# Perch skin - on or off?



## Yeehaaa

From an Erie trip last year, my buddy and I filleted 150 perch and skinned all of them. Afterwards, a couple of our friends said we should have left the skin on.

What's your guy's opinion, leave the skin on or not?

What is best way to scale 50 or 60 of the critters at a time...manual...electric?


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## Shortdrift

I prefer perch skinned. Best way to scale them is to drop them off at a cleaning station foe scaling only.


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## harle96

Skin off, unless you have a son who will scale them for ya. I have 3 daughters, so a no brainer for me...


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## bobk

We always take the time to remove the skin. I don't like them near as well with the skin on. We use an electric knife to do them .


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## Papascott

Scaled, skin on only for my perch. I am craving a Jolly Rogers Perch basket.


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## lskater

I've always ate them with the skin on. I hate cleaning them though and take them to the local fish cleaners. I have seen those tumbler scalers do a pretty good job on them.


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## Jim Stedke

On commercially scaled fillets the skin is abraded and thinned (almost like tenderized). It's not as tough and the overall impact on the meat is lessened. 

When I clean them myself (rare) ,I skin them , but have no problem enjoying skin on perch from commercial cleaners.

And come on Scott ... don't you mean the 1# perch boat??? The basket is just a whistle wetter.


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## Tailchaser

When i clean my perch I skin them. I haven't scaled a fish at home in probably more then 35 yrs. If on a rare occasion we get them cleaned , they have a automatic scaler & butterfly them. That's the only fish we like with the skin on.


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## flylogicsteelhead

Scaled, cost about $20 at D&W, saves me about 10 cuts from their gill plates, and an hour of time.


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## stex1220

Pay the money and get them cleaned.... If you have alot its worth it. Fast and easy


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## c. j. stone

I've had and like them both ways but prefer to remove the skin on all fish. It only takes maybe 15 seconds to remove a perch filet and 2 seconds to skin using a fork and sharp fileting knife. I do not mind it all.


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## fshnfreak

well seems to me the fillet holds up better especially during pan frying with the skin on. i think the skin adds something to the taste maybe its just me but i prefer my perch to have the skin on. but i also pay to have em cleaned a dollar a pound and it takes them way less time then it would take me. i also prefer the fish houses that use that conveyor type scaler over the tumblers its much faster and i think it does a better job. last season we used that fish cleaners behind the sassy sal in PC exclusively until they closed. good bunch of guys and they even took the time to inspect each fillet before they bagged it removed any scales and or fins the cleaners left behind.


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## Lou K

Scaled and butterfly fillets leaving the skin on. We clean our walley that are <20 inches the same way. We have a barrel scaler, 3 guys cleaning and use an assembly line...120-150 perch in less than 1.5 hrs including cleanup, separating and bagging. To me, it's just another step in the whole fun that fishing can bring. Some people really dread cleaning fish, but I really think it's rewarding and enjoyable. Only get them cleaned if someone else is footing the bill and we have to head out of town quickly.


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## Toxic

I like them filleted and NO skin on! 

Try cooking some with it on, and some without and see what you prefer better.


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## Nauti cat

skin on if you fish alone like I do have them cleaned. I fish out of Hot Water in Lorain. The fish cleaner there charges .40 a lb to scale 30 fish 14# =5.60 2min you do the math


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## TIGHTLINER

A lot of the PCBs are contained in the skin so I always take it off.


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## Uncle Paul

Hey Scott does the Jolly Roger close for the winter, Im having hunger pains so Im thinking Ill start with the Perch maybe the onion rings and extra sauce.


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## fishingguy

I like them either way, but if I'm cleanin' the skin is coming off.


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## rod bender bob

I can eat them skinned, but I prefer skin on. After eating them that way for about 60 years I don't worry too much about the "bad stuff" in the skin; I cut off the belly meat  But I do prefer eyes skinned?


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## PromiseKeeper

when do they open, Scott?? That sounds great, love the oysters there too!


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## creekcrawler

Skinned. Only 'cause it's alot quicker and I don't find scales stuck to me three days later......
The wife and me go assembly-line style = @40 seconds/perch


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## Yeehaaa

Thanks, guys! Looks like a tossup. Guess I'll have to clean some with the skin on this year. Gettin' itchy to get back to Erie.


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## ShutUpNFish

most definitely off for me!


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## profisher5

Having perch for supper tonight,skin on it's the only way.


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## Diver Down

I always skin them, and have taught my son to do the same. Its allot quicker for us that way, but I surly wouldnt turn down a plate of em that had the skin on


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## Gottagofishn

skin on......of course ;-)


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## Stuhly

My family prefers skin off.


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## Papascott

Jim Stedke said:


> On commercially scaled fillets the skin is abraded and thinned (almost like tenderized). It's not as tough and the overall impact on the meat is lessened.
> 
> When I clean them myself (rare) ,I skin them , but have no problem enjoying skin on perch from commercial cleaners.
> 
> And come on Scott ... don't you mean the 1# perch??? The basket is just a whistle wetter.


Jim, I'm on a diet. When star-craft recommended I put my tiller on the port side to balance out the boat I decided I need to drop 10 lbs.  I usually get the basket with waffle fries and split an order of onion rings with whom ever I am dining with. Usually the girlfriend as my wife doesn't like onions.


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## capt S

i like them with the skin on, they seem to fry-up better with the skin on. You guys need to stop talking about jolly rogers it is making me hungry!!!! :Banane35::bananahuge:
Now i am craving Netty's Hotdogs too!!!!Mmmmmm jolly rogers and netty's and maybe Duff beer! MMmmmmmm


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## Papascott

Uncle Paul said:


> Hey Scott does the Jolly Roger close for the winter, Im having hunger pains so Im thinking Ill start with the Perch maybe the onion rings and extra sauce.[/QUOTE
> 
> Paul, they close in the winter but if I remember right open up for the season right around the beginning of lent. Could be wrong though. I swear that is one of the things I look forward to most about spring time in the western basin.


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## FINSEEKER II

I didn"t give any thought to the difference in taste, but once I learned how to skin
a fish, the thought of not having scales all over the floor and continuing to find them in
some of the oddest places stuck to my body no matter how many showers I had taken
solved the decision for me: take the skin off.


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## cmiller

fshnfreak said:


> I also pay to have em cleaned a dollar a pound.


Not sure where you are located, but Vermillion has a place called the Bait Box. I pay .50 per lb. Skin on. 1.00 per lb for Walleyes!
The skin to me, helps keep it all together.


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## Papascott

cmiller said:


> Not sure where you are located, but Vermillion has a place called the Bait Box. I pay .50 per lb. Skin on. 1.00 per lb for Walleyes!
> The skin to me, helps keep it all together.



I may be wrong but I think you have your prices backwards.


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## cmiller

Papascott said:


> I may be wrong but I think you have your prices backwards.


Could be right. . . .


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## ERIE REBEL

For me if am cleaning them myself skin off but if we have two or more limits we drop them off and let the fish cleaners do their thing an relax and have a cold one.I do think they stay together better with the skin on.And I always put the meat down first when I pan fry them and then the skin side.They don't seem to curl as bad.


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## Bigfoot

Jolly Roger is open....... They have a few less onion rings and Perch as of to day.


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## Tommybouy

I use both! I like skinless for perch loaf and baking but skin on for frying. Only have a few bags left Lets Go Spring!


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## FSHNERIE

Skin Off.......And I can filet a perch in 10 seconds


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## Steelhead Fever

skin on is good it make s it a bit sweeter and keeps everything in.....


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## wanderin_eyes

I usally have them done for me. Hard to do that many with one hand. I have had with and with out. both are great. I think you can get a little more crunch with the skin and alot of friends say it adds more flavor. to me just as long as I can eat them it's all good. IMO


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## Fishcally Irresponsible

I always skin my fish.
Most cleaners do not take the time to do them as well as I can myself, and after trying several cleaners with mixed results we put that money in the beverage fund for when the cleaning begins.
Food for thought, when we are done the waste product goes to the woods,
critters clean up the mess pretty quick other than 1 part they won't eat...
The Skin.


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## [email protected]

I lean towards skin for taste, but like em both, clean em myself, when I want the skin on I have Snugs in Conny run em thru the scaler. 2 man limit, about $5.00.


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## Shortdrift

Tried having them cleaned commercialy twice. First time was a fish supply in Akron and it was expensive and poorly done. Lots of scales and pieces of fins left on the butterfly.
Second time was when I dropped them off at Erie Outfitters. Absolutely perfect butterfly fillets. No scales or fins on the fillet. Was less costly the the Akron facility too.


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## Lightman

Wow, I had no idea so many ppl left the skin on...I haven't even seen anyone scale or butterfly a fish since fishing with my grandfather in the early 80's. I definitely use an electric and remove the skin. I always figured commercial fish suppliers sold filets with skin on them to the restaurants because the skin added weight, never would have imagined people like the taste better. I guess you learn something every day


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## BAT-MGT-1

Lightman,good to see your post,never eat the skin,where is your buddy donkey,i miss his post they are always funny,makes winter go alot faster.team arctic did alot of ice fishing this winter


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