My first pike (Page 2): I just fillet it and see where those other bones are at. I figured I'd cut chunks for tacos and fry the bony parts where we can pick them out with a fork after...

JimTom Loc: N Idaho

mistred64 wrote:

Why is a Musky a trophy fish but a Northern Pike a "slime dog"? All fish are slimy.

Caught it, fileted it, and ate it. Puts up a great fight. I've only caught one undersize Musky but many nice size Pike. My favorite fish to go for.

I just fillet it and see where those other bones are at. I figured I'd cut chunks for tacos and fry the bony parts where we can pick them out with a fork after it's cooked. I might watch some YouTube videos on filleting them for next time.

JimTom Loc: N Idaho

mistred64 wrote:

Have you ever had a Pike on your line Saw?

I was worried about that one when I saw what it was, I only had 6# mono on that reel. Well next time I fish that lake I will have a 30# flourocarbon short leader on there.
Good thing was that chatterbait hooked him in the corner of the mouth, and I kept good tension on him to keep the line out of his mouth.

14idaho Loc: Pa and Idaho

Yeh, plenty of big pike up here in Northern Idaho. Good walleye and bass fishing a

Graywulff Loc: Cortez,Co.

saw1 wrote:

Are they? I never hear too much bout people eatin them.
Just all the negative comments on having caught one.

They are great eating, nice mild flesh, just have to learn to filet out the bones….

Bcmech1 Loc: Clinton Wisconsin

DCGravity wrote:

OJ's right, they're delicious! They get a bad rap b/c of all the bones (and slime). There's quite a few YT tutorials on properly fileting them though. In full disclosure, I've never actually fileted one, have only eaten it.

DC, they are easy to filet. Just filet like any other fish, take the skin off and usually you can feel about 1 inch down from the top of filet and find where the y bones are, then just cut a v shaped wedge with the bones in the middle of it. Bones are usually about 1/2 inch wide. Hope this helps.

Whitey Loc: Southeast ohio

JimTom wrote:

Almost 33" and 12# I was fishing from a 10' kayak. It towed me around for about 10 minutes. It wasn't the target I was fishing for Bass. I knew they were in there but wasn't expecting to get one of them. I was using a chatterbait with a creature trailer.

Nice one JimTom 👍

DCGravity Loc: Fairfax, VA (by way of Cleveland OH)

Bcmech1 wrote:

DC, they are easy to filet. Just filet like any other fish, take the skin off and usually you can feel about 1 inch down from the top of filet and find where the y bones are, then just cut a v shaped wedge with the bones in the middle of it. Bones are usually about 1/2 inch wide. Hope this helps.

Agreed. The actual yield you're left with after removing the Y bones is pretty startling. Makes you want to go ahead and cook the Y bone section separately anyway to pick out all that good meat left in there. I typically roast the carcass of fish I've fileted b/c my wife likes to do just that. (waste not, want not I guess)

Chuckay Loc: Central Florida

DCGravity wrote:

Agreed. The actual yield you're left with after removing the Y bones is pretty startling. Makes you want to go ahead and cook the Y bone section separately anyway to pick out all that good meat left in there. I typically roast the carcass of fish I've fileted b/c my wife likes to do just that. (waste not, want not I guess)

The way I do it is scale the fish cut the sides off leaving only the backbone and rib cage then cut crossways about every 3/8 to 1/2 in down to the skin but not cutting it then deep fried and all those little hair bones just dissolves in the hot grease you can take a fork and hold the skin with your finger tip and rake all the meat right off the skin.... And it is good eating🎣🎣🎣

bapabear Loc: Blaine, Washington

DCGravity wrote:

OJ's right, they're delicious! They get a bad rap b/c of all the bones (and slime). There's quite a few YT tutorials on properly fileting them though. In full disclosure, I've never actually fileted one, have only eaten it.

I have filet and eaten lots of them. They are right up there with yellow perch and walleye as food fair. They do have a lot of slime on their skin, so I wipe them down with newspaper before cleaning. It removes much of the slime. I then use the five filet method (see You Tube). I learned the newspaper thing from sole and ling cod fishermen.

JimTom Loc: N Idaho

Bcmech1 wrote:

DC, they are easy to filet. Just filet like any other fish, take the skin off and usually you can feel about 1 inch down from the top of filet and find where the y bones are, then just cut a v shaped wedge with the bones in the middle of it. Bones are usually about 1/2 inch wide. Hope this helps.

Thanks

bapabear Loc: Blaine, Washington

DCGravity wrote:

Agreed. The actual yield you're left with after removing the Y bones is pretty startling. Makes you want to go ahead and cook the Y bone section separately anyway to pick out all that good meat left in there. I typically roast the carcass of fish I've fileted b/c my wife likes to do just that. (waste not, want not I guess)

If you are a use it all person, the removed portions with the bones and skeleton make very good fish broth for soup.

Graywulff Loc: Cortez,Co.

bapabear wrote:

If you are a use it all person, the removed portions with the bones and skeleton make very good fish broth for soup.

Thanks bapa I never thought of that it would make a good curry base that way.

Chuckay Loc: Central Florida

bapabear wrote:

If you are a use it all person, the removed portions with the bones and skeleton make very good fish broth for soup.

My dad used to like the back bone of most of the fish, wish he was back to eat some again..

Grandpa Knows How Loc: Bahia De Los angeles, Mexico

Nice fish. You'll find these are frequently easier to find than most other fish and makes for a great day of fishing and eating. Personally, I prefer the pike over the walleye. It takes a little learning how to fillet out the Y-bones, but once you've mastered it, you've got great eating boneless fish to eat. It freezes well also, but be sure to remove fatty flesh you find around the fin areas. I find it is the fat that taints the frozen meat. I use a vacuum sealer and it easily keeps 6-8 months. 12 months is starting to push it, but i have done it on several occasions.

Wolf Bay Loc: Al Gulf Coast

In the south we call them jack fish.

They don’t get as large as the ones up north. I had a great uncle that would clean um, spice them up and cook in a pressure cooker. Would cook bones and all. Were pretty tasty.

If you get a large enough one the “back strap” on both side of the backbone is a boneless, beautiful hunk of white meat. Fry that up for shore lunch with a few beans and fries and that is Five Star.