40 to 45 inch fish is the norm. His favorite fish to catch is a striped bass and his favorite bait to use is bunker. Make the diagonal cut behind the gill plate. As you can probably remember, you need to:eval(ez_write_tag([[580,400],'catchandfillet_com-large-mobile-banner-2','ezslot_13',122,'0','0'])); To completely take out the fillet, you need to continue that same cut but take it all the way past the backbone and out the other side. Short demonstration on how to fillet and clean stripers. If yours are too big to cook at once, cut them into three sections before you bag them up. Make sure you’re doing this lengthwise. Important thing is to keep them on ice afterward. As you progress through your fishing career, you may well come across a way that works better or is just easier for you to get to grips with. 2:43  Announcer: Saltwaterfishing247.com helping you catch that fish of a lifetime. Split the skin behind the dorsal fins and along the back. There's no shame in that. Off the water, he enjoys blogging and sharing his favorite fishing tips & tricks that he has learned over the years.

Set the skin to the side and cut your fillet in half. But, to have a chance at experiencing striped bass’ delicate flavor, you need to know how to clean and fillet it properly. Cut the gills and put it back in the water on a stringer so that it can completely bleed out. Keep that in mind if you plan on keeping fish. You just need to ensure your blade hits the backbone all the way along. This one will eat good. So we're allowed two. So we're going to harvest it. There are no brownie points for rushing! But you’re not quite finished yet.eval(ez_write_tag([[300,250],'catchandfillet_com-large-mobile-banner-1','ezslot_12',135,'0','0'])); It’s easier to remove the skin if you place the fillet flat right at the edge of your table (making sure the skin is facing down). After that I cut near the tail and let it sit in ice saltwater bath for 30 min or so. Here in Connecticut, we're allowed two fish over 28 inches. Growing up on the south shore of Long Island, Chum Charlie has always had a passion for fishing. In order to be able to post messages on the Saltwater Fishing Discussion Board Including Inshore Fishing, Offshore Fishing, Saltwater Fly Fishing and Kayak Fishing forums, you must first register. 1:33  This fish will take a few minutes to bleed out. Due to this high demand, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission has enforced a bag limit of one fish (28 inches minimum) for ocean-caught stripers. They’re the most popular gamefish going! I'm going to slide him down into the corner, get him next to my scuppers, because it is a little messy. Step Four: Almost Time to Remove The Fillet, Is Fishing Line Recyclable? bleeding striped bass.

One slice done, I recently tried this and it does make better fillets. Some recommended products may use affiliate links. Can someone please tell me the best way to bleed out a Striper? Now, turn the fish so it’s lying on the side you’ve just worked on because you need to repeat step two to four! I agree with the intact rules for MA - its a shame though as its such less a mess to clean fish on the water. Everything will be nice and clean. You can cut the back portion into two or three sections before bagging. Everything will be nice and clean. I'll hose the deck down. This is done very easily be inserting a sharp knife into the center of the membrain behind the last gill near the center and slicing downward to the bottom of the gills. They are beyond delicious. If you’ve done everything correctly so far (we’re sure you have), you’ll have a big back strap section and the belly part. After filleting I remove the belly flaps and the dark stripe down the middle of the fillet. Depending on the size of the fish you caught, your fillets will vary. That's it. Please select your insurance company (Optional). Striper populations have ebbed and flowed since then. This could take up to 10 minutes so try to be a little patient! Since you’ve got the tail portion out of the way, you need to carry on removing the fillet. 40 to 45 inch fish is the norm.

While this is happening, you should get an ice-packed cooler ready to store until it’s time for cleaning. That’s all there is to it.eval(ez_write_tag([[300,250],'catchandfillet_com-leader-2','ezslot_14',133,'0','0'])); Remember, you can take it as slow and steady as you like. There’s no point wasting a great fish now is there? Cut to the backbone to start the fillet removal process. If possible, angle the fish down. Right here. You will hit the main artery and the fish will die quickly after bleeding out. When you decide to keep a fish, you should bleed it immediately. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc or its affiliates. This style of fishing, we very rarely see fish under 36, 38 inches. Don’t wait around, you want to get this done straight away!eval(ez_write_tag([[580,400],'catchandfillet_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_2',114,'0','0'])); Put it in the splash or live well and allow it to completely bleed out. This technique will leave your striped bass with no bones if done correctly. I smoke a lot of it. You’ve got your striped bass fillets! Try your best to not cut into (it gets easier with practice, we promise) because it’ll release stomach acid which doesn’t taste too good! At this stage, you don’t want to completely remove the fillet. An easy way to do this is to follow the baby pink line running down the middle. Make sure you’re diagonally line is running from the lateral line to the top.eval(ez_write_tag([[250,250],'catchandfillet_com-large-leaderboard-2','ezslot_10',120,'0','0'])); Bear in mind that the stomach cavity isn’t far away here. Trust us, you’ll thank us later if the knife slips. 1:57 Keep in mind, that if you want to continue fishing, you may only want to harvest this one fish and save that second fish for later in the day. Then, a thin-blade fillet knife comes into play (so, yes, you will need this too!). Please enter a valid email address for yourself. Due to this high demand, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission has enforced a bag limit of one fish (28 inches minimum) for ocean-caught stripers. Why? You’ll want to do this straight away so you can get the fillets on ice and preserve the flavor. CatchandFillet.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. You’ll need to sharpen your knives and rinse the striped bass. Have you got all your tools together?

I'll hose the deck down.

You will be surprised the quality of the fillet you get later. Saltwater & Offshore Fishing Magazine for Salt Water Fishing and Fisherman Interests | Noreast Saltwater Magazine, The following errors occurred with your submission. Ensure the blade is facing away from the bass and cut to split the skin (not all the way through!) It helps keep the meat white, makes a lot less of a mess once you get back on shore and fillet them.

By “in half” we mean lengthwise. I do this because they are usually a bit more oilier than stripers. After that I cut near the tail and let it sit in ice saltwater bath for 30 min or so. IMHO, Jeremy Wade's theory is what I go by. Striped bass found few enemies in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta or the rivers that fed the estuary, and within a few decades, a commercial fishery arose that lasted until recreational anglers convinced the state legislature to close it in 1935.