When should you fillet fish

[Shooter]

When is the best time to fillet your fish? Should you let them sit for a couple of hour first or can you fillet them straight aways. My friends all think they are the worlds best filleters and it makes a good argument after a few drinks. Can someone set me straight.

[adam_ngakiri]

i dont know what the deal is with filleting fish. i never fillet anything i catch - i cook everything whole and dont waste any of it. anyone else eat it whole?

[Any_Weather]

Shooter, I prefer to ice them down for a couple of hours at least. Generally by the time they are caught, iced immediately and the fishing completed, they are ready to be filleted by the time you get home. If you fillet them as soon as you catch them they seem to get alot of blood through the fillet.

Lee

[Fishinmishin]

Filleting comes when returning to the ramp if it has a cleaning table or when arrive at home if not. It is my least favourite aspect of fishing :P.
I'd love to eat fish whole to save me the trouble but my stomach and oven are a bit small ;D.
Cheers, Jay

[Freeeedom]

Many fish are easier to fillet if you ice them down and let them go stiff with rigor mortis. If you fillet them immediately after capture they are so flexible you tend to miss some of the flesh. However some fish such as luderick need to be filleted as soon as possible to avoid the weedy taste they sometimes have. Remove the fillets and skin them asap then wash the fillets in clean salt water and they are fine
Cheers Freeeedom

[StevenM]

I let them ice down first then fillet

[onerabbit]

Leaving them in in the ice definitely makes filleting easier, besides which, we're not s'posed to fillet at sea, (without leaving the skin on etc for id), I'd rather do it when we come home.

Muzz

[finga64]

i dont know what the deal is with filleting fish. i never fillet anything i catch - i cook everything whole and dont waste any of it. anyone else eat it whole?
yep, sure do when possible :)
red harrys and fresh water catties are another story though ;)

[land_based]

I'd say when you get home and you pull the fish out of the ice box and show the missus to impress her, after she brings you an icey cold beer to sink, then you fillet them!

[capt_trev]

# # besides which, we're not s'posed to fillet at sea, (without leaving the skin on etc for id), .

# # Muzz
Im fairly certain that even this is illegal now. After being boarded by fisheries recently I was informed that " Fish can only be filleted on board a boat if it is for immediate consumption, skin or no skin"!!!. They must be kept whole but must have a fin removed

[capt_trev]

# # besides which, we're not s'posed to fillet at sea, (without leaving the skin on etc for id), .

# # Muzz
Im fairly certain that even this is illegal now. After being boarded by fisheries recently I was informed that " Fish can only be filleted on board a boat if it is for immediate consumption, skin or no skin"!!!. They must be kept whole but must have a fin removed

[Volvo]

Dont have much choice nowadays do ya!!??..law sez ya gotta take em home whole and fillet then unless the fillet is so BIG??..
So many different viewes and all have their merit, but one thing i will say is i personally dont like to catch, fillet and eat straight away!!..
I prefer to let the fish or fillet loose some of its body heat/ cool off somepreiot to eating..
I chase bream around the traps here when weather aint to flash for getting outside and still i like my bream to cool off in the fridge overnight prior to eating the next day..Gilled n gutted offcourse ;)..
Cheers

[wayne_cook]

Catch.brain spike, bleed, ice slurry,leave till set(cold through) fillet,skin, debone.
Adam how do u eat 20kg jew whole or any reasonibley large fish,or are u just talking whiting bream etc.
cheers

[onerabbit]

Finga,

when I was a kid, my mum used to boil red harrys whole & put em on a plate & leave em in the fridge, bloody beautiful, I think thats why they're called poor mans lobster.

Capt_trev, I actually wasnt sure on that technicallity when i posted, cheers, the only filleting I do out there is for bait.


Muzz

[roz]

Have to agree with Jay, I couldn't imagine trying to fillet fish as soon as the come over the side.

Some fish (like bream) are good whole, but couldn't contemplate a whole Kingie!!

Roz

[Fishin_Dan]

A bream straight out of the water into the frypan with a bit of oil and cracked pepper can't be beaten!!! ;)