It is not hard to clean a walleye. In fact, it can be very easy especially if you have cleaned fish before. However, if you haven’t; don’t feel intimidated it is not hard. You can get the help of someone who has had experience in cleaning walleye and it could be better for you to learn. You have to effectively clean walleyes to avoid any small bones and give you great fillets for your meal. Some fishermen use a regular knife blade with other use an electric knife. It really comes down to your preference.
When you get more skilled at cleaning fish you can decide which knife works best for your cleaning methods. Cleaning a walleye shouldn’t take any longer than a few minutes. However, take your time and be careful going through the step to avoid mistakes and mishaps. You don’t want to injure yourself or anyone around you. The first thing to do is slice the walleye at the gills and let it bleed out on a stringer for a few minutes. This way you will get pure white fillets. Here are the steps to take in cleaning your walleye:
1. Put the walleye on a clean surface with the back towards you. Using a fillet knife life the fin and place the knife on the skin behind the gill plate at the same angle as the opening. Cut straight down the back bone but not through it.
2. At the backbone turn you knife so the blade is facing towards the tail and use a sawing motion fallow the back bone to ? inch from the tail. Don’t cut through the back bone but all the way through the skin by the tail.
3. Turn the fish carcass so the skin is down on the surface. Put your knife at 1/2inch from the end and cut down through the meat to the skin. Don’t cut the skin. Turn your knife and at 45 degrees keeping pressure on the knife slowly pull the fillet towards you and wiggle back and forth. The meat will separate from the fillet. Put the fillet aside.
4. Put the fish back on the surface with belly up and follow steps 1-3 for this side of the fish. Now just wash it thoroughly to get rid of any blood and debris.
Removing Bones
When you look at the fillet you will see rows of bones just above the belly cavity. You can take a sharp knife and slowly follow the bones down and around the belly. If you want more meat this is what you should do:
Get both fillets and put one in front of you with the inside fish side up. You will see where the belly cavity ends and the bones start. Take your knife and put it on the meat behind and the meat side of the row of bones at the tail end. Move the knife to where the vent is and the belly begins. Cut all the way through the meat and cut following the bones to where the head used to be. Now get the other fillet and repeat. When you have both done you will have 4 pieces of fish-2 fillets and 2 scrap pieces with bones. Throw those out and keep the 2 boneless fillets in the sink to wash. Repeat all the steps for the remaining walleye. Now pat them dry and put them in freezer bags to freeze. Remember to use them quickly but they don’t last long in the freezer.
If the fish is a younger fish you can actually leave the small bones intact because they will dissolve during cooking. With older fish you have to cut out the area where the bones are buried in the flesh of the fish. If you are bringing a walleye over the US-Canada border you have to clean it so that there is enough skin for identification. Remember to leave an inch or more of skin so authorities can see what kind of fish you are bringing in. If you do not fillet it properly it is against the law.
If the fish is smaller you can clean it with a smaller knife that is flexible and thin. For bigger fish you want a good quality knife with a ridged blade so you can cut along the backbone. You can usually get good knives from restaurant supply stores. You should also wear a knitted nylon glove for holding the fish. This ensures protection when cutting and a better hold on the fish. Another good tip is to use the tip of a scaler of other sharp object to hold the fish down. A fish cleaning board is a good investment. It has a clip that holds the fish by the tail. You can find them in tackle stores.
“,,,”Editorials”
“How to select a walleye fishing charter in Ohio”,”
Before you just select any old fishing charter around Ohio you want to do your homework. What you will find is plenty of variety and that allows you to quickly and easily customize the type of trip you want. First, you need to make sure you have enough room for everyone. Do you need a very small boat or one for many people and their gear?
Some of the charter outfits around Ohio can accommodate as many as 20 people. They are able to do so by sending out several boats as a fleet. While you won’t be on the same boat you will all be in very close proximity to each other.
You also want to find out if you need to bring along your own items or if it is all provided. There are pros and cons of both when you go out alone the Lake Erie area. For example when you take along your own fishing gear you will be familiar with it. You can also save money that way.
On the other hand though it is nice to book the trip and just show up with a few changes of clothing and essentials. Then they will provide you with the supplies, equipment, and even your meals. These are some things to think about before you select your fishing charter.
The types of food you want to eat will influence the overall charter experience too. Some people are content with some basic items to eat. Others though want a full breakfast as well as other meals. They also want to have their sleep quarters cleaned up for them. All of this means more staff on the boat and thus the additional cost.
Always make sure you are in good hands out there on the water. Find out how much experience the captain has and do research on their type of boat. Ask them questions about safety, life jackets, if they have won any awards, and more. Don’t be shy when it comes to finding out information – don’t assume anything!
Where is the boat going to take you to fish? You may have something in mind about where you want to go and what types of fish you are interested in. You should get to decide if you want to go to a given location or not. However, by asking the captain you can get inside information. They may be willing to take you out there to some territories that are well kept secrets around Ohio.
Of course the time of year is going to influence what you are able to catch out there. Still, a well skilled captain is able to know where to go during the certain times of the year. They can also tell you what types of bait to use in order to increase the chances of them biting.
You definitely want to find out about what other people think. Ask a potential charter company for references and find out how long they have been in business in the Ohio region. You should look around online to see what candid information people have posted. You can gain lots of insight from the experiences that other people have had on given charter boats in this area.
The cost of an Ohio charter is going to depend on the size of the boat, who provides the amenities, the type of boat, and how many days you plan on being out. Make sure you look at the overall value that is being offered so that you can have an amazing time fishing in this area. You may decide this is going to become an annual event where you will use the same charter company over and over again.
What you will find is that Ohio is one of the cheaper regions out there where you can hire a charter. You can get a very nice set up for a few people for about $125 a day. That is a great investment on a vacation that you will never forget. The chances of coming home with many great trophy fish is also very high!
It is possible that you will need to provide a deposit or payment in advance of your charter trip. Find out what the policies are if you have to cancel or reschedule. Some of them will give you a portion of your money back or all of it. Others though won’t give you a penny and that means you have a risk out there.
You never know about weather either during various times of the year. With that in mind you want to make sure the charter is going to give you a refund if you are going to have to change plans due to unforeseen weather conditions. You will also find that when you book early you can often get terrific discounts so check online to see what the options are.
