I start with a cut from the behind the head down around the gills, then I start at the top moving back with a shallow cut till it clear the rib cage then all the way through and back to the tail, then I go back to the top and with just the tip of my knife while holding the meat back with my other hand begin scraping down the rib cage, about half way through the rib i'll change my knife angle and slice right through to just behind the belly fin, flip and do the other side the same way. I then go back through and skin them.
I saw a guy do one up by just cutting right through the rib bones then going back through with a spoon and sorta scooping the rib bones out, I tried that but found it to dull my knife pretty quick cutting through the bones.
Either way it's time consuming for sure, I seldom keep more then dozen to maybe 20 at the most.

 

Use the electric; I've cleaned thousands of gills this way and you don't lose much meat compared to hand cleaning. I start at the head and cut through the rib cage clear to the tail, following the back bone. After I have 10-15 pieces, I rib them with a hand knife by starting at the top of the ribs and scooping them out. I then take the skin off with the electric by pinning the tail end of the filet to the cleaning surface with a fork and cutting from the tail to the head end of the filet, using the electric just like a hand knife. The fork keeps my fingers away from the blade. I'm not very fast by any means, but I can clean 40-50 fish in about an hour, and unless I have help, I never keep any more than 50 or so at a time. Course the clean-up takes me another 30 minutes by the time I wash everything down, bury the garbage in the garden, etc. I hate cleaning up.....

 

I gotta try one of those electric knives, always thought they looked too clumsy for maneuvering around panfish.

 

We tryed the electric's up in Rice lake , Canada. Were we had a lot of quantity. I just hand fillet all my fish & skin them. I haven't scaled a fish in over 30 years. Some people like them whole, just gutted field striped if you would. My family got use to fillets , & that's all I do. The more tools , the more clean up. 2 fillet knives. 1 to fillet & 1 to skin. Real simple. I'm retired & don't care to keep that many fish anymore. A dozen & I happy. After being on the ice for hours I don't care to spend hrs. cleaning fish.

 

I've been using these same two rapala knives for over 25 yrs. I keep wanting to buy a couple of new ones but the ol Rolit' keeps them sharp enough for me.

 

I start with a cut from the behind the head down around the gills, then I start at the top moving back with a shallow cut till it clear the rib cage then all the way through and back to the tail, then I go back to the top and with just the tip of my knife while holding the meat back with my other hand begin scraping down the rib cage, about half way through the rib i'll change my knife angle and slice right through to just behind the belly fin, flip and do the other side the same way. I then go back through and skin them.
I saw a guy do one up by just cutting right through the rib bones then going back through with a spoon and sorta scooping the rib bones out, I tried that but found it to dull my knife pretty quick cutting through the bones.
Either way it's time consuming for sure, I seldom keep more then dozen to maybe 20 at the most.

+1... I fillet everything with a manual fillet knife. I think I tried an electric knife once. It is common for me to take 2 hours to fillet, wash and bag a big pile of fish - and I'm okay with that. Just thinking of those tasty fillets in my tummy makes it all worth-while!

 

I like the smaller rapala knife.i think it is A 4" the smaller knife is easier for panfish.

 

I start with a cut from the behind the head down around the gills, then I start at the top moving back with a shallow cut till it clear the rib cage then all the way through and back to the tail, then I go back to the top and with just the tip of my knife while holding the meat back with my other hand begin scraping down the rib cage, about half way through the rib i'll change my knife angle and slice right through to just behind the belly fin, flip and do the other side the same way. I then go back through and skin them.
I saw a guy do one up by just cutting right through the rib bones then going back through with a spoon and sorta scooping the rib bones out, I tried that but found it to dull my knife pretty quick cutting through the bones.
Either way it's time consuming for sure, I seldom keep more then dozen to maybe 20 at the most.

i do the same thing but take a pair of pliers and hold the meat with the run a knife between the skin and meat yes time consuming but all so good!

 

I just finished cleaning 12 Gils that I caught yesterday. Do it just like a walleye and as described by fished-out. I do remove the rib cage with the electric also. A good practice is to rinse your knife with hot water before cutting each fish. I have a deep pitcher and run the electric in the hot water for a few seconds.

 

I started using this guys technique last summer. Very good youtube video. The method is fast and clean if you do it right.

Part One:

Part Two:

Enjoy.

 

I started using this guys technique last summer. Very good youtube video. The method is fast and clean if you do it right.

Part One:
YouTube - Bluegill filleting technique part 1

Part Two:
YouTube - Bluegill filleting technique part 2

Enjoy.

Thanks for the videos. I don't save the rib meat. I just cut through the meat and skin above the lateral line at the top of the rib cage. When I looked at his fillets, I wanted to get the deep fryer ready!

 

You're welcome Jim. Did you notice that he uses a nitrile glove on the hand he uses to hold the fish? Next time I clean some gills I'm gonna try that. I assume it helps hold a slimy critter better. That's the one big problem I have cleaning them this way but I missed that part in the video before.

Man... with this warm spell we had the last two days I wanted to hit a farm pond but they're all froze up where I've looked. I gotta a new much needed rod & reel for christmas that I'm itchin to try.

 

I start with a cut from the behind the head down around the gills, then I start at the top moving back with a shallow cut till it clear the rib cage then all the way through and back to the tail, then I go back to the top and with just the tip of my knife while holding the meat back with my other hand begin scraping down the rib cage, about half way through the rib i'll change my knife angle and slice right through to just behind the belly fin, flip and do the other side the same way. I then go back through and skin them.
I saw a guy do one up by just cutting right through the rib bones then going back through with a spoon and sorta scooping the rib bones out, I tried that but found it to dull my knife pretty quick cutting through the bones.
Either way it's time consuming for sure, I seldom keep more then dozen to maybe 20 at the most.

+2.....MAN THE GILLS IN THAT VIDEO ARE BIG!! This here ^^^^ is what is in the video..that is how I do it....goodluck

 

Thanks for the videos. I don't save the rib meat. I just cut through the meat and skin above the lateral line at the top of the rib cage. When I looked at his fillets, I wanted to get the deep fryer ready![/QUOTE

Unless you have monster gills, there is so little rib meat that I just cut behind the head, then along the rib cage, then through to the tail. I then loosen the meat above the rib cage and just pull the fillet off. I essentially tear it off and it saves quite a bit of time vs. cutting around the rib cage to save the very little belly meat.

 

That is an awsom video...I have cleaned all my pan fish this way for many ,,many years...Only thing I do different is cut the rib bones out after I have the fillet done...I'll try it his way next time...Thank's for the video....JIM....CL....

 

Great video! Couple things I picked up on, making the initial cut around the head, I pretty much made the exact cut with one exception, I wasn't getting up under the scales, I made cut exactly like he demonstrated not to do, now wonder my knife dulls so quickly, also when cutting down the back, just past the ribs I notice he begins the through cut much sooner than I would but... he angles his knife more rearward, I can't wait to go out and catch a batch of bluegills now!!!!! Learn something everyday, thanks for posting Muski mod's video FF.

 

Glad you enjoyed it CL. I guess a picture (or video) is worth a thousand words. Most of the replies prove that you guys have already figured out the best ways to clean bluegills. Since I don't have the years of experience you all do this video did wonders for me.

I'm gonna try hitting some panfish below Delaware Res. Dam this afternoon with my son. If anyone is interested in joining us my son and I will be out there looking for some open water today. There's an accces road to the river just south of the dam. Take the first road south of the dam off of route 23 and park there. I have a red van. We'll be bank fishing on the east side of the river just off the beaten path.

 

Did you notice that he uses a nitrile glove on the hand he uses to hold the fish? Next time I clean some gills I'm gonna try that. I assume it helps hold a slimy critter better. That's the one big problem I have cleaning them this way but I missed that part in the video before.

Probably more to help keep fingernails an such cleaner. You can reduce most of the slime by "squeegeing" it off the fish with your fingers while rinsing them before filleting.

Great video. Learned a couple of things I should change too. Thanks for posting.

 

one question...why is this in the erie forum??? are you guys getting gills out of erie???

 

WW... I searched on bluegills. The search found a question about cleaning bluegills. Replied with a video on cleaning bluegills. I never noticed anything about Erie only. Sorry. Maybe the mod will want to move it for you.

 

You're welcome Jim. Did you notice that he uses a nitrile glove on the hand he uses to hold the fish? Next time I clean some gills I'm gonna try that. I assume it helps hold a slimy critter better. That's the one big problem I have cleaning them this way but I missed that part in the video before.

Man... with this warm spell we had the last two days I wanted to hit a farm pond but they're all froze up where I've looked. I gotta a new much needed rod & reel for christmas that I'm itchin to try.

I started wearing gloves on both hands a few years ago. It saved me from getting cut up by the Gill Plates. The mess and odor on the hands are eliminated - and you get a better grip on the fish. The glove on the knife hand keeps the knife handle from slipping. I just felt like I had more control with the Cleaning Process with the gloves on. Any cuts or crud on the gloves and you replace the glove with another one. Through the years, since I was a kid, I have received many small cuts on the skin of my fingers from the sharp edges of the Gill Plates. Now, I hardly get any. Ssooo much better. Try them - you will notice the difference!

 

I clean fish the same way as that first video and a few of you have mentioned. Never tried an electric knife, and not sure I'd like it. A couple additional tips I can add.

1. Once you make that cut down the spine with 1/2" of the blade, flip the fish over and get that cut out of the way on the other side. Then finish up as normal. I feel like you lose less meat along the spine that way, mostly on bigger fish. It seems like it's easier to make that spine cut when the fish is propped up a little from the meat on the other side, as opposed to trying to cut it at an angle with the cutting board. does that make sense?

2. Fit the size blade to the fish. It looks like the guy in that vid is using a 6" knife. A 4" knife would suit better. I feel like a bigger blade is harder to manage, and I may cut myself more.

 

I clean well over 1000 gills a year I fillet similar to the video but I have a scaler. Sharp kinves are the key!
If you do a lot fish filleting Warthers knives are the best. Carbon steel blades, NOTHING holds an edge like them! There a little expensive but well worth it.

 

Jigging Jim...If you don't use gloves ,,(I don't)..The next time when you are done cleaning..Wash your hands then drop about two tablespoons of lemon juice on your hands..rub them together and see if the fishy smell goes away...It works for me...JIM....CL....:C

 

Wave,
Do you like to eat bluegills? Do you know where East Harbor is?