Cleaning Northern Pike

[Reelmaster]

Does anyone know the technique to getting boneless pike. It was my first time cleaning them this weekend and it wasnt too successfull. Maybe I should stick to walleye and perch, there easier.
 

[slipbob]

Maybe Gmoe's post a few threads down here might be of some use to ya.  I personally recommend never even attempting to catch pike or even eat them.  They are slimy and smell bad like lake trout.  The good thing about lakers though, is they don't bite off your lures and bite all the time through the ice, no matter the weather.  Lakers good, Pike bad.    Definitely stick to the walleye and perch.  Much easier and much tastier.  Okay I'm ready for BobD (formerly Esox) to bust on me for picking on the pike, so go ahead.  I'm ready. 

[grumpymoe]

hey slipbob.....grump's going to bust you one!! lol  properly cleaned and deboned northerns are just as tasty if not more...depending on how they are prepared...personally, i was raised on walleye, but have since changed my mind on taste....side by side i can fool many....now reelmaster, just ignore his comments.

[slipbob]

hey slipbob.....grump's going to bust you one!! lol  properly cleaned and deboned northerns are just as tasty if not more...depending on how they are prepared...personally, i was raised on walleye, but have since changed my mind on taste....side by side i can fool many....now reelmaster, just ignore his comments.

I know, I know.  My brother has confirmed for me how tasty pike can be.  Last year on a trip to Canada somewhere the people that owned the lodge they stayed in cooked up some pike that was boned and then deep fried.  My brother said it was some of the whitest and best tasting fish he's ever had.  I still have not tried what he claims to be the absolute best and that is ocean run stripers.  They come up the Hudson river here every year and are supposedly the best eating fish for taste.  I gotta try some.  As far as pike go, I would gladly try it if someone made it for me, but it's more fun for me to be an argumentative wise guy, than admit how good pike probably taste.

[USMC130FE]

I hope these people don't get their fish from the netters in your areas Grump??  Just ran accross their ad in the Google block on MFF.

http://www.freshfish4u.net/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=103-2&Category_Code=100

$23 for 2 pounds of Eye's.........OUCH!!!!!!

Steve

[grumpymoe]

hey USMC  $23.00 for 2lbs???  the bulk of the commercial fishery is lake winnipeg and manitoba...numerous other, but these are the biggest....and to be honest with you, i used to buy fresh round walleye from several commercial fishermen to stock my freezer....it got so bad with every about 1 or 2 fish in ten with a terribly strong taste, that i stopped buying..BTW....fresh round were $1.50  to $1.75 lb and fresh filets between $5.00 to $6.00lb  grump

[Phoenix]

Reelmaster, once you learn the technique for removing the y-bones ( I assume you found grumpmoe's excellent pictorial) the key is practice and going slow. At first it seems like your wasting a lot of meat but you really aren't as what you're tossing is mostly bone. It's well worth the effort as a properly prepared pike is just about the tastiest fresh water fish swimming (IMHO). Just hope too many people don't get  good at it or there might be a lot less of them thrown back

[big walleye]

[Slipbob I acnnot beleive you said that about Mr. Pike. Hey back to the sister question. Can she cook???

[slipbob]

[Slipbob I acnnot beleive you said that about Mr. Pike. Hey back to the sister question. Can she cook???

My pike comments are way out of line, I know.      Very sorry indeed.  Hail to the mighty pike.    I unfortunately have no sister.  Just an older brother but if it matters, I'm the better looking one.

[big walleye]

Oh thanks Slipbob I think.   Wait a minute I said I cannot beleive you said that about Mr. Pike but that does not mean he still does not rank second to the almighty Mr. Walleye,

[slim slinger]

 

hey slipbob.....grump's going to bust you one!! lol  properly cleaned and deboned northerns are just as tasty if not more...depending on how they are prepared...personally, i was raised on walleye, but have since changed my mind on taste....side by side i can fool many....now reelmaster, just ignore his comments.     

I completely agree...I used to work up in kenora at a lodge and we used to mix pike and walleye together and nobody could taste the difference...yes they did know both were in  there...

Slim