To zip or not?

[wakina]

I don't zip my fillets. I don't care that others do, obviously it is simply a personal preference. I am not sure why so many people who do zip them are bound to change the minds of those who do not, as if we haven't been fully enlightened and they feel the need to bring us into their circle of light and allow us to be amazed by what we have been missing.

-Matt

Like the grass being greener on the other side of the fence! Sometimes it only appears to be greener until you are there looking down on it. So to me the same thing applies to the other things in life. Far be it from me to tell another person how and what to do with the fish they are going to eat or even what size to keep so long as they are legally caught. I do not have a problem with those who want to release the larger or smaller fish, but I will not share the fish that I catch if a person is releasing larger fish and do not get to a limit of fish for themselves because of that.

I zipper mine and trim that reddish meat away! It does have a slightly different taste and is a little more fishy, but then again it is fish we are talking about so it should taste like fish. With that being said, a Happy Wife means a Happy Life, so I zipper all of the eyes that I catch and keep for our personal consumption.

To me there is one thing that I feel enhances the culinary usefulness and texture of the meat, that is bleeding them as soon as possible. The faster they are dispatched and bled the higher the quality of the meat. They should be treated the same as any other living creature that is going to be used for table fare. It seems to limit the amount of reddish meat in the lateral line and most of the strong flavor which is actually contained in the blood. I still do not tell others that they should bleed their fish, but from time to time suggest that practice to fellow fishermen. All fish caught on my boat that are headed to the deep fryer get the bleeding treatment so the fish that I intend to eat are not laying in a pool of slimy blood until we are done fishing for the day.

[Madd Matt]

Making the wife happy is the best reason and logic I have heard!

-Matt

[penalty box]

the biggest thing I started 2 years ago is to bleed the fish as I catch them, it makes a big difference. i have a 5 gallon bucket and a pair of scissors, just cut their gills and place in the bucket with some water, after about 5 minutes place in the cooler. The cleaning table is also less messy. As far as zippering last I checked we still live in America feel free to do as you choose.

[eriecaster]

I like zipping mine out just to be sure I get the bones. I was at a buddy's house over the 4th for a fish fry and he does not zip needless to say I pulled a handful of bones out of my mouth through out the feast. I do however keep some of the smaller fish in full fillets for the grill or baking. It's a personal preference if you havnt zipped give it a shot and compare. I also skim all red meat and started bleeding my fish this year and I have noticed a difference in the fillets as well.

[BobR]

I cut mine out accept an inch from the tail so the whole fillet is intact. Saves a big fight at the dinner table with the wife if she would get a bone. She really does not like eating anything without feathers so I will make sure there are no bones.

[troy1976]

I always have jsut left the belly meat alone. my wife prefers that I dont bother with anything around the bones so that is what I do. a happy wife is a happy life. wise man told that to me. as everyone knows