Dear Abby - Curious Cabazon cleaning conundrum

Cabazon have a strange bone structure. Maybe I missed a class in fish cleaning but when I clean these guys it always results in fine bones left in my fillets. Is there an easy solution to this or should I just chew up the bones and shut up?

Many fish have a line of bones perpendicular to the spine along the latteral line.  If you want them out, split the fillet along the line of bones and trim out a NARROW strip.  You can feel the line of bones by rubbing your finger tips along the fillet.

Little Cabbie I just fillet like a normal rockcod.  A bigger one I fillet like a halibut.  Just like Sean said.  But, always keep your knife sharp and wear a metal glove.

Ken kickfish

If you want them out, split the fillet along the line of bones and trim out a NARROW strip.

I knew it... but I was really hoping for a more elegant MacGyver solution involving Visegrips, toothpaste and a banana peel that leaves the fillets intact.

There are ways to cut around the bones (like cleaning a halibut by cutting downward from the dorsal) but you'll get less meat. I just cut right through those bones and pull them out later, when I'm preparing to cook.

PK

IMO: Stuart knows how to clean them the best - I've seen him do it at Elk for the past two years and he really knows how it's done. I'll take some step by step photos if we get a "test subject" this year 

Gut Cabazon rinse well and cut off head. Stuff fish with favorite items or not. Wrap fish in tin foil and bake. Fish will be moist and soft and you can peel skin off and flake meat off of small bones with ease.

Watch out with Cabezon.  The eggs are deadly.  I sometimes eat the eggs of a small striper from the Forebay.  But, watch out who you give this fish to if it is uncleaned.  They may try to eat the eggs.

Ken kickfish

Yep...the eggs are poisonous.

To clarify the fillet thing...fillet it by cutting to the spine and then straght back...thorough the ribs and all.  Then flip the fillet over and you can easliy trim out the rib bones.  Then find the row of bones along the midline and split the fillet along the bones.  You can now trim them out and lose very little meat.