Thread: How big before you fillet?

If I keep a fish, its getting filleted.

I guess my question is can you get enough off a 7" to 8" gill? Would you keep one that size?

They might be more like nuggets then filet imo but good either way especially if you have enough of them

Scale them and gut them. Bream not really a filet fish. I will filet one side if it's a pound or better. Waste too much meat otherwise.

9IN

I would agree that the closer the bone the sweeter the meat so frying whole is better . That is only my opinion. My wife fries them up for me and wants them filleted so I fillet most all. An 8" gill with shoulders will fillet nicely. Beware of a spawned out male though. They seem to work themselves skinny.

Originally Posted by VaCrappieMan

Been catching a lot of 7 1/2" to 8" bluegill with nice shoulders would you all fillet some of those up or to small? I am craving some fish and I caught a good 50 this morning with prob 20 being 7" to 8" thinking about keeping a few for dinner but I don't know if it will be worth it...

If they come home... they are getting filleted. It's the only way we do it here! As for "minimum size"... it all depends on how hungry you are. I've brought home some mighty small ones if they bite was slow yet I was ready for a fry. I hope you understand that I wouldn't tell anyone though, so you are going to have to keep it a secret and not tell anyone! :-)

Yep....if you're hungry for fish, then take 'em home and cook 'em....one way or the other. They can be filleted or scaled and gutted....they eat good either way. Try it on a couple and you decide.