cleaning crappies

[Bunk]

anyone got any tips on cleaning crappies?usually catch pike and walleye.
this is my first year targeting crappies.i'm finding them very hard to clean.
i've been cutting off the head and fins and taking off the scales
any tips would be great.

[oldfox]

anyone got any tips on cleaning crappies?usually catch pike and walleye.
this is my first year targeting crappies.i'm finding them very hard to clean.
i've been cutting off the head and fins and taking off the scales
any tips would be great.

Just fillet them...its the easiest and best way 

[C.C.]

i've been cutting off the head and fins and taking off the scales
any tips would be great.

Dang man, thats really old school. If you fillet your eye's then do crappies the same way. Elec. knife behind the gill to the tail, a flip of the wrist and deskin then use a blade knife to take out the ribs. It sounds simple and is once you get the hang of it.

[Bunk]

Dang man, thats really old school. If you fillet your eye's then do crappies the same way. Elec. knife behind the gill to the tail, a flip of the wrist and deskin then use a blade knife to take out the ribs. It sounds simple and is once you get the hang of it.

you're right man,that is old school.i'm going out today,if i get any,i'll try doing it the way i do walleye.
put my blade tip in along the spine about a half inch,till i hit the ribs,then going down till the back fin,then going back
and go around the ribs.that way i don't have to go through bones.i hate running my blade through bones.
thanks for the tip.

[Kevin23]

you're right man,that is old school.i'm going out today,if i get any,i'll try doing it the way i do walleye.
put my blade tip in along the spine about a half inch,till i hit the ribs,then going down till the back fin,then going back
and go around the ribs.that way i don't have to go through bones.i hate running my blade through bones.
thanks for the tip.

Thats a good way to do it, It wont work with small crappies though.

[JT]

Filet off sides,don't totally remove ribs,leave them on to hold whole deal and slide filet off with knife,done.

[fiesty]

teach your wife how to clean em....

[iluvcrappie]

if you just fillet them the same way as you do your walleyes you wont have a problem I have never taken the head or fins off of the fish.................. ............I start by making a cut right behind the gill plate from the spine to the stomach...........next make a cut the length of the fish along the spine and once you get about 2 inches from the end of the fish push your knife through the bottom of the fish and then continue to slice to the rear fin.........after making these cuts carefully run your knife along the spine and feel for the rib cage once there you might as well cut the fillet off the fish as there is really no other meat on them................fi nally you have a fillet with the scales on one side flip the fillet so the scales are on the counter and proceed to cut the meat from the scales...............i t is really easy to do I can clean 20 crappies in a matter of 10 min. I love to clean them as I find they are one of the easiest fish to clean..............Jus t my .02

[wnybassman]

I saw this somewhere.......

[NAD42]

I saw this somewhere.......

that has to be the most informative post I've ever 'seen' on this site...thanks for sharing that 'bassman.

[gair-z]

that has to be the most informative post I've ever 'seen' on this site...thanks for sharing that 'bassman.

well, as the old saying goes, ya learn 'sum'pin new everyday.. 

there's an easier way to fillet though..   don't listen to that guy..

just give the fish to the wifey and say, "I gut'em, now you clean'em!!!"  then hitt'er over the head with a club. 

[ICEMAN73]

It slices, it dices,  Its the CRAP-O-MATIC!!!  only 19.95

[Kevin23]

It slices, it dices,  Its the CRAP-O-MATIC!!!  only 19.95

Sounds like the new toilet i saw billy mays advertising.

[Bunk]

tried do'in them the same way i do walleye.easier than do'in walleye.
tastier too!

[Ice Freek]

"anyone got any tips on cleaning crappies?"

Some good Dial soap or Simple Green and a pressure washer works fairly good! Ha Ha just fillet them!