# After the catch?



## Poohflinger (Feb 2, 2010)

How do you guys fillet those frozen fish? Do you thaw them out in the kitchen sink?


----------



## Double J (Jan 7, 2009)

Poohflinger said:


> How do you guys fillet those frozen fish? Do you thaw them out in the kitchen sink?


I personally dont let them freeze.When fishing off south bass i throw my eyes into a 100 qt cooler.makes cleaning MUCH easier.You can also try throwing some snow over the gills(stops them from freezing) or keep em in a bucket in the shanty.These are my ideas 'cuz I'm sure thawing fish in my wife's sink isnt an option for me...lol


----------



## kozak (Jan 31, 2005)

Ditto. I don't let my fish freeze. I keep a small bucket in the shanty for the fish and I set my deadstick across the top. It makes it easy to see when a bite is happening and puts the rod within easy reach.


----------



## [email protected] (Jun 13, 2004)

kozak said:


> Ditto. I don't let my fish freeze. I keep a small bucket in the shanty for the fish and I set my deadstick across the top. It makes it easy to see when a bite is happening and puts the rod within easy reach.


Same here, I keep em in a bucket so that they dont freeze, after 4-6hrs in a bucket and 1-2hr drive home their still flopping in the sink. (basement sink, not wifeys kitchen model.)


----------



## icebucketjohn (Dec 22, 2005)

I've done it both ways with my panfish... frozen & unfrozen. When froze, they are less slippery and a little easier to fillet; but my finger tips get cold & numb. I havent noticed any difference in the taste of both ways.
I guess if I had my preference, I'd filled them unfrozen.

1978 Superbowl... Dad cooking gill fillets!


----------



## buckipicker (Jan 8, 2008)

Superbowl 1978?.....That's when the Steelers beat the Cowboys again! Love the retro pic. Nice slacks!


----------



## nixmkt (Mar 4, 2008)

I don't like to let them freeze either. I put some of the ice shavings from drilling the holes in a bucket and keep them in the shanty. I add more shavings as I add fish. That keeps them nice and cold till you're ready to fillet. I let them sit till they're dead. I hate trying to fillet em while they're flopping around.


----------



## snake69 (Sep 26, 2005)

I put them in a baggie(walmart, kmart plastic bag) and leave them on the ice. Seems to work just fine!


----------



## Poohflinger (Feb 2, 2010)

Great pic, IcebucketJohn!


----------



## Jigging Jim (Apr 3, 2010)

Those 'Gill fillets still look yummy! I like to put the fish out on the ice until they partially freeze and stop flopping around. Then I bring them back in the shanty. Later, when I fillet them, they are really cold - but not too stiff.


----------



## saugeyesam (Apr 20, 2004)

My wife bought me this contraption a couple years ago called the pan handler. I like to use it for filleting my ice fishing pan fish catches. I try to keep mine from freezing but it really doesn't matter when using the pan handler. It's pretty slick actually. Now for my early spring pan fish I usually just use the good ole 4 inch Normark knife.


----------



## Poohflinger (Feb 2, 2010)

Now I'm curious saugeyesam, what is the pan handler? Cabelas have them?


----------



## moke (Feb 25, 2008)

I dont let them freeze. When they freeze, i think it makes it harder to clean. I put them in corn feed bags. keeps the slime in the bag.
Hope it helps.

Be safe


----------



## Papascott (Apr 22, 2004)

I put my fish in a softener salt bag. Walleye get knocked out first. Thunk right between their eyes.


----------



## Double J (Jan 7, 2009)

not to get off topic but after I take em off the gaff the next thing i do is bleed em out, then to the cooler.I refuse to clean frozen fish.flesh gets butchered and takes twice as long.


----------



## toboso (Apr 14, 2004)

Bleed 'em first then put in cooler/bucket/bag to prevent freezing. You'll notice the difference.

Keeping fish in shanty and out of sight prevents unwanted "gulls", but that's another topic altogether.


----------



## saugeyesam (Apr 20, 2004)

Poohflinger said:


> Now I'm curious saugeyesam, what is the pan handler? Cabelas have them?


I'm not sure if Cabelas has them or not and i can't remember where she got it. It has been about 5 years this Christmas when i got it. I'll dig it out and take some pics and explain how it works or I'll see if i can find a you tube video of someone using one. It's pretty neat.


----------



## Double J (Jan 7, 2009)

toboso said:


> Bleed 'em first then put in cooler/bucket/bag to prevent freezing. You'll notice the difference.
> 
> Keeping fish in shanty and out of sight prevents unwanted "gulls", but that's another topic altogether.


flopping fish on the ice is a real attention getter for sure.cooler definitely serves 2 purposes.


----------



## saugeyesam (Apr 20, 2004)

Here's a you tube link for the pan handler it's a cheap Cabelas demonstration video. But it gives you an idea how it works.


----------



## stex1220 (Mar 23, 2009)

saugeyesam said:


> Here's a you tube link for the pan handler it's a cheap Cabelas demonstration video. But it gives you an idea how it works.
> 
> YouTube - Panhandler Fish Filleter


WOW thats cool! Im going to look into getting one of them


----------



## nixmkt (Mar 4, 2008)

I've always filleted around the rib cage, leaving it intact with the backbone. Do you cut out the rib cage bones later then, or pick them out after cooking?


----------



## saugeyesam (Apr 20, 2004)

After running the fish through and removing the fillets I just take a 4" fillet knife and just scoop them out then I fillet the meat off the skin. Most times there's two of us working and we de-head and gut all the fish then one will run them through the panhandler while the other removes rib bones and skin. It works great on gills, crappies and perch. The first winter I used it we went through 2 limits of Erie Perch in just under an hour that was with 2 people from the cooler to the freezer in like 45 minutes which is pretty quick I thought considering who I was working with lol 

I will say this though sometimes with a smaller fish it doesn't get a good enough grip and they will tend to slide forward in the box while running the knife through. But it doesn't happen frequently enough to be a turn off to buying it. Like the video said keep the tail and fins on the line that is marked on the plates and you'll get a perfect fillet every time. I wish I'd thought of this I'd be rich!


----------



## 5Cent (Jun 4, 2004)

Sweet picture John! Sam, thanks for posting the video, that is a pretty handy little gadet there.


----------



## saugeyesam (Apr 20, 2004)

5Cent said:


> Sweet picture John! Sam, thanks for posting the video, that is a pretty handy little gadet there.


I just seen the pic! Now those are some nice fillets! Love those pants! lol My T-ball coach use to rock some pants like that! 

As for the pan handler gadget, it's pretty handy! Sometimes i use it if I have a lot of gills and crappies to clean other times if it's just a few I'll do them with a knife just to keep in practice for the bigger fish like Walleyes and Saugeyes.


----------

