The Bay Today

[Paddler]

I fished it again today, lines in just after 7:00.  Caught three fish in the first 30-40 minutes, a baby wiper, a small walleye and a decent one that had a red sore on it.  Thought I had it wired.  Not.  Over the next several hours I caught a catfish, a perch, and a couple walleye big enough to keep.

I fished all over on the west side, from the Light Pole south.  I headed back east and called my wife at about 3:20, telling her I only had two fish and would be heading in.  Finally ran into some fish that wanted Hot-N-Tots and hit the dock at 5:00 with a full limit of eyes.

I cleaned my catch the usual way and I'm pretty sure my yield was better than with the electric knife.  Slower, for sure, but I'll get faster and I feel better not wasting the resource.  I may try this method next time:

https://www.outdoorsfirst.com/walleye/vi...leye-fast/

[Mildog]

I have filleted thousands of all kinds of fish with and without electric. I prefer electric for walleye and panfish and feel I get the vast majority of usable meat, with little waste. Sometimes I zipper y bones sometimes not and love the cheek meat, pop those out with electric too. For salmon, trout etc. and halibut  I like a quality  sharp ( size appropriate) standard fillet knife! To each his own “best” “preferred way! Whatever works for you, practice makes perfect! ?

[Paddler]

I have filleted thousands of all kinds of fish with and without electric. I prefer electric for walleye and panfish and feel I get the vast majority of usable meat, with little waste. Sometimes I zipper y bones sometimes not and love the cheek meat, pop those out with electric too. For salmon, trout etc. and halibut  I like a quality  sharp ( size appropriate) standard fillet knife! To each his own “best” “preferred way! Whatever works for you, practice makes perfect! ?

I think I saw a video of you and another guy filleting fish with an electric knife.  Was that you?

I'm not sure if the little bit of extra yield is worth using a regular knife for walleye and wipers.  I agree that a size appropriate fillet knife is best for salmonids   k

[Mildog]

Could have been. Maybe filleting walleye, SMB, stripers, crappies at Powell. Had my wife film it something like 4 fish in 2 minutes. Not much waste in that case buddy deboning with sharp standard knife. I was slabbing and skinning.
One ice trip this winter a buddy and I did 50 perch in 19 minutes, same way.