Gutting before filleting?

[Fisherman Rob]

I notice in most "how to fillet a salmon" vids, they gut the salmon first. I've always just sliced each fillet off without gutting. Any reason to gut first? I suppose it means the fillet doesn't contact as much blood?

 

[Pineapple Express]

For me I gut adn bleed the fish as soon as it's bonked on the boat, and then fillet the fish at the dock or at home. I too am curious what others do

 

[tincan]

I just bleed the fish immediately once caught. Once at the cleaning table, I slice open the belly and rip out the guts before I filet.

 

[Fisherman Rob]

I just bleed the fish immediately once caught. Once at the cleaning table, I slice open the belly and rip out the guts before I filet.

What do you do to bleed the fish? And can you explain why you gut before fillet?

 

[tincan]

to bleed I just slice a few of the gills with a knife (or rip with finger if knife isn't handy). Get all the blood out while it's still pumping thru the fish and then get fish in a cool (iced) area if possible. Depends on the size of the fish but I find it easier to filet big springs once I've ripped out the guys. For sockeye, pinks and small springs I just filet away. Just a personal preference thing I guess. Nothing to do with the quality of the meat, etc.

What do you do to bleed the fish? And can you explain why you gut before fillet?

 

[ziggy]

I bleed and gut as soon as I get them in, then put them on ice. Fillet once I get home.

 

[Salmon Seeker]

I gut them and discard the guts before i go home because it makes for less volume of decaying fish in my garbage at home.

 

[barkerfam]

I just fillet. I am often puzzled why people gut them at the table and then fillet. Seems like too much work. I leave the spine, head, and guts all together.

 

[blowin' insider]

If you're going to process the fish quickly there is no reason to gut the fish . They can still be bled out to keep the meat clean. I don't know too many people who gut there Hali or rockfish. Why would salmon be any different? I suppose it's just preferences but it makes sense to avoid any unecessary steps

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[likwit]

I bleed in the boat and then gut the fish before I filet. I find that sometimes the guts can get in the way, especially on a bigger fish. I'd rather have a clearer view to see how my cut along the backbone is going as well if for some reason I start to run through it or something.

 

[bones]

Just wondering how you fillet at the cleaning table and go home? Do you leave both fillets on the tail and clip the back bone away? I see people all the time filleting on the table and zip lock bagging them. I just ask ask as I like to freeze my salmon for the trip home.

 

[chromatose007]

Cut gills to bleed out. Ice or rinse regularly. No real reason to gut fish. Open belly and simply side out. Used to tie gut/carcass bag to anchor to bring in the bottom dwelling monsters. Worked like a hot damn. gl ps: SHARP KNIVES!
One side is supposed to have a tail. Just fold it over on the tail fillet.

 

[Rover]

Bleed once I get it in then onto ice . Gut it and head off if legal at the boat launch. A couple cold ones then Filleted and vacuum packed or into marinade at home.

 

[Canso]

I always bleed salmon on a string next to the boat, just grab a gill and rip it out.
Then at home if I'm dealing with 8 or more sockeye, I don't slit the belly, just cut a fillet leaving the rib cage in tacked on the fish.
If it's a spring, slit the belly, hold the the flap open, and cut the fillet, no gutting required.

 

[El_Kabong]

Bonk, bleed, ice, fillet.

Opening up the cavity IMO just exposes the meat to whatever bacteria and yuck you have in the cooler.

 

[wolf]

ALWAYS gut it get the **** out if you havent noticed ummm one word WORMS

But i cut the head off as well have a huge 14 inch knife and slice down both sides leaving tail on filets makes a nice clean filet ill try and take pics today can do a fish in about 20 to 30 seconds

good luck wolf

 

[jon.nicholson.00]

Back when I trolled salmon commercially I was told to gut the fish ASAP because the enzymes in the guts(stomach) could start to affect the meat and
thus the quality. They called it "belly burn." If you nick the guts while you are filletting, you can expose that nice flesh to whatever bacteria was in there...

Still do it, probably always will...

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[Fisherman Rob]

Great info. Thanks for all the input so far!

 

[Englishman]

Gutting then filleting seems to work for us. If we gut at the dock then all the nutrients go back in the sea to support the ecosystem, where they should be. If we don't gut at the dock (we live 5 minutes from the launch) then we bag and freeze all our guts and backbones then take it out next trip. All these nutrients should got back in the ocean not in the garbage! Besides the stink, living in Sooke would bring all the bears and racoons down from the hills in short order, if it were in the garbage!!