How To Clean A Bluegill (Boneless)

[@TheWanderingWayfarer]

Thank you good sir! I've been slaying all kinds of sunfish lately at a pond I found a I really want to start bringing the better ones home to eat. Gonna put what you taught me here in to use next trip. Hats off!

[@KnettersPracticalOutdoors]

Glad to help

[@millec60]

If you fry it, you can leave pin bones in and they'll crisp up and be perfectly edible

[@KnettersPracticalOutdoors]

Yes, I have done that too.

[@kevinkaple3615]

I always scale bluegill,p seeds crappie ,and perch….it’s a lot of work but I think it adds much more flavor…especially perch

[@KnettersPracticalOutdoors]

That works too.

[@keegananderson2819]

You seem like the perfect guy to have a beer with.

[@KnettersPracticalOutdoors]

That is an awesome compliment! Thank you!

[@TauOverlord]

we eat the pin bones, when deep fried you can't even tell it's there.

[@KnettersPracticalOutdoors]

Awesome

[@jeremylesso857]

Why?

[@TauOverlord]

@@jeremylesso857 on smaller fish like these they don't impact the enjoyment of the final product, and you get to keep whatever small amount of meat that would have been trimmed off.

[@jeremylesso857]

@@TauOverlord I've ate and fillet thousands of bluegill and other sunfish and never ate the bones!! I have heard of people catching lil ones and frying whole eating bones and all so I guess it's ok

[@TauOverlord]

@jeremy lesso i always trim the ribs and major bones out, not sure if it's applicable to other larger fish but i know for sure that the pin bones going down the center of a standard bluegill filet will literally disappear texture-wise upon cooking. edit: lakefish will always be my favorite fish to eat, bluegill and crappie being at the top of that list. just delicious.

[@rubbnsmoke]

I use a fork to hold the fish while skinning.

[@KnettersPracticalOutdoors]

Cool

[@Professionalpingpongbasball]

Thanks we had no clue how to clean them and we saw this vid and it helped us clean them to professionally

[@KnettersPracticalOutdoors]

I did another shorter vid with a little better lighting and camera angles if your interested kzbin.info/www/bejne/r2bOi56Zpax8oqc but I think this vid covers it pretty good too. Thanks so much for the comment!

[@gjkwiuqwf5947]

I’m late but the strip of meat that has the pin bones in it makes excellent catfish or striper bait, or a good trailer on a bass jig

[@KnettersPracticalOutdoors]

Thanks for the add in!

[@garbo7779]

I usually cut the filet all the way through then trim the ribs out after

[@KnettersPracticalOutdoors]

That works too!

[@C.Fowler]

New subscriber, and I’ve never cleaned a bluegill like this…. This is awesome… Thank you..

[@KnettersPracticalOutdoors]

Welcome aboard! I like to do it this way if the bluegills are big enough.

[@jdwilson1391]

Just tried this method and had pretty good results. Thanks for the tutorial!

[@KnettersPracticalOutdoors]

Very cool. I have a better, shorter version in the works. Should be out soon.

[@xXButaneXx]

Its nice how you preserved so much meat

[@KnettersPracticalOutdoors]

thanks

[@C.Fowler]

Do u sharpen your own knives? If so, how?🙂👍

[@KnettersPracticalOutdoors]

I do sharpen myself. You have given me a great idea - I need to do a vid on this. My Dad is a career meat cutter and has a lot of insight into this. Stay tuned!

[@carvedwood1953]

Lot of missed meat up on the back of the head there. Love that you take the time to get the belly and take out the pins but might as well take an extra second to curve up behind the head and get that extra meat as well.

[@KnettersPracticalOutdoors]

I will keep that in mind.

[@meriahvondra3989]

Best video I've seen so far. Thank you for not wasting any meat!

[@KnettersPracticalOutdoors]

Glad you liked it!

[@joshshackleton4444]

I knew I did something wrong today skinning my gills forgot the damn glass of beer. 🍻😁

[@KnettersPracticalOutdoors]

Never let that happen again!

[@joshshackleton4444]

Agreed 👍

[@gapatriotpatrol9556]

Best way I've seen to clean panfish, great vid ty.

[@KnettersPracticalOutdoors]

Thanks for the comment and thanks for watching, KPO.

[@anilphilip546]

We caught a few bluegill today from the local pond (Chicago NW suburbs) - we're beginners. I cleaned them following a dept of wildlife web page but it has a ton of bones. and very little meat This makes it dangerous and unpleasant to eat. Got one stuck in my throat. In the comments below, you said a better and shorter video is on its way - but I don't see it in your videos?

[@KnettersPracticalOutdoors]

Yes here it is - kzbin.info/www/bejne/r2bOi56Zpax8oqc Maybe more to the point and maybe a little better camera views. But the one you watched should get you where you need to go to.

[@mydogdidit]

That might be the best bluegill fillet method I have seen, cool! You saved the meat from the rib cage and got rid of pin bones.

[@KnettersPracticalOutdoors]

Bill, thanks for that comment! KPO.

[@indygal6552]

Great video. I love to fish but have never actually cleaned one. This video should get me on the right path. Thanks!!

[@KnettersPracticalOutdoors]

Kathleen, just a little practice and it gets real easy. Just make sure you have a sharp knife. Thanks for watching, KPO.

[@Shizzlebaby123]

Yeah I love fishing an for the first time I will get to clean bluegill and have a nice fish fry for lunch. This was a very helpful video

[@meladybird7645]

I cleaned lots of fish but even then it's not bad to still learn more about it

[@haulinashoutdoors2675]

You know, I never heard the term “shucking it out of its skin” till I started watching your channel, now I use that term when I show my grandkids how I fillet. Thanks for adding to my vocabulary KPO.

[@KnettersPracticalOutdoors]

I first heard that term when it came to getting corn cobs out of the skin. Then I'm pretty sure my dad started applying it to getting the skin off of fish??? It seems to apply, KPO.

[@xHawgRyderx]

I just gut, scale and fry. Panfish to include trout are fried head on. If you’ve ever eaten whole Tilapias you’ll understand eating with your fingers or bone hunters 😂. You lose a lot of edible protein filleting. Most Americans just don’t like their food looking at them while they eat. Great how to.

[@KnettersPracticalOutdoors]

Thanks for the tips!

[@bigtater29]

Nice video.

[@KnettersPracticalOutdoors]

Thank you, KPO.

[@kharmsengine]

Excellent instructions, thank you! Also, man are those huge, haven't seen bluegill of that size around here (NJ) but I've only got tiny ponds and some water reservoirs in my vicinity. I ride a bike to fish, usually, so I don't have a lot of locations to choose from.

[@KnettersPracticalOutdoors]

It's fun big or small right!

[@kharmsengine]

@@KnettersPracticalOutdoors It sure is. Going to need a lot more practice though, never tried to fillet anything before.

[@KnettersPracticalOutdoors]

@@kharmsengine Also check this one out, mostly the same, shorter, maybe better camera shots kzbin.info/www/bejne/r2bOi56Zpax8oqc

[@richardcleasby105]

Another great video

[@Malhaloc]

I've never cleaned a fish before, but this really made it easy to understand. Can't wait to try it out. Question: Do you have to remove the skin or is it edible? I know when my grandfather fries mullet, it seems to have skin as well. Though, I'm not there when he cleans it so I can't really say lol

[@KnettersPracticalOutdoors]

Some people like to scrape the scales off. Some will then eat the skin. So you can do it both ways. Thanks for the comment, KPO.

[@pogifishing1979]

Basic fillet here in u.s.a

[@KnettersPracticalOutdoors]

Thanks for watching, KPO.

[@Landon.B]

Great vid! Now I can fillet bluegill. All the other videos weren’t as good as this one! I subscribed too! 👍👍

[@KnettersPracticalOutdoors]

Welcome to the channel! Glad the video helped you out. Stay in touch and thanks for watching, KPO.

[@brettjamesmiller]

Once you get to the ribs just pull especially on cold fish ice fishing there’s nothing past the ribs

[@KnettersPracticalOutdoors]

cool

[@americaspistoleeracademypi5156]

Bet those pin bone sections would make a nice Fish Broth for a Fish Chowder recipe.

[@tomvoyt3522]

Thought about taking scissors and cut whole skeleton minus head and guts and simmer into chowder, and then strain out the bones.

[@guitarzarfun]

Awesome video. Where is that waterfall at the 5 second mark? Nice place!

[@KnettersPracticalOutdoors]

Jim, Laughing Whitefish Falls, Alger County, Upper Peninsula of Michigan, thanks for watching, KPO.

[@wyattritter6473]

What brand of fillet knife where you using?

[@KnettersPracticalOutdoors]

The ones in this video are Rapala brand. They make a real nice fillet knife. Thanks for watching KPO.

[@jallendylan211]

@@KnettersPracticalOutdoors I use to use that brand until my moms dad made one sharper then the ones people buy my uncle gave it to me on my birthday good video

[@KnettersPracticalOutdoors]

thanks, KPO.

[@n8n876]

Bunghole!

[@n8n876]

Sorry, big Bevis and Butthole fan.

[@KnettersPracticalOutdoors]

I need some T.P. for my bluegill's bunghole!

[@kingsunspeakspodcast]

Lovely

[@KnettersPracticalOutdoors]

Thank you, KPO.

[@Knotrockets]

No bones about it, great video. one of the best channels on you tube.

[@KnettersPracticalOutdoors]

steel, I really appreciate that comment. Thanks for the support, KPO.

[@kerryward6896]

Save the belly meat for catfish bait !!!!!!!

[@KnettersPracticalOutdoors]

Good idea!

[@mydogdidit]

That is a great idea and you might could even use it for crappie or even bluegill! Cut a strip and attach to hook like a crappie nibble.

[@ironman-vx1qs]

Very informative. Thank you for making. Could you please do a video of your procedures on freezing them and maybe if you decide to eat them fresh what you do? Do you soak them in a little saltwater for a bit or do you just rinse off and bread them? Thanks again!

[@Knotrockets]

I agree I would like to see that.

[@KnettersPracticalOutdoors]

Yes I should do a vid on these subjects. We have eaten fish several ways over the years. These ones in the vid we actually battered them with mayo and rolled them in crushed sea salt and vinegar chips. Then baked them in the oven. They turned out great. Thanks for watching, KPO.

[@Joedamusickidd]

Its best to do them whole

[@ForgetU]

I like the intro... I see you got your Dad cleaning that deer again. 10:02 that's a mess of fish, maybe get your Dad to show his method on them, haha.

[@KnettersPracticalOutdoors]

No, he figured out a long time ago that I can actually clean fish, but I'll never be able to touch him when it comes to deer. Thanks for the comment, KPO.

[@jeffdurocher8669]

Those are nice size BG! Nice fillets. Mine arent that big but I love them. I clean them the same way but scale and leave the skin on.

[@KnettersPracticalOutdoors]

No doubt that works too. Hey, thanks for watching, KPO.

[@countrytillman8574]

Arkansas a love

[@KnettersPracticalOutdoors]

thanks for watching, KPO.

[@jallendylan211]

You flellet that fish not cleaned is where you scale your fish then gut then chop the head of and you fellet her/him thanks for your time

[@lynchpintm8928]

Seems like alot of time spent per fillet...

[@jakefrickstad4077]

You have to keep in mind he slowed down for the video to explain and show it better.

[@ibdaffy]

Ok, be honest Dave! You've done this before! Lol! By the way, what kind of beer do you recommend when filleting fish?

[@KnettersPracticalOutdoors]

My favorite is Spotted Cow, but you can only get it in Wisconsin. So I run out every so often. But locally I get "Pick Axe Blonde" made by the Keewanaw Brewing Co. But only 1 or 2, we're working with knifes here! LOL! thanks KPO.

[@ernesthemingwayrocks9732]

3 minutes and 10 seconds of useless babbling followed by over explaining. Come on dude, you can do better

[@KnettersPracticalOutdoors]

Well, I think it's a good video for people that are totally new to cleaning fish. But maybe I'll do a much shorter video for people that have cleaned fish before, but just want to see the actual cuts with a bluegill. Remember, not everyone has the fish cleaning experience that you might have. Thanks for the feedback and thanks for watching.

[@Cuspidor-spit-n-more]

Don’t know why they throw away the bone part. There’s meat left that’s going to waste, in the trash, garbage, that’s really good fried in deep, hot oil, enough to cover the piece. Remember that it will cook real fast so watch that until you get to where you like cooked, you’ll find that it tase the best, if you don’t burn it, you could deliberately leave some more meat on it if you liked. They throw away the best tasting part, I’ve seen people leave almost half the fish when they fillet a fish, tell them and they get mad.

[@KnettersPracticalOutdoors]

Maybe I'll give it a try.