Burbot cleaning

[banded brothers]

I finally got a burbot the other day while jigging for lakers. I figured it wouldnt be much different then cleaning any other fish but when i started to clean it i relized that i had no idea what i was doing. I ended up with a bunch of fish nuggets. It there any tips to cleaning these things?

[Jim111]

I do them about like I used to skin eels. I first nail them to a tree, a bit higher than head-high, with a nail right through the head, belly to the tree. Next I cut a not-too-deep "ring" around the body, just behind the gills. Then slice just under the skin from that cut down to the tail and on either side of the top/bottom fins. With pliers, pull skin down like a banana skin, on each side. Now fillet by cutting on either side of backbone down each side, stopping when you hit ribs. Cut around the ribs and continue the cut down, with the knife now flat against the backbone, until at the tail. You'll get a nice fillet from each side. Cut in chunks and deep-fry as you would scallops! Delicious! -Jim

[HeathyVT]

I've always tend to throw these back as I've never eaten them before. I'll have to try some deep fried!

[heath]

Alaska Game & Fish made a really good video on how to fillet eelpout. This guy gets three big fillets off the fish.
http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=anglereducation.burbot

They're good eatin'!

[surflizard]

Welcome to the site Heath, thanks for posting that ! Great tip on saving that belly meat fillet, best part of them I think. We are lucky here in NH to have a decent Burbot fishery, your Absolutely right, they are Great eating !

[56987]

Wow, thanks Heath

Now I could clean one of those!
I don't like the looks of them fish, but seeing the meat i'm throwing away. Huh im gonna have to try that.

I downloaded the recipies and can't wait to catch a couple this winter.

[surflizard]

We grew up on Burbot, cheap, easy to catch winter food source for us ! Mostly made thick heavy chowders with them till one of my dads buddies fried them up for us one day and we were Amazed how Delicious it was, still is my favorite eating fish !

[DRIFTER_016]

Don't forget the cheeks EH!!!
Burbot are my second favorite eating fish next to halibut.
Dang, now I gotta go find me a big burbie!!!!
We caught 1/2 a dozen first time out this winter but they were just baby burbies.
They were released to grow up some.

[guinea]

Hmmm....never had halibut. It's on the bucket list.

I finally had a chance to watch the video.....I'm usually opposed to filleting (personally) due to wasting too much meat, but he made it look so easy! Burbot is my most favortist fishie ever, and I would love to fry it up fillet form! If I ever catch another sizeable one, I'm going to follow along with it and try it!

Thanks for posting, Heath!

p.s. Rick, don't be scared.

[ger15ber]

great video, first time I,ve seen anybody take the belly fillet, Normally here people take the two sides and leave the rest due to the stronger taste of the belly fillet. l'll have to give it a try. Gerard