How to fillet crappie fast with no waste. The easy "see-through method"

www.rogersrigs...
Fillet knife used:
amzn.to/2FIJT4O
Rapala Serrated Knife:
amzn.to/2KNlVLX
What we use to catch Crappie:
Side Show Rig
www.rogersrigs....
Lil' Tons Tungsten Jigs
www.rogersrigs....
Deadly Dozen Micro-plastics
www.rogersrigs....
Our video (Perch filleting 45-sec method) was very popular. Many viewers asked if the same trick works for crappie.
So, Roger and Micheal decided to show everyone how to cut a crappie quickly and cleanly, while avoiding that nasty fat string.
Please subscribe to our channel and share this with your friends.
Don't forget to check out our videos on how to catch these guys too.

[@CrappieCrushinTv]

Great work !!!!

[@RogersRigs]

Thank you! hey what find of hook do you use on your crappie setup? and where do you hook the minnow?

[@CrappieCrushinTv]

@@RogersRigs Generally I use a size 8 Lazer Sharp Octupus and I hook the minnies through the lips from underneath.

[@MrSydbob]

I have cleaned thousands of fish in my life and I am not good at teaching it to others. Your idea to show a fish already cut in half so you can demonstrate where the "unseen knife" is traveling when inside the filet is awesome. Great videos!

[@RogersRigs]

thanks Syd! I'm glad you enjoyed it. yeah teaching fish cutting is really 10% teaching and then 90% doing it hundreds and hundreds of times.

[@sweett9961]

Nice video keep it up

[@RogersRigs]

Thank you!

[@patrickmoran5636]

Do you bleed your fish

[@RogersRigs]

i bleed lake trout and salmon. and cod too. but not the pan fish

[@brucechastain4168]

Looks good ,but try that on 200 crappie,no limit here

[@RogersRigs]

yeah this is just a how to on using a regular knife. We are going to put out a video on using electric knives soon. there is a little more waste, but definitely faster. Our limit on crappies is only 25 per person, so we hardly ever cut more than 75 at a time, usually just 50. and i like using the straight blade because it is quieter, so i can hear my buddies or a youtube video while we are cutting. thanks for watching!

[@jaxxxonman]

LOL @ the comments. He's making up for any meat he may miss around the ribs by using an angle that uses more meat above the gill plate and of course, he's removing the ribs. He waits until all the fish have been filleted. One job at a time.

[@RogersRigs]

Thanks for watching Todd! yep the rib meat is another story.

[@AdamCraigOutdoors]

awesome demo. Just watched you do this with perch. really cool to see.

[@RogersRigs]

Thank you. We enjoy passing on this method.

[@philsbs2007]

Why cut the heads off. Just fillet the fish.

[@nicksully]

The answer to your question: kzbin.info/www/bejne/l2PVc2CrisdgbcU

[@FoxFishing4K]

So much easier filleting with the head on. I'm gonna make a crappie filleting video. Lol the tear kills me. Just run your knife over the stomach like the top.

[@bryanheimann5370]

Watch it again, rofl

[@FoxFishing4K]

I can't watch it again its painfull.

[@JeffSmith-eq3kc]

@@FoxFishing4K as someone who primarily fishes in saltwater it is interesting most of these smaller fish guys fillet head on. On most of the fish I fillet removing the head makes for a nicer final result. Some guys will leave the heads on like fish up to 10lbs or so but in general removing the head is standard.

[@leelemon3373]

Give a man a fish you feed him for a day, teach a man how to fish you feed him for life. Great video, Thanks

[@RogersRigs]

That's the plan! thanks for watching

[@tracymeadows3442]

Awesome method 👊🏻 just killed me watching you throw away perfectly good eating eggs😪😪 batter them just like your Crappie, but cook them on a lower temperature...mmmmm mmmm good😍! loved the video Guys 👍

[@bucksniper65]

People absolutely do not know what they are missing if they are not eating the roe.

[@RogersRigs]

Thanks guys! that is the first time i've got advice on actually cooking them. cook em a littler lower and slower... Do you mush it flat or leave it round in the egg sack? so many people told me to eat them on this vid but I've never done it. I'm going to cook 'em on the next mess of crappies that we get. Thanks Tracy and Rene

[@bucksniper65]

Leave it round in egg sac. Just season like you would your fish and fry.

[@dustinmoss584]

Clean it up real good try not to bust the Saks you want to make sure that it stays that way get all the little stuff off of it batter it up fry it and you'll be in heaven

[@regankercheval9296]

Roger this was a slick new method of teaching. I agree with the 4" rapala filet knives. I can't count how many I have owned in my 40 years of fishing. I am definitely adding your tweaks for next crappie trip. Adding the serrated knife for the head will lengthen the life of my filet knives going forward. I just caught another video for catfish fileting and the fella used a small squeegee to keep his table clean of slime. Both of you have provided tips that are game-changers. Thank you for sharing. Happy fishing! 🐟🐟🐟

[@bossshogg23]

You throw away the best part the ribs an the tail fry the ribs hard an eat bones an all fry the tails eat like potatoe chips just try it once an you will have it know other way

[@RogersRigs]

I'll have to try that. thanks for watching!

[@hotartesian4163]

Crunchy bone crisps as a travel snack. Bet that goes well with hot and spicey pork rinds.

[@FoxFishing4K]

You did great until ripping the fillet off. You left the other half of the fillet on the fish.

[@RogersRigs]

thats a good idea and thanks for watching we leave the belly meat behind to avoid the concentration of toxins there.

[@FoxFishing4K]

Ahh ok well then that's a perfect fillet job then if that is the intended purpose! Thank you for posting this.

[@RogersRigs]

Thanks for watching! Are your crappies biting yet? our water is still too cold.

[@FoxFishing4K]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/gJeQfnxsmth3b7M

[@FoxFishing4K]

Yah man started biting the day the ice went out.

[@OFFFishing]

Nice Roger, liked and subscribed

[@RogersRigs]

Thank you!

[@anthonyranzie4630]

Nice video I use an electric knife it works awesome

[@josepheisner9468]

I learned something new today thanks I also subscribed

[@RogersRigs]

Happy to hear that and thanks for subscribing!

[@westmichiganangler6164]

Hi Roger, do you use this method with bluegill also? This is by far the best method I've seen demonstrated on KZbin

[@RogersRigs]

Thanks for watching. Were happy you enjoyed it. Roger uses this method for everything from Perch to Walleye. Works great.

[@MatthewJessOutdoors]

Are you associated with the youtuber tomatoplot from Vermont swore I saw you in one of his videos I subbed to your channel anyway thanks.

[@RogersRigs]

Thanks for watching matt. you are quite observant! yes i met tomatoplot through youtube. he took me on an epic white perch fishing adventure! 750 lbs of white perch in a day!!!!! He is a Great guy and he makes great videos. that days footage even made it on the vermont evening news!

[@MatthewJessOutdoors]

@@RogersRigs that is the video I seen you on with all the perch quite an incredible haul of fish! My videos are nothing special just sporadic shakey videos I take with my phone of my own fishing/outdoor stuff take care.

[@cleveedmondson7991]

Too many steps filleting a fish is not difficult but nice bunch of Fish enjoy the video

[@RogersRigs]

Thanks for watching Cleave, yes for crappies this is the long form method, but i think it teaches the objective and bone structure well. so people can streamline once they know where things are at and what they want to get off.

[@timothybinkley3853]

My gosh thats alot of extra work and still missed some meat between head and shoulder .

[@RogersRigs]

thanks for watching!

[@KZtheFisherOutdoors]

Absolutely delicious fish thanks for sharing good info🤘😉🎣🎣🎣

[@RogersRigs]

Anytime! Glad you enjoyed it. That is our goal is to pass on what we have learned to as many people as possible.

[@hotartesian4163]

The second video I watched. Awesome work you do, thanks!

[@RogersRigs]

Wow, thanks for watching. have you been catching some panfish lately?

[@stevencoons450]

Hi Roger, I went to your website to order the rapala knife....but it's not there...you promote very well and I would definitely buy one from you.

[@RogersRigs]

Hey Steve, yes we love that knife. We are looking onto a way to get them in large quantities. For now you can get them through the amazon link in the description and that helps us out some.

[@stevencoons450]

@@RogersRigs oh ok..thanks

[@pawepodgorski9661]

and another great movie greetings (PL BYDGOSZCZ)

[@RogersRigs]

Thank you sir

[@JamesJones-fb5js]

Nice video. But I would have ten to your one in less than 5 minutes

[@kaibrigance2631]

I’m sure he was going slower for the people to watch. And even then, who cares?

[@danfish4life249]

Got your jigs and the jumbo perch really love them.

[@RogersRigs]

Great to hear! which jigs did you catch them on?

[@mattyb4017]

Never have taken head off first, gonna give it a try this weekend if we get into them here in the finger lakes. Great vid! Gonna check your site out love fishing big perch and crappie.

[@RogersRigs]

Thanks Matt. Good luck this weekend. Hope you catch a bunch to try this method out on. :-)

[@RogersRigs]

Thanks for watching matt. yes i met tomatoplot through youtube. he took my on an epic white perch fishing adventure! 750 lbs of white perch in a day!!!!! He is a Great guy and he makes great videos. that days footage even made it on the vermont evening news!

[@weldon9254]

Fantastic method! Great vid

[@RogersRigs]

@Weldon Thanks for watching! Any luck on the water this year?

[@pikeevans8559]

Sorry, there is a much better way to do this. No need to cut the head off and through the guts.

[@StevenKA9MOT]

I like your videos and I am a Subscriber. I can't understand why you waste so much fish. You're throwing away so much goodness! The Roe for starters. There are so many ways to enjoy Roe. Google some Roe recipes. Use the rest of it to make fish stock. Sorry for the criticism but my two favorite things to do is fish and cook....and I see so much goodness going "too the coyotes". Keep bringing the great content and stop wasting food.

[@RogersRigs]

Hi Steven Thanks for the sub! and thanks for watching. Thanks for the observation too. I am researching contaminates and putting together a video to address those points. i do eat perch roe on occasion (we even made a vid of that) and have made fish stock. however, we have trace contaminates in our lakes around here mercury, etc. and there is research that suggests those contaminates are concentrated in the belly are. (ribcage) and in the eggs. with a young family who consumes a lot of fish each year, i'm trying to keep our exposure to toxins at a minimum.

[@StevenKA9MOT]

@@RogersRigs great answer and one I didn't consider. Thanks for the reply

[@RogersRigs]

how do you like to cook the roe?

[@StevenKA9MOT]

@@RogersRigs cornmeal breading and deep fried.

[@RogersRigs]

@@StevenKA9MOT yep that is yummy for sure!

[@VuNguyen-sc1zp]

Why throw the eggs?

[@RogersRigs]

I'm going to try them on the next batch. Thank you!!

[@johathanbelky4774]

Great vid thanks for posting.

[@patrickmoran5636]

What kind of table is that

[@RogersRigs]

its an old Formica kitchen counter! thanks for watching!

[@vtcrafter6626]

I live near one of the largest natural lakes in Vermont that holds nice jumbo yellows. Beautiful pike and walleye as well as white crappie. I can find them in summer but struggle in winter. Any suggestions on picking them out from the bluegill and perch?

[@RogersRigs]

That sounds like a great fishery! Crappies do tend to hide in winter. or they suspend feed and behave differently than other pan fish. I guess my first question is: do you icefish with a sonar system? in some lakes the crappies will suspend 4ft off bottom or 15' off bottom. and without sonar, they are very hard to find. also they tend to be Very hesitant biters especially as the winter progresses and oxygen levels go down. they are almost hibernating, and the sonar helps to spoon feed the jig into their mouth. another big difference is the time of day that they are active. often crappies feed 1 hour after dark. oh and they have excellent eyesight so light line can make a big difference. If you have caught any crappies through the ice, that is a big clue. go to those spots and try sonar, light line, and after dark and see if you can get a bite going. i have a few more vids on the channel about this topic. let me know if you have more questions! -Roger

[@danfish4life249]

Your leaving a lot of meat on the head and the lower ribs. Slab them tail to head being sure to get the meat over top of the head. Then take the slab and work our knife along the Y bones until you get to the skin then double back to the ribs and slice it off. Flip it over skin it and if you have a strip of fat be sure and remove that. Which you included. Try this and tell me it doesn't work better. Please.

[@RogersRigs]

Thanks Dan, I will try that as soon as the spring crappie run starts. do you slab them with a straight knife or a electric knife?

[@playerslayer91]

You said "no waste", but you didn't even eat the skin.

[@RogersRigs]

i suppose you are right. you scale 'em?

[@playerslayer91]

@@RogersRigs I scale them and cook them whole usually. The skin is good. Not fishy at all. I even eat the eyeballs sometimes. I discovered the eggs are delicious too yesterday. Good job fileting it though.

[@RogersRigs]

@@playerslayer91 that is full usage of the fish for sure!!!!!! we freeze a lot of our winter catch so fillets work better in the vacuum package

[@kevinkev500]

I've watched a couple of your videos. Nice job in explaining what you're using and how you're using it. Love to see people enjoy fishing as much as my wife and I do. Here in WI the main target fish is Walleye but we love fishing for Perch and sunnies (crappie, sunfish) too. I've subscribed and I'll be checking out your rig site soon. PS. Love you fish filleting method, I'm going to try.

[@RogersRigs]

THank YOU Kevin, I appreciate the sub and your words. we have a few moew videos coming out. I just got footage of my wife catching 3 doubles in a row today. we cut over 14lbs of perch this evening!

[@prestynrose8189]

sunfish one

[@RogersRigs]

thanks for watching. here is a sunfish vid kzbin.info/www/bejne/gmKaiYlsird9b9U

[@bucksniper65]

You are not getting one of the most amazing parts off the fish! Don't throw the roe away!

[@RogersRigs]

I've gotta try that. until i put this video out i had not heard of eating crappie roe. thanks for watching and sharing

[@dustinmoss584]

You're talking about the crappie eggs you don't waste those but y'all were wasting them you have to eat those

[@8Jory]

Great video. Wish you could come up to lake Simcoe for some ice fishing. Was just up there with a bunch of buddies from work catching perch and herring.

[@RogersRigs]

Wow! thanks for the invitation! going to Simcoe is definitely on our bucket list! that looks like an awesome fishery and great clean water

[@timwashington824]

Try the tale takes like potato chips a good, I never thought I would do that but it tastes good chief.

[@RogersRigs]

thanks Tim, yes we used to eat all the crispy fins off from little brooktrout. fish and chips without the chips! thanks for watching!

[@RodneyArrow]

That's pretty cool and informative. Thanks for posting a different way to filet.

[@RogersRigs]

THanks for watching more videos to come soon

[@rwurth1]

Nice videos - looks like an easy and quick method to clean fish. Subscribed!

[@RogersRigs]

Thanks Ron, hope it helps on your next catch

[@beebob1279]

Just wait until Ocasio-Cortez sees your video. She'll want you shut down and confiscate your fishing equipment.

[@RogersRigs]

Ha Ha we are hiding in the last vestiges of freedom up here.....then i put it all over youtube. oops

[@johncollins7044]

Nice. This is almost a hybrid method of how Red Castle Outdoors shows how they fillet trout. Now if only I could get those darn crappie and trout into my bucket! 2019 has been a wacky fish'n season in central Missouri!

[@RogersRigs]

THanks for the comment John, Yes the fishing has been squrely this year! we have a had a rainy cold spring and the spawning runs and regular movements are weeks delayed. have the crappies already spawned out there?

[@johncollins7044]

@@RogersRigs yes they have. 15 is the daily limit. I wish I could say I caught that in the five days I've been out on the lakes.

[@RogersRigs]

0ur water temps are still in the 50s. they are still spawning, but sporadically. its been a weird year for sure.

[@pipeliner345]

American angler electric fillet knife is my time saving method. I gave up the hand knife 25 years ago. But everybody has their own method. Each to his own. Nice job though.

[@RogersRigs]

yes I've heard that is a good quality knife. Do you use the 7" blade? i am working on a electric knife video and any tips would help. thanks Matt

[@pipeliner345]

@@RogersRigs i prefer the 9". More flex But 7" work well to. I use the tapered tip blades. Just get use to feeling the spine or you'll go right through it. I still do on occasion. Make the same cut you do now at the head but go right on through the rib cage. Fillet the slab off in one piece. Then cut the rib cage out. Quick and easy.

[@pipeliner345]

@@RogersRigs you'll butcher a few till you get the hang of it. Once you do you'll never go back. An electric knife in the hands of someone who knows how to use it properly on the targeted fish leaves no more meat behind than a hand knife. I've been using them for over 25 years now and I'll never go back. On my catfish i use the long flat blades. Redfish I'll use the cuda blades. Good luck, practice practice. Take your time to get proficient.

[@michaelmitchell3440]

I now fillet Crappie using the knife and method you use. Thank you for the video. How do you sharpen the Rapala fillet knife?

[@RogersRigs]

GReat! thanks for the comment! are you catching crappies right now? we are counting down the days to icefishing up here. I use the cheep v shaped sharpener you get with the the fillet knife when i am quickly hitting the edge during the cutting process. when i gotta really reset the edge i use a diamond wheat stone to work it to a new edge.

[@michaelmitchell3440]

@@RogersRigs I just caught my last Crappie of the year yesterday in eastern Washington State. I don't think ice fishing is big in Washington State, but I will do some research. BTW, the only pan fish my wife and I used to eat were Bluegill. To us, Crappie tasted bland. Thanks to your fried perch recipe, we now love to eat Crappie. I would love to see a video on how you reset the edge with a diamond stone.

[@RogersRigs]

THAT IS GREAT TO HEAR! I agree Crappie is a bit bland. and the texture is a little soft. Not bad but I prefer Yellow perch or bluegill. the recipe does help keep it crisp and keep the fillet from falling apart. we made a good crappie chowder a few times too. I think there is a recipe for the chowder on our "crappie in the bay" video on the channel. I will definitely make a video on knife sharpening and care this winter. Thanks again for watching and the comments!

[@kurzhaarguy]

Nice job, boys. Nothing but mink bait left.

[@RogersRigs]

Yep. and we do use them for mink bait sometimes! thanks for watching!

[@kurzhaarguy]

@@RogersRigs hard for me to believe that I've never seen them done like this. I'm a northern WI kid and been around for 6 decades.

[@RogersRigs]

yeah i think its an easier way to teach and learn. making that spine cut and turning at the ribs it the whole game, and thei method makes those 2 places easy to identify.

[@kurzhaarguy]

@@RogersRigs indeed. while I was watching it, I thought, so that's why the back of the fillet knife is bowed up! It's kind of a derrr moment for me but I got past pride of authorship a long time ago. I'm more than happy to take someone else's good tips.

[@RogersRigs]

ha ha! thanks for watching! have you been catching panfish lately?

[@mrader]

Great video! Thank you sir.

[@RogersRigs]

You Very welcome! thanks for watching

[@samshepherd9252]

Wow super cool way to do it! But i am about speed so eletric fill knife!

[@RogersRigs]

Yes i dont blame you. the electric is faster. we are working on a side by side comparison. for both time and yeid. it will be coming out soon. do you is e a mister twister?

[@samshepherd9252]

Saltwater ones have a better motor and blades are little better foind that out on catfish

[@loganlowe1764]

That is a great way to clean fish.

[@RogersRigs]

thank you! i hope it helps people get more good food on the table

[@stevencoons450]

Oh...i got an error sending message on your website..FYI

[@RogersRigs]

Oops, we'll look into that. In the meantime you can email us at: [e-mail]

[@stevencoons450]

@@RogersRigs I ordered the knife through your link. Thanks

[@RogersRigs]

Good deal!

[@RogersRigs]

@@stevencoons450 Thank you Steven!

[@stevencoons450]

@@RogersRigs Thank you...I know making good videos is not easy. I try to support the guys making good videos that I enjoy. My wife T has a channel and it takes a lot of work!

[@nickbrown6916]

I did this. What a game changer!

[@RogersRigs]

THat is great to hear! Thank you Nick! Good luck on your next trip out!

[@jaijason8150]

thats some hammers

[@RogersRigs]

thanks for watching! there are some vids of how we catch them on our channel. that lake grows em big, but we catch and cut a lot of 9 and 10 inchers too from other waters.

[@tonglee8682]

We asian, we eat everything. Especially crappies. They give good juice

[@RogersRigs]

yes, they are delicious, and the bones make great stock for soup

[@1estorge]

great video

[@RogersRigs]

thank you! we are just getting into this. glad to help

[@bryanheimann5370]

Thanks!

[@RogersRigs]

No problem! thanks for watching

[@jimmyelam9809]

Lemon juice and salt will remove some of that slime. But when you have a ton of fish to filet it will lengthen the process

[@RogersRigs]

intresting. do you mix that with water. or spray ? thanks for the tip.

[@jimmyelam9809]

@@RogersRigs Just rub directly on to fish. Half a couple lemons or buy a bottle of juice. Pour a fair amount of salt and rub in w the juice then rinse

[@jimmyelam9809]

I use it to deslime sail cats

[@RogersRigs]

I will try that in Pike next time. they get crazy slimy. thank you!

[@jimmyelam9809]

No worries. Tight lines

[@jasonwintersteen1613]

Those are big crappie

[@RogersRigs]

yeah sometimes we get into some big ones. but we cut up a lot of 9 and 10 inchers too. thanks for watching!

[@jasonwintersteen1613]

@@RogersRigs no problem had a blast watching the video

[@whcjr1022]

To much work. Cut through the rib cage down to the tail, flip it over and skin it. Buddy cuts the ribs out and cleans and bags. Alot quicker.

[@timfaulks745]

I agree

[@rkayser89]

You'll miss the belly meat doing that. Just fry them with the ribs in- big enough bones to pick around, and they seem to taste a little better.

[@jdsharp5036]

I use an electric knife too,and I can clean 6 fish to your 1,wasting no meat behind the head,which I don’t remove,or belly,and the fish is thinner than a penny when I’m done,electric knife is the way to go,Mr.Twister makes a good one.

[@petenistler7816]

Should only take 20 seconds to fillit a crappie

[@billgraham5609]

Going to have to try....Thanks will check your website for the knowledge

[@RogersRigs]

thanks for watching! and checking out our other stuff. i really want to help people catch more fish! and learn other people's tricks too!

[@michaeldennismartin1]

It looks like more work, for the same amount of meat.

[@RogersRigs]

How do you clean them? We are always looking for good info.

[@michaeldennismartin1]

@@RogersRigs Just the standard way, I cut just behind the gill and cut above the head to get that meat, then cut through the ribs. Skin and de-rib.

[@michaeldennismartin1]

@@RogersRigs Don't get me wrong, I think that way is fine too.

[@UnspokenWilderness]

That was perfect. Really helpful!

[@RogersRigs]

glad to help, THANK YOU for watching!