILDOG1964 Hey Jim, you should really check that keyboard of yours. It seems the caps lock is always on. I would recommend you google Dunn and Kruger effect. You are a prime example.

thanks for the tips

Is way we clean walleye and pike up on the St. Lawrence, saves a lot of meat compared to the old way. We use an electric knife on the big sunfish, blue gill and croppie to filet them too. Started to do that back in the 70's.

Great video

yup i cut the throat exactly like you do and let it bleed dead when im ready to leave like 15-20 min ahead of time , no messy cleaning ,you get the best looking tasting over all product end result , i do it for bullheads too and the meat comes out whiter pink than excepted just like it was from channel or blue catfish , but the way you fillet the walleye most ppl already know about the y bone ,i was hoping you had a trick to keep the fillet in one large piece instead of two strips

thanks for the video🙂

Great video. I will be purchasing one of those electric knives for sure. How long does a blade last before you need to replace it?

@traviswilson5410

Жыл бұрын

You.....years...take care of them....keep clean and in the case....YEARS

@traviswilson5410

Жыл бұрын

Y E A R S

Well done. Great video. Canadian eh?

Did anyone else's arsehole start puckering up at 4:40 when he started working that knife towards the fingers on his other hand? About 60 years ago I was taught to NEVER cut TOWARDS yourself and other than one incident of not listening about a day after the lesson I LEARNED WHY you don't do that and I don't think I've ever done it again!! Don't be lazy take the extra two seconds it takes to get your body parts away from the blade!

Hi , Im from fla. Just curious what state are you from and what water do you fish ? Thanks..Pop's

Nice job.

Thanks so much

Great Vid Thx

Solid video and tips! One word though = SKINZIT. Even if only used for the ribs, those things are worth their weight in gold!

@EnTitledTown

2 жыл бұрын

Agree %100

@jimcarpenter4454

2 жыл бұрын

Pretty neat, little pricy for just cleaning one person limits. I have a Townsend? Fish Skinner bought 50 years ago that you crank manually. Clean-up time offset convenience. Never thought to try it on ribs, might have to dig it out...

What do you do about the P5? How do you get the beef about 400 times

Nice cleaning. When it comes to cheeks it’s no harm to leave the skin on, adds a nice crisp to the bites if deep frying

My exact technique, except I trim all red looking meat off

@bradbankhead7074

2 жыл бұрын

Yeah! That dark meat on the back definitely needs trimmed off!

Thank you for taking the time to educate us! Well done.

I've cleaned too many Walleyes to count and not once have I "bleed them" and not once have I had a bloody filet. Beyond that, it's the same way I've been doing mine for decades.

@alexfamie5255

2 жыл бұрын

Pink, white..it's ALMOST the same 🤷‍♂️

@louistancredi4728

Жыл бұрын

I agree! ❤ 1:28

@Fullyautomaticmechanic

Жыл бұрын

I agree 100% I never bled out a fish prior to about 2 years ago when I gave it a try. A friend challenged me one time to bleed one fish out and compare fillets and yea I was proven wrong, the fish that was bled out was a much whiter color and even had a much less of a fishy smell. I’ve been doing it ever send. You should try it out, just do a comparison. You do have to cut the vein while they’re still completely alive. You can see the blood shoot out.

@lannieross7855

Жыл бұрын

Not a bloody fillet I say BS

@genesnuttjer3263

Жыл бұрын

😅