How to fillet lingcod for maximum meat yield, including the belly meat

My friend Ted showed me how to fillet lingcod for maximum meat yield, including the belly meat, after our fishing trip on his Hewescraft 180 Sportsman boat.  He used to be a commercial fisherman and cleaned fish since he was 10 years old.



Paul

Thanks for sharing your friend's fillet technique for maximize meat on Lingcod.

Thanks for sharing that. I've always had an issue with getting those pin bones out. I usually just give up and cut clean boneless filets towards the rear half of the fish and then cut long strips out of the more boney area to make the skewers or other dishes.

Thanks for the video Paul!

Thanks - super helpful. I’ve been playing around with that idea, but didn’t know how to do it right.

Great video Paul! I’ve been using the trimmings with the bones to make a quick tasty fish stock
Aloha,

Isao

Thanks for posting, another tool in the box

I was taught to do the same as Isao

Thanks for the video!  -  Totally trying this on the next big lingcod dumb enough to bite my offering... 

Question though... he tossed the filets in "the water tank" when he was done.  Safe assumption that is of course salt water, but was he using sea water?  Or, did he prepare the salt water prior?  Anyone do this with prepared brine and if so, what is the ideal window of salinity?  Is there a risk of overshooting, such as using 10-15% salt water? 

Thanks for the video!  -  Totally trying this on the next big lingcod dumb enough to bite my offering... 

Question though... he tossed the filets in "the water tank" when he was done.  Safe assumption that is of course salt water, but was he using sea water?  Or, did he prepare the salt water prior?  Anyone do this with prepared brine and if so, what is the ideal window of salinity?  Is there a risk of overshooting, such as using 10-15% salt water?

No, he uses fresh water to clean fish fillets.

Thanks for the video!  -  Totally trying this on the next big lingcod dumb enough to bite my offering... 

Question though... he tossed the filets in "the water tank" when he was done.  Safe assumption that is of course salt water, but was he using sea water?  Or, did he prepare the salt water prior?  Anyone do this with prepared brine and if so, what is the ideal window of salinity?  Is there a risk of overshooting, such as using 10-15% salt water?

No, he uses fresh water to clean fish fillets.

Most anglers frown upon the freshwater wash.  I'm one of them.  .

Seen someone dunk a whole half salmon filet into a 5 gallon bucket of freshwater.  That meat was so weird. 

Thanks for the video Paul. I do something similar for removing the pin bones without much loss. If you want to harvest a collar off the fish then don't start the filet so close to the head. Also - don't forget the cheeks!

Cheers,
Brad

Thanks for the video Paul. I do something similar for removing the pin bones without much loss. If you want to harvest a collar off the fish then don't start the filet so close to the head. Also - don't forget the cheeks!

Cheers,
Brad

Thank you, Brad.
So much to learn.

Paul