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Bluegills "Kab" Cakes Recipe

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Cleaning Fish
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Knives

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...Panfish go by myriad names – like sunfish, sunperch, copperbelly or bluegills – and are overlooked by many due to their “diminutive” size. Over 100 of the little guys in about an hour’s worth of fishing is not uncommon. Cleaning them is another matter: the size and anatomy of the fish makes cleaning them something of a chore. But when I tasted the results, it was I who was literally hooked.

I always make a point of setting aside some time just for bluegill fishing and a fish fry. The best ones – if you can locate them – are about the size of your hand and some go much larger! Filleting 'gills is not difficult, but it does require some time because you need a lot for a good fish fry. If you have a great spot for catching bluegills, it is a tremendous way to get a kid hooked on fishing. The action can be fast and furious when they start to hit, and it can be tough to keep your line in the water. Sometimes the boat can be anchored and bobbers can be used or, if the location is right, all the fun can be had from shore!

As always, a sharp knife is extremely important; a Zwilling J.A. Henckels 7-in. Twin Pro S Fillet Knife is at the top of my list when it comes to filleting fish.  Read my article about knives
Fish Cleaning Bundle Special (Save 33% off the regular price) Now available from R. Karl, step-by-step instructions (pdf) on filleting all four of the most popular freshwater gamefish (northern pike, walleye, smallmouth bass and bluegill) bundled as one downloadable .zip file for only $5.99 3.99!  Buy Now
Start as you might normally start: place the fish belly side towards you with the head of the fish on your left.  Make the first cut down and into the fish, just behind the pectoral fin and gill plate.
Then, rotate the fish through almost 180° so that the dorsal or back side of the fish is facing you and, starting at the back of the head, use the tip of the knife to cut through the tough skin and along the backbone to a point that is located just about at the end of the dorsal fin. The cut here will not be very deep – you only need to cut to the point where the ribs attach to the backbone. Be careful not to cut through the ribs.
The point at the end of the dorsal fin is roughly where the rib cage stops. Now push the knife blade all the way through the fish and out the belly side. Maintaining downward pressure on the flat side of the knife, continue cutting back toward and finally through/out at the tail.  At this point, the fillet is only attached at the rib cage and the belly.
Now, lifting the small slab of the fillet, use the tip of the knife to begin to separate the meat from the rib cage. I find it easier to start at the rear of the rib cage/back of the fish. Cut downward, following the curve of the rib cage, and gradually working your way forward towards the front of the rib cage. The curve of the rib cage is rather steep and therefore somewhat difficult to follow. As always, a sharp knife is a must and practice makes perfect.
The last cut to make will be through the belly: the one that allows you to detach the fillet from the carcass. Repeat the process for the other side of the fish. You may find as I do, that one side always seems to be a bit easier than the other – especially at first. Slide the knife between the skin and meat to remove the skin and what is left should be a tiny little boneless fillet. If the ‘gills are fairly large, four to six fish per person will do rather nicely for a fish fry… although it depends upon how hungry you are after cleaning all those fish!

Comments from readers who have used these instructions:

"Thanks for your fish cleaning tips!" (S.G.)

"Good exhibits on filleting." (T & L)

"You're right! Cleaning blue gills is easier than I thought!" (R.R.)