How to Fillet a Pike (and Get 5 Boneless Fillets!)

Northern pike are known as a tricky fish to fillet boneless due to the high amount of y bones.

Today I show you the best way to clean a pike, resulting in 5 beautiful boneless fillets. Bigger fish are of course better but this method works wonders for both big and small fish.

Northern Pike have bones going through the whole body but they do not reach around the top of the fish. This means that the top and the sides of the fish can easily be removed without any bones.


How to Fillet a Northern Pike:

Start with the top of the Pike - have the Pike on it's belly so it's back is facing you. Place your knife behind the neck. Cut downwards and then turn the knife towards the tail of the fish to cut right across the tops of the bones all the way to the fin. You'll cut all the way and end the steak at the start of the fin.

That's one solid fillet with no bones, and you can now see the top of the bones from where you removed your fillet in the fish. Flip the fish to its side and, using the ybones as a guide, slice the knife along the side of the Pike, sliding along the y bones, to create another boneless fillet. Cut across at the neck and back fin of the northern pike to finish your second boneless fillet. Then flip the fish and do the same thing to the other side for a third boneless fillet.

You can cut two more bone-less fillets out of this Pike. There are Y-bones under the fin beside the fillets you've removed. Skip this section and move your knife slightly towards its tail end to just in front of his anal fin. Cut straight down here until you feel the bone. Then turn the knife towards his tail fin for another boneless fillet.

And there you have 5 Northern Pike fillets without any bones.

Don't forget to get the cheeks of the Pike!


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As always until next time, good luck and good fishin'!


How to Fillet a Pike to Get 5 Boneless Fillets
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