Easiest Bullhead cleaning method?

[Somers]

HI All,

I have a question for experienced bullhead fishers.

What do you feel is the easiest way to clean these things?  I've tried a few methods including the nail through the head and pulling the skin off w/ pliers, dipping in boiling water prior to skinning, and filleting first and skinning afterwards like any other fish I clean.  Still seems to be a pain no matter the method.  I think this is why I don't keep more of them.  Generally, I like the filleting first.  Am I missing out on an easier way?

Thanks for all replies.  I target them a few times a year and get some large fish, but I might try more if I can find an efficient cleaning technique.

[Cider]

I just slice the skin around the fish just behind the head then cut the skin down towards the tail.  I hold the fish in my non-dominant hand with my index finger and middle finger hooked over each pectoral spine so that the fish's head is between my fingers.  The spines give you something to hold onto.  Then pull the skin off towards the tail like removing your sock.  Grasp the fins with your pliers and pull them off by yanking towards the head.  slice the body open from the vent to the head and remove the viscera then cut the head and tail off.  Easy and the more you do the faster you get.

[Somers]

Thanks Cider.  Though I assume this is a cleaned fish and not filleted, correct?

I prefer them filleted.  BUt if it's easy enough, I'll try it and fillet once the skin is off.

[Cider]

Fish is cleaned and left whole.

If you want to filet (assuming they are big enough) just do everything described above except for cutting the head off.  You can still use the head in the same grip to give you a way to control the fish.  Just start your filet knife behind the gills and work towards the tail then discard the carcass.

You don't even need to eviscerate them if you are going to filet.  Just get the skin off.

[acsacmboy]

Cider:
another way to clean the bullheads and hornpout is:
if you are right handed place one in your left(visa versa) hand(top of head on your palm. take your middle finger and pointer finger and hook them around the horns or spikes w/e u wanna call them(one finger on the fish's left and one on its right horns). the tail should be out passed your hand/fist(just like how you hold it im pretty sure)

take a knife and slit its back skin to the bone and down its sides about half way to its horns. take plyers and rip off the skin. make sure you have a good hold of the fish so you dont rip it out of your hands. keep on holding the fish and take the knife and push it through the cavity just behind and above the horns(almost to where the back bone is). slice through the cavity and all the meat(going from its back to its stomach straight down). cut off all fins exept the tail. twist its head off and clean it under the sink. takes about 30 seconds at most. real easy. theres about 2 or 3 less cuts and it stays in your hand so you are in control if he flops about. try this and you will be amazed how fast you can go.

you have to watch out for those horns. phew. ive gotten stung once bad and a few times lighter. if you do, get down to the water and wash off your hand of blood. squeeze out the blood so the "poison" (even though its not poison theres a chemical) doesnt get in farther. shake your hand and try to get out as much as possible under water. this helps 30 fold. an oldtimer told me this.

it saves alot of time. one of the best methods there is.

[Cider]

Guess I am cornfused.  Sounds like you and I hold the fish the same way and pretty much skin it the same way.

What do you mean slice through all the meat and cavity at once and then cut off all the fins and tails?  You don't remove the viscera separate of the meat?  Is there a concern about puncturing the intestines and contaminating the meat this way with your knife?

I guess I am just having a hard time picturing what you do in my mind.  Too bad you don't have a nice pictorial like Jake did on the shanty about cleaning cusk.

[acsacmboy]

ok. hold it the same ways you do.

you cut down the skin down the back(dorsal fin to tail). i dont. saves alot of time just there. pull off the skin. done skinning the bulhead.

now you have left is a skinless bullhead. take your knife and puncture it through its stomach cavity(parallel to the pectoral fins or horns/spines). make sure you are below the spine before you start cutting. go all the way through. straight down. slice through the cavity, guts and bottom skin. cut off/pull off fins. twist off the head in one motion. clean the fish under a sink.

real easy once someone shows you. hard to tell in words. takes no more than 30 seconds per fish.

[acsacmboy]

oops sorry forgot

no it does not contaminate the meat.

do it how jake does it. slice behind the head and pull off the skin. dont cut the skin down to the tail. saves alot of time and fingers.  real easy

[Cider]

oops sorry forgot

no it does not contaminate the meat.

do it how jake does it. slice behind the head and pull off the skin. dont cut the skin down to the tail. saves alot of time and fingers.  real easy

You're right, this is difficult to describe with words!  I skin mine the same way you do.  Just didn't do a good job describing it.  Sounds like you end up with filets when you are done?  That is pretty much what I do when they are big enough to get filets out of them.  Otherwise, I just leave 'em whole and deep fry them.

[reelcharacter]

I will just keep re-reading the instructions until I think I got it. I have tried slitting the skin (but only the skin) from head to tail. Poke knife behind head and with blade up (away from fish) cut to tail, around back fin. Also slice skin behind head from back of fish to belly, again, just the skin. When I pull the skin from head toward tail, the skin has not come off cleanly, some flesh remails randomly attached to the skin. I lose some meat and end up with a raggedy lookin piece of fish. Do you need to clean them right away when fresh for best results? I did mine at home after catching a few winks from an evening of fishing.

Thanks,
-Reelcharacter

[Cider]

If we aren't going to clean them right away when we get back because it is very late at night, then we keep the bullhead alive in a pail of water until we are ready to deal with them.

On the skinning, I think you might be pulling it off too fast?  Try one smooth motion, but if meat starts to lift then tease the skin away from the meat with your pliers.

You could try chilling the fish (not freezing) in the freezer before skinning.  I know cleaning cusk this way in the winter works great with little loss of meat.

Mike

[TroutFishingBear]

Those are good ideas to clean them.
cleaning them always ticked me off

[icefishnh]

when we(my dad and i) keep hornpouts, we just fillet em and come out great

[amazinmoose]

when i keep catfish. they are bullheads. i only keep larger ones. i cut at the anal fin, cutting the tail right off. keep that meat, lay the knife on the back bone and slice off meat to tail, flip and repeat.   best meat on the fish..  and no bones!!  toss the rest to my snapping turtles!!    tightlines moose 

[perchfisher]

my best cleaning method for bullheads is to throw them in the garbage lol