Bullhead Fishing

[philoshop]

My science class demonstration around that grade consisted of skinning a muskrat for the pelt. My buddy stood in for the gambrel/hanger to hold him up for me. As I recall, not many classmates were really impressed, but I had a sack of them in my locker from the morning's run anyway. My offers to do a few more (on school time) were rejected for some reason. Times have certainly changed. I'm chuckling just thinkin' about it. Thanks!

[nyantler]

 

I have slacked off on the bullhead fishing lately.. Might have to catch a pail or 2 this spring.. We always tried going around April 15(fils birthday). There have been a few years where all of our spots were iced in. I am afraid this year may be another.

Easiest way to clean bullhead requires nothing but a knife.

Slice across the back towards head behind the fin until you hit bone.

Slice skin along backbone to tail..

Hang on to head in one hand body in the other and bend until the backbone breaks( usually a pop and a little splatter away from you ,make sure a buddy is standing there.lol).

Reach in with thumb and grab backbone and pull the meat right out of the skin. rinse and throw in bowl.

Repeat.

I can still remember when a classmate demonstrated this method in our 8th grade class for a presentation..LOL.. The girls were NOT impressed especially the ones in the front row.

This works great until you start catching the 12" plus ones, they are a little harder on the fingers.

I skin them just a tad different... I cut off the top fin leaving a hole about the size of a nickel where the fin was... insert the knife directly downward through the hole breaking through the spine... slice skin from hole to the tail on top of the back... insert finger into hole where top fin was.. grab head and side fins with your other hand and pull... meat and tail come out through the top of the back in one hand... head and guts in the other... a good time is just around 10 seconds.

[ncountry]

I skin them just a tad different... I cut off the top fin leaving a hole about the size of a nickel where the fin was... insert the knife directly downward through the hole breaking through the spine... slice skin from hole to the tail on top of the back... insert finger into hole where top fin was.. grab head and side fins with your other hand and pull... meat and tail come out through the top of the back in one hand... head and guts in the other... a good time is just around 10 seconds.

 

Yeap ..same thing except I pop or break the spine by hand..

 

[Pygmy]

 

I skin them just a tad different... I cut off the top fin leaving a hole about the size of a nickel where the fin was... insert the knife directly downward through the hole breaking through the spine... slice skin from hole to the tail on top of the back... insert finger into hole where top fin was.. grab head and side fins with your other hand and pull... meat and tail come out through the top of the back in one hand... head and guts in the other... a good time is just around 10 seconds.

That's very similar to the way I do it, Joe...Very quick and easy . It works a little better with the small to average sized 'heads than with those big 1-2 pound yellowbelly slobs we get from Seneca Lake.

A few years ago, a buddy of mine turned me on to filleting the big ones with an electric knife. That's also very quick and the big ones seem to fry up a little better filleted than whole.

My parents both loved bullheads, and I grew up thinking they were equivalent to nectar and ambrosia, whether fried whole or filleted. Spring just ain't SPRING without a couple good messes of bullheads.

They are GOOOOOD !...Make you wanta slap yo MOMMA !

[edbone]

You can actually fillet them like a walleye or panfish?

[edbone]

You can actually fillet them like a walleye or panfish?

[Pygmy]

Yes Ed, they are actually very easy to filet once you have done a few. There is a bone close behind the gills that protrudes out to the side. Start behind that with your blade and the filet slices off just like any other fish, and bullheads have no pin bones to deal with like many fish do.

As I said, fileting works best with the jumbos. Those smaller ones are better just skinned ,headed, gutted and cooked whole..Also, if you try to smoke some as you mentioned in another post, whole ones would be best, because filets would dry out too much while smoking , IMO.

Good luck...Now you have me lusting for fresh bullheads again..<<grin>>...

[edbone]

I'm ready too.Maybe in a week.The ice in back channel by my house just broke up last night..River also rose 3ft plus

[edbone]

they are pounding the bullheads on Cayuga Lake.

[philoshop]

You're making me hungry!

[UpstateNomad90]

I signed on tonight specifically for this thread, I had a slow night on the Hudson, But my buddy landed a nice 1.5 fall fish and a nice 2 pound bull head. Hoping in the coming weeks things will pick up. I have to get my pin this year from the state for catching a 10 pound+ cat fish, so I am sure I will be catching plenty of bullheads.