Posts: 1,010
Threads: 0
Joined: Oct 2011
Reputation:
0
Fished Provo Marina yesterday where the river flows in and we caught a crap-ton of whities. My friend and I were there maybe 2 hours and brought 26 fish to the net, but missed a bunch more. All were taken on spinners of different sizes and colors. Darker Rooster Tails with silver blades, size 2 (going by Blue Fox sizes) worked well, but anything with some flash seemed to work. The best lure of the day, however, was a #2 gold blue fox.
We had no love on curly tail jigs at all, tried a bunch of different colors and combos, with and without worm attached. Nada. Had a few strikes on white/chartreuse wooly buggers and minnow patterns thrown from a fly rod, but no good hookups.
All in all, a good day.
Off topic: I usually release all the fish I catch in UL because I'm simply way too lazy to filet them, cook them, etc., but this trip was specifically for catfish bait. I know I suck at fileting fish, which is why I rarely (maybe twice in my life) do it, but I had to suck it up and just get it done. I wasn't eating the darn things, so I didn't have to be all that careful -- right? I was on maybe fish # 18 when my wife came into the garage and said, "You're STILL out here?" Ya, it had been about two hours. I told her that I'd give my right foot for an electric knife and that I was going to have to bite the bullet and buy one for next time when she says, "Uh, we've got a brand new one inside for cutting turkey..." Son of a... The last 8 fish were done in like 15 minutes. My hands are killing me today.
NEVER AGAIN:
![[Image: Whities.jpg]](http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m71/flakestein/Whities.jpg)
[signature]
Posts: 427
Threads: 0
Joined: Nov 2011
Reputation:
0
Why fillet them if there for bait? Just curious?
[signature]
Posts: 1,010
Threads: 0
Joined: Oct 2011
Reputation:
0
Personal preference. I don't like having the rib bones in there either, but after about two filets I said, " they're all still on there. In hind sight, I should've just cut the suckers in half and called it a day.
[signature]
Posts: 5,745
Threads: 0
Joined: May 2010
Reputation:
0
Sounds like some fun action. And I hear ya on the 'lectric knife. TD sold me, and I'm a happy customer for the investment.
Working through that many panfish myself last night - it's still a lot of work.
I figure sometimes with Perch - since everyone loves perch pattern lures, why not leave some skin and stripes.
Good luck with your bait.
Posts: 35,757
Threads: 262
Joined: Sep 2002
Reputation:
49
[cool][#0000ff]Fun, fun, fun.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Doesn't matter how old and experienced we are...or how many places we have fished...or what species we have on our angling resume. When the whities are bitin' we all turn into kids...experiencing fishing for the first time all over again. I do.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]I learned how to use a fillet knife early in life and I used "regular" knives for many years...even while fishing on commercial and party boats in California. I learned how to process a lot of fish quickly because I had to. Sharp knives and the right technique were vital.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]But when it comes to working on smaller fresh water species...like perch, bluegills, crappies and white bass...a good electric fillet knife will make your life easier, the process more efficient and the fillets a lot more uniform. And it don't matter whether you are going to eat the end result or use them for bait. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]I also fillet the white bass I plan to use for bait. And I even scale them before I fillet them. Makes it a lot easier to get a hook through the skin later when you don't have to poke through petrified scales. I also slice out the rib bones. Bones don't bother the fish but they do poke holes in the small plastic bags in which I freeze the fillets...in a bit of water to remove all the air and prevent freezer burn.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]I put about 4-6 small fillets in a plastic bag, add just enough water to fill the spaces between the fillets, squeeze out all the excess and then seal them for the freezer. I take them out of the freezer the day before a trip and let them thaw inside the refrigerator. Don't get in a hurry and microwave them...unless you have some tartar sauce ready.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]If you leave the fillets whole, you have the option on how to fish them while on the water. For big cats you can fish the whole fillet...with a single large hook in one end or with a double hook "stinger" rig. Some days you will do better using only a half fillet or smaller. Even big cats sometimes get finicky and will snarf a bite sized piece better. On those days they will swim around with a whole fillet for a long time without getting the hook inside for a good hookset.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Still another effective use of the white bass fillets is cutting them in strips for tipping jigs. Deadly for all Utah Lake species. Ditto for using them on a dropshot rig...dragging them with the sinker on the bottom and a strip of bait fluttering up off the bottom. Walleyes love that. But so do channel cats, bullheads and other whities. When fishing from shore it can be very effective to rig a double dropper rig above the sinker and then prop your rod high to keep both baits riding higher in the water column. Good to fish those strips on a jig head below a bobber too.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]There is a lot of difference in the blade designs, power and efficiency of electric knives. I have found that the "wedding gift" knives...for carving turkeys...will work OKAY. But an electric fillet knife...with higher power and with blades designed for filleting...will do a better job with less fatigue for the operator.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]And there is no substitute for proper experience. If you learn to use your electric well...directing the blade and letting it do the cutting...you can go through a sink full of fish a lot faster. And you will end up with better looking fillets and more fish flesh left on each one.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]The next time we go fishing together (flake) I will be happy to bring my fillet kit to demo my techniques. I have both a 120 volt and a 12 volt portable so I am ready to rumble anywhere...any time. [/#0000ff]
[signature]
Posts: 1,010
Threads: 0
Joined: Oct 2011
Reputation:
0
Who you callin' Flake, Mr. I_can't_go_fishing_because_I_sprained my ankle?!
[signature]
Posts: 35,757
Threads: 262
Joined: Sep 2002
Reputation:
49
[cool][#0000ff]Hey, my sprained ankle was real...and you only invited me the night before you planned a trip...on a day that was blown out by the wind anyway.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Better than your feeble excuses of "I have a pedicure appointment"...or "I need to wash my hair."[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Someday it will work out for both of us on the same day...maybe. I'll wait with bait on my breath...or however that goes.[/#0000ff]
[signature]
Posts: 1,010
Threads: 0
Joined: Oct 2011
Reputation:
0
Ya, well... You should see how soft and supple my feet are now, and my hair is so SHINY!
Perhaps we can slaughter something on Monday or Tuesday of next week?
[signature]
Posts: 35,757
Threads: 262
Joined: Sep 2002
Reputation:
49
[cool][#0000ff]TubeBabe and I are probably headed to Starvy on Tuesday...with a couple of other tubers. You in?[/#0000ff]
[signature]
Posts: 19,235
Threads: 2
Joined: Nov 2005
Reputation:
1
Wave on your way up[cool]
[signature]
Posts: 35,757
Threads: 262
Joined: Sep 2002
Reputation:
49
[cool][#0000ff]Do I have to use all my fingers on my waving hand? I usually reserve that wave for the power squadron.[/#0000ff]
[signature]
Posts: 5,745
Threads: 0
Joined: May 2010
Reputation:
0
[quote TubeDude][#0000ff]Someday it will work out for both of us on the same day...maybe. I'll wait with bait on my breath...or however that goes.[/#0000ff][/quote]
Just don't roll in it. That's all I can say!
As for filetting - I can even use mine direct on the boat - that cigarette lighter plug I wired has been priceless.
So - if you get into a bigger kitty, or if you're chopping through a carp, do you saw your way through the heavier rib bones, or work backbone down?
I will say - practice had made a big difference. Can't claim EVERY filet was perfect (far from!) but the 'routine' does get smoother as you go.
And how about sharpening blades? I handle my flat blades, but the curvy ones add a wrinkle - they're not all too expensive, so I could see just replacing after a while.
Posts: 35,757
Threads: 262
Joined: Sep 2002
Reputation:
49
[cool][#0000ff]The electric fillet knives I use are powerful enough to work through even the toughest rib bones of carp (bait) and catfish. Knowing how much pressure to apply and how to gently work the knife will get the job done. But I also have a bunch of other knives...including some big butcher blades. These sometimes help in processing the bigger fish...at least for working through the toughest ribs.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]The serrated blades on electric fillet knives are a bit tricky to resharpen. It is actually just the tips of the points that do the most sawing and cutting. If you try to sharpen them with a file or standard stone you will ruin the effectiveness. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]In the attached pics I have labeled the little diamond hook hone I use for touching up my serrated blades. Just a few strokes in each grove will quickly remove the burrs and touch up the points. Makes a world of difference when you stop in the middle of a filleting job and resharpen. The good news is that you don't have to do it often but you will notice when the cutting becomes more difficult.[/#0000ff]
[signature]
|
