Filleting flathead

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Can someone please tell me ( or even better, post some pics) the best way to go about filleting flathead. I have only eaten it a couple of times and it has always been cooked whole.
Also, do most species get filleted the same way or are some species done a certain way. Again some photos for those that dont know much about this would be greatly appreciated.
Cheers
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[Ben_Gray]

First and most importantly, a really sharp filleting type knife, if its not super sharp dont bother.

Start by holding the fish on its side Then what I do is angle the knife just behind the fin on the side back towards the head cutting down at an angle, then once you have sliced down to the center of the fish (its spine), you roll the knife and start slicing along that line to the rear of the fish(this part is where it is helpful to have a really sharp knife, and a thin blade, you couldnt turn a big thick blade in there). Note that initially as you cut towards the rear you are going through the rib cage once again emphasising the need for a super sharp knife.

Hope that helps 8)

[tshort]

Then get those fillets and cut them in half along the nerve line. This will give you 4 fillets that will lay flat so you can easily skin and de-bone them.
Good luck.

[Jeremy]

David Green has a really neat way of filleting flathead which was shown on TV a while back. Cut through the neck of the fish side on until you hit the spine, then run the knife along the underside of the fish cutting halfway through the flesh. Then use the edge of the knife and roll/scrape the flesh off the skin. Much easier way of producing skinless fillets than trying to skin the fillets after cutting them off the fish.

Jeremy

[SeaHunt]

Then get those fillets and cut them in half along the nerve line. This will give you 4 fillets that will lay flat so you can easily skin and de-bone them.
Good luck.

On a flathead ??? or fish in general?

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Thanks everyone for their input. I guess parctice make perfect and a sharp knife helps too.
Cheers
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[Robbo_Townsville]

A Tip is to not take the first fillet off completely. Turn over and take the other side off completely and go back to the other that is already 3/4 done. You will find it heaps easier.

[basserman]

the way i do it is to lay the flathead down on it's belly and cut down long the spine bounceing over the ribs not through them till the last one and then all the way throught to the tail then back up the the ribs and cut down long the rig cage leaveing you a deboned fillet og fish without needint to touch the guts then either skin the fillet or leave the skin on!
easy after a few times

[Hagar]

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Another good tip shown to me by an old pro fisher . It works with decent size flathead . After the fillet has been taken off by slicing forward just behind the pectoral fins , chop off the head and the backbone and keep the pectoral fins as a section complete . Cook as normal and you will find there is a big chunk of boneless meat between the fins - yummo . Lots of folk cook the backbone and it's also good for a scrape .

Chris

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Thanks again, will give all options a try and see what works best for me.

Cheers
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[Cheech]

Like most said with cut down then along each side for your 2 fillets and no need to gut.

I then do the usual sectioning out of the line of bones and remove the rib cage section.

What has been missed are the 2 vital impliments.

A fork to hold the skin when skinning. Flatties are a pain to skin though as they often split so need to have a second go to get the bits left.

Tweezers. You need tweezers to extract those 2 large bones that are left in each fillet. Running your fingers on the outside of the fillet from 2/3 from the tail and you will locate them. Remove them and you should end up with a boneless fillet.

Cheech

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thanks mate, especially the las tip

Cheers
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[kevin]

;)once you have your fillet the best way to skin Flathead I work your thumb in behind the pectrol
holding the fillet with your other hand .This seperates the skin from the flesh working your thumb
down until it seperates a little,then pull appart like a wishbone
Cheers ;)

[ba229]

Some great tips here that I will surely try on the next hapless flattie.

Got work guys

[Sportfish_5]

Be careful Alex - dont get pricked and post the pics :-X

Greg

[ba229]

Be careful Alex - dont get pricked and post the pics #:-X

Greg

That could have been a very serious injury Greg. ;D ;D ;D

Thankfully I got away with a slight graze. ::)

Watch those flatties guys. They are people haters ;D ;D ;D