Best way to clean perch?

[skdds]

Hi Guys, back from some perching on Simcoe..very cold but still a great time. How do you guys clean up the fish-I brought back about a dozen and cleaned them up with the you-tube "10 second method"..keeps a lot of meat but also bones. Any other ideas for next time? hopefully boneless!

 

Thanks Skdds.

[Governator]

While there is many ways to clean perch, I think the 2 most common ways would be like this:

 

1) Easiest/Beginner method. This method keeps the rib cage attached but you remove afterwards: Cut behind the gill plates to the back bone, then slide the knife flat against it all the way through the tail essentially cutting off half the fish. You then just cut out the ribs (try to get under the bones but leaving the bit of meat behind it. Then skin it.

 

2) Standard Method: This method avoids the ribs from the get go. Hard to explain, but it's like filleting a small walleye. Slice around the gills/neck, then slice on the top of the fish behind it's head on the inside of the spine, just a little bit in all the way down until your knife is in line with it's anus, at that point you're past the rib cage and can push the knife right through the fish then slice through the tail. Then you start opening up the fish from the top and slice around the ribs and down under the belly and remove the fillet (No ribs attached). Then just skin it and do the same on the other side.

 

Youtube is your friend though, it's much easier to understand watching videos.

 

This video from 2min onwards is how to butterfly perch, my favourite method. You don't need to scale them, you can just skin them afterwards. Good technique though:

[skdds]

Thanks for the info!-skdds

[Leecher]

You need the Wunder Boner

But seriously... some good advice from Governator

Leechman

[Fisherman]

You need the Wunder Boner

But seriously... some good advice from Governator

Leechman

Every good fish cleaning ladies "tool".

[Muskieman]

I clean mine like I clean a Walleye...pull cut around the ribcage, and cut the fillet lenghtways down the ''line''after skinning .. no bones.

But I find that Perch dull a blade pretty quick. Anyone else?

 

I used to know how to clean them with a stick.. really.

 

Randy

[irishfield]

I throw the fish in the laundry sink and call for Lloyd and his machette. Easy and slime free for me...

[Sinker]

I find perch are hard on the knife too. Keep a good steel handy.

 

You get good at it after a few thousand, trust me

 

Make sure you have a good, sharp knife.

 

S.

[skdds]

..I find when I fillet them like a walleye...even being careful, there's not a lot of meat left..can't even make a fish stick!

[supernaut]

Clean Perch in 10 seconds

[Guest ThisPlaceSucks]

1st: insert knife.

2nd: run blade down to the spinal cord, turn the blade 90 degrees and run it down the bone.

3rd: remove scales and ribcage.

4th: drop all fillets off at dr sal's place of residence.

[perchslayer666]

You guys an electric knife

[Jonny]

But I find that Perch dull a blade pretty quick. Anyone else?

 

Oh yeah. When I'm cleaning a mess of them I have two freshly-sharpened filet knives handy, then trade off when the first one gets dull. I find a knife stays sharper if I don't saw straight down through the scales behind the gill cover, but rather, with the fish on its side, poke the blade tip (with knife upside down) in behind the head, down to the belly and cut outwards (upwards).

 

I always use Governator's #1 method. I've tried the whole fish skinned method but I don't like frying them with the bones.

 

1st pic - whole fish skinned method beside some done with method #1

2nd pic - method #1 - ribs and skins still to come off

3rd pic - method #1 - ready for the pan

Edited February 1, 2011 by Jocko

[misfish]

Thats a knife.

I have a vid,just cant seem to find it.

[OhioFisherman]

A large slip bobber, 4/0-6/0 hook, wire snelled, and a 1/4-3/8 ounce worm weight. The pike will clean them off the hook for you. Always check your bait fish regulations.

[DanD]

I’ve been doing the same as Governator’s “standard” method; but I scale them first & leave the shin on.

I know everyone thinks it’s a pain to scale them, let alone the mess; but I think they taste better and well worth the effort.

Plus I’ve just bought an electric scaler that works great. It doesn’t rip the skin of the fish at all and the shield helps to keep the scales from flying all over the place. One or two passes with the arbor and the scales are gone; almost as fast as skinning the fillet but with no waste. I don’t know why this thing works as good as it does; the teeth on the arbor are covered in what looks like plastic. You can hold it against your hand and it does nothing as in cut or scrape; but it sure does remove the scales easily.

Plus once they’re scaled they fillet twice as easy; not having to cut through the scales.

 

Dan.

[Governator]

I’ve been doing the same as Governator’s “standard” method; but I scale them first & leave the shin on.

I know everyone thinks it’s a pain to scale them, let alone the mess; but I think they taste better and well worth the effort.

Plus I’ve just bought an electric scaler that works great. It doesn’t rip the skin of the fish at all and the shield helps to keep the scales from flying all over the place. One or two passes with the arbor and the scales are gone; almost as fast as skinning the fillet but with no waste. I don’t know why this thing works as good as it does; the teeth on the arbor are covered in what looks like plastic. You can hold it against your hand and it does nothing as in cut or scrape; but it sure does remove the scales easily.

Plus once they’re scaled they fillet twice as easy; not having to cut through the scales.

 

Dan.

 

That's very cool I've never used one of those. I like them with skin on as well so I do the butterfly method afterwards, keeps it all intact and good size portions. Pain to scale though by hand so I usually limit how many I do from my catch lol.

 

Edited February 1, 2011 by Governator

[Jonny]

One or two passes with the arbor and the scales are gone; almost as fast as skinning the fillet but with no waste. I don't know why this thing works as good as it does; the teeth on the arbor are covered in what looks like plastic. You can hold it against your hand and it does nothing as in cut or scrape; but it sure does remove the scales easily.

 

Where did you pick this up, Dan?

 

Looks like a miniature version of a machine they used to use for plucking pheasants up at the Cochrane Hunt and Game Farm. That had rubber "teeth" that wouldn't hurt your hand either, but it sure did zip the feathers off.

 

 

 

[DanD]

On line at Bass Pro.

http://www.basspro.com/Bear-Paw®-Electric-Scaler/product/77700/-925947

 

Dan.

[Jonny]

On line at Bass Pro.

http://www.basspro.c...t/77700/-925947

 

Thanks, Dan. They don't exactly give them away, do they.

 

Maybe I can pull a "Red Green" with my Dremel tool with flex shaft, and a few odds and ends from the bottom of the junk pile in the tool shed. And some duct tape of course.

 

The video of the end result in action would probably be worth watching!

 

 

 

Edited February 1, 2011 by Jocko

[Billy Bob]

A 4" VERY sharp fillet knife is all that is need....but I do agree PERCH are the hardest on knives because of their tough skin and scales...Crappies are easier to clean.

[aplumma]

Thanks, Dan. They don't exactly give them away, do they.

 

Maybe I can pull a "Red Green" with my Dremel tool with flex shaft, and a few odds and ends from the bottom of the junk pile in the tool shed. And some duct tape of course.

 

The video of the end result in action would probably be worth watching!

 

 

Go for broke start with a weedeater and work from their.

 

 

Art

[DanD]

Thanks, Dan. They don't exactly give them away, do they.

 

Maybe I can pull a "Red Green" with my Dremel tool with flex shaft

 

To tell you the truth that’s what I use to use was the flex shaft from a dermal, a battery operated drill and a 3/8 drill bit.

Click the drill on steady and use the side of the drill bit; the spirals (floots?) of the bit will catch the scales and scrape them right off. But man the scales would be everywhere; had to wear safety glasses. LOL

 

Dan.

Edited February 1, 2011 by DanD

[Governator]

I just use a normal hand scaler, but my biggest peeve isn't the time it takes or the mess it makes but that the dorsal fins usually point straight up afterwards... I've nicked myself on those spines a few times when scaling and it hurts like a bugger.

[tooski]

We use this. Not much more than the hand tool and does a super job. Throw thirty perch in and come back in 15 minutes...

http://www.cabelas.com/fillet-knives-fish-processing-tumble-drumm-fish-scaler-2.shtml