skinning flathead?

[Benzeenees]

Somebody mentioned that you can skin flathead like skinning a leatherjacket. Does anyone know how to do it. It's a pain skinning them with a knife.

[Catchin Jack]

Try Youtube, there's heaps on there

[cheap charlie]

Second that,

Could try putting it into words how to skin a flattie. But so much easier to learn by way of some one showing you how and talking through the method - ala YouTube..

[finin]

Lay whole flatehead belly side down of course on the table, sink whatever.

With a sharp knife score the fish as you would if taking the fillet off but DO NOT GO DEEP!

Where the join of the top cut meets with the side cut at the head grab sharp knife and score slightly a flap of skin off the meat

Then grab flap and tear towards the tail.

[iMick]

Once you learn it, you'll have the nicest looking flattie fillets at the cleaning tables. Fillet from head to tail along the bone, you'll end up with two nice fillets. With a sharp knife cut a little tag end of skin at the end of the fillet closest to where the head was, then push your thumb between the meat and skin while peeling the skin back. Careful not to break the fillet in half.

Mick

[Benzeenees]

thanks guys - I'll try the methods suggested by finin and Mick. I had a look at the youtube videos - most described the method I use which involves removing the skin with a knife and then cutting out the ribs. But one showed a method where a fllet is nearly removed, leaving it just attached at the tail. Then a knife is used to just cut under the skin a little way, at the tail end. After that the fillet is ripped towards the head and the ribs appear to be removed along with the skin. Has anyone tried this?

www.youtube.com/watch?v=xT4wthpG59E

[finin]

Mick you may find it easier with the whole fish attached. If you have gone to the trouble of already taking the fillets off, imho it makes the job harder as you have 2 slimey fillets to handle instead of the whole fish , more to grip easier to get thumb under or just score with the knife., with full fish still attached it is as easy as a leatherjackeT! Funny, caught 4 today and i just filleted them, next time i will try you method Breeze of trying from the tail first, see if theres any difference.

Edited September 3, 2011 by finin