Pike Filleting 101: Out With the Y Bones!

They're super abundant, hard fighting and always on the bite, but those darned Y bones take all the fun out of eating them. Yes, pike are one of the best and most underrated fish on the table, especially when they come of cool spring, fall or winter water. But they have an extra row of bones in the top of the filet that too few people know how to remove. Watch this video and start getting out the Y bones on your own.

[Andrew]

Thanks very much for this presentation, it was the best YouTube video on the subject. Personally most of the fish I catch around here (I live in Winnipeg) is Northern pike but I have never learnet how to fillet it boneless until now.

[catyear]

This is probably the best video I've seen for someone brand new to filleting pike ! Thank you !

[strec]

I just used this technique and had a perfect fillet! Thanks for sharing.

[STEVN_M]

Pike is great eating. That is exactly how I clean them too. This is a great video, thanks for posting.

[JeffSmith-eqkc]

My favorite freshwater fish absolutely. I live in Florida but I make a number of trips to Canada fishing every summer. Fabulous eating fish and soo much fun to catch.

Now that I have watched, that one isn't fabulous eating. That fish looks like raccoons got to it. Too bad really

[brianquan]

you left that like in the sun for like a week...

[sharingthetruthfromalaska]

This is absolutely the most difficult way to do this. Do yourself a favor and search the 5 fillet method. Much faster and easier.

[gordjohnson]

Fillet on a piece of rough fence board. The fish won't slide around. A slippery plastic or stainless steel table top are dangerously slippery.

[peggyparrow]

Looks like you did not bleed the fish out, it will taste better if you do .

[gordjohnson]

Pull the fish to the edge of the table. That makes it a lot easier. Your knuckles should be out in mid air, not bouncing off the table.

[jeffsmith]

For a wildlife organization I’d expect you at least keep the fish edible for the demonstration. I don’t think even my cat would eat that fish. Look at the flesh as he runs his knife over the rib cage and you’ll be sick. Confused too cause it appears to have been gutted and bled which is good, then someone put it outside in the sun for a day or two to age the meat lol very befuddling.

[peteruschenko]

He wasted to much meat on the y bones.

[donweb]

That fish is straight up rotten, wouldn't feed that to a coyote

[msrider]

That fish don't look fresh..yuk, !