Pretty dang fast.
How Fast Do You Clean Fish?
The thread a few weeks back about the Bubba Blade electric knife and folks claiming they are cleaning 300 - 400 fish on a single charge got me wondering just how slow am I when it comes to cleaning fish. My first bubba blade probably averaged about fifty crappie or 1-2 lb bass per charge. Havent kept track of my newest bubba blade - but seems to be better.
Last night, I filleted five bream in 4:45. Just normal speed - not racing the clock. I think I could do 1 lb crappie or bass a little faster - but not a lot. Bream require more care, at least for me - to keep from cutting through the backbone.
I fillet and cut the bones out, throw the meat in a bowl of icewater, and throw the carcass in a bucket and move on to the next. Maybe a swig of beer between every other fish.
I know big fish, catfish, hybrids, removing red meat, etc - take more time. How long does it take you for normal fish cleaning?
Last night, I filleted five bream in 4:45. Just normal speed - not racing the clock. I think I could do 1 lb crappie or bass a little faster - but not a lot. Bream require more care, at least for me - to keep from cutting through the backbone.
I fillet and cut the bones out, throw the meat in a bowl of icewater, and throw the carcass in a bucket and move on to the next. Maybe a swig of beer between every other fish.
I know big fish, catfish, hybrids, removing red meat, etc - take more time. How long does it take you for normal fish cleaning?
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Not sure exactly how long it takes, but it goes twice as fast if you have a ribman on your right side.
Took me about an hour Sunday to filet 30 crappie and 11 cats. I spent a lot more time on the 3 flatheads in the bunch. I’m still very new to them.
Cats always take more time - and the bigger the longerTook me about an hour Sunday to filet 30 crappie and 11 cats. I spent a lot more time on the 3 flatheads in the bunch. I’m still very new to them.
And yes, a good ribman as your wingman makes the process go much faster.
I do it old school with a regular 4" knife at a rate of 20 bream a hour. 6" knife for bigger fish at about the same rate. I learned my lesson a long time ago, about 30 bream is all I want to fool with at a time.
Plus I put mine on ice over night. It's way easier to mess with em if they're cold and stiff.
Plus I put mine on ice over night. It's way easier to mess with em if they're cold and stiff.
I can clean bass in about 30 seconds
A fillet knife is not the proper way to dress cat fish. My parents roll over in their grave every time I grab it.
I don't get in any particular hurry, especially at first. Don't want to waste anything. After 3-4 fish I usually start to get in a groove and can speed up some without losing any meat.
I have one of those rechargeable bubba blades and I’m not really a fan. I feel like it’s in 4wd low. My rapalas/mister twister/ American angler are all faster and better in my opinion. Granted- I mainly clean crappie and bream with the occasional walleye. I don’t consider myself particularly fast but I also cheat by having my wife cut the ribs while I fillet. I think we cleaned 70 big bream the other day in a little over an hour. (Including beer swig breaks)
With an electric around a minute a fish. Then the time at the sink to rinse and clean up.
@DrakeD is fast with a filet knife! I like for him to clean my fish and cook them at his house when I am a guest.
Can I get his number? I need a buddy like that.@DrakeD is fast with a filet knife! I like for him to clean my fish and cook them at his house when I am a guest.
The only electric knife we have in our house has a cord, we bought 20 years ago and is just for in house use, not for filleting fish.
Give me a sharp bone handle old Henry fillet knife and I can clean any fish, fast and easily. I like the 8-16# Coho the best.
Give me a sharp bone handle old Henry fillet knife and I can clean any fish, fast and easily. I like the 8-16# Coho the best.
Never bothered to time myself, I just wanted to get started so I could get thru! I would like to have a nickel for every fish that I’ve cleaned!
Fillet bream??? You must be catching a lot bigger bream than I usually do...d2
My son called bream filets popcorn fish when he was little.
I am slow at it, for bream or crappie I’d say a couple minutes per fish. I like beer swigs between every fish.
I am slow at it, for bream or crappie I’d say a couple minutes per fish. I like beer swigs between every fish.
I clean fish in about 2.5 beers time.
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