How to Clean A Sturgeon (the easy way)

The first time I cleaned a sturgeon, I did it the conventional way.  Cut off the head, cut off the tail, pull the noto cord, cut off the scutes and fins, peel off the skin with pliers, and steak it out.  Needless to say, I was exhasted when it was over and it took FOREVER. 

Then I attended Keith Fraser's sturgon seminar and saw how to do it the easy way... there are variations on this method too. 

1.  Cut off the top scutes and fins.
2.  Make an incision behind the head down to the pectoral fin.
3.  Cut lengthwise along the spine and down the lenght of the fish.
4.  Work the meat off the cartilidge skeleton, over the ribs and down to the belly meat.
5.  Cut off the fillets.
6.  Skin the fillets like you would anything else. 
7.  Cut out any "red meat" before cooking it.

As a variation, some will cut off all of the scutes and peel off the skin with a pliers and/or knife before filleting.

You never have to open the body cavity with this method, making it nice and neat for a home fillet job.  If you're into caviar or gizzard (ChuckE... are ya listening?)  you can check for eggs by cutting through the ribcage closer to the spine so all the guts won't just come spilling out. 

that bodyboard should be perfect for a nice go-out at salmon creek now...

 

PIMP!

I might keep my next one after seeing your cleaning technique.
Sure beats the heck out of this 28 step method.
http://www.getbentsportfishing.com/helpful/tips-and-tricks/cleaning-sturgeon/

I might keep my next one after seeing your cleaning technique.
Sure beats the heck out of this 28 step method.
http://www.getbentsportfishing.com/helpful/tips-and-tricks/cleaning-sturgeon/

That 28 step method is practically a joke.  I tried it once.  It was fun pulling out the noto cord and all that stuff, but it was so time consuming.  Erik's method makes the task as easy as filleting a ling.

Chuck that looks nasty teach that dude how to sharpen a knife.

Great instruction EK, Thanks

I do my the same way but from the inside then I just
trim the slabs but anyway you look at it sturgeon is
the easiest fish to clean because they have no bones
got to love them 

Looked like the other dude forgot the bleeding step too.

i was curious if the orange coloration on the meat was fat or not. otherwise nice demonstration!

Yes sturgeon fat is orange in color.

wow that looks simple...I've never cleaned one before and always convinced my buddy to do it ....might try it now.

Ok so i see how to clean 1 but whos gana post a step by step on how to get 1 to bite my dang hook

whos gana post a step by step on how to get 1 to bite my dang hook

The same guy who just showed you how to clean 'em. KZ is your man.

http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php/page,14.html

Lotta work to process one of those