Easiest Ways to Filet Different Species of Lake Fish

There are few more rewarding feelings than catching your dinner for the evening. But, there are some crucial steps between taking the fish off the hook and serving it up on a platter. You’ll need to filet the fish properly to preserve the most flesh while still removing those pesky bones that can get caught in your teeth and throat. 

If you’re new to fishing and need some more guidance on how to filet a fish like an expert, we have you covered. Here are some general guidelines on fileting walleye, northern pike, bass, and pan fish. 

How to Filet a Northern Pike

Northern pike are found in moderately salty and freshwater in the Northern Hemisphere. They can grow to be relatively large and often have an olive-green color. If your knife work is precise,  you can get three quality filets out of one pike. 

Before you can cook a pike, follow these steps to filet it: 

1. Place the pike on a cutting board on its belly, holding it in place with your off hand. 
2. Make a vertical cut at the back of the pike’s head, down until you hit the backbone. 
3. Turn your knife horizontally and make a cut to the tail, using the backbone as your guide to remove the top filet. 
4. Make a v-shaped cut to remove the row of bones found through the center of this filet. 
5. Return to the fish, viewing the curve of the “Y’ bones that remain coming from the backbone. 
6. Insert your knife into the meat at the outer edge of the “Y” bones, cutting along the length of the fish to create your filet. 
7. Repeat on the other side. 

How to Filet a Walleye

Walleyes are freshwater fish native to Canada and the United States. They typically have a yellow or golden color, with a mouth full of sharp teeth. 

Here are the basic steps to filet a walleye: 

1. Place the walleye on its side, with its belly facing towards you. 
2. Make a vertical cut into the fish right behind the pectoral fin. 
3. Turn your knife flat to the cutting board and hold the head firmly with your off-hand, then cut through the flesh along the backbone through the tail. 
4. Place the filet with the skin down, then follow the curve of the attached rib cage with your knife to carefully remove it. 
5. Repeat on the other side. 

How to Filet a Smallmouth Bass

Smallmouth bass are freshwater fish found throughout North America. They are small yet muscular, recognizable by their olive green and dark brown scales, vertical spots along their body, and two dorsal fins. 

If you catch a smallmouth bass, here is how you can filet it so it’s ready to cook: 

1. Place the bass on its side on a cutting board, with the head facing to the left. 
2. Make an initial cut behind the gills, up to the backbone, then along the backbone to the rear of the fish.
3. At the gills, insert the knife flat to the cutting board. Lifting the filet from the backbone, use the knife to separate the meat from the ribs. 
4. Use the tip of the knife to cut the filet from the carcass, where it’s still attached at the belly. 
5. Remove any remaining rib bones from the filet with your hands or knife. 
6. Repeat on the other side. 

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Walkabout carries various knives in-store and online like Helle, Opinel, Victorinox, and more! Shop any of our Walkabout locations and ask an Associate what knife will work best for your needs.

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Written by Bailey Schramm