How To Fillet A Crappie | Angling Edge

Fillet A Crappie: Mike Hehner demonstrates one good way to fillet crappie.

One of the reasons crappies are so popular is because people like to eat them.

Filleting crappies to get the maximum amount of meat can be real art. Lindner Media employee Mike Hehner is one of the best fillet men on staff. Everybody has their favorite way of cleaning fish whether it’s with an electric knife or a standard blade. For cleaning a batch of crappies, Hehner prefers using a standard-bladed knife. Advertisement

Here’s his process:

What works best for me is a small knife or a thin-bladed knife like a Bubble Blade 8-inch Whiffie.

The first step is to pull the fin back cut behind the gill, down to the backbone and then you run along the backbone.

Then push the knife through and go out the tail cut back to the ribcage while pressing down.

And then you go around the edges. Boom, one side is down.

Complete the same on the other side back to the ribcage on the backbone. You can feel the blade run along the ribcage. Simply go along the edge and around the ribcage. Now you have two pieces.

After that what, I like to do is take the skin off the fillet. Finally, there a little bones located just above the ribcage that we just went around there called the epipleural bones. On a bigger fish, you can feel them and they usually don’t fry out so I’ll take this knife and run it and cut this little parallel strip out for a perfectly boneless fillet.

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In the world of Lindner Media, Mike Hehner stands out as one of the finest fillet men on the team. Everyone has their preferred method for cleaning fish, whether it’s with an electric knife or a standard blade. When it comes to tackling a batch of crappies, Hehner opts for the tried-and-true standard-bladed knife. Mike’s skill and precision shine as he expertly works through each fish, ensuring top-notch fillets every time. His dedication to the craft is evident in his meticulous approach, making him a standout member of the Lindner Media family.